h. mohammadi

The principal aim of the dairy sheep industry worldwide is to produce high-quality milk. Mastitis is an inflammatory disease in dairy animals that occurs in response to infectious factors and has substantial impacts on animal health, and economic profitability. Somatic cell count has been used as an indirect method to control mastitis. Genetic resistance to mastitis involves linked biological mechanisms resulting from differences in mastitis response, which activate and regulate different levels of the immune response. Over the last decade, interest in identifying genes or genomic regions targeted by selection has grown. Identifying selection signatures can provide valuable insights into the genes or genomic regions that are or have been under selection pressure, which in turn leads to a better understanding of genotype-phenotype relationships. This study aimed to identify effective genes and genomic regions under positive selection in two sheep breeds using selection signature methods. For this purpose, FST and hapFLK analyses were performed using the genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

In this study, data from 585 sheep of different breeds were used to identify genomic regions under selection related to the somatic cell counts in milk. Illumina ovine Bead Chip 50K was used to determine the genotype of the samples. The genomic information of sheep breeds was extracted from the Zenodo database. Quality control on genotyped samples was performed using PLINK v1.9. SNPs with a minor allele frequency (MAF) of less than 0.02 and those with a call rate of less than 0.97 were excluded. In addition, individuals with more than 10% missing genotype data were removed. SNPs that did not conform to Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P<10-6) were also eliminated. Following these quality control measures, 41,673 SNPs from 585 sheep were retained for further analysis. To identify the signatures of selection, two statistical methods of FST and hapFLK were used under the software packages FST and hapFLK, respectively. The candidate genes were identified using PLINK v1.9 software and the Illumina gene list in R by SNPs located in the 0.01 percentile of FST and hapFLK values. In addition, the latest published version of the animal genome database was used to define QTLs associated with economically important traits at identified loci. The GeneCards (http://www.genecards.org) and UniProtKB (http://www.uniprot.org) databases were also used to interpret the function of the obtained genes.

Using the FST approach, nine genomic regions on chromosomes 2, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13 (two regions), 17, and 22 were identified. The identified candidate genes associated with somatic cell count in these genomic regions included IL11RA, CDC16, CARD14, BTRC, OTUD4, COL23A1, LACTB, and PRELID3B. Some of the genes located in the identified selection regions were associated with the immune system, innate immune response, inflammation response, cancer disease, and milk production. Some of these genes in the selected regions were consistent with previous studies. The investigation of reported QTLs showed that these regions are related to QTLs of important economic traits, including milk somatic cell count, udder height and depth, clinical mastitis, bovine tuberculosis susceptibility, and heat tolerance. Moreover, the results of hapFLK statistics in this research led to the identification of six genomic regions on chromosomes 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, and 13. The identified candidate genes associated with the somatic cell count in these genomic regions included FAM49A, CDK6, and DLGAP5. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that some of these genomic regions overlapped with known genes related to innate immune and various cancers.

Different genes that emerged in the aforementioned regions can be considered candidates for selection based on their function. It was found that most of the selected genes were consistent with some previous studies and were involved in production traits. However, further investigation is recommended to determine the exact function of the identified genes and QTLs. These areas should also be confirmed by other independent studies using larger samples. In general, the data from this study may be used in research on genomic selection and genomic regions associated with mastitis in dairy sheep and in further reviews and evaluations for the improvement of dairy sheep production.

According to United Nations reports, the world population will increase from 7.2 billion people to 9.9 billion people during the years (2016-2050) with 38% growth. With population growth, amount of demand for food consumption (in order to eliminate malnutrition and demand caused by population growth) will increase by 150 to 170 percent by 2050. Today, one of the problems and threats facing the realization of food security in human societies is existence of an unusual amount of agricultural product waste.
Every year, about one third and approximately 1.3 billion tons of total food production consumed by humans with a monetary value of 936 billion dollars, it is lost or wasted, which means that 0.9 million hectares and 306 square kilometers of water required for the production of agricultural products are wasted every year. The presence of this amount of waste in Iran's agricultural products indicates a significant waste of resources in country, and management of the country's resources (especially water) according to Iran's climatic situation and forecasting and drawing the future. It is telling that (resources used in agricultural sector) will soon become an important challenge. Considering that in country, 93.5% of water resources are used in agriculture, other issues such as pollution of water reserves, transfer of agricultural water to other sectors and low efficiency of water consumption in agriculture, increasing demand for water, increasing periods drought, phenomenon of fine dust, human impact on natural resources, etc. affect the amount of agricultural production.
Subgroups of fruits and vegetables have the largest share in the consumption basket of households, but there are no specific statistics for recent years about share of consumption per capita of households (separated by products used) in Iran. It is important to note that the amount of waste generated by consumers varies between 1 kg per household per week and 4.5 kg per person per week, depending on consumer behavior. Given the significance of agricultural inputs, particularly water, in the production of these agricultural products and their substantial share in household consumption, this research focuses on the fruit and vegetable subgroups.
 
The case study of this research acknowledges that, in addition to consumers in Mashhad, there is heterogeneity among retail and wholesale shops, as well as the city's main market squares, each contributing to varying percentages of agricultural product waste. These differences can fluctuate based on urban areas, necessitating a model that accounts for the heterogeneity within the studied population. Therefore, the multilevel Bayesian model was selected as the most appropriate tool, as discussed in the following section on the modeling methodology.
 
Based on the results in Table (7), the gender variable, with a mean value of 0.8285 for its parameter distribution, falls within the estimated confidence interval. It is identified as one of the factors influencing the reduction of waste in fruit and vegetable products. Specifically, being a woman and having women manage household affairs (compared to men) leads to a reduction in waste. Regarding the education level of consumers, waste from fruit and vegetable products is significant only in the group with a diploma to bachelor's degree (compared to the group with education levels below a diploma). The negative sign of the average distribution of its parameter (-1.4599) indicates that this group produces more waste than those with lower education levels. The variable of household size also affects the amount of waste from fruit and vegetable products, with a mean parameter distribution of 0.3151. An increase in household size is associated with a reduction in waste. Additionally, the number of people working in the family (mean parameter distribution = 0.3733) also reduces waste, likely because a higher number of working family members can lead to increased income, allowing for the purchase of higher-quality products. The relative price parameter of agricultural products, with a mean parameter distribution of 0.1475, reduces the waste generated by consumers. As the relative price of agricultural products (e.g., fruits and vegetables) increases—when consumers compare the value of these products to other goods—they realize that consuming these products will result in less waste. Similarly, the parameter related to the distribution location of agricultural products, with a mean parameter distribution of 0.1744, also reduces the waste generated by consumers. This suggests that the more efficiently agricultural products are distributed, the less waste is produced. Suitable places for product distribution can give better access and power of choice to consumer, and based on this, consumer can avoid bulk purchases or worry about running out of products in nearby stores; He avoids and the amount of waste formed by him decreases. Product parameter (goods or services offered to customer) for agricultural products (parameter distribution mean = -0.1902) causes an increase in the waste formed in agricultural products by consumers. In other words, with increase in the supply of products (fruits and vegetables), consumers become more willing to buy and consume (like consuming a specific product during the supply season), and this causes increase in number of purchases to affect the amount of waste generated. Parameter of promoting agricultural products (parameter distribution mean = 0.0683) reduces the waste formed in agricultural products by consumers. With better introduction of product and advertisements related to the production process until its consumption; consumer understands the value of the product and tries to reduce its waste.
 
The research demonstrates that individual and marketing mix factors can effectively reduce waste. Beyond the importance of each link in the food supply chain, consumer-level interventions using the marketing mix (price, product, promotion, and location) can contribute to reducing agricultural product waste. Therefore, studying consumer behavior, considering individual and social characteristics and the influence of the marketing mix, represents a potentially low-cost solution for minimizing agricultural product waste.

Today's environment makes managers' education systems face new challenges and every day it becomes more dynamic than before. Global competition and the expectations of evolving societies have doubled the need for forward-looking leadership with ethical approach, understanding this importance, the aim of the research was to providing a model of future-oriented leadership in the education organization with ethics-oriented approach.

Qualitative research method was used using foundational data theory. The participants included professors and managers of higher levels of education in Kermanshah, who were selected as key informants through the purposeful sampling method of 10 people, the estimation of the sample size was based on the theoretical saturation of the data. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed by open, central and selective coding.

The findings showed that of causal conditions(ethical structures, cultural capital, ethics in work processes, professional ethics of members, moral reasoning), central phenomenon (strategic management, analysis and organization analysis and diagnosis, ethical problem solving, change and innovation management, ethical intelligence), background conditions (teamwork development, redefinition of ethical values, development of professional learning communities, focus on ethical indicators), intervening conditions (government support, changes environment, technology ethics, ethics in communication networks), strategies (meritorious, justice-oriented, future research) and consequences (educational system excellence, responsiveness to changes) were upgraded to a higher abstract level.

This research by presenting a model Future-oriented leadership in the education organization, emphasizing the ethical approach, will help educational systems in developing ethical leadership to shape the future.

Wheat, as one of the most important crops, occupies about 20% of the world's cultivated area. In the FAO report, more than 90% of Iran is classified as arid and semi-arid. The impact of drought stress on crops is devastating, resulting in yield losses of 17% every year. It is therefore of high importance to conduct researches to improve crop resilience to drought stress and minimize water losses in agriculture.

This study explored the relationships among different traits in bread wheat genotypes. A split-plot experiment was conducted, according to the randomized complete block design with three replications, to investigate 30 genotypes as subfactors. The experiment was carried out at the research farm of Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, northwest of Iran during the 2016-2017 growing season, under normal irrigation and drought stress conditions during the early flowering stage as a main factor (B). The relationship between yield and yield components and the relative importance of traits affecting yield were investigated using an analysis of variance, mean comparison, and canonical correlation analysis after measuring the traits of the studied genotypes.

The analysis of variance results revealed significant differences among genotypes for the examined traits. Moreover, the impact of drought stress was significant for all traits except spike straw yield. The interaction effect of stress and genotype was significant for all traits except 1000-grain weight, spike length, grain filling rate, and vegetative growth rate, indicating that the relative performance of the genotypes changed between the two environments. Canonical correlation analysis indicated a significant correlation between pairs of canonical variables resulting from phenological and growth traits with spike-related traits under normal and moisture stress levels. 

Based on the results of canonical correlation analysis, it can be concluded that, under normal field conditions, enhancing desirable characteristics in the spike (such as spike harvest index and grains/ spike) requires considering the traits of vegetative growth rate and grain filling rate. On the other hand, under stress conditions at the flowering stage in the field, selecting criteria should prioritize an increase in the grains/spike, spike harvest index, spikelets/spike, and spike length, as well as a decrease in spike straw yield, vegetative growth rate, length of grain filling period, days to maturity, and vegetative growth rate.

Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common congenital cyanotic disease and the severity of the clinical symptoms of the disease depends on the degree of right ventricular outflow tract stenosis, although most infants have some degree of cyanosis. Surgical treatment of the disease has resulted in a very good survival rate, although problems such as obstruction and narrowing of the right ventricular blood flow, backflow of blood through the pulmonary valve, and ventricular arrhythmias may occur over time. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine and evaluate the mid-term ECG of patients with tetralogy of Fallot after open heart surgery in a five-year period at the pediatric heart surgery center of Fars province.

The present retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between 2015 to 2016. The records of 116 patients with tetralogy of Fallot who underwent reconstructive surgery were reviewed. Six patients died during surgery and immediately after surgery. The electrocardiogram of the patients, which was taken with a time interval of 3 hours to 3 days after the surgery, was analyzed in terms of PR interval duration, QRS complex duration, QT interval duration, and ST segment changes, and the relationship of ECG changes with Reported age and sex. Moreover, the types of arrhythmia that occurred in this period of time were analyzed. The collected data were analyzed using chi square and Fisher statistical tests.

Prolongation of PR interval was observed in 6 patients (5.5%) and first degree heart block was observed in 38 patients (34.5%). Prolonged QRS complex time was observed in 40 patients (36.4%) and prolonged QTC interval was observed in 58 patients (52.7%). ST segment was unchanged in 80.9%, and ST segment elevation was seen in 9 patients (8.2%) and ST segment lowering in 12 patients (10.9%). There was no significant relationship between the changes mentioned above in the patients' ECG and age and gender (p<0.05). 80 patients had sinus rhythm and 30 patients had arrhythmia or non-sinus rhythm. The most common arrhythmia seen in these patients was junctional ectopic rhythm in 8 patients (7.27%) and the second most common arrhythmia was first degree heart block in 6 patients. (5.45% of patients) and RBBB with sinus rhythm was seen in 40 patients (36.4%).

With the investigations carried out in the previous studies as well as the present study, the need for continuous cardiac monitoring and investigation of any cardiac irregularity during the period after heart surgery in children is very important. With continuous monitoring and follow-up and faster treatment of any cardiac irregularity, the occurrence of unfortunate events (sudden death without a cause) can be prevented.

 Given the new cost pressures, hybrid work models, and evolving needs of employees and customers, organizations are increasingly realizing the importance of digital workforce management practices and digital transformation in achieving success. This is especially critical for government organizations, including local governments, as digitalisation plays a crucial role in streamlining human resource activities, reducing costs, improving data management, and strengthening human resource management systems. As local governments strive to become more agile and adapt to changing needs and expectations, digitalization enables them to respond quickly and foster innovation. Therefore, the objective of this study is to examine the impact of digital human resource management practices and digital transformation on the strength of the human resource management system, with a specific focus on the mediating role of digital task interdependence within the Tehran municipality. The survey data was collected from 266 employees of the Tehran municipality using a simple random sampling technique. The collected data was then subjected to statistical analysis. University professors and local government experts confirmed the content validity of the survey instrument. To evaluate the reliability and validity of the questionnaire, this study utilized average variance extracted, Cronbach's alpha, and composite reliability, all of which produced satisfactory outcomes. The data analysis was carried out using Analysis of Moment Structures, and SPSS26 software. The study emphasizes the importance of implementing digital human resources management practices and digital transformation to strengthen the human resource management system in Tehran municipality. This enables human resource processes to be faster, smarter, and more efficient. Additionally, the successful integration of both old and new human resource systems, along with the effective implementation of digitalization in Tehran municipality, relies on coordination and collaboration among employees through digital platforms. The present study demonstrates that the implementation of digital human resource management practices and the process of digital transformation can effectively enhance human resource management systems and align the activities of human resources with strategic objectives. By embracing digital transformation and adopting digital human resource management practices, organizations can elevate the significance of human resource management and effectively communicate their intentions to employees. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that digital task interdependence fosters collaboration and coordination among geographically dispersed employees, reducing communication costs and improving access to diverse knowledge sources. Consequently, this enhances the efficiency of municipal operations and decreases response times.

Considering being located in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, Iran is influenced by the most severe impacts of drought. Drought is considered a major threat to the livelihood of rural households. During the recent drought, rural households faced significant losses and hardships, underscoring their lack of preparedness for this natural hazard. Consequently, every society must take proactive measures to manage changes, mitigate threats, and respond effectively. A review of the country's drought management programs reveals that policymakers have consistently prioritized increased production, even amid the critical conditions of recent droughts. This focus on boosting production to meet the basic needs of a growing population has taken precedence over enhancing rural households' livelihoods and resilience. However, improving rural households' resilience in drought conditions hinges on prioritizing their capacity for adaptability and flexibility. Therefore, considering the sensitivity of the issue of resilience as a dominant approach effective on the dimensions of life and livelihood of rural households on the one hand and the lack of a comprehensive study on its underlying factors, on the other hand, this research seeks to answer two questions: First, what is the resilience level of rural households against drought? Second, what factors influence the resilience levels of rural households in drought conditions?

The statistical population of this study is 16,817 rural households in Zehak city, located in Sistan and Baluchistan province, which are strongly influenced by different climatic events such as drought, excessive heat, low rainfall and 120-day winds. A stratified random sampling method was used to determine the sample size. According to Cochran's formula, the sample size is estimated to be 376 households. Data were collected by completing multidimensional questionnaires along with semi-structured interviews from households in 2023. To measure the resilience capacity of rural households, the theoretical framework of TANGO based on the estimation of the three capacities of absorption, adaptation and transfer was used through the factor analysis method, in which attitudinal and mental aspects of resilience are also taken into account. Finally, partial proportional odds model has been used to evaluate the influencing factors on the resilience capacity of rural households.

The results of the state of resilience capacity of rural households in the region indicated that the average value of their resilience capacity is 26.27, which shows the low level of resilience capacity in the region. Also, the households of the region are in a bad situation based on the absorption, adaptation and transmission capacities, and the households of the region have a stronger transmission capacity than the absorption and adaptation capacity against drought. The results of grouping the resilience capacity of households reveal that 32.45% are in the vulnerable group, 28.19% are in the relative resilience group, 22.61% are in the resilient group and 16.76% are in the high resilience group. The results show that more than 60% of households are at very low levels of resilience. Finally, the partial proportional odds model results demonstrated that the variables of education of the head of the household, skill level in agricultural activities, savings, household income, number of household contacts with agricultural extension, membership of the head of the household in social groups and access to microcredits have a positive effect and variables of the value of the loss of agricultural products and the number of livestock lost have a negative effect on the resilience capacity of rural households against drought.

According to the findings, policy-makers should prioritize strengthening the variables that determine the resilience capacity and its dimensions in the implementation of drought management programs so that households can absorb drought shocks without damaging their basic components. Policy-makers should also target specific categories of risks, dimensions of vulnerability and resilience in different time periods (before, during, and after shock) in order to choose comprehensive strategies to build and increase resilience. For instance, before a shock, better access to early detection of emerging climate risks could help farmers plan their cropping activities accordingly. Access to climate information allows for forward-looking adaptation that reduces the impact of shocks and increases resilience.

Molecular markers that reveal polymorphisms at the DNA level now play a key role in animal genetics. However, the selection of molecular markers is crucial depending on the purpose, viz. this depends on different molecular biology techniques and their effects. Over the last decade, interest in identifying genes or genomic regions targeted by selection has grown. Identifying selection signatures can provide valuable insights into the genes or genomic regions that are or have been under selection pressure, which in turn leads to a better understanding of genotype-phenotype relationships. Type characteristics are important for breed identification and classification and are also positively correlated with body weight. This study aimed to identify effective genes and genomic regions under positive selection signatures in different goat breeds using selection signature methods. For this purpose, FST and hapFLK analyses were performed using the genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
In this research, the information from 728 goats of four different breeds was used to identify genomic regions associated with type traits. To determine the genotype of the samples, Illumina caprine Bead Chip 50K was used. The genomic information of goat breeds was extracted from the Figshare database. Quality control was performed using the Plink software. The markers or individuals were excluded from further study based on the following criteria: unknown chromosomal or physical location, call rate <0.95, missing genotype frequency >0.05, minor allele frequency (MAF) <0.05, and a P-value for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test less than 10-3. After quality control, 36861 SNPs from goat SNP chip 50K from 691 goats remained for further analysis. To identify the signatures of selection, two statistical methods of FST and hapFLK were used under the software packages FST and hapFLK, respectively. Candidate genes were identified using the Plink v1.9 software and the Illumina gene list in R by SNPs located in the highest  FST and hapFLK values. In addition, the latest published version of the animal genome database was used to define QTLs associated with economically important traits at identified loci. The GeneCards (http://www.genecards.org) and UniProtKB (http://www.uniprot.org) databases were also used to interpret the function of the obtained genes.
The FST and hapFLK statistics were used to identify genomic regions subjected to positive selection associated with type traits in four goat breeds. Using the FST approach, we identified eight genomic regions on chromosomes 3, 4, 7, 13, 15, 18, 20, and 29. The identified candidate genes associated with type traits in these genomic regions included TGFBR3, CALCR, ACAD8, BCAR1, and ADAMTS6. Some of the genes located in the identified selection regions were directly and indirectly related to cell differentiation and proliferation, skeletal muscle growth and development, body length, calcium channel regulation, muscle fiber homeostasis, protein synthesis, and muscle cell size. Some of these genes in the selected regions were consistent with previous studies. The results of the reported QTLs in the selected regions and the bovine orthologous regions were QTLs located in the identified regions that were related to average daily gain, body weight, trunk width, and metabolic body weight. Furthermore, the results of the hapFLK statistics in this research led to the identification of five genomic regions on chromosomes 1, 5, 6, 13, and 30, and they were in the 99.9th percentile of all hapFLK values. The identified candidate genes associated with the type trait in these genomic regions included FNDC3B, STAB2, and CCNY. They were found to have different functions in fibroblast proliferation and bone cell differentiation.
Various/different genes that emerged in studied regions can be considered candidates for selection based on their function. By the way, various genes found in these regions can be considered candidates for selection based on their function. Most of the selected genes were found to be consistent with some previous studies and to be involved in production traits. A survey of extracted QTLs also found that these QTLs are involved in some economically important traits in goats, such as average daily gain and body weight in yearlings. However, further association and functional studies are required to demonstrate the importance of the genes obtained from association analyses. Leveraging these findings can accelerate genetic progress in breeding programs and help understand the genetic mechanism that controls these traits.
In this research, to identify genomic regions under selection associated with type traits were used the information obtained from 728 goats of different breeds including Beetal, Daira Deen Panah, Barbari, Teddi, In order to determine the genotype of the samples, Illumina caprine Bead Chip 50K were used. The genomic information of goat breeds was extracted from the figshare database. Quality control was conducted using the Plink software. The markers or individuals were excluded from the further study based on the following criteria: unknown chromosomal or physical location, call rate <0.95, missing genotype frequency >0.05, minor allele frequency (MAF) < 0.05, and a P-value for Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium test less than 10-3. After quality control, 36,861 SNPs from Goat SNP chip 50K on 691 goats were remained for the future analysis. To identify the signatures of selection, two statistical methods of FST and hapFLK were used under FST and hapFLK software packages, respectively. Candidate genes were identified by SNPs located at 1% upper range of FST and hapFLK using Plink v1.9 software and the gene list of Illumina in R. Additionally, the latest published version of Animal genome database was used for defining QTLs associated with economic important traits in identified locations. GeneCards (http://www.genecards.org) and UniProtKB (http://www.uniprot.org) databases were also used to interpret the function of the obtained genes. We used the FST and hapFLK statistics to identify genomic regions that have been under positive selection associated with type traits in four goat breeds. Using FST approach, we identified eight genomic regions on chromosomes 3, 4, 7, 13, 15, 18, 20, and 29 chromosome. The identified candidate genes associated with type trait in these genomic regions included TGFBR3, CALCR, ACAD8, BCAR1, ADAMTS6. Some of the genes located in identified regions under selection were associated with the cell differentiation and proliferation, skeletal muscle growth and development, body length, calcium channel regulation, muscle fiber homeostasis, protein synthesis and muscle cell size which can be directly and indirectly related to the trait of the type traits. Some of these genes in the selected regions were consistent with previous studies. Result of the reported QTLs in the selected regions and the orthologous regions of cattle were located in the identified regions, QTLs related to average daily gain, body weight, rump width and body metabolic weight. Also, the results of hapFLK statistics in this research led to the identification of five genomic regions on chromosomes 1, 5, 6, 13, and 30, and they were in the 99.9 percentile of all hapFLK values. The identified candidate genes associated with the type trait in these genomic regions included FNDC3B, STAB2 and CCNY. It was determined that they had different functions in proliferation of fibroblasts and differentiation of bone cells. Result of the reported QTLs in the selected regions and orthologous cattle in the identified regions, QTLs related to metabolic body weight were located. various genes that were founded within these regions can be considered as candidates under selection based on function. Most of the genes under selection were found are consistent with some previous studies and to be involved in production traits. Also, survey on extracted QTLs was shown that these QTLs involved in some economical important traits in goat such as average daily gain and body weight in yearling. However, it will be necessary to carry out more association and functional studies to demonstrate the implication of these genes. However, it will be necessary to carry out more association and functional studies to demonstrate the implication of these genes and survey on QTLs related to selected regions. However, will be necessary to carry out more association and functional studies to demonstrate the implication of genes obtained from association analyses. Using these findings can accelerate the genetic progress in the breeding programs and can be used to understand the genetic mechanism controlling this trait.

Rifampin is one of the antibiotic drugs that is usually used to treat tuberculosis and is considered a strong toxic agent for the liver. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of betaine administration on rifampin-induced liver damage in rats.

This experimental study was conducted on 60 male Wistar rats in 6 groups of 10. Liver damage and induction of oxidative stress were caused by oral administration of rifampin 100 mg/kg of body weight for 14 consecutive days. Different doses of betaine (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg of body weight) were administered by gavage to the sick rats. At the end of the treatment course, liver damage caused by rifampin was investigated by examining serum biochemical factors (ALT, AST, LDH, Bilirubin), and reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH), antioxidant capacity (FRAP), and lipid peroxidation (LPO), and histopathological changes in liver tissue were evaluated.

Serum ALT level in the group that received rifampin (201±7821) was significantly higher than the control group (26±281) (p=0.0031). The serum level of AST in the group that only received rifampin (684±118) was significantly higher than the control group (50±1021) (AST=706). The amount of ROS was also significantly increased in the patient group (216,000±1001) compared to the control group (982,090±8332) (p=0.002). Also, the amount of LPO in the group that received rifampin (8.24±1.63) increased significantly compared to the control group (1.19±0.13) (p=0.021).

The results of the study showed that betaine can reduce liver damage caused by rifampin and its consequences.

Artificial and natural selection not only increases the frequency of new-useful mutations but also remains some signals throughout the genome. Since these regions often control economically important traits, identifying and tracking these regions is the most important subject in animal genetics. Also, natural and artificial selection related to adaptation and economic traits, such as litter size, results in changes at the genomic level which leads to the appearance of selection signatures. Several tests including the linkage disequilibrium-based approach, site frequency spectrum, and population differentiation-based approach have been developed to explore the footprints of selection in the genome. Domestication and selection have significantly changed the behavioral and phenotypic traits in modern domestic animals. The selection of animals by humans left detectable signatures on the genome of modern sheep. The identification of these signals can help us to improve the genetic characteristics of economically important traits in sheep. Over the last decade, interest in the detection of genes or genomic regions that are targeted by selection has been growing. Identifying signatures of selection can provide valuable insights about the genes or genomic regions that are or have been under selection pressure, which in turn leads to a better understanding of genotype-phenotype relationships. One of the best ways to understand physiological processes is to analyze gene regulation networks. Identification of genes involved in economic traits as molecular markers in breeding is of special importance. Gene regulation networks enable the researcher to study all of the genes together. This study aimed to identify selection signature regions and candidate genes related to adaptation and the number of lambs born.
To identify the signatures of selection in Iranian native sheep and Egyptian breeds, genomic information of 96 native sheep (including 96 Zandi) and 107 Egyptian sheep (including 59 Barki and 48 Rahmani) were used. The genomic information of foreign breeds was extracted from the Dryad database (https://dryad.com/articles/dataset). To determine the genotype of the samples, Illumina Bead Chip 50K was used. Quality control was conducted using the Plink software. The markers or individuals were excluded from the further study based on the following criteria: unknown chromosomal or physical location, call rate <0.95, missing genotype frequency >0.05, minor allele frequency (MAF) < 0.05, and a P-value for Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium test less than 10-6. After the quality control of the data, the hapFLK statistical method, with hapFLK v1.4 software, was used to identify selection signatures. The genomic version of the Oar_v4.0 database in NCBI was used for detecting the genomic position of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the sheep genome. Candidate genes were identified by SNPs located at 0.1% upper range of hapFLK using BioMart software in ensemble 109. Then, using the PANTHER database, the general biological function of the genes was checked. At this stage, it is assumed that genes that belong to a functional class can be considered as a group of genes that have some specific and common characteristics, and the QTLs in the selected region were extracted using the Animal Genome database, and the genes were compared with other research. GeneCards (http://www.genecards.org) and UniProtKB (http://www.uniprot.org) databases were also used to interpret the function of the obtained genes.
Based on the results of hapFLK, by comparing the Zandi population with Egyptian breeds (Barki and Rahmani), seven genomic regions on chromosomes 1, 2 (three regions), 10, 25, and 26 were identified. Candidate genes of DNAJB4, FNDC3B, GULP1, ACVR1, and FGF9 were in these regions. Further investigation using bioinformatics tools showed these genomic regions overlapped with the immune system, adaptation, litter size, and lipid and muscle metabolism.
The results of this study may provide an important source to facilitate the identification of genomic regions and then, the genes affecting economically important traits in the sheep industry. However, it will be necessary to carry out more association and functional studies to demonstrate the implications of these genes. Therefore, in subsequent studies with more samples and more breeds of domestic and wild sheep in Iran, a better understanding of candidate genes for important economic traits in domestic and wild species would be achieved.

The expansion and development of cities and the increase of urbanization are some of the current characteristics of human societies, especially in developing countries. Density and population growth in cities have led to the expansion and development of urban areas and changes in urban land use. In this research, a remote sensing technique was used to identify the patterns and examine the spatial changes in the surface temperature in different areas of Isfahan City. Using thermal equations and a similarity centre algorithm, the temperature of the earth's surface has been calculated for the periods of 1365 to 1401. The supervised classification of the most similar method was used to evaluate the changes in the land use of the studied area, which includes built uses, gardens, vegetation, and lands without vegetation. The results of the comparison of land use between 1365 and 1401 within the scope of studies show that during the mentioned period residential use increased by 175.94 square kilometers and garden use by 74.28 km shows a decreasing trend. Also, we see a decrease of 39.03 km in the use of vegetation and a decrease of 217.75 km in the use of areas without vegetation. The results of the earth surface temperature survey show the expansion of the earth surface temperature during the study period in Isfahan city. Based on this, in the studied period, the earth's surface temperature increased in the east and southeast regions. Examining the isothermal lines shows that the temperature of the earth's surface around the city increased significantly in terms of temperature and extent.

The sperm membrane is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which is very sensitive to the damage caused by ROS as a result of lipid peroxidation. Using suitable antioxidants in semen extenders can reduce the level of ROS. Rutin is a naturally occurring antioxidant polyphenolic flavonoid with powerful radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition properties. However, no studies have investigated the potential impact of rutin supplementation in cooling preservation of ram epididymal sperm. The current research was aimed to compare different concentrations of rutin antioxidant in the cooling process.

In this experimental study, testes of mature rams were collected from a local slaughterhouse and transferred to the laboratory within 1 hours in saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. In the laboratory, the epididymis was separated from the testis and cleaned from any connective tissues and blood vessels. For sperm recovery, the cauda epididymis was trimmed with a scalpel and epididymal sperm was obtained by cutting into small pieces in 5 ml of tris base extender pre-warmed at 37°C and incubated for 10 min to allow sperm swim out. The diluted sperm samples were divided into five equal experimental groups including: 1) tris base extender (Control), 2) extender containing 0.5 mM rutin, 3) extender containing 0.75 mM rutin, 4) extender containing 1 mM rutin, and 5) extender containing 1.25 mM rutin. The sperm samples were cooled gradually from 37°C to 4°C in 2 hours and held at 4°C. Sperm motility, viability, membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation were evaluated after extension (0 h) and at 24 and 48 hours of storage. The motility, viability, membrane integrity and morphology of sperm samples were evaluated immediately after extension (0 h) and at 24 and 48 h of storage at 4°C. The sperm motion kinematics were objectively evaluated by using the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. The eosin-nigrosin staining technique was applied to evaluate viability. The hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) was performed to assess membrane integrity. Sperm morphology was determined by staining sperm smears with Hancock’s solution. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration.

The data obtained from this experiment show that after 24 and 48 hours of cooling, the addition of rutin antioxidant at a concentration of 0.75 and 1 mM causes a significant increase in total motility, progressive motility and straight path velocity. The results of the present study show that experimental treatments at 0, 24 and 48 hours after cooling have no effect on VAP, VCL and STR. The results of this experiment show that after 24 and 48 hours of cooling, the addition of rutin antioxidants at concentrations of 0.75 and 1 mM significantly increases the viability and integrity of the membrane. Also, the results show that the experimental treatments reduce the amount of MDA. The results show that the applied treatments have no effect on sperm morphology.

The results show that using rutin antioxidant in concentrations of 0.75 and 1 mM improves the quality of ram sperm.

Obstructive gastrointestinal (GI) malformations are one of the most important congenital problems resulting in calf mortality within a few days of birth. The most common site for atresia, after the esophagus, is the jejunum. Jejunum atresia is the congenital absence or complete blockage of a part of the jejunum lumen. Early detection of intestinal obstruction is essential to prevent further complications. Intestinal atresia is an underdiagnosed congenital defect in cattle. It results in complete occlusion of the intestinal lumen and, unless surgically corrected, results in death or euthanasia of the affected calf. There is limited information on the incidence of this condition or risk factors, including predisposing alleles, associated with the defect. Atresia is a well-known congenital defect of the gastrointestinal system in calves and investigations into the etiology of this condition are warranted. Domestication and selection have significantly changed the behavioral and phenotypic traits in modern domestic animals. The selection of animals by humans left detectable signatures on the genome of modern dairy cattle. The identification of these signals can help us to improve the genetic characteristics of economically important traits in goats. Over the last decade, interest in the detection of genes or genomic regions that are targeted by selection has been growing. Identifying signatures of selection can provide valuable insights about the genes or genomic regions that are or have been under selection pressure, which in turn leads to a better understanding of genotype-phenotype relationships. This study aimed to identify the selection signatures using the unbiased theta method associated with gastrointestinal atresia in Holstein dairy calves.

For calves with intestinal atresia, muscle tissue (>1 g) was collected from the Latissimus dorsi muscle postmortem, and submerged in RNA later solution. DNA samples from 91 atresia cases and 377 control animals were genotyped using the Illumina 777K BovineHD beadchip (Illumina Inc). The work described here is a case–control association study. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) missing 5% of data, with MAF of <1% and Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium P-values <10−6 were removed. The genotyping efficiency for samples was also verified, and samples with more than 5% missing data were removed. Grouping was done to infer selection signatures based on FST statistic. The bioinformatics investigations were carried out using the Ensembl database for bovine genes (assembly ARS-UCD1.2), to identify potential candidate genes which already have been reported in/or surrounding genomic regions containing the peak of absolute extreme FST values. The regions corresponding to the upper and lower 0.01% of positive and negative obtained FST scores were considered regions under selection. Genes within a 500-kb span of the start and end of the QTL were identified using Ensembl 108 on the ARS-UCD1.2 bovine genome assembly implemented in biomart. Then, using the PANTHER database, the general biological function of the genes was checked. At this stage, it is assumed that genes that belong to a functional class can be considered as a group of genes that have some specific and common characteristics, and the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in the selected region were extracted using the Animalgenome database, and the genes were compared with other researches. GeneCards (http://www.genecards.org) and UniProtKB (http://www.uniprot.org) databases were also used to interpret the function of the obtained genes.

with a 99.90 percentile threshold of the obtained theta (θ) values, eight genomic regions on chromosomes 7, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23 (two regions), and 29 in the Holstein calves were identified. Further investigation using bioinformatics tools showed these genomic regions overlapped with the genes (CSF2, SIAH3, TMEM14A, and SKIV2L) associated with embryonic development, small intestine length, apoptosis, and several tumors. The population used in our study is small, owing to the challenge of collecting a substantial amount of blood on calves on commercial herds having received the diagnosis of gastrointestinal atresia and ready to be culled. Diagnosis and culling of gastrointestinal atresia animals are ineffective preventive measures.  Further work is required to identify which farm-specific or management risk factors contribute to the incidence of intestinal atresia.

The results of this study may provide an important source to facilitate the identification of genomic regions and then, the genes affecting gastrointestinal atresia in claves. However, further studies are warranted to refine the findings using a larger sample size, whole-genome sequencing, and/or high-density genotyping.

Export is a crucial driver of economic growth in various countries and significantly contributes to a country's entry into global markets and enhances economic success. In developing countries such as Iran, economic and social development programs prioritize the expansion of exports, particularly high value added agricultural products. The growth in non-oil exports, such as dried fruits, and the entry of domestic producers into new global markets have led to an increased demand for Iran's export products. This has also resulted in higher production levels, increased employment opportunities, and higher value added in the related activities. To enhance export performance, which is a crucial measure of a company's success in utilizing its resources and capabilities in the international arena over a specific period of time, it is important to focus on improving marketing strategies and specialized knowledge. Therefore, this research aims to examine the impact of marketing mix and specialized marketing knowledge on the export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in exporting dried fruits in Mashhad, Iran in 2022. A total of 80 questionnaires were distributed among senior managers, board members, and business managers of dried fruits SMEs using the available sampling method. Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis and test of research hypotheses. The statistical data and structural equation modeling revealed that the joint impact of marketing mix and specialized marketing knowledge has a positive and significant influence on export performance. In order to improve the company's profitability, it is essential for senior managers and sales managers to recognize the significance of these two factors and undergo relevant training to acquire the necessary skills. Moreover, managers should make effective use of appropriate distribution channels to expand their exports. Simultaneously, they should consider adapting product quality and packaging to align with the preferences of foreign buyers.

With the growing population of the world, water, food and energy supply will be one of the most important challenges ahead. Agriculture as the most important food producer is not only the consumer of water and energy, but also the most important supplier of energy. As a result, a balance must be struck between harvesting and exploitation of production resources and the amount of agricultural production. Due to the close relationship between water-food-energy systems and also their interaction with each other, a new concept called the “nexus” approach has been proposed which refers to the integrated nature and interactions of water-food-energy planning. This approach has provided suitable options for political decision makers, managers and planners in order to conserve existing resources and achieve sustainable development.

In this study, we have tried to introduce a mathematical programming model using multi-objective mathematical programming (MOP) technique for water-food-energy nexus that has the ability to process managerial decisions. In this model, in addition to examining the economic aspect, the control of greenhouse gas emissions has also been investigated. The regions of Mashhad, Chenaran and Torqabeh-Shandiz are the most important regions in the study area of Mashhad province in the production of crops. The data required for the study were collected through review of reports and agricultural statistical yearbooks of the year 2020-2021 and interviews with experts in each region and through consulting engineering companies. The hypothetical model under study includes lands covered by crops of Mashhad, Chenaran and Torqabeh-Shandiz. In this model, the water needed to irrigate crops is supplied from surface and groundwater sources. Electricity (electricity consumption) is used to collect and pump of irrigation water, produce food, and supply the domestic and industrial sectors. In the process of generating electricity, production of food, irrigation of crops and consumption of fertilizers and pesticides, greenhouse gases are emitted, especially CO2. In this study, 6 objectives including: maximizing gross profit, maximizing the production of calories from food, minimizing emission of greenhouse gases, minimizing consumption of fertilizers and pesticides, minimizing consumption of irrigation water, and minimizing consumption of energy have been pursued.

The results of the proposed model showed that the rate of change in the level of cultivation area in MOP compared to the current cultivation pattern in Mashhad, Chenaran and Torqabeh-Shandiz decreased by 25.92%, 53.05% and 55.88%, respectively. The level of optimal cultivation for barley in Mashhad in order to maximize net profit objective increased by 16934 hectares (46.71%) and its maximizing caloric production equal to 8484 ha, which has decreased compared to the current pattern (22%). The cultivation area of barley in minimum irrigation water consumption decreased by 10877 hectares (1.11%) and in other minimization objectives it changed to 12892 hectares which increased by 17% in Mashhad region. Wheat, barley, alfalfa, corn, sugar beet, tomato and potato have the highest decrease in cultivation area in the MOP among crops. The total area of optimal cultivation in the net profit maximization model of Mashhad, Chenaran and Torqabeh-Shandiz equal to 48639, 26027 and 75 hectares, which showed an increase of 41.4%, 11.61% and 55.8%, respectively. Furthermore, in the model aimed at minimizing energy, irrigation water, fertilizer, pesticide consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions, the recommended cultivation areas are as follows: 25,475 hectares for energy consumption, 15,954 hectares for irrigation water consumption, and 100 hectares each for fertilizer consumption, pesticide consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. These figures clearly indicate the need to reduce the cultivation area dedicated to agricultural products that have a significant environmental impact. Consequently, it is crucial to alter the cultivation pattern and adopt a strategy that focuses on producing crops with a lower environmental impact. By implementing this strategy, the objective is to cultivate crops that require less energy, irrigation water, fertilizer, and pesticides, while also minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. This approach aims to mitigate the environmental footprint associated with agricultural practices. By reducing the cultivation area for crops that have high environmental effects and transitioning towards crops that have a lesser impact on the environment, it is possible to achieve a more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural system.

The purpose of this study was to propose a nonlinear multi-objective mathematical programming model with water-food-energy nexus approach for crops in Mashhad province. In this study, in addition to economic relations, energy and environmental issues (greenhouse gas emissions) were also analyzed. The various components of the water-food-energy nexus, including energy supply planning, water supply and demand, food production, and control of greenhouse gas emissions, were modeled. The results showed that considering the MOP model based on economic and environmental objectives, the area under cultivation of wheat, barley, alfalfa, tomatoes, sugar beets and potatoes has significantly decreased. In other words, in order to achieve the objectives of maximum profit and minimum environmental impact, the area under wheat, barley, tomato, corn should be reduced and the area under cucumber, onion, potato and sugar beet should be increased. According to the results of this study, the following suggestions are presented:- Implementation of the proposed optimal model of water-food-energy nexus allows farmers to simultaneously maintain economic income, environmental considerations, optimal and sustainable consumption of resources (water-food-energy) to select and consider suitable policies. So, it will only be a sustainable policy if it can be built within the combined framework of water, food, energy and the environment. In order to minimize the emission of greenhouse gases and its damage to the environment, the area under cultivation of agricultural products that have high environmental impact should be reduced, and in contrast to changes in cultivation pattern, the strategy to produce crops with less impact. Therefore, by developing a cropping pattern model, the productivity of the production capacities of the agricultural sector can be maximized and at the same time the damages and destructive consequences of crop production can be reduced.

Fat inclusion in the diet presents positive features such as essential fatty acids and vitamin supply, slowing the passage rate, and lubricating the feed milling equipment. The price of conventional added fat sources has been increasing in the last few years; therefore, there is a growing interest in the use of alternative energy sources in poultry feeding. In this context, coproducts derived from the soybean oil refinement process represent an economic alternative and permit giving added value to residual products. Soybean lecithin, which is extracted from the soybean oil degumming process, is mainly composed of polar lipids (>60%), especially of phospholipids, but also contains an important amount of neutral lipids (30–40%), as triacylglycerols and free fatty acids. Soy lecithin may also act as a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are important precursors of eicosanoids for human health benefits and neonatal growth. The inclusion of lecithin in the diet could improve lipid digestibility, liver function, and performance. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the effect of fat source and soybean lecithin on performance, egg quality, nutrient digestibility, and blood parameters in laying hens.
A total of 144 Nick Chick laying hens were randomly divided into six treatments, six replicates, and four hens per replicate as a 2×3 factorial experiment in a completely randomized design. The experimental treatments included: 1) 3% soybean oil, 2) 3% soybean oil + 0.1% lecithin, 3) 3% tallow, 4) 3% tallow + 0.1% lecithin, 5) a mixture of soybean oil + tallow in equal proportions, and  6) a mixture of soybean oil + tallow in equal proportions + 0.1% lecithin. Lecithin contains 7480 kcal/kg metabolizable energy and is added to experimental diets at one kg/ton as per company recommendation. Productive performance and egg quality traits were recorded from 37 to 44 weeks of age. Egg production and egg weight were recorded daily and feed intake was recorded weekly. This information was used to calculate the feed conversion ratio. Egg quality was measured in four eggs which were individually weighed and the external and internal quality (shape index, yolk index, yolk weight, yolk color, Haugh unit, shell weight, and shell thickness) was determined. At the end of the experiment (44 weeks of age) celite was added to experimental diets as an insoluble marker. Apparent metabolizable energy, dry matter, fat and crude protein digestibility were measured. Liver enzymes’ activity (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase concentrations) and blood parameters (triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL, and LDL) were measured at the end of the experiment.
Feed intake (P<0.01), egg production, and egg mass improved by a mixture of soybean oil + tallow (P<0.05) in the entire experiment. The effects of the source of oil on the productive performance of laying hens are contradictory and depend on the oil source and fatty acid compositions of oil/lipids, strain, and age of hens. Inclusion of lecithin in the diet increased feed intake and yolk color (P<0.01) but decreased Haugh unit (P<0.05). The reasons for the discrepancies among researchers concerning the effects of dietary lecithin on poultry production are not known but might depend on the type of bird used, as well as on the characteristics of the diet, including the level, source, and fatty acid profile of the lipid source used. The information available on the effects of lecithin on yolk pigmentation is scarce. The unsaturated fatty acid profile of lecithin is more favorable for xanthophyll absorption and utilization than that of the more saturated fatty acid profile of animal fat. Lecithin facilitates the absorption and transfer of fats, so it can cause the absorption of pigment substances as fat-soluble compounds. Yolk color increased and eggshell thickness was decreased (P<0.05) by a mixture of soybean oil + tallow. Apparent metabolizable energy, dry matter, fat, and protein digestibility were not affected by fat source, lecithin inclusion, or fat source × lecithin interaction. Moreover, the data indicated that the addition of soy oil decreased the cholesterol in the plasma (P<0.05). Aspartate aminotransferase (P<0.01), lactate dehydrogenase (P<0.05), triglyceride (P<0.01), cholesterol, and LDL (P<0.05) concentrations of the plasma decreased by lecithin inclusion in the diet. Lecithin is one of the natural elements that have dispersing properties. Lecithin is capable of reducing LDL cholesterol. It also promotes HDL cholesterol synthesis. In addition, it is used to help reduce cholesterol and triglycerides and protect the liver in the prevention of kidney stone formation. The lecithin modifies the cholesterol homeostasis in the liver, increasing the HMG-CoA reductase (3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase) and alpha 7 hydroxylase cholesterol activities. The LDL concentration and size are also significantly reduced and the bile acid pool and bile lipid secretion are increased.
In general, soybean lecithin can be added, in combination with soybean oil and tallow as an energy source in laying hens' diet to improve performance.

Identifying genes with large effects on economically important traits, has been one of the important goals in sheep breeding. A method to identify new loci and confirm existing quantitative trait loci (QTL) is through genome-wide association studies (GWAS). QTL-assisted selection and genomic regions affecting the production traits have been considered to increase the efficiency of selection and improve production performance. GWAS typically focuses on genetic markers with the strongest evidence of association. However, single markers often explain only a small component of the genetic variance and hence offer a limited understanding of the trait under study. A solution to tackle the aforementioned problems, and deepen the understanding of the genetic background of complex traits, is to move up the analysis from the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) to the gene and gene-set levels. In a gene-set analysis, a group of related genes that harbor significant SNP previously identified in GWAS is tested for over-representation in a specific pathway. The present study aimed to conduct a GWAS based on gene-set enrichment analysis for identifying the loci associated with economic traits using the high-density SNPs.

In this research, to identify genes and biological pathways associated with some economic traits, GWAS based on gene-set enrichment analysis was conducted in a F2 population derived from a reciprocal cross by using Illumina iSelect 4K Japanese quail SNP Bead chip. For each bird, traits including body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, tibia ash, and foot ash were measured. The SNPs that were associated with traits were identified based on mixed linear models using GCTA software and no correction was made to adjust the error rate. The gene-set analysis consisted of three different steps: (1) the assignment of SNPs to genes, (2) the assignment of genes to functional categories, and (3) the association analysis between each functional category and the phenotype of interest. In brief, for each trait, nominal P<0.005 from the GWAS analyses were used to identify significant SNPs. Using the biomaRt R package, the SNPs were assigned to genes if they were within the genomic sequence of the gene or a flanking region of 15 kb up- and downstream of the gene, to include SNP located in regulatory regions. For the assignment of the genes to functional categories, the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway databases were used. The GO database designates biological descriptors to genes based on attributes of their encoded products and it is further partitioned into three components: biological process, molecular function, and cellular component. The KEGG pathway database contains metabolic and regulatory pathways, representing the actual knowledge of molecular interactions and reaction networks. Finally, a Fisher’s exact test was performed to test for overrepresentation of the significant genes for each gene set. The gene enrichment analysis was performed with the goseq R package. In the next step, bioinformatics analysis was implemented to identify the biological pathways performed in BioMart, Panther, DAVID, and GeneCards databases.

Gene-set enrichment analysis has proven to be a great complement to GWAS. Among available gene set databases, GO is probably the most popular, whereas KEGG is a relatively new tool that is gaining ground in livestock genomics. We hypothesized that the use of gene-set information could improve prediction. It is likely that a better understanding of the biology underlying meat production specifically, plus an advance in the annotation of the quail genome, can provide new opportunities for predicting production using gene-set information. 11 SNPs on chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 18, 20, 24, and 27 located in NPY, DRD2, PTPRN2, BMPR1B, MYF5, IGF2BP1, MYO1E, FGF2, LDB2, BMP4, ACOX1, PCK1, PLCB4, PLCB, and PLCG1 genes were identified. According to gene-set enrichment analysis, 23 categories from gene ontology and the KEGG pathway were associated with the traits (P˂0.05). Among those categories, Protein glycosylation, Myoblast differentiation, Positive regulation of muscle cell differentiation and Biological MAPK signaling pathway, and Calcium signaling pathway have a significant association with skeletal muscle fiber, feed intake, and availability utilization.

This study supported previous results from GWAS and revealed additional regions associated with these economically important traits. Using the findings of this study could potentially be useful for genetic selection to improve production in Japanese quail.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of specific SportsMetricsTM training on core stability, tuck jump scores, and hops in soccer players.

The present study is a randomized controlled trial. The subjects of the study were 29 soccer players with three years of experience in soccer clubs. Subjects were randomly divided into experimental (n = 14) and control (n = 15) groups. The experimental group performed soccer-specific SportsMetrics exercises for six weeks. The control group continued normal exercises. For assessment, McGill tests, tuck jumps, and hop tests were used. Data was analysed using a Repeated Analysis Variance Measure (p≤0.05).

The results of the repeated analysis of the variance measure showed a significant difference between the scores of trunk flexion (p = 0.001), trunk extension (p = 0.001), right side plank (p = 0.001), left side plank (p = 0.013), tuck jump score (p = 0.000), hop (p = 0.001), and in the experimental and control groups after six weeks of training.

The results of the present study showed that football-specific sports metric exercises improve core stability and lower limb function. Due to the relationship between core stability and lower extremity function and injuries, especially ACL rupture, to prevent injury and improve the performance of soccer players, it is recommended to use a football-specific injury prevention training protocol.

Oilseeds are one of Iran's major imported items in the agricultural sector, and the per capita consumption of edible oil in the country is about twice the global per capita consumption. Therefore, considering the increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and obesity in the society, and on the other hand, the body's need for fatty acids and the necessity of using oils in cooking all kinds of food and sweets, it is necessary to determine the factors affecting the amount and type of oil used by households. In this regard, the present study was conducted in 2018 on 245 households living in Mashhad city. Sampling of the statistical population of the research was done by a simple random method and data and statistics were collected by completing the questionnaire. Data processing was also done using descriptive statistics methods as well as ordered logit and multinomial logit regression models. The results of the study showed that the variables of importance to health, education, awareness of the presence of palm and the number of family members had an effect on the type of oil consumed. According to the results of the research, the share of liquid oil in the total household oil consumption is 41 percent, and the share of local oil consumption in the household diet is estimated to be around 2.4 percent due to its high price. Despite being useful, natural oils make up only about 24 percent of the total household oil consumption. Therefore, it is suggested that the benefits of using natural and local oils compared to other oils should be explained to the society through appropriate educational and promotion programs as well as by informing consumers more.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the world. The most important issue in cancer treatment is the destruction of cancer cells in the presence of normal cells. For this reason, it is necessary to use natural resources such as plants to treat cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antibacterial effects of the ethanolic extract of Alhagi maurorum on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and cytotoxicity on HeLa cervical cancer cell line.

In this experimental study, first the ethanolic extract of Alhagi maurorum was prepared, and then the two standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC: 25923) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC: 27853) were lyophilized by culturing in nutrient medium. In order to confirm the standard strains, biochemical tests were performed. Microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration and after obtaining the minimum inhibitory concentration, the minimum bactericidal concentration was evaluated. Furthermore, the effects of the cytotoxicity of the extract at concentrations of 0.1, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 μg/ml was evaluated on the HeLa cell line in a period of 48 hours using the MTT method and comparing its toxicity with the cisplatin group (positive control group).

Ethanol extract of Alhagi maurorum at a concentration of 50 μg/ml reduced the growth of cancer cells, and in the statistical comparison, 50, 500 and 1000 μg concentrations revealed significant differences (p<0.05). According to minimum inhibitory concentration results, the minimum growth inhibitory concentration of the extract on the standard strain of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was reported to be 4000 and 16000 μg/ml, respectively, and according to minimum bactericidal concentration results, the minimum bactericidal concentration of the extract was found 4 times the minimum inhibitory concentration (16000 μg/ml) in Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC: 25923), but it was not lethal in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC: 27853).

The results of the study showed that the ethanolic extract of Alhagi maurorum affected HeLa cells through antioxidant activity and inhibited their growth, and according to minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration results, it was also shown that the most inhibitory effect was on the standard strain of Staphylococcus aureus while it showed no effects on the strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

A suitable marketing strategy is essential for increasing sales and profitability at different stages of the product life cycle. The main objective of this study was to assess the factors that affect the choice of marketing strategy at various stages of the product life cycle in the food industry in Mashhad, Iran. Data were collected in 2017 through a survey which 88 marketing managers in the food production industry completed the questionnaires. To reach the goal of the study, the multinomial logit model was applied to determine the effects of explanatory variables on the probability of choosing a special marketing strategy at the various stages of the product life cycle. Results showed that the manager’s experience, education, type of product, competitiveness, reputable brand, and market share had a significant effect on the chosen strategy at different stages of the product life cycle. Therefore, a company’s profitability in a market could be improved by the implementation of a marketing strategy based on product type and in relation to the specific stage of the product life cycle.

Khorasan Razavi Province suffers from the most critical groundwater resources in Iran, i.e. the groundwater decline has reached 1 m; 34 out of 37 water plains are banned in Khorasan Razavi Province. Recently, Mashhad plain has been fighting with the crisis of drought and water scarcity. Illegal harvesting from groundwater resources and the warming trend caused by change in climate have exacerbated the crisis. Comprehensive water resources management, assuming the complicated nature of water-related issues, rapid growth of population, water requirement for a variety of purposes, and limited water resources, requires novel methods to stack up technical, economic, environmental, social, and logical perspectives in an integrated forum. One of the tools for comprehensive water resources management is utilizing hydro-economic models to simulate the present status of drainage basins and evaluate the impacts of different scenarios and policies. The current study used a hydro-economic model to simulate the hydrological status of Mashhad plain and evaluate the impacts of different scenarios. Then, the agent-based model (ABM) was used in order to reach an agreement with stakeholders on executing different conservation scenarios. The hydro-economic model results revealed that reducing the water demand of the agricultural sector and, as a result, surface and groundwater consumption is possible through following adaptation scenarios. Implementing various adaptation scenarios may alter the present cultivation pattern. Moreover, the ABM results showed a significant difference between the volume of available water, due to the execution of strategies, and water demand, bringing about the lack of farmers’ cooperation regarding the implementation of conservation scenarios. However, through applying some incentive policies, a number of representative farmers may agree to pursue adaptation scenarios.

For identification of correlations and relations among different traits in bread wheat, 30 genotypes were investigated based on a split plot experiment in the form of randomized complete block design with three replications under normal and moisture stress conditions during the 2016-2017 crop season. The results of the analysis of variance showed that the effect of genotypes was significant for most of the studied traits. The interaction effect of drought stress and genotype was significant for all examined traits except 1000-grain weight. Genotypes c-94-3 and Heidari were recognized as the best genotypes with average grain yield of 437 and 427 g/m2, respectively, in normal conditions. Under drought conditions, genotypes cd-4 and cd-6 had the lowest grain yield with an average of 104 and 108 g/m2, respectively. Based on the results of multiple regression in field experiment, under optimal irrigation conditions, flag leaf area, spike density,  number of days to 50% flowering and spike length, (R2= 0.466) and under stress conditions, grain filling rate, grain filling period and straw yield (R2= 0.736) were considered as important traits affecting grain yield.  Path analysis of grain yield under normal conditions indicated that the flag leaf area, spike density and spike length, and under stress conditions, the grain filling rate, grain filling period and straw yield, with the greatest direct positive effect were the important and effective traits in grain yield. Based on the results of the analysis of the grain yield correlation coefficients under normal condition, the number of kernels per spike, 1000-grain weight, flag leaf area, spike density and spike length, and under stress conditions, the number of kernels per spike, the grain filling rate, grain filling period and straw yield, were considered as the traits affecting grain yield.

Dena County is one of the most important grape-growing area in the southwest of Iran. The dominant cultivar in this area is Askari and grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), is major pest on this cultivar. The first generation of this pest has a high population and seriously damages the flowers. To investigate this cultivar’s tolerance to first generation injuries on flowers, a damage simulation experiment designed and carried out for two consecutive years. In the first step, the average number of bunch/tree and flower/bunch for each year calculated, accurately. Having these data, the experiments performed with seven treatments (removal of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 percent of flowers based on the calculated average number of flowers/bunch in each year) and four replications (each tree considered as one replication). At vintage time, harvested grape product weighed separately and analyzed for simple and combined analyses of variance. The results showed that Askari cultivar in Dena region had a good tolerance and could compensate completely for anthophagus generation damage to the blossoms so that no yield loss observed in the treatments. The ability to compensate for damage is achieved by reducing the natural shedding of flowers and increasing the berry’s weight. According to the obtained results, up to 30% removal of flowers on Askari cultivar in Dena region, there is no need for controlling the first generation, thinning the flowers also increases the quality of berry. However, it is necessary to study the higher levels of flower removal and then make a final decision about the damage threshold of first generation in the region.

Agricultural sector plays a fundamental role in development, especially in developing countries. Investment in targeted agribusinesses can develop and improve agricultural value chains. Because of capital shortages and different investment requirements of the sector, the capital allocation has become an important decision-making issue for managers and investors of the agricultural sector in recent years. Investors have many alternative investment options in the agriculture sector and factors such as return on investment, investor expertise and interest, government policies, and the comparative advantages of each region can affect the direction of the capital to different agricultural subsectors. The main objective of this study was to investigate investment priorities in the livestock and poultry value chains of Khorasan Razavi Province in Iran. This paper employs the Analytic Network Process (ANP) model for agribusiness investment decisions, which is one of the important Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods. The contribution of this research is that it ranks agribusiness activities on the livestock and poultry value chains and determines the most important areas for investment direction. The results show that “government policies and laws” are the most important factor for business selection in the livestock and poultry subsectors. Furthermore, livestock and poultry feed businesses contribute the most to the progress of the value chains. Therefore, stability in policy-making and appropriate legislation to support agricultural businesses can be effective in this regard.