• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2833-2836
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• 2012

Aim: Gastric cancer is the third most frequent cause of cancer mortality worldwide. In Iran, it is one of the leading causes at the national level. Localized at chromosome 8q22, the human MTDH gene has been reported to be over-expressed in a spectrum of malignancies. However, since there is a lack of data concerning with expression in gastric cancer at the transcriptional level, in this study we evaluated MTDH expression in Iranian cases. Methods: Totally, thirty paired gastric samples were examined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Results: Although the mRNA expression was significantly elevated in 46.6% of the examined tumor tissues; its expression was low in others (36.6%). Moreover, there was only a marginal statistical difference between the MTDH gene expression of all tumor specimens compared to their paired non-tumor ones and no statistically significant association with the grades and types of the tumors. Conclusion: Taken together, our results demonstrated that expression of MTDH at the transcriptional level may be increased in gastric cancer tissue samples but with considerable heterogeneity. Due to this, it may have the potential to be used as a target for diagnostic/therapeutic purposes only in a subset of patients.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.509-514
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• 2017

Concrete retaining walls are the most common types of geotechnical structures for controlling instable slopes resulting from lateral pressure. In analytical stability, calculation of the concrete retaining walls is regarded as a rigid mass when its safety is required. When cracks in these structures are created, the stability may be enforced and causes to defeat. Therefore, identification, creation and propagation of cracks are among the important steps in control of lacks and stabilization. Using the numerical methods for simulation of crack propagation in concrete retaining walls bodies are among the new aspects of geotechnical analysis. Among the considered analytical methods in geotechnical appraisal, the boundary element method (BEM) for simulation of crack propagation in concrete retaining walls is very convenient. Considered concrete retaining wall of this paper is Pars Power Plant structured in south side in Assalouyeh, SW of Iran. This wall's type is RW6 with 11 m height and 440 m length and endurance of refinery construction lateral forces. To evaluate displacement and stress distributions (${\sigma}_{1,max}/{\sigma}_{3,min}$), the surrounding, especially in tip and its opening crack BEM, is considered an appropriate method. By considering the result of this study, with accurate simulation of crack propagation, it is possible to determine the final status of progressive failure in concrete retaining walls and anticipate the suitable stabilization method.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.13-18
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• 2015

In this paper the DRC model is presented for solving multi objective problem. The proposed model is a combination of data envelopment analysis, Cuckoo algorithm and the response surface method. Due to reasons like costs, time and irreversible damages, it is not possible to analyze each and every one of the proposed models in practice, so the simulation is used. Since the number of experiments for simulation process is high then the optimization has gone to practice and directs the simulation process. The response surface method is used as one of the approaches of simulation optimization. Furthermore, data envelopment analysis is used to consider several response surfaces as efficiency response surface. Then this efficiency response surface is solved by Cuckoo algorithms. The main advantage of DRC model is to make one efficiency response surface function instate of multi surface function for every output and also using the advantages of Cuckoo algorithms. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, the branches of Refah bank in Mashhad is analyzed and the results are presented.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 2020

In this research, soil samples of the Kerman sedimentary basin, Iran, were investigated through laboratory tests such as petrography (Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)), physical and mechanical characteristics tests. The soil in this area is dominantly CL. The petrography results showed that the dominant clay mineral is Illite. This soil has made some problems in the earth dams due to the low shear strength. In this study, a set of samples were prepared by adding different amounts of lime. Next, the petrography and strength tests at the optimum moisture content were performed. The results of SEM analysis showed substantial changes in the soil structure after the addition of lime. The primary structure was porous and granular that was changed to a uniform and solid after the lime was added. According to XRD results, dominant mineral in none stabilized soil and stabilized soil are Illite and calcite, respectively. The pozzolanic reaction resulted in the reduction of clay minerals in the stabilized samples and calcite was known as the soil hardener material that led to an increase in soil strength. An increase in the hydrated lime leads to a decrease in their maximum dry unit weight and an increase in their optimum moisture content. Furthermore, increasing the hydrated lime content enhanced the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and soil's optimum moisture. An increase in the strength is significantly affected by the curing time and hydrated lime contents, as the maximum compressive strength is achieved at 7% hydrated lime. Moreover, the maximum increase in the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) achieved in clay soils mixed with 8% hydrated lime.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.333-340
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• 2016

An Artificial Neural Network including a Radial Basis Function (RBF) and a Time Delay Neural Network (TDNN) was used to predict total dissolved solid (TDS) in the river Zayanderud. Water quality parameters in the river for ten years, 2001-2010, were prepared from data monitored by the Isfahan Regional Water Authority. A factor analysis was applied to select the inputs of water quality parameters, which obtained total hardness, bicarbonate, chloride and calcium. Input data to the neural networks were pH, $Na^+$, $Mg^{2+}$, Carbonate ($CO{_3}^{-2}$), $HCO{_3}^{-1}$, $Cl^-$, $Ca^{2+}$ and Total hardness. For learning process 5-fold cross validation were applied. In the best situation, the TDNN contained 2 hidden layers of 15 neurons in each of the layers and the RBF had one hidden layer with 100 neurons. The Mean Squared Error and the Mean Bias Error for the TDNN during the training process were 0.0006 and 0.0603 and for the RBF neural network the mentioned errors were 0.0001 and 0.0006, respectively. In the RBF, the coefficient of determination ($R^2$) and the index of agreement (IA) between the observed data and predicted data were 0.997 and 0.999, respectively. In the TDNN, the $R^2$ and the IA between the actual and predicted data were 0.957 and 0.985, respectively. The results of sensitivity illustrated that $Ca^{2+}$ and $SO{_4}^{2-}$ parameters had the highest effect on the TDS prediction.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2847-2850
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• 2014

Background: Retinoblastoma is a rare malignant intraocular neoplasm. About 90% of cases feature a germline mutation in the RB1 gene and these will develop retinoblastoma during their early childhood. An association between mutations in germline cells and aging has been demonstrated. This suggests a higher incidence of childhood cancer including retinoblastoma among children of older parents. Materials and Methods: In the present study we aimed to determine the association of paternal and maternal age with an increased risk of retinoblastoma in a case-control study in Iranian population. The study was carried out on 240 persons who were born during 1984-2012 in Mahak and Mofid hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The statistical analysis included studying the mean age of parents and in order to know whether parental age of patients is different from parental age of control group, (t-test) compare averages test is used perfectly. By binary logistic regression, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: The results of statistical analysis including the study of mean parental age by the use of (t-test) compare averages test showed a significant difference between parental ages of patients and controls. Logistic regression showed that coefficients were significant for maternal but not paternal age. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that advanced maternal age can increase the risk of retinoblastoma in offspring, but the paternal age has no significant effect.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9405-9410
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• 2014

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic impact of peritoneal washing cytology in patients with endometrial and ovarian cancers. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively identified 86 individuals with ovarian carcinomas, ovarian borderline tumors and endometrial adenocarcinomas. The patients had been treated at Shahid Sadoughi Hospital and Ramazanzadeh Radiotherapy Center, Yazd, Iran between 2004 and 2012. Survival differences were determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox regression method. A p<0.05 value was considered statistically significant. Results: There were 36 patients with ovarian carcinomas, 4 with borderline ovarian tumors and 46 with endometrial carcinomas. The mean age of the patients was $53.8{\pm}15.2years$. In patients with ovarian carcinoma the overall survival in the negative cytology group was better than the patients with positive cytology although this difference failed to reach statistical significance (p=0.30). At 0 to 50 months the overall survival was better in patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma and negative cytology than the patients with positive cytology but then it decreased (p=0.85). At 15 to 60 months patients with FIGO 2009 stage IA-II endometrial andocarcinoma and negative peritoneal cytology had a superior survival rate compared to 1988 IIIA and positive cytology only, although this difference failed to reach statistical significance(p=0.94). Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards model showed that stage and peritoneal cytology were predictors of death. Conclusions: Our results show good correlation of peritoneal cytology with prognosis in patients with ovarian carcinoma. In endometrial carcinoma it had prognostic importance. Additional research is warranted.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.6081-6087
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the incidence and mortality of breast cancer, and its relationship with human development index (HDI) and its components in Asia in 2012. Materials and Methods: This study was an ecologic study in Asia for assessment of the correlation between age-specific incidence rate (ASIR) and age-specific mortality rate (ASMR) with HDI and its details that include: life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling and gross national income (GNI) per capita. Data about SIR and SMR for every Asian country for the year 2012 were obtained from the global cancer project. We used a bivariate method for assessment of the correlation between SIR and SMR and HDI and its individual components. Statistical significance was assumed if P<0.05. All reported P-values are two-sided. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Version 15.0, SPSS Inc.). Results: In 2012, 639,824 cases of breast cancer were recorded in Asian countries. Countries with the highest standardized incidence rate (ASIR) (per 100,000) were Israel (80.5), Lebanon (78.7), Armenia (74.1) and the highest standard mortality rate (ASMR) was observed in Pakistan (25.2), Armenia (24.2), and Lebanon (24). There was a positive correlation between the ASIR of breast cancer and HDI (r = 0.556, p <0.001), whereas there was a negative correlation between the ASMR of breast cancer and HDI (r = -0.051). Conclusions: Breast cancer incidence in countries with higher development is greater, while mortality is greatest in countries with less development. There was a positive and significant relationship between the ASIR of breast cancer and HDI and its components. Also there was a negative but non significant relationship between the ASMR of breast cancer and HDI.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.9
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• pp.361-367
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• 2020

Background: Length of stay is a significant indicator of care effectiveness and hospital performance. Owing to the limited number of healthcare centers and facilities, it is important to optimize length of stay and associated factors. Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate factors associated with neonatal length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) using parametric and semiparametric models and compare model fitness according to Akaike information criterion (AIC) between 2016 and 2018. Methods: This retrospective cohort study reviewed 600 medical records of infants admitted to the NICU of Bandar Abbas Hospital. Samples were identified using census sampling. Factors associated with NICU length of stay were investigated based on semiparametric Cox model and 4 parametric models including Weibull, exponential, log-logistic, and log-normal to determine the best fitted model. The data analysis was conducted using R software. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The study findings suggest that breastfeeding, phototherapy, acute renal failure, presence of mechanical ventilation, and availability of central venous catheter were commonly identified as factors associated with NICU length of stay in all 5 models (P<0.05). Parametric models showed better fitness than the Cox model in this study. Conclusion: Breastfeeding and availability of central venous catheter had protective effects against length of stay, whereas phototherapy, acute renal failure, and mechanical ventilation increased length of stay in NICU. Therefore, the identification of factors associated with NICU length of stay can help establish effective interventions aimed at decreasing the length of stay among infants.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.321-329
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• 2019

Ascochyta blight caused by Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Lab. (Telomorph: Didymella rabiei) (Kov.) is one of the most important fungal diseases in chickpea worldwide. Knowledge about pathogen aggressiveness and identification resistance sources to different pathotypes is very useful for proper decisions in breeding programs. In this study, virulence of 32 A. rabiei isolates from different part of Iran were analyzed on seven chickpea differentials and grouped into six races based on 0-9 rating scale and susceptibility/resistant pattern of chickpea differentials. The least and most frequent races were race V and race I, respectively. Race V and VI showed highly virulence on most of differential, while race I showed least aggressiveness. Resistance pattern of 165 chickpea genotypes also were tested against six different A. rabiei races. ANOVA analysis showed high significant difference for isolate, chickpea genotypes and their interactions. Overall $chickpea{\times}isolate$ (race) interactions, 259 resistance responses (disease severity ${\leq}4$) were identified. Resistance spectra of chickpea genotypes showed more resistance rate to race I (49.70%) and race III (35.15%), while there were no resistance genotypes to race VI. Cluster analysis based on disease severity rate, grouped chickpea genotypes into four distinct clusters. Interactions between isolates or races used in this study, showed the lack of a genotype with complete resistance. Our finding for virulence pattern of A. rabiei and newly identified resistance sources could be considerably important for integration of ascochyta blight resistance genes into chickpea breeding programs and proper decision in future for germplasm conservation and diseases management.