The research project was designed to study the levels of oxidative stress and antioxidants status in β-thalassemia patients with transfusional iron overload and chelation therapy as a central pathological process under indigenous conditions. 100 β-thalassemic patients were included in the research project. Serum levels of oxidative stress parameters (total oxidant status and malondialdehyde) and antioxidant parameters (total antioxidant status, vitamin E, C and β-carotene) were studied. These findings were compared with 100 healthy controls of age below15 years. Blank blood specimen was collected from both healthy and thalassemic patients. Total oxidant status, malondialdehyde and total antioxidant status was determined with the help of spectrophotometer while vitamin E, C and β-carotene was determined with the help of HPLC and software LC Solutions. A significant increase in the levels of malondialdehyde (p<0.000) and total oxidant status (p<0.001) was observed. A significant decrease in the levels of total antioxidant status (p< 0.001), vitamin E (p<0.000), C (p<0.000) and β-carotene (p<0.000) was recorded. This suggests that oxidative stress mechanism play an important role in pathogenesis of β-thalassemia. The combination of effective iron-chelator with antioxidant can be very helpful in the regulating the antioxidant status of patients with β-thalassemia and related complications in β-thalassemia still need further study.
Concrete is one of the fundamental materials in civil engineering especially structural industries. Conventional concrete has many favorable advantages such as low material cost and simple application. However, it has disadvantages and some serious limitations. In order to improve concrete properties, Geopolymer concrete (GPC) was introduced. This research deals with the behavior of geopolymer concrete structural elements with GGBS and steel fibre. An important ingredient in the conventional concrete is the Portland cement. The production of cement emits carbon di oxide to the atmosphere which pollutes the environment. Geopolymer concrete is free from Portland cement; instead, geopolymer cement is to be used. Geopolymer cement does not pollute the environment and it is eco-friendly. Geopolymer concrete products are known to have far better durability and strength properties than Portland cement materials, these properties are to be investigated in the laboratory and to be verified. If the steel fibres are to be added with GPC it may increase the tensile strength of GPC. Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) is to be used in the research for accelerated settings and durable concrete structures in Geopolymer cement is to be produced. The investigations are to be carried out using several tests which include workability test, Impact value test, sieve analysis test, modulus of elasticity, specific gravity test for ingredients and compressive Strength test, Split tensile test, flexural test for specimens with the following combinations such as Geopolymer concrete (GPC), GPC with steel fibre and combination of GPC with steel fibre and GGBS and the results are to be compared.
Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of manipulative reduction using pushing while pulling technique for the treatment of adult atlantoaxial instability with 1-year follow-up. \nMethods 128 adult patients with atlantoaxial instability confirmed by both clinical and cervical plain film radiograph were set into intervention group and control group by random digits table, with 64 patients in each group: intervention group treated with the manipulative reduction using pushing while pulling technique, control group treated with the pillow jaw belt seat traction method. The total treatment course was 20 work-days. The therapeutic effects, the reoccurrence rate were evaluated after the treatment and at the end of 1-year follow-up respectively. \nResults The total therapeutic effective rate in the intervention group was higher than that of the control group significantly (95.3% vs. 78.1%, P<0.05). The improvement of vertebral basal artery flow was better than that of the control group significantly (P<0.05). At 1-year follow-up, the reoccurrence rate was lower than that of the control group significantly (6/64 vs. 13/64, P<0.05). No complications were found in intervention group.\nConclusion The manipulative reduction using pushing while pulling technique in the treatment of adult atlantoaxial instability with higher total therapeutic effective rate and lower reoccurrence rate, would improve the vertebra basal artery blood flow.
Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) has been associated with impaired spermatogenesis,\nbut the mechanisms are still unclear. Tight junction (Occludin) and Transforming\ngrowth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) play important roles in spermatogenesis. The objective of\nthe present study is to explore effects of BPA exposure in adolescent mice.\nMethods: Male mice were treated by oral (10ml/kg) daily with low-dose\n(0.05mg/kg/day), middle-dose (5.0mg/kg/day) or high-dose (50mg/kg/day) of BPA in\ncorn oil from post-natal day (PND) 35 to 65. Animals were sacrificed on PND-65 and\nPND-125.\nResults: On PND-65, the expression of occludin and TGF-β3 showed decline, and the\nclosed barrier formed by occludin was found to have a number of gaps in experimental\ngroups. On PND-125, the expression of occludin and TGF-β3 were in recovery.\nConclusions: BPA reduces the expression of occludin and TGF-β3, which suggests that\nan early stage of suppressive or damaging effects with a following recovery. These\nchanges provide important information about the mechanisms underlying the effects of\nBPA on male mice reproduction.
Successful implementation of ISO 9001:2008 certified quality management system (QMS) in small and medium scale enterprises was achieved by effective practice of defined quality procedures at all levels. This study focus on advantages of ISO 9001: 2008 certified quality management system (QMS) in small and medium scale enterprises to achieve high quality standards. ISO 9001:2008 certified QMS in small and medium scale enterprises, if assisted with a supporting system to create awareness and control it can improve quality level throughout organization. A decision support system (DSS) was developed in this study to facilitate automation in documenting forms and records, identify the bottleneck regions, and provide solution to predicted quality issues. It was found that developed decision support system maximizes benefits of ISO 9001:2008. This DSS was designated as decision support system with enterprise resource planning (ERP) integrated information (DSS – EII).This information system provides appropriate solution to projected quality hurdles via back propagation method, an artificial intelligence technique. The proposed DSS –EII was implemented and evaluated in an Indian plastic manufacturing organization.
Changes in the educative paradigm, arising from the transitional process towards the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), call for a new teaching model and a new role for university teaching staff. In this context, institutionalized and systematic teacher training is considered fundamental to face up to new educational challenges with success. Over the last decade, the majority of Spanish universities have sought to carry out teacher training experiences in line with international practice. This study seeks to examine different aspects of teacher training at the University of Burgos (Spain) and to analyze the perceptions of both teachers and students of that training. A two-stage complementary methodology was used: in the first, the training content related to the European Higher Education Area and the Renewal of teaching methodologies completed by 606 teachers over the period 2000-2011 was described and analyzed; and, in the second, a qualitative study was conducted with 4 teachers (in-depth interview) and 30 students (focus-group). It was concluded that teacher training is highly valued by teaching staff and a keen interest in the improvements. Likewise, students acknowledged good teaching practice delivered by well trained teachers. Important coincidences are found with regard to what teachers and students identify as positive teaching practice.
Abstract\nBackground: Thalassemia is the most common hemoglobinopathy worldwide. Children with β-thalassemia major have several risk factors for cognitive problems. The aim of this study is to evaluate cognitive function in β-thalassemia major children through Wechsler Intelligence Scale.\nProcedure: 40 β-thalassemia major and 40 healthy children, matched for age, sex, and city, were evaluated using the Revised Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC-R) and compared.\nResults: Children with β-thalassemia major had low scores on verbal and full intelligence quotient in comparison to non β-thalassemic group (p<0.01), but no difference was observed in performance intelligence quotient between the two groups.\nDiscussion: Although cognitive and intellectual function of β-thalassemic children is lower than control group , but β-thalassemic children only slightly perform lower than their healthy counterparts, thalassemia may indirectly affect intellectual function. Further research is needed in this area to mitigate the effects of β-thalassemia.
The breakthrough for dental laser systems came in the mid 1990\'s. Among the various laser types with corresponding wavelengths, diode laser systems quickly began establishing themselves as compact, infrared (IR) wavelengths are ideally suited for tooth whitening. \nThe commercial use of the bleaching products in the dental practice implemented great interest for their use in the aesthetic restoration of patients with discolored teeth. From this point of the bleaching products are used very often. Current bleaching systems are based primarily on hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide with different active substance concentration. From the level of teeth discoloration and technical equipment in the dental office we decide with bleaching products and systems and their concentration will be used.\nThe case report shows whitening of discolored teeth using 810 nm diode laser.\nOn the basis of the use of laser energy results it could be concluded that is a modern and reliable approach for teeth whitening and presents some advantages over most available over-the-counter, home, and in-office bleaching products.
The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the emotional intelligence with irrational beliefs and their test anxiety and also their academic achievements in bachelor and associate degrees. The statistical population involved in this study included all the accounting students in Azad University, Ghorveh Branch in the academic year 2012-13. The sample involved in this study included 100 accounting students selected randomly through the random sampling procedure and based on the statistical methodology principles of correlational studies. In this study, the 90-item Bar-on Emotional Quotient Inventory, the questionnaire of Irrational Belief of Jones which includes 100 questions, and also the 25 item test anxiety questionnaire by Abolghasemi et al; were used in addition to the students’ second semester average. Results showed that there are significant negative correlation between students’ emotional intelligence with their irrational beliefs and test anxiety, and Results showed that there are significant positive correlations between students’ irrational beliefs and their test anxiety, and also results showed that there are significant positive correlation between students’ emotional intelligence with academic achievements; and also that there are significant negative correlation between students’ irrational beliefs and test anxiety with academic achievements.
A novel technique to control multiple swarm robots movement is presented and analyzed in this paper. It allows a group of robots to move as a unique entity performing the following functions: obstacle avoidance at group level. The control strategy enhance the mobile robot’s performance whereby they forthcoming decisions are imfected by its previous experiences during the navigation apart from the current range inputs. Interval Fuzzy-Kohonen Network (IFKN) technique is utilized in this strategy. By employing a small number of rules the IFKN algorithm can be adapted for swarm reactive control. The control strategy provides much faster response to expected events. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is also demonstrated in a series of practical test on our experimental by using five robots with limited sensor abilities and low computational effort on each single robot in the swarm. The results show that swarm robots based on propose technique have the ability to perform cooperative behavior, produce minimum collision and capable to navigate around square shapes obstacles.