Concrete is the most used building material in the world. Many studies have targeted concrete due to its numerous benefits over other building materials. Being a moldable and rather cheap building material, it has provided good motives for engineers to further investigate the mechanical and microstructural properties of concrete with the incorporation of different kinds of additives. To do so, waste materials admixtures were suggested into the matrix to lessen the amount of cement through cement replacement as Pozzolanic mineral admixtures. These admixtures are used in concrete to enhance the mechanical properties. Waste materials not only reduces the cement content but enhances the qualities of concrete such as mechanical and the microstructural properties. However, only limited amounts of replacement were suggested. In this research, a new waste material is introduced to use in concrete as a pozzolanic material. In this paper, for the first time, PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash is used into the matrix of concrete to reduce the amount of cement and then, the effects of PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash on the concrete are investigated. PISTACIA ATLANTICA is a species of wild pistachio tree. In Iran, it is called Baneh or Van. Fruit of PISTACIA ATLANTICA is collected from the Saghez city located in north Kurdistan, Iran. The fruit of PISTACIA ATLANTICA is first burned at 500 º C for 3 hours. Then, PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash is sieved. Cement is replaced PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash. To do so, 5, 10, 15 and 20% PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash is admixed in the concrete samples. The Water to cement (W/c) ratio are kept constant at 0. 45 for the entire mixes. Amount of aggregates are kept constant for all series of mixes. All of the samples are cured in water. Four design mixes of PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash separately are casted for compression tests, slump, modulus of elasticity, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), and microstructural properties. The compressive strength of samples at ages of 7, 14, 28, and 90 days are recorded. Cement replacement with PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash decreased the early age compressive strength. However, the compressive strength in the specimens increased in the course of time. The target compressive strength of control samples is set to be 39MPa at 28 days. Compressive strength of samples with 20% PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash is improved up to 18. 3% at 28 days. One of the major findings is that concrete that incorporates twenty percent of PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash weight of cement showed better mechanical properties. Concrete slump in the specimens are considerable decreased comparing to the control samples. The replacement of PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash with cement increased the elastic modulus. Also, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that admixing PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash led to improvement in the microstructure, and pozzolanic behavior of mixtures. The results from microstructural analysis are conclusive that C-S-H formation increased when of PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash is added to the samples. In general, the results are conclusive that the addition of 20% PISTACIA ATLANTICA Ash enhances the properties of concrete such as compressive strength modulus of elasticity and density of microstructure.

Background and objectives: Wild pistachio (PISTACIA ATLANTICA Desf.) trees have social and economic importance due to resin exploitation and its great role in supplying livelihoods for forest dwellers of Zagros regions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the response of wild pistachio (PISTACIA ATLANTICA Desf.) to resin exploitation. In this research, biometric indices of wild pistachio trees (collar diameter, total height, trunk height, trunk height to total height ratio, crown height and crown area) were used to assess the impact of resin exploitation on wild pistachio trees.Materials and methods: Two stands including an abandoned stand (resin had been exploited in the past, but it had ceased for the past 22 years (1991-2013) with an area of 4.8 ha and an utilized stand (undergoing resin exploitation) with an area of 9.6 ha, with similar physiographic conditions were selected in the villages Bivandbala and Bivandpaeen, Javanroud, Kermanshah province. In the two selected stands, a full callipering was performed. We recorded the tree species and collar diameter for all trees with the collar diameter larger than or equal to five cm. Moreover, total height, trunk height and crown diameter were measured in wild pistachio trees.Results: The results showed that the mean of biometric indices of wild pistachio such as collar diameter, total height and crown height in identical diameter classes were significantly different between the two studied stands. The value of studied variables was higher in abandoned stand except collar diameter. Trunk height, trunk height to total height ratio and crown area did not show any statistically significant difference between the two studied stands.Conclusion: Resin exploitation is an important source of income for forest dwellers in the northern Zagros. The traditional resin exploitation method is ecologically and economically inefficient. To improve the livelihood of forest dwellers, it is necessary to replace the traditional method with a scientific method which is economically and ecologically sustainable. In addition to the traditional resin exploitation, the absence of regeneration of wild pistachio is a threatening factor for existence of these stands. The main objective for a policy maker should be ensuring the sustainability of wild pistachio stands and the continuity of resin exploitation income for the next generations. Therefore, it is necessary for conservation authorities to make the prerequisite of seed regeneration, maintenance and warranty of regeneration establishment in wild pistachio stands instead of attaining interest and toll for issuing resin exploitation contracts.

Kidney disorders are common in patients referred to clinics. Nowadays, finding treatment solutions for patients with kidney disorders is one of the concerns of clinicians. On the other hand, natural products can be used as therapeutic agents to attenuate renal diseases. As a natural plant, PISTACIA ATLANTICA has many components with antioxidant effects. It seems that it may be helpful in the treatment of renal disorders. However, other research is needed to show its beneficial effects against various renal damages.

Wild pistachio is one of the tree species in semi-arid areas in Iran that has important environmental and economical- social impacts. This species has not been studied well anatomically and in some cases, distinguishing it from other varieties of Butmela is difficult. The aim of this research was to investigate the diversity of this species based on some anatomical leaf traits such as vascular tissue. For this reason leaves were collected from tree populations and they were kept in ethanol (70 %) for one month, then cross sections were prepared from each sample. Based on the results, the leaves of PISTACIA ATLANTICA were bifacial and they had short trichomes (glandular and covering) in both adaxial and abaxial surfaces. Thickness of central vascular tissue, thickness of leaf and length of central vascular tissue had the most important roles in grouping, respectively. Also, no differences were found between male and female trees for anatomical traits. The results from this study could be used in the taxonomy of this species. For example, the form of central vascular tissue in this species was generally oval.

The historically-established exploitation of resin from wild pistachio (PISTACIA ATLANTICA Desf.) plays a great role in the socioeconomic balance and livelihood of rural communities of Zagros forest region. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of resin exploitation on diameter increment of wild pistachio. Two stands including a 4.8 ha abandoned stand (in which resin exploitation was previously ceased between 1991 and 2013) and a 9.6 ha stand (currently undergoing resin exploitation) with similar physiographic conditions were selected in the villages Bivand-bala and Bivand-paeen in Javanroud, Kermanshah province. To evaluate the diameter increment, 18 tree samples in the abandoned stand and 16 samples in the utilized stand were taken, and increment cores were extracted from each tree at the height of 30 cm using increment borer. In the increment cores, current annual radial increment (CARI) was measured for a period between 1980 and 2013. Current annual diameter increment (CADI) and its percentage (PCADI) of all diameter classes were calculated for two periods of 1980-1991 and 1991-2013. The normal distribution of the data was tested using Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Comparing diameter increment of trees in the two stands was performed by independent-samples t test. The results indicated no significant difference in the average PCADI values between the abandoned and utilized stands during 1980-1990 (in which both stands had undergone relatively similar level of human interferences and resin extraction). The results for the period of 1991-2013 (in which resin exploitation was ceased in the abandoned stand) the average values of PCADI in diameter classes (35-60 cm) were significantly different between the two studied stands, where the abandoned stand showed higher values than the utilized stand. However, no significant difference was observed between the two stands between 1980 and 1991. Furthermore, the averages of PCADI in wild pistachio trees were significantly different for the period of 1991 to 2013 (P<0.01).

Bene butter is a paste form product that contains mainly milled, roasted bene kernel with sugar. This product has suitable nutritional properties and knowing about its rheological characteristics can be useful for producers. In this investigation, time-dependent flow properties of bene butter were determined using three different models such as Weltman, first-order shear stress decay with zero equilibrium stress value and first-order shear stress decay with a non-zero equilibrium stress value. For this reason, for evaluating the correlation between shear stress and time of shearing in a constant rate (150 s-1), samples at two different temperatures (25oC and 45oC) were evaluated for 10 min. Shear stress vs. time of shearing data were then assessed using the three models. R2, RMSE and %E were applied to choose the best modeland among these models the Weltman model was the best fitted to experimental data. It was found that pistachio butter exhibits a thixotropic behavior and its apparent viscosity decreases with increasing the time of shearing.

PISTACIA ATLANTICA subsp.mutica is a predominant and endemic species throughout the western open forest in Iran which seedlessness is a factor for limitation its regeneration. In this trial some of physiological aspects ending to seedlessness were studied. By reason of separation of male and female trees in this genus, incompatibility was major problem for seed production. So ratio of the male to female trees must be in a normal range of 9 to 12 percentage.Some liable aspects such as pollen tube penetration, embryo sac, endosperm, and embryo development up to 16 weeks after pollination were studied. Moreover, some lethal abnormality and abortions including ovule and ovary malformations were studied too. Collected samples were fixed in Carnoy's solution or FAA and/or glutaraldehyde and stored in 75% ethanol in the fridge up to processing time. Pollen tube was studied using aniline blue dye with UV light reflection. All samples for assessing the tissue or tissue problems were stained with toluodine blue O (TBO) and observed under a light Zise microscope. Data were analyzed by SAS analytical program and excel for graphs preparation. In conclusion, most of fruit abnormality and abortions were seen in the flowers located in lower part of the inflorescence and branchlets. A sort of gametophytic incompatibility was found in stigma tissue, which may be ended all to seed abnormality and abortion. These aspects mainly were megaspore mother cell abortion, stigma tissue failure to protect pollen and pollen tube, absence the embryo sac in the main place at nucellar tissue, embryo sac with unknown material. Moreover, degenerated embryo sacs, absence of embryo, disable embryos, broken growing embryos a while after anthesis, lack of endosperm and degeneration of the endosperm tissue in early and late growing periods. All mentioned factors found to be terminated to seedlessness in PISTACIA ATLANTICA subsp. Mutica (Baneh).

Escherichia coli is the cause of many surgical wound infections. This study was designed to investigate the antibacterial effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Capparis spinosa and PISTACIA ATLANTICA on E. coli in surgical wounds using a rat model. The antimicrobial activity of Capparis spinosa and PISTACIA altantica extract was first determined by paper disk diffusion method to determine Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and also Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). Then, 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three treatment groups. A circular incision was made on the dorsal inter-scapular region of each rat. Then, rats were inoculated topically with 1. 5×10 8 CFU of E. coli at the site of skin wounds. The extracts of Capparis spinosa and PISTACIA ATLANTICA was applied to wounds twice a day during the experiment. Animals of the control group were left untreated. The results showed that the extract of Caparis spinosa and PISTACIA ATLANTICA had antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli. The antimicrobial activity of Capparis spinosa extract against E. coli was higher than the PISTACIA ATLANTICA extract (The MIC and MBC values). Also there was a significant difference in the rats treated with the extracts in comparison to the control group. It can be concluded that the extracts of these plants have antimicrobial properties and inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli in infected wounds and thus can accelerate the wound healing process.