majid rostami

In this research, the effect of foliar application of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA; 0, 1.5 and 3 mM) on abscisic acid, soluble sugars, polyamines, the activity of some antioxidant enzymes, and membrane stability index of two grape cultivars (Khalili and Perlette) was investigated under greenhouse condition with two temperature treatments (2ºC and 24ºC) factorially (2×3) based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The vines were sprayed with different concentrations of GABA at the 15-leaf stage. After 24 hours, half of the vines treated with GABA along with the control plants were exposed to 2ºC (cold stress condition) for 12 hours and the rest vines (treated with GABA and control) were kept at 24ºC (non-stress condition) and sampled after 12 hours. The application of GABA under cold stress conditions caused a preservation of chlorophyll and a decrease of ion leakage, malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide and increase of protein, proline and abscisic acid content compared to control plants in both cultivars. The amount of sucrose, fructose and glucose in the leaves was higher in the treated Khalili cultivar compared to the Perlette cultivar under cold stress. Also, under cold stress, GABA spray led to an increase in the amount of polyamines of putrescin, spermine and spermidine. Under cold stress, the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes at a concentration of 3 mM and ascorbate-peroxidase at a concentration of 1.5 mM of GABA showed the highest value compared to the control plants. GABA treatment maintained membrane stability and increased cold tolerance of vines by increasing in abscisic acid content, soluble sugars and antioxidant system, The effect of GABA on the cold tolerance of Khalili cultivar was greater than that of Perlette cultivar.

Increased cracks caused by shrinkage are one of the problems associated with alkali-activated slag concrete as compared to ordinary Portland cement concrete, which can have destructive effects on the mechanical properties and durability of concrete. By adding fibers, the number of these cracks can be reduced, and their growth can be prevented. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of aggregate content and fibers on the mechanical properties (compressive strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength) of one-part alkali-activated slag concrete. To obtain the optimal aggregate ratio, three mixing designs with different aggregate ratios of 0.72, 0.75, and 0.78 were made and assessed. To investigate the effects of polypropylene (PP) and glass fibers on the mechanical properties of one-part alkali-activated slag concrete, PP fibers were used in three volume percentages of 0.15, 0.3, and 0.45 and glass fibers were used in two volume percentages of 0.15 and 0.30. The results showed that the aggregate ratio of 0.75 had the best performance among the other ratios. To make further samples containing fibers, the ratio of aggregate to the whole mixture was considered constant and equal to 0.75. Examining the results of the aforementioned tests showed that the high pH value in alkali-activated slag concrete can lead to a reduction in the tensile strength of glass fibers. Also, by increasing the concrete porosity due to the addition of glass fibers, the values ​​of compressive strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength decrease. The bridging effect of PP fibers in concrete prevents the development and increase of crack width, which leads to the improvement of concrete performance in tensile and flexural strength. It should be noted that scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were prepared from samples containing PP fibers in order to investigate some results.

In natural rivers and certain urban channels, when flood events occur, the flow diverts from the main channel and inundates the surrounding floodplains. These particular configurations are termed compound channels. Floodplains can exhibit both symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns. Depending on geometric factors, lateral slope, and differences in elevation, multiple floodplains can manifest on each side of the main channel. These intricate structures are known as multi-stage compound channels. Multi-stage compound channels not only possess enhanced flow conveyance capabilities compared to simpler classic compound channels but also their second or third floodplains may offer prospects for recreational utilization or landscape enhancement within urban settings. Historically, the examination of flow parameters and the computation of conveyance capacities for compound sections were carried out using conventional methodologies, such as divided channel methods and traditional flow resistance equations like Manning, Chezy, Darcy-Weisbach, and others. However, these approaches often disregarded the momentum exchange arising from interactions between the main channel and floodplains, as well as the impact of secondary flows. Consequently, the estimated flow rates for compound sections tended to be higher than actual values. Sellin (1964) played a pioneering role in acknowledging the interaction between the main channel and floodplains, laying the groundwork for subsequent investigations into the evolution of conventional techniques. In contrast to the extensive research on classic compound channels, multi-stage compound channels have received limited attention and exploration in the scientific literature.

In this research, a numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes equations using the finite volume method and The RNG k-ε turbulence model has been employed to simulate various hydraulic characteristics of multi-stage compound channels. These characteristics encompass the three-dimensional flow pattern, distribution of transverse velocity, secondary flows, turbulence energy, and the stage-discharge relationship. The RNG k-ε turbulence model is adept at reproducing rotational flows and large vortices, addressing the limitations of the standard k-ε model in representing non-circular channels at corner locations and rotational flows.To verify the validity of this mathematical model, laboratory data obtained from a channel with a three-stage asymmetric rectangular compound section (Singh, 2021) were utilized. The experimentation carried out in a channel featuring a main section width of 0.445 meters. On one side of the main section, two floodplains of widths 10 and 20 centimeters were established. The bed of the main channel was constructed using glass, while the bed of the first and second floodplains were covered with a uniform layer of syntetic grass to introduce channel roughness.The channel itself is 20 meters in length, with a longitudinal slope of 0.003. The total height and width of the channel are 0.5 and 0.745 meters, respectively. The bankful height is set at 0.0425 meters. The flow rate within this channel varies between 20 and 60 liters per second.

Overall, the comparison of the three-dimensional model's computational results with experimental data in terms of the positions and values of maximum and minimum velocities indicates the satisfactory accuracy of the proposed mathematical model in this study.The turbulence intensity and momentum exchange at the interface between the first and second floodplains are lower compared to the interface between the main channel and the first floodplain. This discrepancy is attributed to the greater velocity difference at the interface plane of the main channel and the first floodplain. The influence of secondary currents at the main channel and first floodplain interface diminishes as the water level rises. However, significant secondary currents persist at the boundary between the first and second floodplains across all investigated relative depths. This underscores the significance of flow dispersion in contrast to convection in the second floodplain, particularly in cases of shallow relative depths.The highest flow velocity is observed at the midpoint of the main channel, inclined toward its right wall, situated far from the channel bed and close to the water surface. The computed transverse profiles of stream-wise velocity are satisfactorily accurate in both the main channel and floodplains (especially the second floodplain). Nevertheless, the modeling error is relatively notable at the interface of the main channel and the first floodplain. Predicting flow discharge for this channel using the mathematical model yields an average error of approximately 3.9% and a maximum error of 6.2%.

Due to the lack of experimental data on height and width variations of the second floodplain and their impact on flow characteristics, expressing the effects of these conditions is challenging. Further research involving precise laboratory measurements is required to comprehensively understand the influence of these changes.Considering that one of the applications of multi-stage compound channel is in urban areas and the first floodplain has a smaller width and is designed with the aim of increasing the channel conveyance capacity, and the second floodplain is intended to beautify the urban landscape and use it as a recreational and tourism environment. Therefore, it usually has tree vegetation. In addition to creating high shear stresses in the bed of the second floodplain, this causes high energy loss and a significant decrease in the conveyance capacity of the multi-stage compound channel. Therefore, it is recommended to design rivers or manmade flood control channels in the urban areas in the form of multi-stage compound channels so that the first floodplain is to be significantly increase the conveyance capacity of the channel and the second floodplain is for urban and public landscapes. This provides nearby people to escape from the danger zone during severe urban floods.

Heavy metal stress is one of the most important factors limiting the growth and yield of plants in many parts of the world. As a mycorrhizal endophytic fungus, Serendipita indica stimulates the growth of many plant species and increases resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this research, the combined effect of S. indica endophytic fungus and nickel nitrate (control, 50, 100, and 200 mg/L) on chicory germination has been investigated according to a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 replications. The results showed that the interaction effect of nickel nitrate and fungus was significant for the percentage and rate of germination, root length, shoot length, fresh and dry weight of seedlings, and chlorophyll. Also, the results showed that the main effect of nickel nitrate was significant for phenol, proline, and antioxidant enzymes, whereas the amounts of phenol, proline, catalase, and peroxidase increased by 40, 35, 33 and 42%, respectively, at the level of 50 mg/L of nickel nitrate compared to the control. Based on the results, treatment with the endophytic fungus increased traits such as germination percentage and rate, root and shoot length, seedling fresh and dry weight, and chlorophyll and reduced the negative effects of nickel nitrate in these traits. On the other hand, nickel nitrate treatment increased the content of total phenol, proline, and antioxidant enzymes. Therefore, it seems that the use of symbiotic endophyte fungus can be considered a suitable solution to reduce the negative effects of heavy metals.

Heavy metals of biosphere rise since the beginning of industrial revolution and the toxicity of heavy metals cause to impair in the process of germination and growth of plants. In this study the effects of different concentrations of Pb(NO3)2 (0, 50, 100 and 150 ppm), different concentrations of Cd(NO3)2 (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg), different concentrations of Ni(NO3)2 (0, 50, 100 and 150 ppm)on germination were investigated in the independent experiments according to a completely randomized design with four replications. The results of ANOVA in three experiment indicated a significant difference between different treatments at a level of 1% for most traits.The result indicated that with the increase in concentrations of Pb, radicle and plumule length, radicle and plumule dry and fresh weight, vigor index showed a downward trend.Increasing the concentration of cadmium impairs the growth of radicle and plumule length, radicle and plumule dry and fresh weight, vigor index of radish. Also, with increasing the concentration of Ni(NO3)2 the most traits were decreased. In general, the results of this study showed that although Cd, Ni and Pb may allow germination, they impaired seed germination indices of radish.

Grapes with the scientific name (vitis vinifera L) have a prominent position among the country's fruit trees as from the entire level of gardens in the country,  about 306 thousand hectares, equivalent to 11.4% , belongs to small fruits and about 96.2% of which is related to the grape surface. West Azerbaijan province is one of the most important regions of Iran for planting vines and the area under grape cultivation is close to 21808 hectares. Subsequently its production amount is reported more than 265 thousand tons which is important in the prosperity of the region's economy in terms of currency. According to the importance of grapes and raisins and its position in the country's economy and region and due to the lack of basic information about the weed status of this product at the national level and especially in the state of West Azerbaijan (which has an important share in the production of grapes), with identifying weed cover and determining the abundance status and distribution of weed species, it can be achieved to the substructure information for designing weed management programs in this important crop.

 Miandoab city (has a semi-arid climate with hot and dry summer and semi-humid winter) has 2694 square kilometers area with geographical longitude 46 degrees and 6 minutes east of the Greenwich meridian and 36 degrees and 58 minutes north From the equator. It is located in the middle of the plains leading to Lake Urmia with a height of 1314 meters above sea level. In order to identify and determine the density and dominance of weeds in the vineyards of Miandoab city 25 vineyards in 25 areas of the Miandoab city were investigated in late May 2016. Frequency, uniformity, density, mean density and dominance index of different weed species were calculated in each garden. Then experiment to investigate the effect of weeds on grape yield is done in mid-September. For this Weed biomass from 25 rural areas were collected in 4 replications. At the same time as sampling weeds, also characteristics of grape were evaluated in 4 replications. These characteristics include fruit weight, volume, length, density and number of berries per grape cluster. After calculating the Shannon-Wiener index of different regions, Ward's cluster analysis with SPSS software was used to compare and group regions. After these steps, the desired map was prepared using Google earth software.

In total, 61 species of weeds from 24 plant families were identified in the vineyards of Miandoab city. 21 species were present in more than three regions. In terms of density, Sogli Tappeh, Mullah Shahabuddin and Shabilo villages had the highest weed density with 49.6, 49.5 and 46 plants per square meter, respectively. From the 61 identified species, 32 species (46%) belonged to 4 families: Gramineae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Brassicaceae. These 4 families with 11, 10, 7 and 4 species had the highest diversity in the city, respectively. In terms of weed abundance index (AI) Glycyrrhiza glabra, Sorghum halepense and Convolvulus arvensis were recognized as the dominant weeds in the city, respectively. Gara Tappeh, Gog Tappeh and Mameh Del villages with 26, 24 and 22 species, respectively, with the highest variety And Islamabad, Hyderabad and Hosseinabad villages had the least variety with 10, 10 and 11 species, respectively. Results of comparing the means of different traits of grapes (volume, weight, length and density of fruit and number of berries per spike) indicate a significant difference in the level of 5% probability between villages. The results showed that there was a positive and significant correlation between weight, length, volume and fruit density at the level of 1% probability. Thus, it is clear that increasing any of the above parameters causes the weight of the berry to increase.

In general, according to the knowledge of density, dispersion and species of weed ‎‎in the studied vineyards and using the right management methods the amount of interference of problematic species can be reduced and also the entry of weeds, especially problematic species, from one area to another susceptible area can be prevented. In addition by studying the climatic conditions, climate and soil of the region and also, by having information about the common management methods in the region, it is possible to understand the reasons for the presence and changes in the density of some species in some areas and used this information in integrated weed management.

Undoubtedly, the birth and presence of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) child in any family is an unpleasant and challenging event and prevents the performing of the parent's normal functions. Mothers of children with special needs, especially ASD, experience more psychological problems. There is much evidence that mothers of these children experience higher levels of general anxiety than mothers of other exceptional children. Frustration and deprivation due to the child's abnormality cause isolation, disinterest in relating to the environment, low self-esteem, a feeling of worthlessness, and low parenting self-efficacy. Eventually, this situation causes depression and endangers the mother's mental health. The present research aimed to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy with coping strategies training on increasing self-esteem and parenting self-efficacy in mothers of ASD children.

The quasi-experimental study has a pretest-posttest and follow-up design with a control group. The study population consisted of all mothers whose children were treated and educated in ASD education centers in Booshehr City, Iran. In total, 30 willing and volunteered to participate in the study were selected and randomly assigned to three groups (acceptance and commitment therapy, coping strategies training, and control group, each group was 10 people). The experimental groups participated in 8 sessions once a week for eight continuous weeks, while the control group did not receive treatment. The inclusion criteria included not having severe physical illness and maternal psychosis, having a child with ASD being treated and studying in one of the educational centers for children with autism, and having at least primary education for mothers. The exclusion criteria were the symptoms of mental disorder during the training session, and receiving psychiatric treatment and, having a history of receiving cognitive-behavioral training, absence from two or more sessions in the intervention program. The instruments for gathering required data consisted of Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) and Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale (Dumka et al., 1996). The obtained data were analyzed at the level of descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (repeated measure analysis of variance and Bonferroni's post hoc test) at the significant level of 0.05 in SPSS version 16 software.

Results showed that acceptance and commitment therapy and coping strategies training significantly improved mothers' self-esteem and parenting self-efficacy in the experimental groups compared to the control group (p<0.001). The effect of both interventions was significant from the pretest to the posttest (p<0.001) and from the pretest to follow-up (p<0.001). But it was not significant from the posttest to the follow-up (p>0.05). Also, no significant difference was observed between the average scores of the experimental groups in the variables of self-esteem (p=0.668) and parenting self-efficacy (p=0.056).

According to the study findings, both interventions are effective in increasing self-esteem and parenting self-efficacy, and there is no significant difference between the effectiveness of these two interventions. Therefore, therapists can use these two therapeutic and educational approaches, especially acceptance and commitment therapy, a new wave of cognitive-behavioral treatments.

In order to study the effect of seaweed extract and nano-ZnO on germination characteristics of tomato seed, a factorial experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design. Preliminary germination and seedling growth tests were performed to determine the best concentration of seaweed extract and nano-ZnO. Experimental treatments included three levels of drought stress (0, 2- and 3-bar), four levels of application of nano-ZnO and seaweed extract (control, seaweed extract 4%, nano-ZnO 1200 ppm, and a combination of seaweed extract and nano-ZnO). The results showed that by decreasing the water potential standard germination percentage, seed germination rate, seedling length and dry weight, length and weight vigor indices decreased, whereas mean germination time increased. As the drought stress intensified, the amount of hydrogen peroxide accumulation was increased and also the activity of peroxidase and catalase enzymes in tomato seedlings increased. As well, application of seaweed extract and nano-ZnO at different levels of drought stress significantly reduced the negative effects of this stress on seed germination and the early growth of seedlings. Application of these compounds at different drought stress levels significantly increased the standard germination percentage, seed germination rate, seedling length and dry weight, length and weight vigor indices, but reduced seed germination time. Also, the use of seaweed extract and nano-ZnO under drought stress conditions increased the activity of peroxidase and catalase enzymes but reduced the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in tomato seedlings.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cover crops and their residues and mechanical and chemical methods on weed density and biomass in the Miandoab vineyards.

To achieve the research goal, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of completely random blocks with 4 replications and 2 factors in the spring of 2015 and 2016 in the Sogli Tappeh (altitude 1300 meters, latitude 46 degrees and 2 minutes and longitude 36 degrees and 93 minutes) and Nasir Kandi villages (altitude 1300 meters, latitude 46 degrees and 7 minutes and longitude 36 degrees and 91 minutes). The first factor includes planting Vicia peregrina cover crop (after plowing), planting Vicia peregrina cover crop (without plowing), planting Ajowan cover crop (after plowing), planting Ajowan cover crop (without plowing), the application of glyphosate herbicide after growing (3 liters per hectare), manual weeding, weed-free control, and the second factor includes the standing and traditional systems.

The predominant weeds in the studied vineyards include Johnson grass, Binweed and Licorice. Nonplowed Vicia peregrina in the standing system (132 g.m-2 ) and Ajowan after conventional plowing in the standing system (95 g.m-2 ) had the highest and lowest biomass production of cover crops. In both Vicia peregrina and Ajowan plants, cover biomass production was the same in traditional and standing systems. Application of herbicide, similar to weed-free control, reduced weed density by more than 90%, and the highest length and weight of grape were obtained in this treatment. But Vicia peregrina and Ajowan without plowing in both horticultural systems reduced the weed density by 47% and 32%, respectively, compared to the weedinfected control. Regardless of plowing type in both horticultural systems, the weight and length of grape in planting cover crops such as Vicia peregrina and Ajowan increased significantly compared to weed-infected conditions (no weeding). Also, the amount of soluble solids varied from 10.8% in weed-infected control to 15.16% in glyphosate herbicide usage.

Since among the cover crops, non-plowed Vicia peregrina had the highest reduction in weed growth with comparing the weed density averages, it can be introduced as the best management strategy for weed control in vineyards. In general, planting cover crops in both garden systems with any type of plowing can reduce weed density and increase the quantitative and qualitative of grapes, although herbicides and weedfree control are superior to cover crops.

Plant growth and yield enhancement can be evoked in crops by the exploitation of beneficial microorganisms and the optimal provision of plant nutrients. The effect of inoculation with Serendipita indica and the application of zinc and phosphorus on the growth and yield of strawberries in the aeroponic system was the goal of the present experiment. The study was conducted in a completely randomized design with different levels of inoculation with endophytic fungus S. indica (non-inoculated and inoculated with fungus mycelium) as the first factor and different levels of fertilizer application (0.8 gr zinc sulfate, 1.2 gr monopotassium phosphate, combined zinc-phosphorus and control) as the second factors with three replications. The results showed that the main effects of fertilizer and fungus treatment as well as their interaction effect were significant in all traits except for total protein content. The results also showed that fungus inoculation and zinc and phosphorus application increased traits such as flower and fruit number, shoot and root biomass, chlorophyll, total soluble sugars, protein content, and antioxidant enzymes. In sum, it can be concluded that the effect of phosphorus and zinc fertilizer treatments along with the endophytic fungus S. indica has improved the physiological traits and yield of strawberries. On the other hand, the effects of the simultaneous application of fertilizer and fungus inoculation are more positive than the single application of fertilizer and fungus. Therefore, the optimal application of important elements such as phosphorus and zinc along with the exploration of endophytic symbiotic fungi can be considered a suitable strategy to increase the growth and yield of strawberries.

As a micronutrient, zinc (Zn) plays an essential role in various physiological processes of plants. Here, acclimatized samples of valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), withania (Withania. coagulans) and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.) were evaluated under aeroponic system conditions in order to explore the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). The plants were foliar sprayed with ZnO NP biofertilizer (0, 1, 2 and 3 g L-1) for 20, 40 and 60 days after transplanting. The experiments were performed based on a completely randomized design with five replications. The valerian showed that 3 g L-1 ZnO NPs caused the highest plant height, root length, leaf number per plant, root volume per plant, as well as fresh and dry weights of roots and shoots. The mean values in chicory showed that the plants that were treated with ZnO NPs (3 g L-1) had the highest amount of biomass and photosynthetic pigments. Based on the results of mean values in purple coneflower, ZnO NPs (3 g L-1) caused the largest increase in morphological values. Furthermore, comparing the mean values in the withania showed that the highest plant height, root length, leaf number per plant, root volume per plant, fresh and dry weights of roots and shoots were observed in plants treated with 3 g L-1 ZnO NPs. Therefore, Zn is considered as an essential micronutrient in the growth of these plants and could be prepared in nanosized form.

Salicylic acid (SA) is a phenolic phytohormone that acts as a key regulator of the signaling network in plants under biotic and abiotic stresses. SA exerts stimulatory effects on various physiological processes to plant growth and development. In this research, valerian, chicory, withania, and purple coneflower plants were transferred into an aeroponic system where the effects of SA were investigated on some plant characteristics under greenhouse conditions. The plants were foliar sprayed with SA (0, 50, 100, and 150 mg l-1) at 20, 40, and 60 days after transplanting (DAT). Results showed that the highest chlorophyll a+b, carotenoid, plant height, root length, root volume, number of leaves per plant, root fresh weight, root dry weight, shoot fresh weight, and shoot dry weight were obtained from 150 mg l-1 SA in all the studied medicinal plants. The results revealed that the exogenous application of SA in the aeroponic system increased the root fresh weight, root dry weight, shoot fresh weight and shoot dry weight of chicory, withania, valerian, and purple coneflower plants. Also, the studied medicinal herbs grew well in the aeroponic system.

Peppermint is one of the medicinal and aromatic plants that is widely used as a pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic. In recent years, due to the harmful effects of fertilizers on the environment, their use has been criticized. Using bio and nano-fertilizer as an alternative source for conventional fertilizers leads to the gradual realization of fertilizer nutrients in the soil and in a controlled manner. The use of these fertilizers leads to increased nutrients, use efficiency, reduce the toxicity of the soil, and reduce the frequency of the application. The current study evaluates the effect of nano- fertilizers and organic fertilizers on morpho-physiological characteristics of peppermint based a completely randomized design. Experimental treatments were the foliar application of nano fertilizers (nitrogen, iron, and potassium) and normal vermiwash, enriched vermiwash, tea compost, and control.  The results showed that the effect of nano- fertilizers and bio-fertilizers on plant height, leaf area, leaf dry weight, total dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, proline, protein, and carbohydrate were significant. All treatments increased photosynthetic pigments, compared to control. The maximum amount of proline, total dry weight, and plant height was obtained using nano fertilizers of nitrogen whereas enriched vermiwash resulted in the highest protein and leaf area.

Piriformospora indica is an endophytic fungus, which transfers several benefits to hosts including enhance plant growth and induce tolerance to abiotic stress as heavy metals stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of P. indica on some morphophysiological parameters of radish (Raphanus sativus) under normal conditions and heavy metal stress. 

This experiment was conducted as a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications in the greenhouse of Agricultural Faculty of Malayer University. The experimental factors included four heavy metals (zinc, nickel, lead and control) and three fungal inoculums (inoculated with spores and mycelium and non-inoculated). Shoot dry weight, relative water content, photosynthetic pigments, electrolyte leakage, total soluble carbohydrate, protein and proline contents were investigated parameters. 

The results showed that the heavy metal stress significantly decreased dry weight, RWC, chlorophyll, total soluble carbohydrate, protein and proline contents; whereas inoculation with fungual spore and mycelium affected parameters such as proline, total soluble carbohydrate and protein and mitigated the adverse effect of heavy metal stress. Heavy metal stress with increasing electrolyte leakage causes membrane instability, whereas inoculation with P. indica especially spore decreased lipid peroxidation. 

Using biotic methods can play an important role in counteracting with toxic effect of heavy metals. Based on these results and because P. indica can be propagated axenically on various medium, it can be concluded that this endophytic fungus serves as a promising approach to clean soil contaminated with heavy metal ions.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), which belongs to the Lamiaceae family is one of the most important medicinal plants which is characterized by the smell of lemon. In order to study the symbiotic effects of Piriformospora indica (an endophytic fungus) on morpho-physiologic characteristics of lemon balm under salt stress, an experiment was conducted in the research greenhouse of Malayer University in 2017 as a factorial based on the completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Experimental treatments were included various forms of P. indica (mycelium, spores application once, spores applications twice, and control) as the first factor and different levels of salinity (0 and 4 dS/m) as the second factor. Based on the results, the interaction of experimental treatments on plant height, root length, leaf dry weight, chlorophyll a, relative water content, membrane stability, and soluble protein content was significant. The highest amount of plant height, root length, and leaf dry weight was related to the treatment of spores applications twice without salinity stress. The highest amount of chlorophyll a and membrane stability observed in the mycelium treatment under control conditions. In general, according to the results of this experiment, it seems that the use of this fungus is recommendable to moderate the negative effects of salinity stress, and among the various treatments, spores applications twice has more ability to reduce the negative effects of salinity stress.

In other to study the effect of the production system (aeroponic and soil production system), an experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with five replication. In this study plants were obtained from seed culture (Cichorium, Withania and Echinacea) in pot for 1 month in greenhouse and then, uniform plants (20 cm height, approximately) were transferred to aeroponic system and soil. The plants were harvested after six months and their vegetative traits and root characteristic were measured. The results indicated that the effects of production system were significant in terms of plant height, root length, number of leaves, shoot and root fresh and dry weights and photosynthetic pigments. The result showed that aeroponic system in comparison with soil system has produced the highest of leaf number, root length, plant height, root and shoot dry weight, root and shoot fresh weight and photosynthetic pigments. It can be concluded that aeoponic systems could be used for production of Cichorium, Echinacea and Withania under greenhouse.

In two independent experiments, acclimatized chicory plants were transferred into an aeroponic system and to the soil. Then, the effects of biofertilizer (Nitrokara) and culture filtrate of Piriformospora indica were investigated on some plant characteristics in both aeroponic and soil cultivation system under greenhouse conditions. The plants were foliar sprayed with three different biofertilizer concentrations (1, 2, and 3 g/L) and P. indica culture filtrate (2.5, 5, and 7.5 mL in 100 mL water) following 20, 40 and 60 days after transplanting to the aeroponic and soil culture media. Results showed that the highest vegetative growth (e.g. plant height, root length, number of leaves per plant, root and shoot dry weights) and physiological traits (e.g. relative water content, proline, anthocyanin content, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b) were observed with 7.5 mL of P. indica culture filtrate in both aeroponic and soil culture media. Besides, the best results for all studied traits were obtained from 3 g/L of biofertilizer application in the both culture media. In both experiments, better results were obtained from the aeroponic system than the soil culture for P. indica production.

In order to study the effect of foliar application of nano-zinc oxide (N-ZnO) and Nano Iron Oxide (N-FeO) on germination traits of produced seeds of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under salinity stress a factorial experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with four replications. Experimental treatments were Foliar application (control, N-ZnO 750 mg/L, N-ZnO 1500 mg/L, N-FeO 750 mg/L, N-FeO 1500 mg/L, N-ZnO 750 mg/L+ N-FeO 750 mg/L, N-ZnO 750 mg/L+ N-FeO 1500 mg/L, N-FeO 750 mg/L+ N-ZnO 1500 mg/L and N-ZnO 1500 mg/L+ N-FeO 1500 mg/L) and three levels of salinity stress (0, 75, 150 mM NaCl). Based on the results the highest level of salinity stress resulted in lowest emergence rate, seedling emergence and seedling growth parameters of wheat. The highest concentration of soluble sugar and proline in wheat seedlings observed in salinity level of 150 mM NaCl, whereas as results of highest salinity stress protein content, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b decreased. In general, simultaneous application of N-ZnO 1500 ppm+ N-FeO 1500 ppm significantly alleviated the negative effects of salinity stress on all of the studied traits, except seedling emergence, vigor index and protein content.

The heavy metal (Ni and Pb) is one of the most important cause of stress in the environment. In this study the effects of the different concentration of Pb (NO3)2 (0, 3 and 6 mg l-1) and different concentration of Ni(NO3)2 (0, 3 and 6 mg l-1) were investigated in the two independent experiments according to a completely randomized design with three replication in soil culture and aeroponic system. The results of ANOVA in two experiments indicated a significant difference between different treatments at a level of 5% for most traits in soil culture and aeroponic system. The result indicated that with the increase in concentrations of Pb, leaf number, plant height, root length, root fresh and dry weights, shoot fresh and dry weights and photosynthetic pigments showed a downward trend while prolin content, catalaz, proxidas, Pb content in root and shoot were increased. Increasing the concentration of Ni impairs the growth of root, shoot, root and shoot dry and fresh weight protein photosynthetic pigments of radish. In general, the results of this study showed that Ni and Pb may give to plants allows growth, but increased in their concentration impaired the some growth indices of radish.

The birth of a child with authistic spectrum disorder is a challenge to the family, especially to mothers. The purpose of this research was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance commitment therapy and coping strategies in decreasing anxiety and despair in mothers of children with autism.

This qausi-experimental multigroup pre-test, post-test design with a control group enrolled 30 mothers of children with autism who were being treated in teaching-treatment centers of Booshehr city using convenience sampling. They were randomly classified into three groups. The experimental groups participated in eight sessions of 90 minutes in 8 weeks, while the control group did not receive anyinterventions. Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Hopelessness Scale were used to collect research data. The collected data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance and Tukey post hoc test.

Results showed that acceptance commitment therapy and training coping strategies significantly decreased anxiety and despair in mothers in the experimental groups compared to those in the control group (p<0.01), but the decrease was not significant in the follow-up stage. Tukey's test showed acceptance commitment therapy was significantly more effective for anxiety than training coping strategies in the
post-test (p<0.01).

Our findings showed that both treatments were effective in decreasing anxiety and despair. Hence, therapists can use these two therapeutic and training approaches, especially acceptance commitment therapy, which is a new wave of cognitive – behavioral therapy.

The water stress-induced limitation on plant growth is mainly caused by reductions in plant carbon balance, which depends on the balance between photosynthesis and respiration. In order to evaluate the water stress tolerant cultivar, photosynthetic parameters were investigated in seedlings of flowering and podding stages of Adel, Azad and Karaj arable chickpeas.

The experiment was conducted as a factorial based on a completely randomized design with three replications under controlled conditions in 1394 with the aim of evaluating the effect of drought stress on 5 levels of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of crop capacity on the photosynthetic index of cultivars. Pea, Adel, Azad and Karaj were planted in 3 stages of seedling, flowering and podding. Total Chl Content (TChl): The chlorophyll index was determined using the Chlorophyll Content Meter (CCM-200 plus, USA). Maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (Fv / Fm), was measured using chlorophyll fluorimeter (Pocket PEA, Hansatech, England). transpiration rate (E) ،net photosynthetic rate (PN) and intercellular CO2 concentration(Ci) were determined in fully expanded leaves using a portable infrared gas analyzer (KR8700 system, Korea) Statistical analyses were made by MASTAT-C. Means were compared using the Duncan’s multiple range test (p 0.05).

Fv/Fm: Drought stress in seedling stage at levels of 20 and 40% of crop capacity resulted in a significant reduction of Fv/Fm ratio in all three cultivars compared to non stress conditions. Results showed that drought stress levels (20, 40 and 60% of crop capacity) in all three cultivars resulted in a significant reduction in the efficiency of photosystem II compared to 80 and 100% of crop capacity. Comparison of mean of data on interaction effects of cultivar and stress in podding stage showed that chickpea cultivars did not differ significantly in this stage of growth in different conditions of drought stress. Related studies showed that the reduction of the Fv/Fm ratio in drought stress conditions, which indicates a reduction in the efficiency of photosystem II, is due to the reduction of electron transfer from the photosystem II to the photosystem I.TChl: In the seedling stage, the results showed that the highest and lowest total chlorophyll index was allocated to Karaj cultivar under non stress condition and free cultivar under severe stress conditions. At flowering stage, the results showed that drought stress at all levels resulted in a significant reduction of this trait compared to non-stress level. In the podding stage, Karaj cultivar was superior to free cultivar at most drought stress levels (20, 60 and 100% crop capacity). Related studies showed a sharp drop in chlorophyll content in high levels of stress, can reduce transmission of the required minerals and water leaves through transpiration reduce the suction of the vessel is wood.Transpiration: The results showed that drought stress at all levels significantly decreased transpiration rates in the cultivars compared to non-stressed conditions. At flowering stage, asignificant decrease in transpiration was observed in all levels of drought stress in all chickpea cultivars. Comparison of meanings in the podding stage was similar to that of flowering stage. Related studies have shown that plants reduce the transpiration by closing the stomata to counteract the drought stress in order to preserve leaf water and prevent it from wasting.Ci: The results showed that in seedling stage, drought stress at levels of 20 and 40% of crop capacity led to a significant reduction of CO2 in leaf cells compared to non stress conditions. In comparison with chickpea cultivars, in flowering and podding stage, Karaj cultivar had the highest amount of intracellular CO2 at all drought levels, which was significant at 20 and 80% of the capacity of this increase compared to the fair and free cultivars. Studies on the selection of susceptible and tolerant drought stress in plants have shown that reducing intracellular CO2 concentration due to the closure of leaf stomata and preventing the entry of CO2 into leaf mesophilic cells.Pn: Comparison of mean of data in flowering seedlings showed that the highest amount of pure photosynthesis in Karaj cultivar was under non stress condition. There was no significant difference between treatments in pod filling stage. The increase of pure photosynthesis in Karaj cultivar compared to two other cultivars (fair and free) indicates that there are mechanisms of tension compatibility in order to prevent the reduction of photosynthesis and tolerance of this variety to drought stress.

This study showed that drought stress in seedling, flowering and podding stages of Adel, Azad and Karaj chickpea cultivars resulted in a significant decrease in pure photosynthesis, transpiration, intracellular CO2, chlorophyll content and photosystem II performance. Although the Karaj cultivar, due to its superiority in most of the studied traits, is compared with the other two cultivars as drought stress tolerant to those two varieties.

Creating customer value is a prerequisite for the survival and success of organizations. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors and structure of patient value in Qazvin Social Security Organaization’s hospitals.

This is a fundamental research with applied implications which has been implemented in the tradition of pragmatism. The reseach method is sequential exploration type of qualitative method to develop value scale.The grounded theory was used considering the newly introduced concept of patient value. Interviews were conducted with 13 experts and 19 hospitalized patients in under studied Hospitals. Of the 533 phrase identified by MAXQDA software, 963 primary concept were extracted

Findings show that the patient value focuses on his or her benefits and losses. Benefits include the effectiveness of treatment and care; and losses include money, time, resources, and efforts patients spend on services’ cost, accessibility, and error and risk management. The structural relations between the factors of quality of treatment and care, patient value, patient trust, luxury services, patient satisfaction and patient behavioral intentions are proposed as the research paradigmatic model.

The quality of treatment and care affects patient value mediated by the patient's trust and moderated by the luxurious services. The balance of interests and expenses as perceived value, has an effect on patient satisfaction that subsequently affects patient behavioral intentions.

Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflora L.) is the biggest flowering plants in the Iridaceae family that it contains the first commercial ornamental plants in Iran market. There is an increasing interest in micro-propagation of gladiolus in vitro as an alternative technique to commercial methods. In the current study, gladiolus corms were prepared and disinfected using 70% ethanol, 50% hypochlorite, 2.5% nano silver. The effect of different concentrations of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and benzyl aminopurine (BAP) in two explants in order to shoot and root production of two commercial gladiolus cultivars were investigated. In the next experiment the role of different concentrations of sucrose (in Murashige and Skoog plant growth medium) on production of corms was studied and finally cold treatment in 3 times were used to breaking dormancy of propagated cormlets. All of the main experiments were conducted as factorial based on completely randomized design with 15 replications. The highest number of shoot (14) and root (12) was observed in White cultivar with the treatments of 2mg/L BAP and 0.5 mg/ml NAA. Application of 60 g/L sucrose in MS media produced of highest number of corms (14) and also the largest corms(14.5 mm). Results of dormancy breaking experiment which performed at 4 °C for three periods showed that three months chilling at 4 °C was the best treatment to break dormancy in White cultivar.

Melissa officinalis is a medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The essential oil of this plant is used in many fields. Although more than 100 types of chemical substances have been identified in this plant, the most important compositions of its essential oil include citral, citronella, geraniol and linalool. Heavy metals are one of the main causes of non-biotic stress for living organisms due to increased use in the field of industrial and agricultural development and its high accumulation and toxicity. Cadmium is an unnecessary heavy metal, which, due to its high mobility and low concentration, easily enters the food chain from the soil. Cadmium induces oxidative stress by stimulating the synthesis of free oxygen radicals in the plant. In this study, the effect of cadmium chloride on oxidative stress induction in lemon balm was investigated. This experiment was carried out in 2016-2017 at Shahrekord University.

This research was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications in vitro condition. We investigated the effects of different concentrations of cadmium chloride (0, 10, 20 and 40μm) on the biochemical parameters of the lemon balm. In this study, sterile stems of lemon balm propagated on the medium (1/2 MS) were used. After 60 days, seedlings were removed from solid MS medium and the roots were cut and cultured in liquid medium of 1/2 MS with different concentrations of cadmium. The cultivation was carried out in Erlenmeyer flask (250 cc) and was kept in an incubator shaker device. Sampling for the experiment was conducted one week after the growth of the stems in the medium.

Based on the results obtained in this study, fresh weight of shoots grown in 10 and 20μM of cadmium chloride increased compared to the control. This heavy metal significantly reduced the amount of chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids, while the total chlorophyll content decreased only at 40μm concentration relative to control. Cadmium significantly increased hydrogen peroxide levels in all treatments. Also, it increased the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes. Malondialdehyde increased in all treatment concentrations, but this increase was not significant at 40μm of cadmium chloride. Chloride cadmium reduced the absorption of molybdenum and iron, yet increased the adsorption of manganese and zinc.

The results of this study revealed that the cadmium chloride in lemon balm shoots may have the potential to accumulate compounds such as hydrogen peroxide which, as a messenger molecule, produces antioxidants and can help the plant tolerate stressed conditions. It seems that two concentrations of 10 and 20 μm of cadmium chloride have no toxic effects for the stems and the plant has managed to withstand this tension with defense mechanisms.

Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff. belonging to the Apiaceae family, is well known for its medicinal and nutritional importance, endemic to Iran. Seed dormancy is a major problem present in Kelussia odoratissima leading to low germination percentage; thus, improvement of seed germination and breaking seed dormancy is important. Piriformospora indica, a root-colonizing endophytic fungus, promotes plant growth, development and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In order to evaluate the effects of different treatments of P. indica on seed germination traits of Kelussia odoratissima, an experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with five treatments and three replications. The experimental treatments were application of fungal mycelium of P. indica (M), spore suspension of P. indica (S), the combination of Gibberellic acid and fungal mycelium (H+M), the combination of Gibberellic acid and spore suspension (H+S), and control (C). Based on the results the highest percentage of germination (75%) and the highest germination rate was related to spore suspension of P. indica. The lowest amount of germination uniformity (GU) observed in spore suspension of P. indica treatment. Among the different treatments, application of P. indica spore suspension resulted in lowest times for 10% germination (D10) and 90% germination (D90). The highest plumule and radicle length observed in spore treatment and in comparison with control, application of spore suspension of P. indica increasedplumule and radicle length by 16% and 32%, respectively. Based on the current results, it seems that spore suspension of P. indica was the best treatment for improvement of seed germination traits.