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The cypress family, Cupressaceae, has a global dispersion. Currently, endophytic microorganisms from plants are being investigated for their diversity and bioactivities. Here, we aimed at exploration and characterization of cultivable endophytic fungi from foliar tissues of Cupressaceae, i.e. Cupressus arizonica, C. sempervirens var. cereiformis, C. sempervirens var. fastigiata, Juniperus excelsa, Juniperus sp. and Thuja orientalis. Asymptomatic fresh foliar tissues, collected from mature healthy plants, were sterilized and the inner layers were plated on culture media at 26-28 °C for 2-12 weeks, until fungal colonies emerged and were purified. Endophytic Penicillia i.e. Penicillium aurantiogriseum, P. chrysogenum, P. commune, P. echinulatum, P. expansum and P. viridicatum were the dominant fungi recovered. Results indicated that both host plant and geographical location of sampling affected the biodiversity and bioactivity of endophytic Penicillia. Results also indicated that those endophytic Penicillia had significant bioactivities. According to our results, both intra-and extra-cellular secondary metabolites from all isolated Penicillia had significant cytotoxic and antifungal effects against the model fungus Pyricularia oryzae and cypress fungal phytopathogens Diplodia seriata, Phaeobotryon cupressi and Spencermartinsia viticola. Further studies indicated the significant antimicrobial bioactivities of superior Penicillia against model bacteria. Altogether, this study highlights, for the first time, the biodiversity of endophytic Penicillia from Cupressaceae plants and documents their significance for agrochemical/drug discovery and for plant disease biocontrol.  

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Currently, one of the main problems of cities is the emptying of the spirit of life in them and in their urban spaces. For this reason, providing vitality and urban vitality has become one of the main concerns of urban management systems. Today, in developed countries, attention to the presence of people in urban spaces plays a key role in the design and planning of cities, and the important key to achieving sustainable, successful and lively cities is to pay attention to the role of people and their needs. In modern urban development, what should be placed at the top of all planning and design matters is to provide a humane and dignified environment for the presence of citizens. Managers and urban planners all over the world are trying to face urban problems and problems with an integrated look at all dimensions in cities, provide different approaches for the development of today's cities in order to respond to the new demands and expectations of the present age. One of the new approaches and concepts in today's urban planning is the smart city and the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT). A city that is 24 hours a day and the affairs of the city are going on in it all day and night. A smart city is a citizen-centered city in which information and communication technology (ICT) is used for better efficiency of existing resources and facilities, improving the quality of life of citizens and moving towards sustainable urban development. The process of this research, based on the descriptive-analytical method and with the help of library tools, examines the opinions related to the smart city, its dimensions and indicators. The results of this research show that the use of modern information and communication technologies in the urban spaces of the smart city can play a significant role for the presence and interactions of citizens, and as a result, the vitality of urban spaces. The urban space where vitality indicators are placed in the dimensions of a smart city and in addition to complying with the principles of a smart city, it includes the promotion of vitality in urban spaces.

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Cheese packaging as one of the processes has an important effect on increasing the shelf life and quality of cheese. The aim of this study was to package Iranian white cheese using edible coating based on whey protein isolate (WPI) containing different levels of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum L.) essential oil (CEO) (0, 1, 1.5 and 2%) during storage. Samples were examined for physicochemical, microbial and sensory changes during 60 days of storage. The chemical compounds of CEO were also identified by GC-MS. In the analysis of the chemical composition of CEO, two main compounds including α-terpenyl acetate (46.705%) and 1.8-cineole (27.415%) were identified. Examination of pH changes showed that the pH of all samples decreased significant during storage (P<0.05). On the last day of storage, the lowest amount of peroxide was in the cheese sample coated with 2% CEO (0.97±0.21 meq O₂/kg). The results of changes in TBARS in coated white cheese samples during storage showed that two samples of white cheese coated with WPI enriched with 1.5 and 2% CEO had the lowest Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels were from the 7th day to the end of the storage period. In microbiological analysis, the lowest population of total bacteria on the last day of storage was in the white cheese sample enriched with 2% CEO (2.431±0.56 Log cfu/g). The results of sensory evaluation showed that the edible coating based on WPI containing 1.5% of CEO had more desirable sensory properties than other coatings. According to the results of the present study, it can be stated that edible coatings containing plant essential oils can be used in packaging and coating of white cheese to increase its quality and safety.