---

Shotcrete, a pneumatically sprayed concrete mixture, has gained significant popularity in the construction industry due to its versatility and adaptability. However, the demand for high-strength shotcrete has intensified, driven by advancements in equipment and admixtures. Fiber-reinforced high-strength shotcrete (FRHSS) offers enhanced quality, adhesion, and construction speed, making it ideal for stabilizing excavations and slopes, strengthening masonry and concrete structures, and reinforcing underground structures. Additionally, the increased strength allows for reduced section dimensions, leading to more economical designs.

This research investigates the effects of aggregate gradation and admixtures, including micro silica, superplasticizer, accelerator, and micro recycled steel fibers (MRSFs), on the strength and performance of FRHSS. The study employs wet-mix and dry-mix shotcrete methods, examining the properties through laboratory and field experiments.

The results demonstrate that achieving high-strength shotcrete is more feasible with the wet-mix method. Fiber-reinforced wet-mix shotcrete attained a 28-day compressive strength of 987 kg/cm², representing an 80% and 77% increase in compressive strength and energy absorption, respectively, compared to conventional fiber-reinforced wet-mix shotcrete. Furthermore, fracture toughness tests revealed that MRSFs effectively prevent microcrack propagation and control deformations. FRHSS incorporating MRSFs exhibited a 28% and 97% increase in compressive strength and energy absorption, respectively, compared to the corresponding mix without fibers.
 

---

---

Archaeology with the help of other sciences in this era has been applied to solve the ancient environment and settlement of ancient sites. On the other hand, the high expenditure of interdisciplinary research for solving the environmental archaeology research takes less attention in the field of archaeological science. Meanwhile, chemical analysis, which gives information about the depth of soil in archaeological sites, needs suitable laboratory methods that, can provide much helpfal data to recognize the archaeological layers. These data also helped us to find the exact place of archaeological settlement in the Shusthar plain. Archaeological dating showed that the Shushtar plain was occupied in last phase of Holocene seven thousands before by the seasonally migrating people. In this article, the use of XRF chemical spectroscopy with AMS dating guided us to construct the ancient environment and environment development in the Shushtar plain in the Holocene period?

---

Lorestan pins as an object with diverse kinds, diverse construction methods and diverse functions, though investigated in the studies of researchers as a part of Lorestan’s bronze objects and, in some cases, in general studies, have not yet been focused on well enough, and no technical studies as such have ever been done on them. Among the manmade objects of the inhabitant tribes in this region are metal objects. One of the metal objects discoveredis metal pin in which different metals such as iron, silver and bronze and,so far in some cases, a combination of these have been used. They date back to the first and second millennium BC. This study tries to investigate, describe, explain, compare and introduce these pins focusing on their manufacturing techniques, designs, type, function and history.

---

Objectives: Today, after the experience of the corona epidemic for many experts, the impact of urban development programs on the spread of the virus has been proven that new theories in architecture and urban planning regarding the corona pandemic situation can provide suitable solutions for designers.
Research Method: It is based on analytical and descriptive studies and has been compiled based on mutual relations and comparisons between independent variables and new theories in architecture and urban planning in relation to the corona pandemic situation and related variables.
Findings and Conclusion: The dense development of cities and the high communication of people with each other due to the dense urban life, make the ways of breaking the virus distribution chain more difficult. Therefore, the resilience of cities, despite being ignored in the development phase, is very important in times of crisis. Factors such as housing pattern, use of local institutions, neighborhood-based urban planning, public arena, urban transportation, small and local business acquisition and smart infrastructure such as the development of e-urban services are very influential in the spread of infectious diseases in cities and metropolises. The prevalence of COVID-19 suggests potential new pattern changes that are likely to change our development patterns, particularly in both the construction and environmental sectors. Epidemic has been the most significant disruption of human activity in a generation. For many designers, it has been a time to refocus and rethink how products, buildings and cities are designed.
 

---

Statement of Problem: In dealing with the wonders of creation in nature and its elements, the primitive man considers himself insignificant and inferior in front of the world and its vastness. Man considers nature to be alive and imagines a supernatural force for each manifestation of existence. Totems are inanimate. Totemism is related to systems derived from symbols or representations of human affiliations to animals, plants, and fundamental and human belief objects based on totems. Objectives: Investigating totem and totemism from a psychological point of view and finding a unique method to explore the human mind and the effects left in the design of built spaces. Research Method: It is based on analytical and descriptive studies and it has been investigated and analyzed by studying library sources and it has been compiled based on mutual relationships and comparison between independent variables and theories and totems in different religions and dependent variables. Findings: In the knowledge of totem and totemism, understanding many amazing aspects of animals, plants and objects seemed to be impossible for humans and this led to their sanctification; Of course, the holiness that followed fear and respect. Such a view and thought caused the emergence and spread of beliefs such as animism, reincarnation and totemism. Conclusion: Totemism and belief in totems and taboos was one of the ancient beliefs and a topic related to the history of early humans, which is considered one of the early examples of human religions. The practical consequences of these beliefs in the lives of early humans led to the emergence of rituals and practices in which the importance of animals and plants was emphasized, whose effects on the design of spaces and beliefs of the current generation are clearly evident.

---

Folklore Fictions such as mystery and legends contain magical elements which have been considered since further past years among people. Whereas the metaphysical beliefs provide the psyche calm, they have approved their places despite of scientific progress. Folklore Fictions are one of the most popular features of folkloric culture which has provided the suitable bed for the collective consciousness of a nation. This study approaches two layers including; deep-structure and surface structure of fiction simultaneously. The different forms of magic appear in the surface structure, while the deep structure refers to the critical method of archetype. The findings show that 89% of magical elements appear in the fictions containing the archetype of hero’s journey. Such fictions overlap with the archetypal elements .There are either white or black magic due to archetypal heroes in such fictions, their connections are as if that shadow or the black magic make conflict for the hero and the archetype of old wisdom or white magic guide the hero, in order to remove problems. Their functions are diabolical. The different forms of magic make the elements of fiction which are respectively frequent like: the magical objects, the natural elements, the human personality, the imaginative elements and creatures, the semi-human creatures, the surrounding elements of human, the pseudo-animals, semi-animals, and Satan.

---

Aim: The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Staphylococcus aureus strains, as one of the important foodborne pathogens, isolated from unpacked ice creams.
Materials & Methods: A total of 122 unpacked ice cream samples were randomly collected from different localities in East Azerbaijan province and transferred to the laboratory using a cool box and screened for the presence of S. aureus strains. Also, the isolates resistance to antibiotics was determined by disk diffusion method.
Findings: In total, 21.3% of the ice creams samples were contaminated with S. aureus strains. Furthermore, antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that the highest resistance was against penicillin and erythromycin, whereas the highest susceptibility was observed against gentamicin and rifampin. A warning issue was the significant resistance to vancomycin.
Conclusions: The relative high isolation and antimicrobial resistance rates detected in S. aureus strains isolated from unpacked ice creams underline the necessity for applying strict standards at all processing steps by food control agencies and emphasize the need for educational efforts for those personnel involved in products preparation procedures in order to promote food hygiene. It is worth noting that the emergence of resistance to vancomycin, as the last line of treatment for staphylococcal infections, is a worrying global health concern. Moreover, this study highlighted that poor adherence to personal hygiene and health principles during the food products preparation and/or storage could be a potential factor in the spread of pathogenic bacteria and resistance genes in the community.

---

Home Uterine Activity Monitoring (HUAM) has demonstrated to be of great value for preventing preterm labor in recent years. In this research, a low cost monitoring device for non-invasive monitoring of the uterine activity in pregnant women is presented. The new device has been designed based on an inductive Colpitz oscillator and vertical displacement of a ferrite core in a coil. The resulting frequency of the oscillator is proportional to the pressure in the external surface of the abdomen. This frequency is measured by the portable monitor. A low-power static random access memory (SRAM) provides long-term data storage. The proposed sensor for detecting uterine contractions has light weight, high stability and low cost. This sensor is very simple to manufacture and use for long-term ambulatory monitoring of the uterine activity. Furthermore, this sensor can be calibrated using software. Other features of the sensor are, resolution of 0.13 mmHg, repeatability close to 96% and input range from 0 to 95.32 mmHg.

---

---

Three types of composts (T1, T2, and T3) composed of variable percents of bovine, ovine, fowl manures, green waste and olive pomace were used in this study. Composts were effective in controlling Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani associated with peach decline. In vitro evaluation of four doses of the three composts extracts against mycelium growth of F. solani and F. oxysporum showed that the compost extracts have a significant effect on mycelial growth. The highest inhibition percent was obtained with 10% dose for the three compost extracts, with values more than 48.8% and 50% of F. solani and F. oxysporum, respectively. However, the filtration of the tea composts revealed to be ineffective against the hyphal reduction for both pathogens. The in- vivo experiments exhibited the efficacy of these composts in reducing the seedlings root rot. In fact, T1, T2 and T3 reduced the root rot and browning of plants inoculated with F. solani by 50.19% and plants inoculated with F. oxysporum by 41.86%, 46.45% and 48.3%, respectively. Furthermore, these composts seemed to improve the sanitary state of peach seedlings inoculated with F. oxysporum. However, the improvement of sanitary state of peach inoculated with F. solani was just noted in case of the composts T1 and T2. The treatment of peach seedlings with these improved plant growth by increasing height and root weight of seedlings inoculated with F. oxysporum. However, none of these composts was able to stimulate growth of plants inoculated with F. solani. Root weight of plants inoculated with F. solani was negatively correlated with bovine manure in the compost, positively with fowl (r = 0.69) and sheep manure content (r = 0.69). Besides, a significant negative correlation among sanitary state index of plants inoculated with F. oxysporum in the case of olive pomace (r = -0.92) and the polyphenols content (r = -0.74) of compost was found.

---

The stability of ten winter safflower cultivars and lines was evaluated in three different environmental conditions in Karaj, Isfahan and Darab in Iran, a randomized complete block design with 4 replications over three years (1995, 1996 and 1997). Simple analysis of variances of grain and oil yields from each experiment showed significant differences among the genotypes. After conducting a homogeneity test for error variances, combined analysis of variance was performed. An F. test of different sources of variation revealed that the effect of genotype  year  location interactions was significant (P<1%). Analysis of the grain and oil yields using the Eberhart and Russel method showed significant dif-ference for the main effects of genotype and genotype  environment (linear) interactions and non-significant difference for deviation from regression. According to the classifica-tion of genotypes based on the mean of grain and oil yields, coefficient of regression and deviation from regression, the new line L.R.V.51.51 with its high grain and oil yields and stability was selected as a desirable genotype.

---

Backgrounds: Bacteriophage therapy could be an alternative strategy for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activities of isolated bacteriophages against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates. 
Materials & Methods: A total of 16 clinical isolates of MRSA were collected from medical diagnostic laboratories in Tehran, Iran. A specific bacteriophage was isolated from hospital sewage using double-layer agar. Phage morphology was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Different bacteria were selected to determine the bacteriophage host range using spot test. Phage susceptibility to temperature and pH was evaluated by double-layer agar method.  In vitro assay was carried out on human epithelial type 2 (HEp-2) cells to investigate the effect of bacteriophage on the adhesion of MRSA to human epithelial cells. 
Findings: TEM suggested the Myoviridae family for the isolated phage. The effective titer of bacteriophages was 1.8×10⁷ PFU/mL. The isolated bacteriophage was stable at 4 ˚C and pH=8. The isolated bacteriophage was specific for all clinical isolates of MRSA and had no lytic activity against other pathogenic bacteria. In evaluating the binding and invasion of MRSA to the HEp-2 cell line, as expected, the lytic activity of specific bacteriophages was observed following inoculation.
Conclusion: The specificity and lytic activity of this phage on MRSA and MRSA-infected HEp-2 cell line emphasized that the isolated bacteriophage may serve as an effective prophylactic and alternative therapeutic agent in hospital settings.

---

Biocontrol of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris by six Bacillus species was evaluated. Also plant growth promoting potential of the bacteria was assessed. Results showed that four bacterial strains produced the chitinase and cellulase enzymes and all isolates produced indole acetic acid. Bacillus licheniformis proved to be the most productive of hydrogen cyanide and particularly, Bacillus firmus solubilized phosphorus on Pikovskaya solid and liquid media. The majority of strains were able to produce siderophore and three produced NH₃. Results showed that the Flip05-156C chickpea variety was less susceptible to Foc isolates compared to Flip93-93C and there was a clear difference in pathogenicity of the Foc isolates. Thus, Foc1 and Foc2 isolates caused 31.25% and 41.66%, plant mortality, respectively. As regards PGPR effect, results showed that B. licheniformis gave the best branching number, stem length and root weight of both chickpea varieties. However, Bacillus lentus distinctly improved the root length while Bacillus amyloliquefaciens improved weight of the vegetative parts.

---

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) characterized by involving language learners in meaning-focused activities with some focus-on-form has enjoyed increasing popularity in the past two decades. Meanwhile, ample theoretical and empirical evidence has been presented to account for different task design features that influence language learning and learners’ performance. However, selecting and sequencing suitable tasks as well as recognizing appropriate task combinations that can provide a good opportunity for learning are still topical issues in SLA research (Robinson, 2011; Skehan, 2014).
Considering this interest, this study set out to examine whether changes in the cognitive demands of tasks and their implementation condition (operationalized by individual and collaborative writing) would lead to differential improvement in language learners’ writing performance. The study also explored the relationship between an under-researched learner factor (self-regulation) and EFL learners’ written performance in individual and collaborative tasks varying in terms of cognitive complexity. The novelty of the present study lies primarily in its considering the combined effect of task complexity and task condition on writing—which is a somewhat neglected mode in research on TBLT—of EFL learners.
Although different models and criteria have been proposed to account for task complexity, psycholinguistic rationales have drawn more support recently. Skehan’s (1998, 2009) trade-off hypothesis and Robinson’s (2001, 2003, 2009) cognition hypothesis are two influential models in vogue toady. Different views on attentional capacity of human beings have led Skehan and Robinson to have almost contradicting predictions on learners’ performance in tasks with different levels of cognitive complexity. Robinson (2001, 2003), assuming multiple-resource model of attention, holds the view that performing some complex tasks (e.g., those made complex by the number of elements) pushes learners to make efficient use of their attentional resources and produce more accurate and complex output. Contrarily, Skehan (1998), acknowledging the limited attentional capacity of learners, claims that simultaneous increase in accuracy and syntactic complexity of linguistic output is not feasible just due to the manipulation of task complexity. He claims that learners carrying out cognitively demanding tasks have to prioritize one (accuracy or complexity) at the expense of the other.
Two research questions were formulated for the present study: (a) Do task complexity, task condition, and their interaction affect the accuracy, syntactic complexity, and fluency (CAF) of language learners’ written performance? (b) Is there any relationship between self-regulation of language learners and their performance in individual and collaborative writing tasks varying in terms of cognitive complexity? To answer these questions, 122 EFL learners whose homogeneity was ensured by Nelson English Language Proficiency Test were recruited. They were randomly assigned into four groups. The participants in four groups carried out the tasks which were different in terms of cognitive demands (simple/complex) and their implementation conditions (individual/collaborative). Task complexity was manipulated by the number of elements that participants had to consider while performing the writing task.
The collected data were analyzed by MANOVA and Pearson correlation after checking for the assumptions underlying these statistical analyses. Findings revealed that task condition had a significant effect on the writing accuracy of language learners but manipulation of task complexity did not affect three writing dimensions, i.e., syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) significantly. These findings lent partial support to Skehan’s (2009) trade-off approach toward task design and also Vygotsky’s (1978) social constructivism. Moreover, self-regulation of learners who performed the complex writing task in isolation showed a positive significant correlation with the accuracy of their writing. Robinson (2011) has made a similar prediction regarding the role of individual differences in learners’ performance in complex tasks. The findings add support to the view that selecting appropriate levels of task complexity and suitable task implementation conditions enhance different dimensions of the written performance of language learners. The study calls for more prominent place for task condition and individual differences of learners in the frameworks and models put forward for task designing and sequencing.
 
 

---

Chalcidoidea is a hyperdiverse superfamily of mostly small, parasitoid wasps of which 14 families and at least 422 species have been recorded from Greece. In the present study, additional distributional data from Greece is provided for Brachymeria rugulosa (Forster, 1859) and Brachymeria tibialis (Walker, 1834). Furthermore, Brachymeria podagrica (Fabricius, 1787) and Monodontomerus obscurus Westwood, 1833 are recorded for the first time from Greece. As well, a new host gall species for B. rugulosa is noted and the presence of Brachymeria inermis (Fonscolombe, 1840) is briefly discussed. Finally, a checklist for the genera Brachymeria (Hymenoptera, Chalcididae) and Monodontomerus (Hymenoptera, Torymidae) is compiled.

---

Fine-blanking is an effective and economical shearing process which offers a precise and clean cutting edge finish, eliminates unnecessary secondary operations and increases quality. Fine-blanking process utilizes triple-action tools: a punch, a stripper with an indented V-ring and a Counter punch (ejector) to generate a highly compressive stress state. The deformation is more violent and localized than that of any other metal forming operations. Therefore it is difficult to fully understand the mechanism of the process. This study investigates the effect of V-ring indenter, clearance of die, Force of holder and Counter punch, etc on state of stress, quality and accuracy of production. Some parameters have both positive and negative effect on quality of production and the life of the tool. Utilizing V-Ring indenter in Die will increase quality of production and life of the tool. Also Artificial Neural Networks was used to simulate Fine-Blanking process. It has been shown that booth of FEM and ANN is suitable for simulating and forecast of effect of the parameters on production.

---

The dynamics and complexity of plant communities influence the diversity and distribution of animals in various environments. Coleoptera are the most diverse group of insects and are valued as monitoring and environmental assessment tools. However, their diversity and dynamics in these high-altitude environments are poorly known. Using pitfall traps and suction sampling, we collected beetles to study their community responses to changes in different vegetation heterogeneities (low, intermediate, and high). The heterogeneity gradient was determined by considering the dominant plant species in each habitat, the percentage of vegetation coverage, and the percentage of vertical strata. Guild's responses to vegetation heterogeneity were analysed in conjunction with the patterns of alpha and beta diversity in beetles. Representatives of 41 species/morphospecies of beetles, 16 families, and four guilds were reported. Significant variations were observed in guild composition and alpha and beta diversity, especially between high and low vegetation heterogeneity habitats. The significant species turnover between sites is the main factor responsible for the high beta diversity, supporting considerable habitat heterogeneity within these environments. Phytophagous, detritivorous, necrophagous, and predatory beetles exhibited distinct responses to the vegetation's heterogeneity. This suggests that every habitat under investigation possesses a distinct structure of beetle communities. Predators were important in habitats with more diverse vegetation, while phytophagous were important in the most homogeneous ones. Beetle communities in the Puna and Altos Andes of Salta province respond positively to vegetation heterogeneity, which plays a crucial role in determining the composition of small-scale beetle communities in arid high-altitude environments.

---

The new competitive environment changes the paradigm of power system operation. In the transmission area, open access process provides fair accessibility for all market participants. Congestion management is one of the most important side effects of this new process. This paper proposes a new approach for congestion management which is based on both active and reactive re-dispatch of the network critical buses. The critical buses including both generation and interruptible loads, are determined through a sensitivity analysis. Due to the important effects of the market pricing rules on the congestion cost and its allocation, two types of these rules, namely uniform and pay as bid pricing are investigated in the paper. The numerical results of case studies show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

---

This paper gives a detailed analysis of direct torque control (DTC) strategy in a five-level drive and proposes a 24-sector switching table. The overvoltage problem due to high dv/dt is reduced compared to the 12-sector DTC. Using all vectors leads to better flexibility and reduces speed oscillations. Simulation and experimental results for a 3kVA prototype confirm the proposed solutions. A TMS320F2812 is used to implement the above strategy.