Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) is a valuable native species in Iranian forests with very limited availability of data on its wood properties. The objective of the current study was to determine the influence of altitude and slope on physical properties and fiber dimensions of Persian oak wood. In addition, the relationship among wood properties, site conditions (temperature and rainfall) and growth traits of trees (tree height, DBH, basal area, age, crown diameter, crown basal area, volume and annual diameter increment) were studied by principal component analysis (PCA). Three altitude levels (1730, 1980 and 2250 m) and three slope classes (45%) were considered in the current study. It was determined that trees growing in the intermediate altitude (1980 m) showed the highest oven-dry density values, and those in the lowest altitude (1730 m) revealed the lowest ones. The results also indicate significant statistical differences between altitude levels and slope classes on the fiber length, fiber diameter and volumetric swelling at the 99% confidence interval while no significant differences were found between average values of oven-dry density among different altitudes and slopes. PCA analysis indicated that altitude and temperature are the most important factors affecting the wood properties. Knowledge of the relationship between wood properties and environmental factors are essential in terms of both forestry management and wood applications.

Wood ceramics (WCS) were prepared from thermo-modified poplar wood residues and untreated poplar wood. At 1000 °C sintering temperature, the ratios of wood powder and phenolic resin at 10:3, 10:6 and 10:9 were tested. The effects of materials on the properties of WCS, carbon yield and volume shrinkage were studied. With the increase in resin content, the carbon yield increased; however, the volume shrinkage decreased. Carbon yield of WCS made from 220 °C thermo-modified poplar wood was 40.45%, as the ratio of wood powder/phenolic resins was 10:6. The microstructure, chemical structure and crystallinity of WCS were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The results showed that WCS had a porous structure. WCS prepared from thermo-modified materials, amorphous carbon and hard glass carbon melted more evenly; meanwhile, there were more pores on glass carbon. The FTIR spectra showed that the stretching vibration of C-O-C weakened at ceramics made of thermo-modified poplar. The XRD pattern indicated that the raw material has no apparent influence on the graphitization degree of WCS.

There is an increasing trend in the use of environmentally-friendly materials in wood protection. This includes the use of less toxic active ingredients, as well as better fixation. This study investigates the formulation based on the combination of copper and Saqez resin on the physical and biological resistance properties of poplar wood. Samples were treated by either copper-ethanolamine (Cu/MEA) and/or Saqez resin at various treatment levels. A vacuum pressure procedure was applied. The retention, weight percent gain, water absorption, volumetric swelling, and decay resistance of the samples were then determined. The highest retention and weight percent gain were obtained in the samples treated with the combination of copper-based system and Saqez resin. Additionally, the combination of the copper and Saqez improved the physical properties and decay-resistance against white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor.

This study aims to investigate the influence of thermal modification (TM) on the physical and mechanical properties of wood. For this purpose, the experimental part focused on selected influential parameters, namely temperature, residence time, and density, while the four-point bending strength is obtained as the output parameter. The obtained experimental data are stochastically modeled and compared with the model created by genetic programming (GP). The classical mathematical analysis obtained treatment parameters in relation to the maximum bending strength (T = 187 °C, t = 125 min $\rho$ = 0.780 g/cm³) and compared with the results obtained by genetic algorithm (GA) (T = 208 °C, t = 122 min, and $\rho$ = 0.728 g/cm³). It is possible to obtain models that describe experimental results well with stochastic modeling and evolutionary algorithms.

This paper presents differences in the drying behavior of red oak and yellow-poplar sapwood, heartwood, and bark and their relationship with selected physical characteristics. Drying experiments were performed on samples of sapwood, heartwood, and bark of respective species at 105 °C under nitrogen conditions. In addition, physical characteristics such as green moisture content, specific gravity, volumetric shrinkage, shrinkage of the cell wall, total porosity, pore volume occupied by water, and specific pore volume were calculated. The results showed that the volumetric and cellular shrinkages of sapwood were greater than those of heartwood for both species. For red oak, the specific gravity of sapwood and heartwood was not significantly different. Additionally, the total porosity of heartwood was lower than that of sapwood in red oak. The results also indicated that yellow-poplar dried faster than red oak. Among all three components, bark dried faster than sapwood and heartwood in both species. The activation energy for sapwood drying was less than for heartwood drying.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the results of stem cell therapy with mini-sling for women’s stress urinary incontinence. Methods: This study was a parallel groups noninferiority randomized clinical trial. Patients with pure stress urinary incontinence who did not improve after three months of conservative and medical therapy were included. Patients were divided into two groups mini-sling insertion or peri-urethral injection of the autologous mucosa stem cell with simple equal randomization. Standard Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ) for patients’ satisfaction as well as objective Marshal Test as primary outcomes were compared. Results: From October 2016 to March 2018, 30 patients (mean age of 52 years) were randomly divided equally into two groups. Finally, a negative Marshal test was observed in 73% of the stem cell group vs. 80% in the mini-sling group (p = 0.6). The mean decrease in the IIQ results was 12 points in the stem cell group vs. 25 points in the mini-sling group (p = 0.05). Favorable results at 6 m and 26 m follow-up were 40% vs. 80% (p = 0.06) and 53% vs. 60% (p = 0.7) in stem cell and mini-sling group, respectively. Patients in the mini-sling group experienced a higher rate of dyspareunia. Intervention time and hospital stay were 6.46 ± 1.24 minutes vs. 19.40 ± 4.30 minutes (p = 0.001) and 4.33 ± 1.23 vs. 9.20 ± 3.16 hours (p = 0.001) in stem cell and mini-sling groups, respectively. Conclusion: Results of the periurethral injection of the autologous adult mucosa-derived stem cells are not inferior to the less invasive mini-sling procedure; while, the stem cell group showed shorter intervention time and hospital stay as well as fewer complications. This noninferiority pilot randomized trial compared the results of stem cell therapy with mini-sling surgery and showed that in the medium-term followup, the results are comparable. Clinical Trial Registration Number: IR.KMU.REC.1395.343.