Plant development can be defined as a programmed qualitative change in plant form, which leads plant to maturity, and researchers call it as phasic development or phenology. Recognizing the timing of occurring each development stage is necessary for managing system in order to yield increment. The timing of occurring development stages depend on climate, genotype specifications and sowing date then determination of these times in different regions is difficult and it is only possible through the using of crop simulation MODELs which can predict the timing of occurrence each development stage by integrating effective factors. The MODEL was constructed based on linear equation of plant temperature response. In order to MODEL evaluation two experiments were carried out in agricultural and natural resources research center of Khuzistan in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 cropping years. Wheat development stages were determined based on Kirby and Appleyard’s scale by stereoscopic microscope and required GDD for each development stage as well. The constructed MODEL was calibrated and run for simulation. Comparison of simulated and observed data showed that the MODEL can strongly predict wheat development stages.

The two-dimensional Markovian surface, which has a Hamiltonian similar to restricted solid on solid (RSOS) MODEL, has been investigated with the scattering method. The correlation functions, roughness parameters and structure factors have been obtained by analytical methods.

Background and Aim: Job enrichment is a method that has been used to increase employee satisfaction and work motivation. The Hackman and Oldham job characteristics MODEL (1976) has served as the foundation for many job enrichment efforts. In particular, a considerable amount of research has been devoted to the study of the job characteristics-job satisfaction relations. Te purpose of this study was to statistically determine the relation between job characteristics and job satisfaction among employees of hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in 2007. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional one, including 6 TUMS-affiliated hospitals-Emam, Shariati, Baharlo, Ziaeian, Madaen and Azadi. The sample size was 400, consisting of 200 administrative employees (50%), 151 nurses (38%) and 49 physicians (12%). The random sampling and stratified proportional sampling methods were used to select the hospitals and interviewees, respectively. Two questionnaires were developed and used to identify job characteristics and job satisfaction: 1) job diagnostics surveys (JDS) and 2) Hertzberg's job satisfaction questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaires was ascertained by test-retest using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.88). Linear-by-linear association and ordinal logistics regression analysis were used for analyzing the data gathered.Results:The relations between the Motivational Potential Score (MPS) and job characteristics (except for feedback) with job satisfaction were statistically significant (p<0.05). Task identity was the most effective determinant of job satisfaction. Conclusion: It appears that all the job characteristics (except feedback) are important determinants of job satisfaction of the hospital employees. Although the work environment is in need of restructuring, it is important to note, from a positive perspective, that the job characteristics discussed in this study are readily amenable to change job satisfaction at the organizational level.

Background & Aims: Different scoring systems are used in order to assess the functional quality of intensive care units (ICU) and to predict the required costs and facilities of intensive cares. Variety of scoring systems has been explained that each has advantages and disadvantages. In this study Simplified Acute Physiology Score-III (SAPS-III) and Mortality Probability MODEL-III (MPM-III) were compared. Materials & Methods: The current cross-sectional study was conducted on 240 non-traumatic patients admitted at ICU of Al-Zahra Hospital in 2016-17. Patients' information including demographics, mean of systolic, diastolic and arterial pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, temperature, Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS), WBC, hematocrit, bilirubin, creatinine, arterial blood gas, and the presence of underlying diseases was gathered from the records for measurement of MPM-III and SAPS-III scores and then they were compared. Results: This study was conducted on 240 non-traumatic patients. Discrimination of MPM-III in cutoff point of 0. 17 was 0. 83(P<0. 001; 95%CI: 0. 765-0. 898), sensitivity and specificity of this test in prediction of non-traumatic mortality was 82% and 73%, respectively. Discrimination of SAPS-III in cut-off of 48. 5 was 0. 78(P<0. 001; 95%CI: 0. 72-0. 84), while its sensitivity and specificity was 83% and 70%, respectively. Duration of ICU hospitalization (P=0. 028 and 0. 002) and duration of intubation (P=0. 001 and <0. 001) had direct association with mortality based on both scoring systems while total duration of hospitalization was only significant in SAPSIII (P=0. 002). Conclusion: Comparison of SAPS-III and MPM-III in non-traumatic patients presented a higher discrimination ability for MPM-III. In addition, findings showed that mortality in MPM-III was in association with duration of ICU admission and intubation while for SAPS-III, in addition to previous factors, total duration of hospitalization was associated as well.

Quantitative genetic theories based on infinitesimal MODEL have been very successful in selecting the best animals in the last century. One of the methods based on IFM that has been used widely in quantitative genetics is best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP). Despite, because of the limited amount of genetic material and finite number of loci for each trait some infinitesimal MODELs assumptions can be violated. Since 1970, molecular genetics has opened this black box by mapping the single genes affecting the quantitative traits. Therefore in the past 15 years, the major effort in animal breeding has changed from quantitative to molecular genetics with emphasis on marker assisted selection (MAS).However, results have been modest. In 2001, based on a computer simulation study, genomic selection as markers covering the whole genome was proposed as a variant of MAS. Simulated and real results have been shown that the breeding values could be predicted with higher accuracy in genomic selection than traditional selection. According to expert assessments, genomic selection makes it possible to save 92% of the funds spent on traditional selection and it is twice as efficient as the latter. However, there is a long way for reaching to phenotype from genotype; nevertheless, new technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics can be useful in this way.

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) is among the most important hospital wards. Variety of scoring systems for evaluation of patients' status and prediction of hospitalization outcomes in ICU has been raised that each has strong and weak points; assessment of these characteristics tends to promote new scoring systems. The current study compared scoring systems of Mortality Probability MODEL-III (MPM-III) and Simplified Acute Physiology Score-III (SAPS-III) in trauma patients in ICU. Methods: This randomized cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 patients admitted in ICU because of trauma in years 2016-17. Patients' information including demographics, mean of systolic, diastolic, and arterial blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, temperature, Glasgow coma scale (GCS), arterial gas analysis, white blood cell (WBC) counts, hematocrit, bilirubin, creatinine, type of admission, and presence of underlying diseases were extracted from records; MPM-III and SAPS-III were measured for these patients and compared. Findings: MPM-III scoring system had discrimination of 0. 935 [95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0. 89-0. 97; P < 0. 001) in cut-off point of 0. 13, and its sensitivity and specificity was 87% and 84%, respectively. For SAPS-III system, in cut-off point of 0. 13, the discrimination was 0. 77 (95%CI: 0. 69-0. 85; P < 0. 001), with the sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 68%. Based on both MPM-III and SAPS-III systems, mortality was in correlation with duration of ICU admission (P = 0. 001 for both systems) and duration of intubation (P < 0. 001 for both systems), while only for SAPS-III, total duration of hospitalization was in correlation with mortality (P < 0. 001). Conclusion: MPM-III scoring system was superior to SAPS-III regarding discrimination power in trauma patients. In addition, based on both systems, mortality rate was in direct association with days of ICU admission and intubation duration.

Health status is of ten measured in epidemiologic studies on an ordinal scale, but data of this type are generally reduced for analysis to a single dichotomy. In epidemiological studies of coronary heart disease (CHD) it is usual either to analysis angina and myocardial infarction(MI) cases totally separate, or to pool them into a single analysis.The proportional odds MODEL (POM) is used to explore and contrast CHD risk factors in middle-aged (old) men and women in Tehran. This MODEL makes full use of information in ordinal response data. The POM keeps, angina pectoris angina and MI classification separate within a single analysis. The grade of CHD used are no disease, angina pectoris and MI. Separate MODELs are deemed necessary for the two sexes, since some of the risk factors act differently for men and women. The significant risk factors for men are: diabet, employment status, daily walking, and age. In women, BMI, education, blood pressure and saturated fatty acids are risk factors.In each group the proportional odds assumption appears to be satisfied reasonably well.

Efficiency in agricultural production is indicative of the efficiency level of farm households in their farming activities. Farmers in developing countries do not make use of all the potential technological resources, thus making inefficient decisions in their agricultural activities. Herein, technical efficiency in relation with the production of three types of rice crop (Boro, Aus and Aman) was evaluated, with some determinants of technical efficiency identified, in Bangladesh. It was attempted, throughout this study, to access the status of technical efficiency in rice production in Bangladesh for panel data while using the Stochastic Frontier Production MODEL with either of truncated normal or half-normal distributional assumptions. Both time-variant and time-invariant inefficiency effects MODELs were estimated, one at a time. Collected data from agricultural sector pertaining to three main rice crops in Bangladesh for the period of 1980 to 2008 were made used of throughout the study. The results revealed that technical efficiency gradually increased over the reference period with the half normal distribution being found preferable to the truncated normal distribution as regards the technical inefficiency effects. The value of technical efficiency was found high for Boro rice while low for Aus in comparison with Aman rice in Bangladesh for both distributions in either of time-variant or invariant ones. It was observed that the most efficient rice production system has occurred for the case of Boro with a technical efficiency of 0.98. Year wise mean technical efficiency increased during the reference time periods.