Strength measurement of rock requires TESTing that must be carried out on TEST specimens with particular sizes in order to fulfill TESTing stANDards or suggested methods. Often, the coring process breaks up the weaker core pieces, AND they are too small to be used in either index TESTs or conventional strength TESTs such as point load index (Is) AND Brazilian tensile strength (BTS). One of the index TESTs to indirectly determine the rock strength is the block punch index (BPI) TEST, which requires flat disc specimens without special treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of the BPI TEST for predicting the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), BTS AND IS of the sANDstones by empirical equations. Also, we have compared the performance of the BPI AND IS for predicting the UCS AND BTS. It was experimentally shown that BPI is a reliable method for predicting the UCS, BTS AND Is of the sANDstones under study. Moreover, the results indicate that BPI could be utilized with same importance as Is for predicting the UCS, while predicting the BTS by Is appears to be more reliable than BPI.

To assesse the iron AND silicon effects on the yield AND physiological characteristics of green pea, WANDo cultivar by ASGrow Corporation was used in three levels of iron chelate (0.05, 0.1 AND 0.3 gr per l-1) AND silicon (0, 14 AND 28 mg per l-1), as a factorial experimental in completely rANDomized design with three replications. In this experiment, characterisics such as fresh AND dry weight of grain, the number of grain per pod, concentration of Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn AND Si in leaf AND grain were measured. Results showed that the interaction of Fe AND Si was significant at p<0.01 on grain fresh AND dry wigeht, concentratin of leaf AND grain Fe, leaf Mn, leaf AND grain Zn AND leaf Si AND the application of Fe AND Si was significant separately, on other traits such as number of grain per pod, concentration of leaf AND grain Cu, Mn AND Si in grain.  The Mean squares showed that the application of Fe AND Si significantly increased fresh AND dry grain weight AND Si laef concetration AND decreased the concentratin of leaf AND grain Fe AND Mn as well as grain Mn.  The enhancement of Fe AND Si application separately decreased the concentration of Mn, Cu AND zinc leaf AND grains, but the Si concentration of leaf AND grain were increased by Si application. The concentration of Fe, Mn, Cu AND Zn were decreased in leaf AND grain because of antagonistic effects. It can be concluded that Si reduces the harmfull effects of high levels of iron toxicity AND the application of 0.1 g/l AND 25 mg/l can be recommended as the best treatments.

The aim of present research in the first stage was to extract astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis using acid-acetone method AND then nanoencapsulation of the pigment using maltodextrin-sodium caseinate coating. In the next step, antioxidant AND antibacterial activities of nanocapsules carrying astaxanthin AND the free form of the pigment was evaluated. In order to evaluate antibacterial activity of the samples, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus iniae, Bacillus subtilis (Gram positive), Yersinia ruckeri, Escherichia coli AND Enterobacter aerogenes (Gram negative) were used. The results showed that the antioxidant activity of nanocapsules carrying astaxanthin is significantly higher than the free form of pigment (p<0.05); In addition, this activity was improved by increasing the concentration of samples from 100 to 200 µg/ml (p<0.05). By astaxanthin nanoencapsulation, the diameter of non-growth zone of the studied bacteria increased (p<0.05), but minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) AND minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the pigment AND its carrier nanocapsules decreased (p<0.05). According to the results of zone of inhibition, Gram positive (except Listeria monocytogenes) AND Gram negative bacteria were resistant up to concentrations of 60 AND 80 µg/ml of samples, respectively. In the following, the MIC AND MBC of the pigment (free AND nanoencapsulated forms) for the seven bacteria ranged from 50 to 400 AND 100 to 500 µg/ml, respectively. The results of EVALUATION the antioxidant AND antibacterial activities of nanocapsules carrying astaxanthin during storage period (30 days at 4ºC) indicated stability AND no significant change of these properties (p>0.05). According to the values of diameter of non-growth zone, MIC AND MBC, Listeria monocytogenes was the most sensitive bacteria against astaxanthin AND its carrier nanocapsules. Based on the findings, astaxanthin extracted from Haematococcus pluvialis has antioxidant AND antibacterial activities, AND these properties are improved by the pigment nanoencapsulation using maltodextrin-sodium caseinate coating.

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..

To study the effect of salinity stress on some physiological traits in wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.), a factorial experiment based on rANDomized complete block design with three replicates was performed at 2017 in the research greenhouse of Agronomy Department, University of Tehran. Salinity treatments at two levels; control (1.2 dS/m) AND sodium chloride treatment (16 dS/m) AND seven wheat cultivars, Rowshan, Inia-66, Mahdavi, Khazar-1, Karaj-2, Ghods AND Shole were the experimental treatments. According to the results, relative water content, yield AND its components AND potassium/sodium ratio decreased in all genotypes while Na+ content AND remobilization of carbohydrates were increased. Salt resistant varieties, Roshan AND Inia-66, had the highest level of relative water content, remobilization of soluble carbohydrates AND number of grains per spike. In addition, Roshan cultivar showed the highest potassium concentration AND K+/Na+ in the shoots, while Ghods AND Sholeh as sensitive cultivars had the highest sodium concentration in the shoots. Findings showed that the ability of a cultivar to remobilize soluble carbohydrates is one of the traits that determine salt stress tolerance, hence, this trait is suitable for evaluating salt tolerance of wheat cultivars in the future investigations.

To evaluate the effect of nitrogen AND water withholding in vegetative growth stage of corn on efficacy of nicosulfuron AND 2,4-D+ MCPA an experiment was conducted as a factorial arrangement in a rANDomized complete block design with three replications at Tarbiat Modares University in 2017. The first factor contained four treatments including application of nicosulfuron, 2,4-D+ MCPA, weed free AND weed infested as control. The second factor consisted of normal irrigation AND water withholding from 4 to 8 leaf stage. Third factor contained either urea application or no fertilizer application. Normal irrigation AND nitrogen fertilizer application significantly increased nicosulfuron AND 2,4-D+ MCPA efficacy in weed control AND total weed dry weight decreased to 341 AND 361 g.m-2 respectively compared 1370 g.m-2 as weed infested. Nicosulfuron AND 2,4-D+ MCPA reduced weed total dry weight significantly under irrigation withholding. Grain yield increased with application of nitrogen AND nicosulfuron. Grain yield was higher with application of 2,4-D+ MCPA than nicosulfuron without nitrogen application under irrigation withholding. Application of nicosulfuron with nitrogen application provided satisfactory weed control AND increased grain yield.

Monitoring AND EVALUATION of transformers are essential to prevent their insulation failure. In this paper, the use of 2-furan-carboxaldehyde (2-FAL) AND methanol (MeOH) concentrations as the main products of paper insulation degradation, AND insulation condition markers, has been studied. In order to study the degradation process AND production of degradation products, the thermal aging process of the transformer insulation system was implemented in laboratory conditions. The results of laboratory studies show that in the early stages of degradation the amount of MeOH is significant compared to 2-FAL. Also, the estimation of the degree of polymerization (DP) in the early stages of degradation (DP>800) through MeOH concentration AND with decreasing DP (DP <800) through 2-FAL concentration is closer to the real value. The results of studies performed on 35 distribution transformers confirm the production of significant amounts of MeOH in the early stages of degradation. Also, the estimated DP values for the studied transformers were obtained through 2-FAL AND MeOH concentration. The results show that estimating the amount of DP through MeOH concentration is associated with a probability of error of about 9% compared to estimating DP through 2-FAL concentration.

Objective(s): To determine application of the PRECEDE model for increasing coping behaviors against anxiety in Tehran firemen.Methods: This was a quasi experimental study. 118 firemen (59 in experimental group AND 59 in control group) from Tehran fire stations were selected as the subjects of the study through a multistage sampling. Data collection tool was a questionnaire developed by author including demographic characteristics AND PRECEDE model components.Results: Comparing to the control group, after educational intervention in the study group, the mean scores of knowledge, attitude, self efficacy (predisposing factors), skill of the relaxation (enabling factor), behavior increased significantly (P<0.0001) AND use of 3 educational resources (enabling factor) in area of relaxation increased significantly (P<0.03). Also, verbal persuasion AND positive experiences after doing relaxation (reinforcing factors) were reported by experimental group.Conclusion: The finding of the study illustrates effective application of PRECEDE model in increasing predisposing, enabling, reinforcing factors AND coping behaviors against anxiety in Tehran firemen.

The electrical behavior of neurons can be more complex in the presence of autapse. In the presence of an autaptic connection, the Izhikevich neuron model can show a variety of dynamic behaviors, such as chaotic behavior. This paper presents a novel, high speed AND robust pseudo rANDom number generator based on the autaptic Izhikevich neuron oscillator AND its FPGA implementation. The autaptic Izhikevich neuron model is simulated AND dynamically analyzed. Then, the proposed pseudo-rANDom number generator is modeled AND simulated using the Xilinx system generator platform, synthesized using Xilinx Synthesis Tool, AND implemented on the XILINX SPARTAN-6 XC6SLX9 FPGA EVALUATION board. As a post processing operation, the XOR function is used to increase the rANDomness of the output bit sequences. The FPGA implementation results show that the implementation cost of the proposed pseudo-rANDom number generator is lower than similar works, AND the proposed generator achieves a maximum frequency of 63.2 MHz. The NIST TEST suite is used for TESTing the quality of the generated bit sequences. The NIST TEST results indicates the high quality of the generated rANDom bit sequence.

Since the EVALUATION of the diversity indicators in consumption of medicinal species by the beneficiary’s households AND its driving factors is of utmost importance in marketing, multi-purpose planning of rangelANDs AND sustainable development, a questionary-based study was carried out to determine the diversity indices of medicinal species consumption in settled nomadic communities living under different management AND livelihood situations in the rangelANDs of Dyvaroeieh in Bardsir township, Kerman province, Iran. To this end, the medicinal species consumed by each household (as a study unit) in addition to the diversity indicators of consumption (i.e., dominance coefficient AND Shannon-Weiner index) were evaluated under two management sites comprising RangelAND Management Plan (RMP) (i.e.,Dvyaroeieh 1) AND the nearest adjacent rangelAND without RMP (i.e., Dyvaroeieh 2, as control treatment ) AND three livelihood levels (i.e., very poor (<50 million Rials monthly income), poor (50-100 million Rials monthly income) AND moderate (100-150 million Rials monthly income)) under factorial TEST in SPSS software environment. The study's results revealed that both of management AND livelihood factors can be applied by manager to increase diversity indices in medicinal plants consumed by beneficiaries. More specifically, management through RMP was more powerful AND effective tool in this way. Therefore, it could conceivably be argued that RMP can be considered as a driving factor in increasing the diversity of medicinal plant consumption AND also be a suitable platform to meet the needs AND demANDs of rangelANDs’ beneficiaries in this field.