Objective: CREB1 is an important downstream protein for many signaling pathways. By designing efficient siRNAs against CREB1, it may be possible to assess the role of molecules involved in signaling pathways in different cell types. In this research the efficiency of CREB1 knockdown by two different siRNAs in K562 cells has been studied. Materials and Methods: siRNAs have been designed according to the criteria suggested by Reynolds et al. K562 cells were transfected by siRNA using Lipofectamine 2000. The efficiency of CREB knockdown has been assessed by quantitative relative Real-time PCR. Results: Our results have shown that only one of the siRNAs has a high level of inhibitory effect on CREB1 gene expression. The expression of CREB1 by this siRNA was knocked-down by 87% in K562 cells. Conclusion: In this research, although two siRNAs were designed according to the Reynolds et al. criteria, only one showed an inhibitory effect. Reasons other than the aforementioned criteria may be involved in effectiveness of siRNAs.

One of the factors that can be the link between our intentions and actions and their external consequences is human agency, which indicates the conscious design and intentional execution of actions by the individual in order to influence future events.Objective and Method: This research with a developmental approach of psychometric method and method 1, examines the psychometric indices of the Human Factor Characteristics Scale using the classical theory of test score measurement and the graduated question-answer theory. The purpose of this study, which included high school students in Tehran, was selected by cluster sampling of 500 people as a sample size and statistical analysis was performed on 481 data. To collect the data, the ion Human Agent Characteristics Scale (2011) was used and the research questions were evaluated using IRTPRO and SPSS software.Results:The assumption of local independence based on Pearson x2 index was established by applying Simjima's calibrated question-answer theory and the assumption of being one-dimensional based on the analysis of multidimensional question-answer theory. Diagnosis parameters with question-answer approach and classical approach Test score Both item 25 approach had the lowest and item 2 had the highest diagnosis parameter. The answer thresholds for all the questions were so far apart that no option was covered by the other option, and the options were independently selected by individuals at intervals of theta. The total scale was calculated with Cronbach's alpha of 0.945, intentionality of 0.894, foresight of 0.780, self-reactivity of 0.871 and rethinking of 0.762. Also, the role of each item in internal consistency was investigated by the loop method, which all questions had a favorable role in internal consistency of this scale. The value of the validity coefficient obtained from the question-answer theory was obtained by marginal method for intentionality 0.92, forethought 0.85, self-reaction 0.91, rethinking 0.83..

Introduction: Kojic acid with the chemical structure of 5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-ˠ-Piron is an organic acid that is biologically produced through aerobic fermentation process by using various substrates and via the function of variety of fungi. This study was aimed to study the optimization of Kojic acid production by Locally Isolated Fungi Aspergillus sp., using ‘RESPONSE Surface Methodology’.Materials and Methods: Kojic acid was produced by fermentation of isolated strain of genus Aspergillus in submerged culture medium. Initial investigation in Kojic acid production process was performed via Plackett-Burman method and by using different nitrogen sources such as yeast extract, peptone, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, urea as well as different carbon sources, including fructose, sucrose, glucose, lactose and maltose.Results: Based on our study, peptone and glucose were the most effective factors with carbon and nitrogen sources in production of kojic acid (P<0.05). The next step was production of 34.4g/L kojic acid by optimizing the effect of environmental factors such as temperature, pH, glucose and peptones, such as carbon and nitrogen sources, used in production of kojic acid and by employing ‘RESPONSE Surface Methodology’.Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the maximum production of kojic acid can be achieved by using; glucose (%8.71), peptone (37.4%), temperature (29.9oC) and adjusting pH to 6.75 in the production process.

To investigate the RESPONSE of corn to combined application of chemical fertilizers with rhizobacteria plant growth promoting, an experiment was conducted in 2017 at Research farm of Agricultural and Natural Resources Campus of Tehran University, Karaj, Iran, in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Four nutritional treatments including T1 (Control treatment without applying fertilizer), T2 (Just PGPRs), T3 (Use chemical fertilizers based on soil test) and T4 (T3 + PGPRs) were considered. According to the results, the highest total dry weight (3.9 kg/m2), crop growth rate (79.8 g.m-2.day-1), net assimilation rate (15.3 g.m-2.day-1) and grain yield (18.2 ton.ha-1) were observed in T4 treatment and T2 treatment produced the highest  leaf area index (5.3), leaf area duration (205.2) and specific leaf weight (78.5 g.m-2) . Also, the lowest value of all traits was observed in in T1 (control) treatment. The results showed that the presence of rhizobacteria plant growth promotioninduction in the corn nutrition program increased the growth and growth indices of the plant. Combined application of chemical fertilizers with rhizobacteria plant growth promoting resulted in the highest growth and final grain yield of corn.

Due to having spring and autumn genotypes and adaptation to weather conditions, rapeseed is considered as a point hope to provide edible oil of country. Two separate experiments were set up as split-plot in a RCBD design with three replications in two fall and winter seasons during two years (2014-2015 and 2015-2016) at the research field of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute to investigate the effect of sowing season and date on the quantitative and qualitative yields of rapeseed genotypes in Karaj, Iran. In this study, the main plots were sowing dates (7, 17, and 27 October in fall sowing and 9 and 19 February, and 1 March in winter sowings) and sub-plots consisted of genotypes (RGS003, Dalgan, Zabol10, Hyola401, and Hyola4815). Rapeseed genotypes grain and oil yields were 4330 and 1840 kg ha-1 in fall sowing, respectively, while these traits were decreased 43.3 and 46.6% respectively, when rapeseed genotypes were planted in winter season. The highest grain and oil yields (5033 and 2202 kg ha-1) belonged to 7 October sowing date in fall sowing, while 9 February had the highest grain and oil yields (2996 and 1248 kg ha-1) in winter sowing. In general, the Dalgan genotype is recommended for cultivation due to suitable agronomic traits such as number of silique per plant, number of grain per silique, silique length, 1000-grain weight, as well as high grain and oil yields in cold temperate regions with arid and semi-arid climates such as Karaj, Iran.

In order to investigate the possibility of quinoa producing in Garmsar, Iran, a factorial experiment conducted in randomized complete block design with three replications in 2018-2019 growing season at Garmsar Agricultural Research Station. The factors were planting date at three levels (March 6th, April 1st and April 6th) and the three genotypes of quinoa (Q26, Q29 and Titicaca). Results showed that the effect of planting date was significant for all studied traits except the harvest index. Also, all studied traits were significantly different in all genotypes. Titicaca planted on March 6th had the highest yield (2276 kg.ha-1).The grain yield and yield components decreased with the delaying the planting date. Compared to early plantings, Latest date, April 6th, led to reduction of all traits, especially grain yield (about 50%). The results of simple phenotypic correlation between the studied traits showed that grain yield per hectare had the highest correlation with plant yield (0.877) and then with leaf area index (0.832), panicle weight (0.815) and number of branches per plant (0.745) that was significant at the 1% probability level.

Background & Aims: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by various autoantibodies formation and immune complex deposition in various organs.Lupus nephritis is a common and severe manifestation of SLE that can lead to end stage renal disease and death. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of cyclosporine A in the treatment of resistant proliferative lupus nephritis.Materials & Methods: In a retrospective study, patients with proliferative lupus nephritis that were resistant to treatment with mycophenolate mofetil and/or cyclophosphamide and treated with cyclosporine A were entered to the study. They were evaluated according to the remission of the renal disease, SLE disease activity index, occurrence of end stage renal disease, mortality and side effects of treatment.Results: Twenty-five patients with biopsy proven proliferative lupus nephritis with the mean age of 30±6.9 years including 5 men (20%) and 20 women (80%) were studied. The follow up duration was 27.1±17.6 months. Proteinuria was decreased significantly during the treatment with CSA (p<0.001).Serum creatinine was stable and the changes were not significant. Partial or complete remission occurred in 60% and 32% of the patients, respectively. Prednisolone dose was reduced from 26.3 mg/d before treatment to 6.8 mg/d after treatment with CSA (P=0.001). The most common adverse event was dyspepsia.Conclusion: According to results of our study, CSA is effective in treatment of proliferative lupus nephritis.