BRICS Bloc in Light of International Economic Challenges: A Study of Reality and Dimensions

Originality/value: The BRICS bloc is one of the most important international economic blocs that plays an important role in the global economy, so most of them are moving towards obtaining an economic position that is commensurate with their natural capabilities and capabilities. Russia, India, China and South Africa, represent the emerging economies of the world, and these countries aim to overcome the hegemony of the US currency as a global reserve, and the BRICS group constitutes more than a quarter of global GDP and more than 16% of global trade and about 30% of the land area and 44% of the world's population and more than 40% of the world's energy production. Purpose: The study is aimed at knowing the formation of the BRICS bloc as an emerging economic force within its economic dimensions, showing the international economic system of the BRICS countries and their ability to confront international economic institutions, and analyzing the economic indicators of each member country to know the economic size of each country. Theoretical framework: the study has relied on the deductive approach starting from real constants in collecting data and facts, as well as adopting the descriptive analytical method in studying the international economic system and the economic components of the BRICS countries within its economic dimensions.  Design/methodology/approach: it is proved that the BRICS contingent reserve arrangements to protect against global liquidity pressures, which include currency issues, have affected the members’ national currencies negatively due to global financial pressures. The economy is unstable and needs these potential reserves. The problem of the study emerges from certain questions including how strong the international economic system for the BRICS countries is and whether these countries were able to overcome global economic crises within their economic dimensions. Research,  Practical  &  Social implications: The study hypothesized that the BRICS countries have tremendous economic power as a result of building their international financial system, which they established, which enabled them to overcome the global financial crisis, unlike most countries in the world that were under the brunt of this crisis, and this is a clear indication of the success of this bloc and prove its hypothesis. In connection with the value of the study, it reflects that the BRICS countries occupy an important position in the international economy as a rising economic power through their economic nature and strategic position, in addition to the great economic capabilities that these countries possess, and this was an invitation to establish this bloc, which is a successful economic step in the face of international economic financial institutions. Finding: The most prominent findings of the research are that the presence of China in this bloc added a powerful and insignificant force to it as a result of its economic strength, which is the second largest economy in the world, and the economic strength of the BRICS bloc has led to increased economic development and the formation of a strong economic union that faces all the challenges that the bloc is exposed to

Main determinants of catastrophic health expenditures: a Bayesian logit approach on Iranian household survey data (2010)

BACKGROUND: During recent decades, increase in both health care expenditures and improvement of the awareness as well as health expectations have created some problems with regard to finance healthcare expenditures so that the issue of health financing by households has been determined as a major challenge in health sector. According to the definition by the World Health Organization, catastrophic health expenditure is considered if financial contribution for health service is more than 40 of income remaining after subsistence needs have been met. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was determination of Main factors on catastrophic health expenditures in Iranian households. PATIENTS & METHODS: In this study, using an econometrics Bayesian logit model, determinants of the appearance of catastrophic health expenditure based on household budget data collected in 2010 were evaluated. RESULTS: Among Iranian households, the following groups were more likely to encounter with unsustainable health expenditures: rural households, households with the numbers of the elderly more than 65 years, illiterate householders, unemployed householders, households with some unemployed persons, households in upper rank and households with larger equivalent household size were higher than the average of community could significantly predict catastrophic health expenditures. CONCLUSIONS: About 2.1 of households were faced with catastrophic health expenditures in 2010. Thus, the implemented policies could not make considerable and significant change in improving justice in financing in health systems

Evaluation of the Efficiency of Allium sativum and Alhagi maurorum Extracts as Antimicrobial Agent in Inhibiting Biofilm Formation of some Pathogenic Bacterial Species

مقدمة ان القدرة على تكوين الأغشية الحيوية من قبل الكائنات الدقيقة حيث يعد تكوين الغشاء الحيوي احد عوامل الضراوة وتستخدمها البكتيريا لإحداث المرض ويتم قياسها من خلال قياس الكثافة البصرية ، وهو مقياس لتقدير تركيز نمو الأنواع البكتيرية في الوسط الزرعي . طرق العمل تم تنشيط مزارع بكتيرية لست عزلات بكتيرية مختلفة من S. Serratia marcescens و Klebsilla pnemoniae و Enterococcus cloacea ، Eshcherchia coli ، Staphylococcus aureus ، Psedomonas aeruginosa  من المخزون المجمد والتي تم تشخيصها باستخدام جهاز VITEK 2 Densi ,بعدها تم تحضير المستخلصات النباتية من Allium sativum و Alhagi maurorum لاختبار تأثير هذه المستخلصات النباتية على العزلات البكتيرية قيد الدراسة . تم قياس الكثافة الضوئية باستخدام جهاز المطياف الضوئي بطول موجي 490 نانوميتر قبل وبعد معاملة العزلات البكتيرية بالمستخلصين A.sativum and A. maurorum . النتائج وجد أن قدرة K. pnemoniae و S. marcescens و E. cloacea على تكوين الغشاء الحيوي قد انخفضت و بلغت الامتصاصية 0.52 ± 0.01 ، 0.66 ± 0.03 ، 0.8 ± 0.01 على التوالي. ولوحظ تأثير مستخلص A. maurorum على E. cloacea ، E. coli ، حيث انخفضت قدرتها على تكوين الغشاء الحيوي وبلغت الامتصاصية 0.66 ± 0.01،0.66 ± 0.005 على التوالي . الاستنتاجات يعد تكوين الأغشية الحيوية أحد عوامل الضراوة التي تساعد الكائنات الحية الدقيقة على مقاومة البيئة التي توجد فيها ومقاومة المضادات الحيوية. لذلك ، يتم استخدام المستخلصات النباتية الطبية كبديل ، والتي ثبت أنها تمنع نمو بعض أنواع البكتيريا المسببة للأمراض.Background:            The ability to form biofilms by microorganisms is one of the virulence factors used by bacteria to cause disease and is measured by measuring optical density (O.D), which is a measure to estimate the concentration of bacterial species growing in the culture media. Materials and Methods:           The bacterial cultures of six different bacterial isolates of S. marcescens and Klebsilla    pnemoniae , Enterococcus cloacea , Eshcherchia coli , Staphylococcus aureus, Psedomonas aeruginosa were reconstituted from frozen stock, which diagnosed by using VITEK 2 Densi screening tool, then plant extracts  of Allium sativum and Alhagi maurorum were prepared to test the effect of these extracts on the bacterial isolates under study.Optical density was measured using a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 490 nm before and after treatment of the bacterial isolates with the two extracts A.sativum and A. maurorum . Results:          The ability of K. pnemoniae , S. marcescens and E. cloacea, to form biofilm reduced with absorption value 0.52±0.01, 0.66±0.03, 0.8±0.01 respectively, and the ability to form biofilm from E. cloacea , E. coli after adding A. maurorum extract was decreased and the absorbance value reached 0.66±0.01,0.66±0.005 respectively after being treated with A. maurorum extract. Conclusion:        Biofilm formation is one of the virulence factors that helps microorganisms resist the environment in which they exist and resist antibiotics. Therefore, medicinal plant extracts are used as an alternative, which have been shown to inhibit the growth of some pathogenic bacterial species

Data on groundwater quality, scaling potential and corrosiveness of water samples in Torbat-e-Heydariyeh rural drinking water resources, Khorasan-e-Razavi province, Iran

According to World Health Organization guidelines, corrosion control is an important aspect of safe drinking-water supplies. The data presented is physical and chemical parameters of drinking water in the rural areas of Torbat-e-Heydariyeh city, also to determine corrosion indices. This cross-sectional study has carried out with 188 taken samples during 2014 with 13 parameters, which has been analyzed based on standard method. Also with regard to standard conditions, result of this paper is compared with Environmental Protection Agency and Iran national standards. Five indices, Langlier Saturation Index (LSI), Ryznar Stability Index (RSI), Puckorius Scaling Index (PSI), Larson-Skold Index (LS) and Aggressive Index (AI), programmed by using Microsoft Excel software. Owing to its simplicity, the program can easily be used by researchers and operators. Parameters included Sulfate, Sodium, Chloride, and Electrical Conductivity respectively was 13.5%, 28%, 10.5%, and 15% more than standard level. The amounts of Nitrate, in 98% of cases were in permissible limits and about 2% were more than standard level. Result of presented research indicate that water is corrosive at 10.6%, 89.4%, 87.2%, 59.6% and 14.9% of drinking water supply reservoirs, according to LSI, RSI, PSI, LS and AI, respectively. © 2018 The Author

Theoretical Analysis of Butane Isomers Separation using Various Membrane Process Configurations

Polymer is among the favorite materials used for membrane separation as they are cheap, easily cast, low maintenance cost and commercially easy to get eventhough the material needs to be altered to meet the separation industry specific needs. There are two common issues in membrane preparation which are the produced sheet are too brittle and has no strength to withstand pressure during separation process and the porosity of the sheet sometimes not suitable with the gas kinetic diameter for the separation to occur. PEBAX or Poly ether block amide is the answer for the issues as this elastomer provides good mechanical strength from the hard segment of the crystalline poly amide block while the soft polyether will drive the separation process. This unique material can be casted either by phase inversion of the PEBAX itself with other polymer or by coating them on the other polymer substrate

Molecular Localization of Human Papillomaviru_18 (HPV_18) in Tissues from Thyroid Carcinoma in Mid-Euphrates

خلفية علمية: سرطان الغدة الدرقية هو السرطان الذي يبدأ في الغدة الدرقية و التي يعتقد أنها مرتبطة بتهيئة عدد من العوامل البيئية و الوراثية تربط  Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) المسبب لسرطان عنق الرحم ، وأيضا يعتبر المسبب لسرطان الحنجرة والذي يعد واحد من العوامل المعدية ذات الصلة.الهدف : تهدف هذه الدراسة للكشف عن الحمض النووي ل Human Papilloma Virus-18  باستخدام تقنية situ hybridization technique في أنسجة الغدة الدرقية المأخوذة من تضخم الغدة الدرقية الحميد و سرطان الغدة الدرقية ، و توضيح العلاقة بين هذا الورم الناجم عن HPV-18 وسرطان الغدة الدرقية.المرضى و طرق العمل : ستين ( 60 ) عينة من formalin-fixed paraffin ، وتم الحصول على أنسجة الغدة الدرقية كالتالي، من بينهم ( 30) خزعة نسيجية من سرطان الغدة الدرقية من الصنف الأول و ( 20) عينة من الأنسجة الحميدة Thyroidneoplasm وكذلك ( 10) من تشريح أنسجة الغدة الدرقية العادية التي تم جمعها من أرشيف معهد الطب العدلي/ بابل باستخدام عينات الغدة الدرقية لأصحاء. وقد تم الكشف عن فيروس Human Papilloma Virus-18  باستخدام نسخة حساسة للغاية من situ hybridization technique.النتائج : من بين أورام الغدة الدرقية الخبيثة نسبة ا 56.7 ٪ من المرضى مصابين بالفيروس HPV - 18 في حين تم الكشف عن 35 ٪ من مجموعة ورم الغدة الدرقية الحميدة مصابين بالفيروس HPV - 18   . لم تظهر أي من عينات مجموعة السيطرة ISH reactions. كان 32.7 ٪ إناث مصابات بفيروس HPV – 18، في حين كان 24 ٪ من الذكور مصابين بفيروس HPV – 18. ولم تظهر أي دلالة إحصائية بين وجود الفيروس وعمر هؤلاء المرضى .الاستنتاجات : HPV – 18 أن له دورا بالمشاركة في التسبب في الإصابة لدى مجموعة المرضى الذين يعانون من سرطان الغدة الدرقية.Background: THilnahyroid cancer is a cancer that starts in the thyroid gland and thought to be related to a number of environmental and genetic predisposing factors .Human Papil- loma Virus (HPV) the virus that causes cervical cancer ,is also linked to throat cancer and is one among their associated infective agents. Objective: This study aimed at detecting DNA of HPV genotype-18 using in situ hybridization technique in thyroid tissues from benign thyroid hyperplasia and thyroid car- cinoma, and elucidate the association between this HPV-18 and thyroid carcinogenesis. Patients and Methods: Sixty (60) formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded thyroid tissue blocks were obtained ,among them (30) tissue biopsies from thyroid carcinoma with grade I and (20) benign thyroid neoplasm tissue blocks as well as (10) autopsies from apparently normal thyroid tissues were collected from the archives of Forensic Medicine Institute / Babil and used as thyroid healthy control group. Detection of HPV-18 was done by using highly sensitive version of in situ hybridization technique. Results: Among malignant thyroid tumors 56.7% patients had HPV-18 while 35% HPV- 18 positivity was detected in benign thyroid tumor group. None of healthy thyroid tissues revealed ISH reactions. There was 32.7% female had HPV-18, and 24% male had HPV-18. No significant statistical associations were noticed between the presence of HPV-18 and the age of those patients. Conclusion: Human Papilloma virus genotype-18 could share a role in pathogenesis of this group of patients with thyroid cancers

Differentiation of ripe and unripe fruit flour using mineral composition data—Statistical assessment

Data on the mineral composition and content of one heavy metal measured in three different fruit flours prepared from ripe and unripe fruits (pulp and peel) are presented. The mineral composition (sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn)) and content of one heavy metal (lead (Pb)) of the flours were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The analysis showed that the data can be used for differentiation between different fruits and stages of ripeness, as revealed by discriminant analysis and cluster analysis. The data provided can be used by researchers and scientists in the differentiation of fruits based on major and minor mineral elements

Application of supercritical CO2 in lipid extraction – a review.

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) offers an alternative method to conventional extraction of fatty acids. SFE was developed for analytical application in the mid-1980s in response to the desire to reduce the use of organic solvents in the laboratory environment, and it is now becoming a standard method for the extraction, fractionation, refinement and deodorization of lipids or essential oils containing sample matrices at the industrial scale. This paper reviews applications of supercritical fluid technology in fatty acid/lipid extraction using carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is an ideal supercritical fluid because of its environmentally benign, non-toxic, non-flammable, non-polluting, recoverable characteristics and its ability to solubilise lipophilic substances. A summary of commercial applications and examples of recent developments of SFE in the food processing industry are also reviewed

Selective laser melting-produced porous titanium scaffolds regenerate bone in critical size cortical bone defects

Porous titanium scaffolds have good mechanical properties that make them an interesting bone substitute material for large bone defects. These scaffolds can be produced with selective laser melting, which has the advantage of tailoring the structure's architecture. Reducing the strut size reduces the stiffness of the structure and may have a positive effect on bone formation. Two scaffolds with struts of 120-μm (titanium-120) or 230-μm (titanium-230) were studied in a load-bearing critical femoral bone defect in rats. The defect was stabilized with an internal plate and treated with titanium-120, titanium-230, or left empty. In vivo micro-CT scans at 4, 8, and 12 weeks showed more bone in the defects treated with scaffolds. Finally, 18.4 ± 7.1 mm3(titanium-120, p = 0.015) and 18.7 ± 8.0 mm3(titanium-230, p = 0.012) of bone was formed in those defects, significantly more than in the empty defects (5.8 ± 5.1 mm3). Bending tests on the excised femurs after 12 weeks showed that the fusion strength reached 62% (titanium-120) and 45% (titanium-230) of the intact contralateral femurs, but there was no significant difference between the two scaffolds. This study showed that in addition to adequate mechanical support, porous titanium scaffolds facilitate bone formation, which results in high mechanical integrity of the treated large bone defects. Copyrigh