Identifying the constraining factors of production and yield gap is very important. Therefore; this research was performed to identify the production constraining factors of local rice cultivars. All management practices from nursery preparation to harvesting stages for 100 paddy fields of local rice cultivars were recorded through field studies, in Sari, from 2015-2016. In the CPA, the actual and calculated potential yield were 4495 and 5703 kg/ha, respectively and the gap was 1221 kg/ha. The yield gap caused by number of top-dressing variables was 324 kg/ha, equal to 27% of the total yield gap. The yield gap related to previous year of legumes cultivation was 218 kg ha-1, equal to 18% of the total yield variation. Among the 10 variables entered in the CPA model, the effects of top-dress fertilizer application and its application frequency and foliar application were remarkable, which could compensate a significant part of the yield gap (444 kg/ha, 37% of total) in the farmers’ fields by managing these variables. According to boundary line analysis (BLA) finding, actual yield mean on the basis of optimal limit related to 12 variables under study was 5369 kg/ha, with 881 kg/ha yield gap . Mean relative yield and relative yield gap for 12 variables (transplanting date, seedling age, number of seedlings per hill, planting density, nitrogen and phosphorous per hectare, nitrogen before transplanting, harvesting date, lodging problem, pest problem, diseases problem and weeds problem) were 83.64 and 16.35 kg/ha, respectively. Based on the finding, it can be stated that the model precision is appropriate and can be applied for both estimation of the quantity of yield gap and determining the portion of each restricting yield variables.

A novel method of introducing multifunctional groups onto butyl rubber (IIR) by carbonyl addition reaction was investigated in this work. The resulting polymers (MFIIR) were characterized with FTIR, 1H NMR and GPC. The functional groups C=O, CH=CH and -OH were introduced onto the butyl rubber backbone and the molecular weight of the resulting polymer was hardly any different from that of IIR. The curing properties of MFIIR and natural rubber (NR) and adhesive strength of both systems were studied and compared together by dynamic vulcanized analysis and tensile testing. Curing efficiency of MFIIR was improved significantly. TD5, TD10 and TD20 of MFIIR for 0.02/0.02 (mol/mol) of NaH/MAH increased by 157%, 51% and 34%, respectively compared to that of IIR. Moreover, TD5, TD10, and TD20 of MFIIR increased further with increasing the molar contents of NaH and MAH. The values of TD5, TD10 and TD20 for 0.06/0.06 (mol/mol) of MFIIR reached their highest levels. The tensile strength values of MFIIR samples were all between those of IIR and BIIR and the stress at 300% elongation of MFIIR samples (6.1 MPa) were higher than those of IIR (5.2 MPa) and BIIR (4.3 MPa). Peeling strength between MFIIR and NR reached 1.20 N/mm which was higher than the value of peeling strength between the brominated butyl rubber (BIIR) and NR. Dynamic mechanical properties and thermal behaviour were also investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The decomposition temperature of MFIIR (404.6°C) was slightly lower than those of IIR (412.8°C) and BIIR (406.0°C) and thus, the modification process seems to have made insignificant effect on the thermal stability of IIR. Butyl rubber was modified successfully and a kind of modified IIR with much improved curing efficiency was achieved through this method.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Greenhouse gas emissions are the primary cause of global warming. Under the Paris Agreement, all countries have developed programs to reduce anthropogenic impact on the environment. In the petrochemical industry, for example, isoprene, is a major contributor to the production of carbon dioxide, generating large amounts of acidic and hydrocarbon gases that are burned and released into the atmosphere. This study aimed to investigate the absorption of greenhouse gases from isoprene production by the marine microalgae Isochrysis galbana and Tetraselmis suecica, as well as the freshwater microalgae Chlorella vulgaris.METHODS: Microalgae cells were cultured in a bioreactor. The grown microalgae strains and mineralized water were fed to the bioreactor. Gases discharged from isoprene production were passed through the bioreactor. Inlet and outlet gas compositions were monitored by chromatography.FINDINGS: Absorption of gases discharged from isoprene production by microalgae was studied for the first time. Chlorella vulgaris microalgae reduced methane and carbon dioxide contents by an average of 20 times. A mixture of microalgae Tetraselmis suecica and Isochrysis galbana reduced methane and carbon dioxide contents by a factor of 10 but completely absorbed hydrocarbon gases from methane to pentane.CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that microalgae cultivation can be used as a reliable and stable technology for the biofixation of the gases discharged in isoprene production. This technology can eliminate the combustion stage of hydrocarbon gases in isoprene production and significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.

The lack of Quranic approaches in the production of Quran-based humanities is still felt, despite the predominance of the philosophical approach in critical approaches to modern humanities, which has become very common in the Islamic world and in Iran for several decades. It seems that the capacity of the method of thematic exegesis (al-Tafsīr al-mawdū'ī, Arabic: التفسیر الموضوعیّ) in this regard, can be used to bring the Holy Quran into the field of humanities. Thematic exegesis, according to whether its subject is inside or outside the Qur'an, has several functions in criticizing the structure of modern knowledge and scientific research, as well as the production of Islamic humanities. It is possible to make use of thematic exegesis of the inside of the Holy Book of Quran in order to “fundamental criticism” of the general fundamentals of humanities -the fundamentals of epistemology, axiology, ontology and anthropology- and it is also possible to use thematic exegesis for constructing and producing foundation of humanities obtained from the Holy Quran. It is used by thematic interpretation exegesis of the outside of the Holy Book of Quran -such as Shahīd (martyr) Sadr’s interrogational approach- to answer the problems of humanities and this process faces challenges such as the complexity and multiplicity of the “subject” of the humanities that exist in modern terminology of this field. It can be used in order to solve this issue in some cases to know the process of the change of the components of the modern of the conceptual history’s approach and also by analyzing the issue into several components can be shown that the components are not necessarily a product of the modern era and can be followed up in the Holy Quran and can be found up in the Holy Quran. The perspective of the Holy Quran, after that, regarding the modern subject in the desired field by the “combining” of the results obtained based on the thematic interpretation.

This study was conducted during summer and winter of 2018- 2019 in the agricultural research field of Shahid Chamran University. Experimental design was split- plot based on RCBD with three replications. The main plot was the type of agricultural system in three levels including conventional (Conv), organic (Org) and sustainable (Sust) (integrated between Conv and Org) and sup- plot was the type of pre- cultivated crop in sequence with wheat including cultivation of mung bean (M- W), corn (C- W), sesame (S- W) and fallow (F- W). Yield quantity (yield and its component) and quality (grain protein), an estimate of photosynthesis matter transfer index of wheat and soil organic carbon (SOC) after one double-cropping were measured. The result showed that the highest (545.04 g/m2) and the lowest (409.28 g/m2) seed yields were obtained in Conv and Org respectively. In contract, with the changing type of system from Conv to Org, grain protein was increased significantly (from 8.3 to 9.6 %). In addition, the highest (535.47 g/m2) yield of wheat was obtained from M- W double cropping. On the other hands the highest remobilization and current photosynthesis matter were obtained in the organic agricultural system with M- W and conventional with M- W double cropping. The situation of SOC showed that the highest (33.18 mg/g) SOC was obtained in the organic agricultural system with C- W double cropping. The reason for improving SOC in the organic and sustainable agricultural system was application of organic matter (compost and vermicompost) and crop residue management. Totally, from the crop ecology point of view, sustainable agricultural method with a sequence of M- W was the most desirable system.

Medicinal plants contain active ingredients in one or some of their organs. Squalene is one of the active ingredients that prevent heart attacks and cardiovascular diseases and protect the body from some cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of squalene in a number of medicinal plants. In this experiment, the plant oils were extracted and measured using Bligh & Dyer with minor changes. TLC (thin layer chromatography) was used to identify squalene. Comparison of TLC of standard squalene with TLC of the investigated medicinal plant samples showed that Caryophillium aromaticus, Descurainia sophia, Portulaca Oleracea, Papaver somniferum and Nigella Sativa contained squalene. Although the percentage of Papaver somniferum and Nigella Sativa seed oil was higher than other medicinal plants, the squalane spot of clove plant had a higher intensity of color and this indicates a higher concentration of squalene in this plant.

We assessed the urban trees structure in Tabriz city and estimated the isoprene and monoterpenes emission using i-Tree Eco model. The results indicated that the i-Tree Eco model could be used as a successful method in Iran. Estimations of i-Tree Eco model showed that urban trees with 9. 4% tree cover emitted 18428. 6 and 49757. 5 monoterpenes and isoprene during the year 2015. Open spaces and the ten tree species among existing 48 species accounted for 63. 3 and 92. 22% of the total emission respectively. In the other hand White poplar and Austrian pin emitted the highest amount of isoprene and monoterpenes. Our results suggest that to plant the trees that emit less BVOCs in order to help to reducing ozone level in cities. The results of this study could be used in the proper urban environments and green infrastructures management.