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Meteorin like-peptide (Metrnl) modulates energy hemostasis and relieves inflammation and oxidative stress. This study aims to investigate the relationship between Metrnl levels and inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress biomarkers and body composition parameters in obese type 2 diabetic patients.

This analytical cross-sectional study was carried out between August 2020 and March 2021on 93 people (n = 32 obese type 2 diabetic patients, n = 31 healthy obese, n = 30 healthy normal weight). Serum Metrnl levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity were measured using standard methods. Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. p-Value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Serum Metrnl levels were lower in obese diabetic patients than in healthy normal-weight subjects (82.5 [72.4–94.5] ng/mL compared to 154 [129–189] ng/mL). The difference in Metrnl levels between the two groups was significant (p < 0.001). The difference in Metrnl levels between the two groups was significant. Moreover, a significant correlation between Metrnl level and both TNF-a and hs-CRP was detected (p = 0.006 and p < 0.001, respectively) and the correlation between Metrnl and IL-6 was borderline (p = 0.051). A negative correlation was revealed between Metrnl level and anthropometric measurements and body composition (p < 0.05) with the exception of fat-free mass and skeletal muscle mass.

To discover sufficient evidence for the therapeutic function of Metrnl and its use as a prognostic biomarker in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, future clinical studies are needed to highlight other factors influencing Metrnl serum levels.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the views of experts of educational technology and teachers in Tehran, about the components of ICT literacy based on the ISST model.

This study conducted a descriptive methodology by using a survey method. The statistical population consisted of 9,800 teachers and 37 experts of educational technology in Tehran; owing to the small size of the experts’ population, all 37 experts were selected for research, and a sample of 266 teachers was selected based on the cluster sampling method. To collect the necessary data, the researcher designed a questionnaire based on four key components of the ISST model. To analyze the data, statistical procedures including the Kolmogrov-Smirnov test, one sample t-test and independent t-test were used.

The findings of research showed that from the viewpoint of experts all components of ICT literacy were significant. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of teachers, all components of ICT literacy except the component of information society were significant. Furthermore, the findings showed that, there were a significant difference (p=0.05) between the views of experts and teachers about all components of ICT literacy, except the component of information processing.

The study showed that to equip all teachers with the components of ICT literacy such as information device, information society, information processing and information handling can help them to improve efficiency and effectiveness, and also the ISST model applied in this study can be used by other functional areas.

This study showed that fundamental training in the field of ICT literacy for teachers is very essential in the education system, because fluency of ICT skills can help them to increase better performance, and subsequently to increase self-value, motivation, feeling of success and productivity in the work environment.

This study aims at investigating the effect of psychological empowerment on job burnout and competitive advantage with the mediating role of organizational commitment and creativity.

The statistical population included all the managers and staffs of Tooka Company in Iran, and for data analysis, 120 completed questionnaires were used. Data analysis was carried out by SPSS 18 and Amos 20 software and structural equation modeling method. To test the mediating relationships, bootstrap method was used.

The findings showed that psychological empowerment has a significant direct effect on job burnout and competitive advantage. Also, psychological empowerment has a significant indirect effect on job burnout through the mediating role of organizational commitment. In addition, psychological empowerment has a significant indirect effect on competitive advantage through the mediating role of organizational creativity.

This study is among the first to investigate the relationship between psychological empowerment, job burnout, competitive advantage, organizational commitment and creativity.

El trabajo tiene como objetivo investigar el efecto del empoderamiento psicológico en el burnout y la ventaja competitiva, junto con el papel mediador del compromiso y la creatividad de la organización.

La población incluyó a todos los gerentes y personal de la Compañía Tooka en Irán. Para el análisis de datos se utilizaron 120 cuestionarios completos. El análisis de los datos se realizó mediante el software SPSS 18 y Amos 20 y el método de modelado de ecuaciones estructurales. Para probar las relaciones de mediación, se utilizó el método bootstrap.

Los resultados muestran que el empoderamiento psicológico tiene un efecto directo significativo en el burnout y la ventaja competitiva. Además, el empoderamiento psicológico tiene un efecto indirecto significativo en el burnout a través del papel mediador del compromiso organizacional. Además, el empoderamiento psicológico tiene un efecto indirecto significativo sobre la ventaja competitiva a través del papel mediador de la creatividad organizacional.

Este trabajo es uno de los primeros en investigar la relación entre empoderamiento psicológico, burnout, ventaja competitiva, compromiso organizacional y creatividad.

A pesquisa atual teve como objetivo investigar o efeito do empoderamento psicológico na síndrome de Burnout no trabalho e na vantagem competitiva com o papel mediador do compromisso organizacional e da criatividade.

A população estatística inclui todos os gestores e funcionários da Tooka Company no Irã e para a análise de dados, foram utilizados 120 questionários. A análise de dados foi realizada em SPSS 18 e amos 20 e com a metodologia de equações estruturais. Para testar os relacionamentos mediadores, o método bootstrap foi usado.

Os resultados mostraram que o empoderamento psicológico tem um efeito direto significativo no Burnout no trabalho e na vantagem competitiva. Além disso, o empoderamento psicológico tem um efeito indireto significativo no Burnout no trabalho através do papel mediador do compromisso organizacional. Além disso, o empoderamento psicológico tem um efeito indireto significativo na vantagem competitiva através do papel mediador da criatividade organizacional.

Esta pesquisa está entre as primeiras a investigar a relação entre empoderamento psicológico, Burnout no trabalho, vantagem competitiva, compromisso organizacional e criatividade.

One of the practical issues in the area of location and allocation is the location of the hub. In recent years, exchange rates have fluctuated sharply for a number of reasons such as sanctions against the country. Natural disasters that have occurred in recent years caused delays in hub servicing. The purpose of this study is to develop a mathematical programming model to minimize costs, maximize social responsibility and minimize fuel consumption so that in the event of a disruption in the main hub, the flow of materials can be directed to its backup hub to prevent delays in flow between nodes and disruptions in hubs.

A multi-objective mathematical programming model is developed considering uncertainty in some parameters, especially cost as fuzzy numbers. In addition, backup hubs are selected for each primary hub to deal with disruption and natural disasters and prevent delays. Then, a robust possibilistic method is proposed to deal with uncertainty. As the hub location-allocation problem is considered as NP-Hard problems so that exact methods cannot solve them in large sizes, two metaheuristic algorithms including a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) and multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) are applied to tackle the problem.

Numerical results show the proposed model is valid. Also, they demonstrate that the NSGA-II algorithm outperforms the MOPSO algorithm.

The proposed model was implemented in one of the largest food companies in Iran, which has numerous products manufactured in different cities, to seek the hub locations. Also, due to several reasons such as road traffic and route type the difference in the rate of fuel consumption between nodes, this model helps managers and decision-makers to choose the best locations to have the least fuel consumption. Moreover, as the hub set up increases the employment rate in that city and has social benefits as it requires hiring some staff.

This paper investigates the hub location problem considering backup hubs with multiple objective functions to deal with disruption and uncertainty. Also, this study examines how non-hub nodes are assigned to hub nodes.

This study explores the effect of internal branding on organisational financial performance and brand loyalty with the mediating role of psychological empowerment.

The data gathered from 200 Pasargad insurance employees in Iran were analysed. Structural equation modelling and R were used to evaluate the model. Financial performance was measured by four concepts (ROI, ROE, Sales growth, ROA) based on available data from March 2010 to March 2020.

The results revealed that internal branding and psychological empowerment have no significant effect on financial performance, but both have a significant positive effect on brand loyalty. Likewise, the mediating role of psychological empowerment on the subject of the impact of internal branding on brand loyalty was confirmed. Furthermore, psychological empowerment did not play a mediating role in the impact of internal branding on financial performance.

The findings of this study could be important for managers of organisations active in the insurance industry to highlight internal branding and enhance psychological empowerment and employee brand loyalty. Moreover, managers' perception of the effective role of psychological empowerment to enhance employee brand loyalty is another practical aspect of this research.

Considering the mediating role of psychological empowerment to the effect of internal branding on financial performance and brand loyalty is an innovative aspect of the present study. Meanwhile, the use of R software for VB-SEM was another point to surge the value of this paper.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how brand personality and brand equity affect intentions to revisit a city tourism destination.

Statistical population of this research consisted of those visitors who traveled to Pool city in Iran during Spring 2015. A structural equation model test with maximum likelihood estimation was performed to test the relationship among the research variables using 367 participants.

The empirical results from the structural model suggest that brand personality and brand equity positively influenced revisit intention. Furthermore, brand personality was a direct antecedent of brand equity.

An integrated model of brand personality, brand equity and revisit intention was tested in a tourism city in the context of a developing economy. The combination of a developing country context and the significance of destination brand enhance the contextual contribution of the paper.