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Three types of composts (T1, T2, and T3) composed of variable percents of bovine, ovine, fowl manures, green waste and olive pomace were used in this study. Composts were effective in controlling Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani associated with peach decline. In vitro evaluation of four doses of the three composts extracts against mycelium growth of F. solani and F. oxysporum showed that the compost extracts have a significant effect on mycelial growth. The highest inhibition percent was obtained with 10% dose for the three compost extracts, with values more than 48.8% and 50% of F. solani and F. oxysporum, respectively. However, the filtration of the tea composts revealed to be ineffective against the hyphal reduction for both pathogens. The in- vivo experiments exhibited the efficacy of these composts in reducing the seedlings root rot. In fact, T1, T2 and T3 reduced the root rot and browning of plants inoculated with F. solani by 50.19% and plants inoculated with F. oxysporum by 41.86%, 46.45% and 48.3%, respectively. Furthermore, these composts seemed to improve the sanitary state of peach seedlings inoculated with F. oxysporum. However, the improvement of sanitary state of peach inoculated with F. solani was just noted in case of the composts T1 and T2. The treatment of peach seedlings with these improved plant growth by increasing height and root weight of seedlings inoculated with F. oxysporum. However, none of these composts was able to stimulate growth of plants inoculated with F. solani. Root weight of plants inoculated with F. solani was negatively correlated with bovine manure in the compost, positively with fowl (r = 0.69) and sheep manure content (r = 0.69). Besides, a significant negative correlation among sanitary state index of plants inoculated with F. oxysporum in the case of olive pomace (r = -0.92) and the polyphenols content (r = -0.74) of compost was found.

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Biocontrol of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris by six Bacillus species was evaluated. Also plant growth promoting potential of the bacteria was assessed. Results showed that four bacterial strains produced the chitinase and cellulase enzymes and all isolates produced indole acetic acid. Bacillus licheniformis proved to be the most productive of hydrogen cyanide and particularly, Bacillus firmus solubilized phosphorus on Pikovskaya solid and liquid media. The majority of strains were able to produce siderophore and three produced NH₃. Results showed that the Flip05-156C chickpea variety was less susceptible to Foc isolates compared to Flip93-93C and there was a clear difference in pathogenicity of the Foc isolates. Thus, Foc1 and Foc2 isolates caused 31.25% and 41.66%, plant mortality, respectively. As regards PGPR effect, results showed that B. licheniformis gave the best branching number, stem length and root weight of both chickpea varieties. However, Bacillus lentus distinctly improved the root length while Bacillus amyloliquefaciens improved weight of the vegetative parts.

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Apple decline, responsible for seedlings root and collar rot in nurseries, is an important disease. Some Oomycetes species were associated with this disease. This study aimed to control this severe decline disease. The effect of six chemical products against Pythium ultimum and Phytopythium mercuriale associated with apple seedling decline was evaluated using in vitro poisoned food technique and in vivo greenhouse assays. The carbendazim was effective at 10 ppm against P. mercuriale (89.3%), while at 100 and 250 ppm the values were 70.06% and 75.30% for P. ultimum, respectively. The dose 2000 ppm of mancozeb completely inhibited the mycelial growth of P. mercuriale and P. ultimum. However, fosetyl-Al applied at 2000 ppm revealed an inhibition percent of 51 and 100% for P. ultimum and P. mercuriale, respectively. Regarding Hymexazol, the highest inhibition rates were against P. mercuriale (100%) and P. ultimum (90.55%) for 60 ppm. Chinosol revealed to be effective against P. mercuriale for all doses. It was effective against P. ultimum at 50 ppm (90.96%). The highest inhibition rate (86.59%) exhibited by metalaxyl-M was for P. ultimum at 120 ppm. In vivo test showed the efficacy of fosetyl-Al, metalaxyl-M + mancozeb, and chinosol to reduce root browning due to P. ultimum by 55.67%, 44.33%, and 55.67%, respectively, and improved the aerial part sanitary states of seedlings inoculated by P. mercuriale by 60.06, 49.85 and 49.85%, respectively. The chinosol improved the sanitary states of the aerial part of seedlings inoculated by P. ultimum.


 

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The purpose of this study is to investigate the procedures of persuasion of judges by lawyers in the Iranian criminal and legal courts based on the critical discourse analysis approach. The methodological nature of this research is descriptive-analytic and the authors have collected the data by referring to courts, Tehran courts, and lawyers' offices, by studying hundreds of cases and observing dozens of interrogations in 1397, then analyzed 50 excerpts of conversations of participants (10 cases) based on Laclau and Mouffe's approach (1985,2001,2002). The main features of this approach are: signifier and signified, restlessness, antithesis, hegemony and fixation of meaning, power, myth and social imagination and metaphor, subject position and political subjectivity. According to the discourse of lawyers, it can be said that they use from the establishment of the semantic system of discourse including such words as client release, mitigation of punishment, proving the guilt of the accused, and seeking punishment for the accused, each of which establishes its own signifier with specific concepts, as influential cognitive and behavioral factors for persuasion. The main question of the present study is how the concept of persuasion is reflected in the conversations of lawyers in court discourse. The results showed that lawyers express their client's strengths and rival's weaknesses using backgrounding and foregrounding. So, in order to persuade judges to defend their client, lawyers use backgrounding to express rival’s weakness with the negative bias, and also they use foregrounding to provide their clients strengths with the positive bias.
 

1.  Introduction

Language is not only a means of communication between human beings, but also as a social act that encompasses speech and writing. It’s worth noting that every text is produced in special situations and with different degrees of selection and in a ratio of power and ideology. Thus, no text can be found that is devoid of the author's personal views, etc., and just as there is no pure social reality, there is no neutral discourse. Since forensic linguistics is also a process of examining language in law discussions, it finds an inextricable link with discourse analysis, and in this regard, critical discourse analysis can also be mentioned. Forensic linguistics is a branch of applied linguistics that deals with the application of linguistic knowledge and methods in the context of law, legal language, crime, interrogation, trial, and judicial procedure. The present study aims to investigate the methods of using persuasion in court and law processes using the critical discourse analysis approach.
     It should be noted that the research on persuasion methods can be fully examined based on the approach of Laclau and Mouffe (1985, 2001, 2002). From this perspective, it is most used in the discourse of lawyers to persuade judges based on the component of opposition (foregrounding and backgrounding) as well as the signifier and signified component that Lacla and Mouffe (1985, 2001, 2002) have dealt with. Therefore, lawyers try to persuade the judge by using their client's discourse factors such as expressing remorse, confession, lack of proper physical condition, participation with the court in the case process.
    On the other hand, if we look closely at the environment in which we live, we can easily see persuasive efforts. In fact, persuasion has become an integral part of our lives. Advertisers who use mass media to sell their products usually use this linguistic tool. A political candidate who buys newspaper ads or the health organization that encourages people to quit smoking through a radio station. Also, in general, persuasion is the basic and ultimate goal of all types of communication behaviors. And also, individuals' thoughts, judgments, and memories are strongly formed by their current feelings, by their different behaviors and biases, by their initial perceptions of the main participants (lawyers, defendants, judges), as well as by a set of social factors.
The present study consists of six sections. In the first part, we will discuss the introduction and generalities of the research. In the second part, we will get acquainted with the background of research and related studies. In the third section, we will introduce legal linguistics and the category of persuasion. In the fourth section, we will discuss the research methodology. In the fifth section, we will examine the lawyers' discourse in criminal cases and the category of the investigator’s persuasion, and in the sixth section, we will discuss the findings and results of the research.

2. Literature Review
For decades, we have witnessed a growing methodology and an increasing number of linguists appearing in court as expert witnesses. Nevertheless, not even the name of this new science has been heard in the Iranian judicial system, which makes the need to study and introduce this science in the field of the Iranian judicial system important. Accordingly, the present study is one of those researches that can be used in this field and can be helpful. In the following, the authors intend to introduce some of the research related to the forthcoming research.
 Baghinipour (2004) in an article entitled "Persuasion and some of its measures: a discussion in critical discourse" examines the process of persuasion and considers it a phenomenon that can be used to overcome the mind and create the discussion of power. Findings have shown that different speech structures can be effective in shaping and changing mental models and social representations.
Kia and Saeedi (2004) in a study entitled “The principles of communication, propaganda and persuasion” have stated that persuasion is a mutual linguistic factor whose purpose is to respond to the needs of the persuaded person, and generally in persuasion there is a two-way communication.
Motavali (2005) in his research entitled “Public Opinion and Methods of Persuasion” has tried to make us familiar with the issues that deal with public opinion in such a way.
Nami (2009) has also stated that in foreign language teaching academies in Iran, writing English with proper cohesion, coherence and suitable persuasiveness is a major challenge for those language learners who are studying English. This is because, writing is usually considered a secondary skill and is pushed to the margins of language classes due to its time consuming nature.
Studies show that so far no research has been done on the methods of persuading judges based on the ideas of Laclau and Mouffe (1985, 2001, 2002). Therefore, in this article, we will address the question of what are the linguistic strategies and factors involved in the lawyers' discourse to persuade judges based on the approach of Laclau and Mouffe discourse analysis.

3. Research Methodology
The methodological nature of this research is descriptive-analytic and the authors have collected the data by referring to courts, Tehran courts, and lawyers' offices, by studying hundreds of cases and observing dozens of interrogations in 1397, then analyzed 50 excerpts of conversations of participants (10 cases) based on Laclau and Mouffe's approach (1985,2001,2002).

4. Results
The tool of the lawyer is word, sentence and discourse and s/he uses this tool in the form of speech and writing. Therefore, the lawyer must have cognitive and behavioral components that make his/her speech and writing expressive, effective, logical and effective in order to convince the judges. It is clear that these cognitive and behavioral components must be compatible with the law system in which the lawyer works, as well as with the social, moral, and cultural structure of the lawyer's workplace. Therefore, there are similarities between advocacy, teacher, sermon and some other professions, but in attorneyship, expressing or creating special concepts in the mind of the addressee is not the goal. Rather, it is important to use these characteristics, such as clauses and utterances, to prove the claimant and to prove right or wrong. This is where the presence of linguists in legal and judicial matters can be helpful. In general, the findings indicate that in the analysis of Laclau and Mouffeh's discourse, backgrounding is the expression of one's own weaknesses and strengths of the rival, and foregrounding is also the expression of one's own strengths and weaknesses of the rival. Thus, the results showed that lawyers express their client's strengths and rival's weaknesses using backgrounding and foregrounding. So, in order to persuade judges to defend their client, lawyers use backgrounding to express rival’s weakness with the negative bias, and also they use foregrounding to provide their clients strengths with the positive bias.
     Finally, among the fifty lawyers' interviews in the court discourse to convince the judges based on the components of Lacla and Mouffe (1985, 2001, 2002), the authors have stated the most common use of the available components as follows:

Percentage	Components
48%	Foregrounding
44%	backgrounding
8%	Signifier & Signified

 

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An experimental and numerical approach on crack propagation and fracture toughness of Central Straight-through Crack Brazilian Disk (CSCBD) samples under compression is carried out to be investigated the effect of particle size heterogeneity. To accomplish this goal, six type of specimens with different silica sand particle size but same combination are used for preparation CSCBD specimens. Diametrical compression load with a rate of 0.3 mm/min in two directions respect to the central crack orientation is applied to the discs and the failure loads corresponding to the each test are recorded. Also In this study, a numerical simulator based on RFPA (Rock Failure Process Analysis) is used to study the crack propagation path and fracture load in simulated CSCBD specimens with different particle size (Similar laboratory specimens). In this simulator, the heterogeneity of specimens is considered by assuming that the material properties of elements conform to a weibull distribution. Result of laboratory tests indicates a nonlinear relation between specimen’s particle size and mode I and mode II fracture toughness. The specimen whit medial particle size (2-2.38 mm) has the maximum fracture toughness in two fracture mode. Toughness of specimens decreased with increase and decrease of silica sand particle size. Numerical results shows, the trajectory of crack path for fine particle are more regular and initiated from the crack tip, propagate parallel to the load direction. But it’s for coarse particle, initiated from the boundary of grains in whole of the specimen and lead it to failure in an unexpected path. An experimental and numerical approach on crack propagation and fracture toughness of Central Straight-through Crack Brazilian Disk (CSCBD) samples under compression is carried out to be investigated the effect of particle size heterogeneity. To accomplish this goal, six type of specimens with different silica sand particle size but same combination are used for preparation CSCBD specimens. Diametrical compression load with a rate of 0.3 mm/min in two directions respect to the central crack orientation is applied to the discs and the failure loads corresponding to the each test are recorded. Also In this study, a numerical simulator based on RFPA (Rock Failure Process Analysis) is used to study the crack propagation path and fracture load in simulated CSCBD specimens with different particle size (Similar laboratory specimens). In this simulator, the heterogeneity of specimens is considered by assuming that the material properties of elements conform to a weibull distribution. Result of laboratory tests indicates a nonlinear relation between specimen’s particle size and mode I and mode II fracture toughness. The specimen whit medial particle size (2-2.38 mm) has the maximum fracture toughness in two fracture mode. Toughness of specimens decreased with increase and decrease of silica sand particle size. Numerical results shows, the trajectory of crack path for fine particle are more regular and initiated from the crack tip, propagate parallel to the load direction. But it’s for coarse particle, initiated from the boundary of grains in whole of the specimen and lead it to failure in an unexpected path.

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As the use of mechanized tunnel boring machines (TBMs) increases, the performance of these machines has become increasingly important for researchers to work on. Disc cutters, as one of the main components of the cutter head, are responsible for transmitting the thrust force to the rock and breaking it. Studying the rock-cutting process by TBM disc cutters is vital to mechanized tunnel excavation. For this reason, this issue has been widely studied by researchers in recent decades. The shape and layout design of the cutter head, disc cutters spacing, and the size and shape of cutters are the adjustable factors in improving the efficiency of rock cutting and TBM excavation. It is important to determine the forces acting on the disc cutters in mechanized tunnel boring machines because these forces are used in the design. A review of the history of studies shows that lateral forces have been studied much less than other forces. Therefore, in this article, a numerical study of the side forces on the disc cutters and their relationship with the installation radius and the tip width has been studied. Furthermore, the information of lot 2 Kani Sib water conveyance tunnel has been used to validate the results. For this, numerical simulations have been conducted with three types of 17-inch disc cutters in installation radii of 0.3 m, 1 m, and 2 m with tip widths of 18.5 mm, 19.6 mm, and 20.8 mm. The results of the numerical models show that the side forces acting on the central disc cutters with low installation radius are much higher than others. Additionally, these forces are mainly asymmetrical and become symmetrical as the installation radius increases. Central disc cutters are subjected to unbalanced and asymmetric forces because of the excessive side force. This will cause the disc cutter bearing system to malfunction and increase costs significantly. A decrease in the balance of the cutter head and increased vibrations are other consequences. Increasing the tip width aggravates this condition. The damage pattern of the disc cutters in lot 2 Kani Sib tunnel confirms this conclusion. According to this project, more than 74% of central cutters' failures with low installation radius are related to bearing problems. This type of failure is caused by large asymmetric side forces, while only 26% of the face disc cutters with a large installation radius failed in this way, which confirms the results of the numerical models.