Endothelin-1 in systemic sclerosis

We evaluated endothelin-1 (ET-1) plasma levels in patients affected by primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP), as well as in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (SRP). Furthermore, ET-1 levels were investigated in SSc patients with different patterns of peripheral microvascular damage, as evaluated by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC). Methods: 23 PRP patients, 67 SSc patients according to ACR criteria, and 23 healthy subjects were enrolled. SSc microvascular involvement was classified in three different patterns (Early, Active, and Late) by NVC, as previously described. Results: ET-1 was found significantly higher in both PRP and SRP, when compared with controls (median ±IQR: 3.3±2.8, 2.7±2.2, 2.0±2.2, respectively) (p=0.05). No statistically significant difference of ET-1 levels was observed between PRP and SRP patients. ET-1 was found higher in patients with Late NVC pattern, when compared with both Active and Early NVC patterns (median±IQR: 3.4±2.5, 2.4±2.2, 2.5±2.1, respectively), but without statistical significance. Patients with Late NVC pattern showed significantly higher ET-1 plasma levels than controls (p=0.03). No correlation was found between ET-1 levels and disease duration in both groups, as well as between ET-1 levels and age of patients. Conclusions: These data support previous studies, reporting increased ET-1 plasma levels in both PRP and SRP patients. Interestingly, patients with the Late NVC pattern of microangiopathy showed higher ET-1 plasma levels than controls. The high levels of ET-1 detected in the Late NVC pattern of microangiopathy might be related to the larger fibrotic involvement typical of the advanced stages of disease

An integrated approach to analyze strategy map using BSC – FUZZY AHP: A case study of Dairy companies

In an environment, which is highly competitive and everything changes rapidly, managers of organizations face with problems such as how to identify important factors preventing organizations from optimum use of available resources and capacities and invest more on key factors. To achieve this goal, we need to develop an effective strategy map for organizations. The strategy map is a constructional and expanding procedure to identify relationships among all the organization's strategic goals, which play a key role in achieving competitive advantage. Undoubtedly, representing a model to identify and to evaluate the important items for each of available goals in strategy map of each organization is a significant help for management to access higher competition benefits. In this paper, strategic objectives in the strategy map of one of the best producer of electric auto part makers in Iran called Electric Vehicle Co. East are evaluated based on balanced score card perspective and to assign appropriate values to available factors we use a hybrid method consist of AHP technique with Fuzzy logic

An integrated approach to analyze strategy map using BSC – FUZZY AHP: A case study of Dairy companies

In an environment, which is highly competitive and everything changes rapidly, managers of organizations face with problems such as how to identify important factors preventing organizations from optimum use of available resources and capacities and invest more on key factors. To achieve this goal, we need to develop an effective strategy map for organizations. The strategy map is a constructional and expanding procedure to identify relationships among all the organization's strategic goals, which play a key role in achieving competitive advantage. Undoubtedly, representing a model to identify and to evaluate the important items for each of available goals in strategy map of each organization is a significant help for management to access higher competition benefits. In this paper, strategic objectives in the strategy map of one of the best producer of electric auto part makers in Iran called Electric Vehicle Co. East are evaluated based on balanced score card perspective and to assign appropriate values to available factors we use a hybrid method consist of AHP technique with Fuzzy logic

An integrated approach to analyze strategy map using BSC – FUZZY AHP: A case study of Dairy companies

In an environment, which is highly competitive and everything changes rapidly, managers of organizations face with problems such as how to identify important factors preventing organizations from optimum use of available resources and capacities and invest more on key factors. To achieve this goal, we need to develop an effective strategy map for organizations. The strategy map is a constructional and expanding procedure to identify relationships among all the organization's strategic goals, which play a key role in achieving competitive advantage. Undoubtedly, representing a model to identify and to evaluate the important items for each of available goals in strategy map of each organization is a significant help for management to access higher competition benefits. In this paper, strategic objectives in the strategy map of one of the best producer of electric auto part makers in Iran called Electric Vehicle Co. East are evaluated based on balanced score card perspective and to assign appropriate values to available factors we use a hybrid method consist of AHP technique with Fuzzy logic

Estética de las imágenes en una selección de sermones de Nahjul-Balagha con énfasis en la traducción del Descriptor Desconocido

Nahj al-Balagha is a valuable book that cannot be found after the Word of God and the Word of Allah (PBUH). In this article, a descriptive-analytic written in the form of a library and a script, according to all the Nahj al-Balagh the mechanism for a detailed understanding of Nahj al-Balaghah is the mastery of valuable knowledge such as rhetoric science (meanings, expressions, and verbs). The purpose of writing this article is to present such areas of Amir Al-Momenin’s rhetoric in the translation of the Unknown Descriptor, which some of its scholar’s attribute to Allameh Helli. Of course, none of the writers and researchers have made a definitive document, so their speeches are beyond speculation. It has been proved in this paper that Nahj al-Balaghah has, in addition to its eloquence, a rich and profound meaning that is tied to the nature of man and originates from the revelation.Nahj al-Balagha es un libro valioso que no se puede encontrar después de la Palabra de Dios y la Palabra de Allah (PBUH). En este artículo, un análisis descriptivo-escrito en forma de biblioteca y guión, según todos los Nahj al-Balagh. El mecanismo para una comprensión detallada de Nahj al-Balaghah es el dominio de conocimientos valiosos como la ciencia retórica (significados, expresiones y verbos). El propósito de escribir este artículo es presentar tales áreas de la retórica de Amir Al-Momenin en la traducción del Descriptor Desconocido, que algunos de sus eruditos atribuyen a Allameh Helli. Por supuesto, ninguno de los escritores e investigadores ha hecho un documento definitivo, por lo que sus discursos están más allá de la especulación. Se ha demostrado en este documento que Nahj al-Balaghah tiene, además de su elocuencia, un significado rico y profundo que está vinculado a la naturaleza del hombre y se origina en la revelación

Investigating the effect of brand extensions on brand mental image (Case study: Distribution branches of Minoo Foodstuffs in Mazandaran)

The aim of the present paper is to study the effect of brand extensions on brand mental image distribution branches of Minoo Foodstuffs in Mazandaran during 2013. In this paper, the effects of the related variables were studied such as the effects of mental image of Initial Brand and its fitness with the perceived one based on the brand extensions approach, its fitness with the mental and its effect between initial and final mental image, the effect of mental fitness based on the brand extensions approach and also the brand extensions approach based on the final mental and the perceived fit based on the brand extensions approach. This paper is a functional and measuring study based on its aim and method, respectively. The method used for collecting data is field as well a standardized questionnaire in the papers of Martinez et al. There are 24 questions in this questionnaire, which were arranged in the form of Likert Scale. The statistical method in this paper is structural equations which were analyzed by Lisrel software. In this paper, 7 hypotheses were presented as all of them were confirmed except 5th one

Investigating the effect of brand extensions on brand mental image (Case study: Distribution branches of Minoo Foodstuffs in Mazandaran)

The aim of the present paper is to study the effect of brand extensions on brand mental image distribution branches of Minoo Foodstuffs in Mazandaran during 2013. In this paper, the effects of the related variables were studied such as the effects of mental image of Initial Brand and its fitness with the perceived one based on the brand extensions approach, its fitness with the mental and its effect between initial and final mental image, the effect of mental fitness based on the brand extensions approach and also the brand extensions approach based on the final mental and the perceived fit based on the brand extensions approach. This paper is a functional and measuring study based on its aim and method, respectively. The method used for collecting data is field as well a standardized questionnaire in the papers of Martinez et al. There are 24 questions in this questionnaire, which were arranged in the form of Likert Scale. The statistical method in this paper is structural equations which were analyzed by Lisrel software. In this paper, 7 hypotheses were presented as all of them were confirmed except 5th one

The study of bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis

زمینه و هدف: کاهش تراکم مواد معدنی موجب بروز پوکی استخوان و عوارض ناشی از آن می شود. مطالعه حاضر با هدف بررسی وضعیت تراکم معدنی استخوان بر اساس رده های مختلف سنی در زنان یائسه مبتلا به آرتریت روماتوئید انجام شده است. روش بررسی: مطالعه توصیفی-تحلیلی حاضر، بر روی 98 زن یائسه مبتلا به آرتریت روماتوئید مراجعه کرده به بیمارستان آموزشی درمانی 5 آذر شهرستان گرگان که نتایج سنجش تراکم استخوانی آنان در پرونده موجود بود، انجام شد. اطلاعات لازم به وسیله پرسشنامه از پرونده های بیماران استخراج گردید. داده ها با استفاده از آزمون های آماری آماره های توصیفی (فراوانی نسبی و فراوانی مطلق، میانگین و انحراف معیار) و آزمون های تحلیلی (رگرسیون، کای دو، ضریب همبستگی اسپیرمن و ANOVA)، مورد بررسی قرار گرفت. یافته ها: در مجموع 98 زن یائسه مبتلا به آرتریت روماتوئید با میانگین سنی39/9 ± 88/57 سال مورد بررسی قرار گرفتند. شیوع کلی استئوپروز 3/13 گزارش شد که با افزایش سن به طور معنی‌داری افزایش یافت (001/0

Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) programme: study protocol and design of musculoskeletal system and cognitive function (stage II).

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Musculoskeletal disorders and cognitive diseases are prevalent, and they are significant determinants of morbidity and mortality in older adults. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal and cognitive diseases and their risk factors and also to assess their associations during future follow-ups. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) programme is a population-based prospective cohort study being conducted in Bushehr, a southern province of Iran. A total of 3000 older people aged ≥60 years participated in the first stage from which 2772 were eligible to participate in the second stage, which started after 2.5 years. Data including demographic status, lifestyle factors, general healthandmedical history, and mentalandfunctional health are collected through a questionnaire. Anthropometric measures, performance testsandmuscle strength, blood pressure and and body composition measurements are done. A total 25 cc venous blood is taken, and sera are stored at -80°C for possible future analyses. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute, affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Science as well as the Research Ethics Committee of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences. A written informed consent was signed by all the participants. The study findings will show the prevalence of musculoskeletal disease, cognitive impairment and their risk factors in an elderly population. The participants will be followed during the study to measure the occurrence outcomes.This study will also have the potential to inform the development of beneficial interventions to improve the management of musculoskeletal and cognitive impairment in Iran and other countries in the Middle East.Our findings will be disseminated via scientific publication as well as presentation to stakeholders, including the patients, clinicians, the public and policymakers, via appropriate avenue