Northeastern Iran Research Articles

Colorectal cancer literacy and related factors in northeast of Iran: A cross-sectional study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a health challenge and the second most common cancer worldwide. Increasing colorectal cancer literacy (CRCL) is one of the most effective factors in CRC prevention. The aim of this study was to determine and evaluate CRCL and its related factors in Torbat Heydarieh, northeastern Iran. This study was a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2021 in Torbat Heydarieh, a city in northeastern Iran, on 200 clients presenting to a comprehensive health service centers. In addition to collecting sociodemographic characteristics, participants were administered the Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire and the Colorectal Cancer Literacy Questionnaire (CRCLQ). Data were analyzed with SPSS software version 25 using independent samples t-tests, one-way analysis, chi-square, and Pearson correlation coefficients. The statistical significance level was set at p < .05. The results showed that the mean age of the participants was 51.12 ± 8.45 years. The majority of participants (84%) stated that their friends and relatives had no history of CRC. Pearson correlation coefficient results showed a significant correlation between knowledge and attitude toward CRC (r = .15, p = .041). A significant correlation was also found between knowledge and CRCL (r = .4, p ≤ .001). We found low CRCL among clients of comprehensive health service centers. More targeted educational interventions are needed to promote CRCL among Iranian adults.

Remotely sensed desertification modeling using ensemble of machine learning algorithms

Due to having a sensitive and fragile ecosystem, dry areas are constantly exposed to land degradation and desertification. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate appropriate strategies for quantitative assessment of desertification that are highly accurate. In this research, desertification of the region was first evaluated using MEDALUS model, then according to the results of MEDALUS model and reviewing the results of other researchers, 8 indicators remote sensing that had the highest correlation with field data were selected for modeling. Four machine learning methods Support Vector Machine (SVM), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), Generalized Linear Models (GLM) and Random Forests (RF) were used to model the risk of desertification in northeastern Iran. Finally, the weighted average of the ensemble model in the SDM statistical package was used to predict the desertification of the region. Based on the results obtained from MEDALUS model, the indicators of drought resistance (score 162), conservation operations (score 158) and soil salinity (score 155), in the working units of abandoned lands, wetland lands, and Salty lands located in the north East of the region, have increased the process of desertification. The results of modeling using machine learning methods showed that in 2002, the SVM model (AUC = 0.91, TSS = 0.93, and Kappa = 0.86) and in 2021, the RF model (AUC = 0.94, TSS = 0.94, and Kappa = 0.90) have performed best. The forecast of the combined model for desertification in 2021 in the studied area showed that the northeastern and sporadically in the central parts of the studied area are affected by the progress of the desertification process. Therefore, by considering the results of the combined model (as a model with the least uncertainty), it is possible to reduce the progress of the desertification process by planning, optimal management and applying corrective methods in the areas affected by desertification.

Spatiotemporal variation of water balance components in Mashhad catchment, Iran: Investigating the impact of changes in climatic data and land use

Abstract The research aims to investigate the spatiotemporal changes of water balance components and distinguish the relative impacts of climatic data and land-use on groundwater level in northeastern Iran. This investigation employs the WetSpass-M model to estimate water balance and the Mann-Kendall test alongside Sen's slope estimator to evaluate trend. The study also assesses mean annual water balance components, considering diverse combinations of land-use and soil. The findings offer a hydrological insight, revealing that 14% of precipitation results in runoff, 29% of that recharging the aquifer; the remaining portion is lost through evapotranspiration. The trends in precipitation and simulated water components are not significant but a significant downward trend in groundwater is observed beyond a specific point in time. Based on this outcome, as well as the analysis of land-use changes, it was speculated that human activities in this fast-developing region might be implicated in the decline in groundwater levels. Analysis of water balance components in various soil and land-use combinations indicates that evapotranspiration exhibits greater variability within the land-cover class, while recharge is more influenced by soil texture. These findings enhance our understanding for identifying potential sites for artificial recharge and determining sustainable groundwater withdrawals based on spatiotemporal recharge patterns.

Assessment of UV radiation effects on airborne mucormycetes and bacterial populations in a hospital environment

Infections, such as mucormycosis, often result from inhaling sporangiospore present in the environment. Surprisingly, the extent of airborne Mucormycetes sporangiospore concentrations remains inadequately explored. This study aimed to assess the influence of UV radiation on microbial populations and Mucormycetes spore levels within a hospital environment in northern Iran. A comprehensive dataset comprising 298 air samples collected from both indoor and outdoor settings was compiled. The culture was conducted using Blood Agar and Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol (DRBC) culture media, with Chloramphenicol included for fungal agents and Blood Agar for bacterial. Before UV treatment, the average count of Mucormycetes ranged from 0 to 26.4 ± 25.28 CFU m−3, fungal agents from 2.24 ± 3.22 to 117.24 ± 27.6 CFU m−3, and bacterial agents from 29.03 ± 9.9 to 359.37 ± 68.50 CFU m−3. Following UV irradiation, the averages were as follows: Mucormycetes ranged from 0 to 7.85 ± 6.8 CFU m−3, fungal agents from 16.58 ± 4.79 to 154.98 ± 28.35 CFU m−3, and bacterial agents from 0.38 ± 0.65 to 43.92 ± 6.50 CFU m−3. This study, notably marks the pioneering use of UV light to mitigate Mucormycetes spore counts and bacterial agents in northeastern Iran, contributing to the advancement of environmental health and safety practices in hospital settings.

A new isolate cold-adapted Ankistrodesmus sp. OR119838: influence of light, temperature, and nitrogen concentration on growth characteristics and biochemical composition using the two-stage cultivation strategy.

Natural-based chemicals from microalgae such as lipids and pigments are the interests in industries and the bioeconomy. Cold-adapted Ankistrodesmus sp. OR119838, an isolated strain from Cheshmeh-Sabz Lake in northeastern Iran, was cultivated using a two-stage culture strategy under different environmental conditions. With doubling the nitrate concentration at the vegetative stage (170mg/L) and increasing the light intensity (180µmol photons/m2/s) the highest specific growth rate (0.61 ± 0.02 per day) and biomass productivity (121.1 ± 7.2 mg/L/day) were observed at 25°C. In the optimal growth condition Chl a and Chl b contents of Ankistrodesmus sp. OR119838 reached the highest amount (11.07 ± 0.14 and 11.23 ± 0.29 µg/mL, respectively) at 25°C. While carotenoid content correlated negatively with optimum biomass productivity (-0.708) and had the best value (12.23 ± 0.29µg/mL) in nitrogen deficiency (42 mg/L) and intense light conditions (180µmol photons/m2/s) at 15°C. Lipid content was increased with declined nitrate concentration (42mg/L), high light intensity, and 180µmol photons/m2/s at 25°C. The highest percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (71.94%) and α-linolenic acid (57.73 ± 6.63%) was observed in conditions with 170mg/L nitrate concentration and low light intensity (40µmol photons/m2/ s) at the low temperature (15°C). While saturated fatty acids content (43.27%) and palmitic acid reached the highest amount under 40µmol photons/m2/s, 42mg/L nitrate at 25°C (35.02 ± 5.33%). Biomass productivity of Ankistrodesmus sp. OR119838, as a cold-adapted strain, decreased by only 8.2% with a 10-degree decline in temperature. Therefore, this strain has good potential to grow in open ponds by tolerating the daily temperature fluctuations.

Genetic and Clinical Study of Children with Familial Mediterranean Fever in Northeastern Iran

Background: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a mutation in the MEFV gene and characterized by recurrent episodes of fever and polyserositis. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the frequency and distribution of MEFV mutations in children with FMF in northeastern Iran and determine clinical examinations. Methods: Our study was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted among 29 patients under the age of 18 who visited the pediatric rheumatologist between April 2014 and 2021. After clinical diagnosis, the patients underwent genetic evaluation. The mutations related to each patient were identified using Sanger sequencing of the entire MEFV gene sequence. The rest of the information was extracted from the checklist. Finally, the data were analyzed using SPSS v. 16. Results: Fever was the most common symptom, followed by abdominal pain. During the acute attack period, laboratory inflammatory factors increased in all patients. None of the patients had complications. There was no significant relationship between the demographic variables in the groups (benign, variant of uncertain significance [VUS], pathogen) except for the rate of hospitalization (P-value = 0.039). Moreover, 34.5% of the studied patients had pathogenic mutations. The most common mutation was E148Q, which was reported to be benign, followed by pathogenic mutations (M680I), with a frequency of 10.2%. Conclusions: The FMF is rare in Northeastern Iran, and the number of pathogenic mutations is lower compared to Northwest Iran and other studies. It is necessary to conduct a genetic examination and treatment of affected patients to control the course of the disease and its complications.

Evaluation of soil quality and land suitability in different management systems

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the effect of management systems on soil quality in rangeland and agricultural lands (smallholder, total owner, and Binaloud Company) in Neyshabur plain, northeastern Iran. Twenty-one soil profiles were described and sampled. The weighted and additive soil quality indices (SQI) of surface soil and soil profile (0–100 cm) were calculated. The minimum data set (MDS) was determined using principal component analysis (PCA) and expert opinion (EO) methods. The land index (LI) for alfalfa was calculated using the FAO method. In all management systems, the EO-weighted SQI was the highest for surface soil and soil profile. The relationship between the EO-weighted SQI and alfalfa yield was the strongest in the total owner and Binaloud Company. The LI showed a better relationship with the alfalfa yield than the SQI. The SQI of soil profile provides more comprehensive information regarding the different soil management systems. The LI, which considers crop requirements, could be useful in comparing the soil quality for a specific plant. The lower soil quality in smallholder system is an early warning sign of soil degradation in the area. Furthermore, the SQI has sufficient capability to reveal the effects of the land exploitation systems on soil quality.

Dental health and lung cancer risk in the Golestan Cohort Study

BackgroundPoor oral health has been linked to various systemic diseases, including multiple cancer types, but studies of its association with lung cancer have been inconclusive.MethodsWe examined the relationship between dental status and lung cancer incidence and mortality in the Golestan Cohort Study, a large, prospective cohort of 50,045 adults in northeastern Iran. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between three dental health measures (i.e., number of missing teeth; the sum of decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT); and toothbrushing frequency) and lung cancer incidence or mortality with adjustment for multiple potential confounders, including cigarette smoking and opium use. We created tertiles of the number of lost teeth/DMFT score in excess of the loess adjusted, age- and sex-specific predicted numbers, with subjects with the expected number of lost teeth/DMFT or fewer as the reference group.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 14 years, there were 119 incident lung cancer cases and 98 lung cancer deaths. Higher DMFT scores were associated with a progressively increased risk of lung cancer (linear trend, p = 0.011). Compared with individuals with the expected DMFT score or less, the HRs were 1.27 (95% CI: 0.73, 2.22), 2.15 (95% CI: 1.34, 3.43), and 1.52 (95% CI: 0.81, 2.84) for the first to the third tertiles of DMFT, respectively. The highest tertile of tooth loss also had an increased risk of lung cancer, with a HR of 1.68 (95% CI: 1.04, 2.70) compared with subjects with the expected number of lost teeth or fewer (linear trend, p = 0.043). The results were similar for lung cancer mortality and did not change substantially when the analysis was restricted to never users of cigarettes or opium. We found no associations between toothbrushing frequency and lung cancer incidence or mortality.ConclusionPoor dental health indicated by tooth loss or DMFT, but not lack of toothbrushing, was associated with increased lung cancer incidence and mortality in this rural Middle Eastern population.

The association between hyperuricemia and insulin resistance surrogates, dietary- and lifestyle insulin resistance indices in an Iranian population: MASHAD cohort study

BackgroundPrevious studies have reported insulin resistance (IR) to be associated with hyperuricemia. In this study, we aimed to assess the possible associations between the empirical dietary index for IR (EDIR), the empirical lifestyle index for IR (ELIR), and non-insulin-based surrogates (triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index, triglyceride-to-high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR) and TyG with body mass index (TyG-BMI)) and hyperuricemia in an Iranian population.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 6457 participants aged 35–65 years were recruited as part of the MASHAD cohort study. EDIR and ELIR were calculated using dietary intakes, body mass index, and physical activity information. Insulin resistance surrogates including TyG, TyG-BMI, TG/HDL-C, and METS-IR were calculated for all participants. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid ≥ 7 mg/dl in men or ≥ 6 mg/dl in women. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to determine the association between indexes of IR and hyperuricemia.ResultsThe mean ELIR and IR surrogates (TyG, TyG-BMI, TG/ HDL, and METS-IR) were significantly higher in subjects with hyperuricemia compared to non-hyperuricemic subjects (p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding variables, the association between hyperuricemia and EDIR was not significant, but ELIR had a significant association in all models (p < 0.001). All four IR surrogates (TyG, TyG-BMI, TG/ HDL, and METS-IR) showed a significant association with hyperuricemia (p < 0.001).ConclusionThere was a significant association between indexes of insulin resistance: TyG, TyG-BMI, TG/HDL-c, METS-IR, and ELIR with hyperuricemia, in a population sample from northeastern Iran.

Prevalence of mental disorders among middle-aged population of primary healthcare centers in Northeastern Iran

BackgroundPrimary healthcare centers (PHCs) serve as the cornerstone of accessible medical services in society, playing a crucial role in screening, detecting, and treating various health issues. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in middle-aged individuals who refer to PHCs and the potential of PHCs in diagnosing mental disorders.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was implemented at PHCs under the supervision of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) in northeast Iran in 2018. The enrolled subjects were middle-aged adults who had electronic medical records in SINA, an integrated health management system, and the electronic medical records of MUMS. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders by type and their relationship with demographic information was evaluated by a Chi-square test using SPSS 22.ResultsThis study involved 218,341 middle-aged participants. Prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 8.59%, and depression (53.72%) and anxiety (42.02%) were the most common psychiatric disorders in both males and females. The prevalence of mental disorders was significantly higher in females than in males (88.18% vs. 18.81%; P < 0.0001). Indeed, a significant higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, somatoform, childhood psychiatric disorder, and bipolar disorders was observed in females compared to males (P < 0.05). In addition, individuals between the age of 45–60 years, and those from rural areas showed more prevalence of mental disorders than others, but these differences were not significant.ConclusionsConsidering the previous studies in Iran, the prevalence of mental disorders among patients presenting to PHCs was noticeably lower than expected rates. It seems probable that this huge difference is due to poor screening and detection of mental illness in PHCs of MUMS. It is recommended that health policymakers pursue specific measures to make PHCs more helpful for people with mental health problems in the community.

The prevalence of functional amblyopia and its related risk factors in preschool children in North-Eastern Iran.

Purpose was to determine the prevalence of amblyopia and its related risk factors in children aged 3-6 years in Bojnurd, north-eastern Iran. In this cross-sectional study, from 12,331 children aged 3-6 in Bojnurd, 6600 children participated in annual amblyopic screening program and among them, around 1100 suspected cases were referred for full ophthalmic examinations. Measurement of visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, subjective refraction, and cover test were performed for all participants. Amblyopia was defined as CDVA of 0.2 LogMar or less in each eye or 2-line difference or more in best-corrected visual acuity between two eyes. The prevalence of amblyopia was estimated 0.95% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73%-1.2%). There was no relationship between amblyopia with age and genders. Most amblyopic children were hyperopic (61.9%; 95% CI: 48.7-73.8). Strabismus was found in 17.4% of amblyopic patients (95% CI: 9.05%-29.09%). Approximately half of the amblyopic children were anisometropic (55.5%; 95% CI: 42.40%-68.08%). The most common type of amblyopia was anisohyperopic (55.56%; 95% CI: 42.5%-67.5%). The prevalence of bilateral amblyopia was more than unilateral amblyopia. The assessment of data showed that hyperopia, astigmatism, and anisometropia were the most common causes of amblyopia in this study. The prevalence of amblyopia was estimated about 1% in north-eastern Iran. Our study indicated a valuable information around the effect of refractive error and anisometropia on amblyopia which could be helpful in designing a comprehensive vision screening program for preschool children.

Assessment and Simulation of the Effects of Climate Change on the Economic Productivity of Crop Water Resources Using Water and Carbon Footprint in Northeastern Iran

Assessment and Simulation of the Effects of Climate Change on the Economic Productivity of Crop Water Resources Using Water and Carbon Footprint in Northeastern Iran

Epidemiology and clinical featuresof respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in hospitalized children during the COVID-19 pandemic in Gorgan,Iran.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)is a leading cause of acute respiratory infection in infants and young children. Given the altered circulation patterns of respiratory viruses during the coronavirus disease pandemic-2019 (COVID-19),the study aimed to evaluate epidemiology and clinical features of RSV infections in hospitalized children during the COVID-19pandemic in Gorgan, northeastern Iran. Molecular epidemiology studies on respiratory viral infections are necessary to monitor circulating viruses, disease severity, and clinical symptoms, in addition to early warning of new outbreaks. Overall, 411 respiratory swab samples from hospitalized children from October 2021 to March 2022 were collected at Taleghani Children's Hospital, Gorgan, Iran. The incidence of RSV, as well as the circulating subgroups and genotypes, were investigated and confirmed using PCR methods. Additionally, all samples tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)and influenza, and demographic and clinical data were analyzed using SPSS software. The share of RSV, SARS-CoV-2, and influenza among hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI)were 27%, 16.5%, and 4.1%, respectively. The RSV subgroup A (genotype ON1) was dominant over subgroup B (genotype BA9),with more severe clinical symptoms. Compared with the prepandemic era there were high numbers of hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 positive children and low numbers of other respiratory viruses. Despite this, the prevalence of ALRI-relatedRSV-disease among hospitalized children in our specialized pediatric center was higher than COVID-19disease in the same cohort. Studying the epidemiology of respiratory viruses and determining the circulating strains can contribute to effective infection control and treatment strategies.

Microscale Forest Map with OLI Sensor Satellite Data, Case Study: Forests of Golestan Province in Northeastern Iran

Microscale Forest Map with OLI Sensor Satellite Data, Case Study: Forests of Golestan Province in Northeastern Iran

A survey of resistance mutations to reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) among HIV-1 patients in northeast of Iran.

The use of a combination of three-drug regimen has improved HIV-1 infected patients' life span and quality; however the emergence of drug-resistant strains remains a main problem. Reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) consist of a main part of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) regimen. The present study aimed to investigate resistant mutations to RTI drugs in both treatment naïve and under treatment HIV patients in Mashhad city, north-eastern Iran. RNA was extracted from sera of 22 treatment naïve and 22 under treatment patients. The mean age of under treated and treatment naive groups were 38.5±6.7 and 40.8±7.9 respectively. cDNA was synthesized and amplified with Nested PCR assay targeting specific sequences of RT gene. The PCR products were sent for sequencing. Bidirectional sequencing results were analysed using HIV drug resistance database supplied by Stanford University (HIV Drug Resistance Database, https://hivdb.stanford.edu). Among under treatment patients 10 out of 22 (45%) had at least one high-level resistance mutation which was higher than high level resistance mutation rate among treatment naive cases (P<0.01). Detected resistance mutations were as follows: K101E, K103N, K103E, V106M, V108I, E138A, V179T, Y181C, M184V, Y188L, Y188H, Y188F, G190A, L210W, T215F, T215Y, K219Q, and P225H. A high level of resistance mutations to RT inhibitors was observed that causes drug resistance especially against lamivudine (3TC). Such mutations should be considered as probable responsible for therapeutic failure. Serial surveillance studies of circulating drug resistance mutations are recommended.

Impact of Soil Pore Size Distribution on Crop Growth in Relation to Plant Available Water (PAW) and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) in Arid/Semi-Arid Regions

Soil structural status in relation to soil pore size distribution, soil water retention, and plant available water (PAW) influence crop plant growth. Also, soil organic carbon content (SOC) usually influence soil structural stability, soil pore size and may affect crop growth, especially in arid/semi-arid regions with low SOC. Our studies focused on soil structure under clay dispersion and conventional and no-tillage systems included cultivation of cover crop in arid/semi-arid region of north-eastern Iran, in 2020 and 2022, respectively. According to our findings, PAW directly depended on soil pore size distribution, the more micropores the more water retention. Consequently, smaller soil pores due to clay dispersion improved water retention in soils and crop growth increased with enhancing PAW. SOC usually is low in arid/semi-arid regions of the world, therefore, addition of soil organic matter by crop residue retention may help in improving soil condition. Based on our results, cover crop residue retention in no-till system increased SOC, and SOC positively influenced soil functions such as soil structural stability, soil pore size (using X-ray images), and root growth. Therefore, soil pore size distribution as influenced by soil structural status could be considered as a principal factor in crop growth in arid/semi-arid region of north-eastern Iran.

DNA barcoding and morphological identification of Astragalus in Iran: Advantages to molecular approach

Astragalus is a crucial forage plant in the rangelands of northeastern Iran. However, identifying different species of Astragalus can be challenging due to their overlapping morphological features. In this study, we aimed to determine the relationships between 12 Astragalus species using both morphological and molecular traits. We also evaluated the effectiveness of DNA barcoding as a tool for identifying rangeland species of Astragalus in Northeast Iran. We examined five DNA barcodes, including three cpDNA regions (trnH-psbA, rpl32-trnL(UAG), and matK) and two nuclear sequences (ITS and ETS). We found that the plastid markers (rpl32-trnL(UAG, matK) were the most effective in differentiating between species. We also found that morphological data, as represented by the Neighbor-Net network and UPGMA dendrogram, had the potential to separate Astragalus species. We identified matK as the best and most accurate marker for barcoding, as trnH-psbA had some defects due to sequence size and alignment issues. Our study highlights the importance of using barcoding for quick and accurate recognition of plant species and shows the plastid markers were the most effective in differentiating between species.

First Molecular Evidence of Emerging Lophomonas Pathogen Among Patients Suspected of Having Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran.

Lophomoniasis is a chronic protozoan respiratory disease in humans with main clinical symptoms such as chronic cough, productive sputum, breath shortness, and occasionally hemoptysis. Differentiation diagnosis of lophomoniasis from tuberculosis (TB) and asthma is crucial. In this study, 210 participants with suspected TB referred to tuberculosis laboratories in Mazandaran province, northeastern Iran, were enrolled during 2021. All patients showed low grade fever, chronic cough or sputum on referral. Sputum specimens were collected from the participants, and Lophomonas DNA was detected through a conventional genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Out of 210 participants, 67 (31.9%) had Lophomonas spp., infection, 38 (18.1%) had TB (Smear and culture-positive), and 20 (9.5%) had both TB and Lophomonas co-infection. Based on our results, a relatively high occurrence of Lophomonas infection was found among patients suspected of having TB. Accordingly, due to the high similarity of clinical symptoms between both pulmonary diseases, it is highly recommended to accurately and early diagnose the parasite in the sputum specimen.

Echinococcus granulosus sheep strain (G1) as the predominant genotype in definitive host (dogs) isolates in northeastern Iran

Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (E. granulosus s.l.) is a zoonotic parasite, causing cystic echinococcosis in humans. In the present study, prevalence and genotypes of E. granulosus s.l. was assessed in stools collected from 244 dogs including 138 stray and 106 domestic animals using high resolution melting curve (HRM) method. Initially, to detect taeniid eggs in feces, all samples were examined using the formalin-ether techniques. Genomic DNA was extracted from the positive samples and E. granulosus s.l. was differentiated from other Taeniidae parasites using SSU-rDNA gene and E. granulosus s.l. was analyzed for genotyping using HRM based on the cox1 gene. In total, 12.7% (31/244) of the samples were positive for Taeniidae eggs. In addition, among the positive samples, 77.4% (24/31) were positive for E. granulosus s.l.. In details, 11.3% (12/106) of the domestic dogs and 8.7% (12/138) of the stray dogs were positive for E. granulosus s.l.. The results of HRM analysis showed that all E. granulosus s.l. isolates were G1 strain. Findings of the present study indicated a considerable prevalence of E. granulosus G1 among dogs in the northeast of Iran and imply a serious risk of transmitting to humans and livestock.

Towards site-specific management of soil organic carbon: Comparing support vector machine and ordinary kriging approaches based on pedo-geomorphometric factors

Site-specific management of soil organic carbon (SOC) is crucial for cleaner, sustainable agricultural production and climate change mitigation. The Neyshabur plain of northeastern Iran is plagued with spatially variable critically low SOC. Thus, in this study management zones (MZs) were developed for the site-specific management of SOC. Soil samples (0–0.3 m) and digital elevation model-derived geomorphometric variables were collected at 288 locations. Soil pH, clay content, available phosphorus, available potassium, and the vertical distance to channel network significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with SOC. Subsequently, support vector machine (SVM) and ordinary kriging (OK) approaches were used to map the spatial variability and develop MZs based on SOC and its above-listed pedo-geomorphometric covariates. Generally, the coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) of OK and SVM models used to interpolate pedo-geomorphometric covariates, were similar. However, the Fuzzy Performance Index (FPI) and Normalized Classification Entropy (NCE) indices suggest that the MZs based on the SVM model (FPI = 0.091, NCE = 0.113) are more accurate compared to those determined using the OK (FPI = 0.135, NCE = 0.164) method. Although the results demonstrate the potential of both OK and SVM approaches for site-specific management of SOC in the Neyshabur plain, the average difference of 0.8 g kg−1 SOC in the SVM approach compared to OK (p < 0.05) was found to be significant, especially along transitional boundaries between MZs. Thus, the SVM-based MZs developed in this study can be used for more accurate site-specific application of organic amendments, mineral fertilizers, and management practices that improve carbon sequestration and sorption of chemical contaminants in the Neyshabur plain of Iran.