Response of Piled Raft Foundation on Soft Clay Under Seismic Load

A number of researchers has extensively investigated the vertical load bearing mechanism of piled raft foundation, by applying elasticity theory and finite element method. The study on the load bearing mechanism under horizontal loading or during earthquakes, however, is very limited. This is partially because piled raft foundations are considered as raft foundations in the current design practice. Since the behavior of a piled raft foundation during earthquakes is considered fairly complex due to dynamic interaction among a raft, piles and a soil, the design procedure should include the effect of this mechanism in an appropriate manner. In other hands, the behavior of piled raft foundations under earthquake loading is an important factor affecting the performance of structures. Observations from past earthquakes have shown that piles in firm soils generally perform well, while those installed in soft or liquefiable soils are more susceptible to problems arising from ground amplification or excessive soil movements. This research comprises three major components: (1) Numerical modeling of piled raft foundation using finite element program (ABAQUSE), (2) verification of numerical program with dynamic centrifuge tests on clay pile-raft systems, and (3) performing parametric studies. The acceleration predicted by numerical method is well matched with the measured acceleration in a centrifuge test when simulating a piled raft foundation

Survey of the relationship between Quality of Work Life with Musculoskeletal Disorders and Hearing Loss

Background and Aims: Measuring and determining the components of quality of work life is one of the most important concerns of human resource management. This study examines the relationship between quality of work life with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and hearing loss as indicators of HSE in an automobile manufacturing company.Materials and Methods: The statistical population of this descriptive-analytical study consists of 392 employees of company who were randomly selected from different departments using Morgan table. Required data was collected using an improved NIOSH quality of work life questionnaire, body map and audiogram.  SPSS software (version 23) was employed for descriptive and regression analyses. All stages of this research were conducted ethically.Results: The findings showed that the mean score for quality of work life was 171.13, ranging from 101 to 212. The greatest sensation of pain, based on the results, was at the end of the lumbar region with a frequency of 40.31 percent and the least was reported in palm left hand with a frequency of 6.38 percent. Furthermore, 6.3% of respondents showed hearing disability. Statistical analyses showed that there is significant relationship between the quality of work life and musculoskeletal diseases (p = 0.000) as well as the quality of work life and the rates of hearing loss (p = 0.000).Conclusion: Also, statistically significant relationship were noticed between the quality of working life and the level of health and safety, mental health, physical health, and employment in a noisy environment . If correct management issues of quality of work life were implemented, improved health indicators and subsequently improved quality of work life could be seen in an organization.Keywords: Quality of Work Life, Musculoskeletal Diseases, Hearing Los

The comparison of effectiveness, safety, and clinical outcome of one steppercutaneous abscess aspiration versus drainage by insertion of a drainage catheter in children with post-appendectomy abscess

Introduction: Although radiologic guided abscess drainage with a drainage catheter has been a successful method for treatment of appendicular abscess after surgery, single stage aspiration technique could also be used as a good option in children with intra-abdominal abscess. The aim of this study was to compare efficacy, safety and clinical outcome of percutaneous abscess drainage versus aspiration in pediatric patients with post-appendectomy abscess formation.Materials and Methods: This randomized control trial was conducted under the supervision of Mashhad University of medical sciences. Children were enrolled in the study with suspicion of post-appendectomy abscess formation. Patients were divided into two groups (drainage or aspiration) with simple sampling method. Demographic characteristics and clinical outcome were compared between the two groups. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16.Results: Fifty children with post-appendectomy abscess were enrolled in this study. Their mean age was 10.4 ± 4.1 year (range from 5 to 19yrs). Drainage was successful in 88% of patients and the succeed rate in aspiration group was 96% and this difference was not significant statistically (p=0.609). Duration of hospital stay was longer in the drainage group in comparison with aspiration (2.8 ± 0.55 vs. 2.1 ± 0.47, p-value < 0.001).Conclusion: Efficacy, safety and other clinical outcomes of percutaneous abscess drainage and aspiration were the same in pediatric patients with smaller than 5 cm post-appendectomy abscess. Due to lower cost and parental satisfaction, aspiration would be a good choice in children with small post-appendectomy abscess

Relationship between perceived social support and academic well-being based on the mediating role of developmental assets in first-year high school students

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived social support and academic well-being considering the mediating role of developmental assets in students. Methods: The present study was applied in terms of aim, descriptive-correlational in term of nature. It was conducted using path analysis approach. The statistical population of the study included the students of the first-year high school in Kerman city in the academic year of 2021-2022. A sample of 300 people (girls and boys) was selected using multi-stage cluster sampling method. The tools of the study were the developmental assets questionnaire, Tuominen-Soini et al., academic well-being questionnaire, and the perceived social support scale. Path analysis was used in Amos Software to analyze the data. Results: The influence of social support on the transformation of academic capital is 0.37 and it is significant at 0.001 level. When people receive support from their families, friends, and other groups that include comfort, respect, love, and interest, it affects their psychological well-being, so all these benefits are actually capital transformations that lead to their well-being. Therefore, the research hypothesis about the relationship between perceived social support and academic well-being through the mediating role of developmental assets in first-year high school students is confirmed. Conclusion: With social support including consolation, affection and care from family, friends and other groups, it is possible to develop and strengthen the developmental assets and finally the academic well-being of students

Compound Hertzian Chain Model for Copper-Carbon Nanocomposites' Absorption Spectrum

The infrared range optical absorption mechanism of Carbon-Copper composite thin layer coated on the Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) buffer layer has been investigated. By consideration of weak interactions between copper nanoparticles in their network, optical absorption is modeled using their coherent dipole behavior induced by the electromagnetic radiation. The copper nanoparticles in the bulk of carbon are assumed as a chain of plasmonic dipoles, which have coupling resonance. Considering nearest neighbor interactions for this metallic nanoparticles, surface plasmon resonance frequency ({\omega}\neg0) and coupled plasmon resonance frequency ({\omega}\neg1) have been computed. The damping rate versus wavelength is derived which leads to the derivation of the optical absorption spectrum in the term of {\omega}\neg0 and {\omega}\neg1. The dependency of the absorption peaks to the particle-size and the particle mean spacing is also investigated. The absorption spectrum is measured for different Cu-C thin films with various Cu particle size and spacing. The experimental results of absorption are compared with the obtained analytical ones.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Evaluation of Health, Safety and Environment status using SWOT matrix to provide continuous improvement strategies: A case study in municipality of Qazvin

AbstractBackground and aims: According to the identification of more than one hundred types of jobs in the municipalities, evaluation of adverse factors that each job face with them isn’t possible without systematic model of identifying hazards. In this study, weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and threats (SWOT) to the health, safety and environment (HSE) management was introduced. Based on the results obtained, the HSE situation in Qazvin municipality (12 units) was evaluated.Materials and methods: Two tables concerning internal and external factors are used in the SWOT analysis. The sum of scores in both tables is in the range of 1 to 4, and the status is appraised as positive when the score is higher than 2.5. All necessary arrangements made well in advance. Ethical issues were also all considered in all stages of research.Results: The scores obtained in the evaluation of internal and external factors were often less than 2.5. The mean scores of internal and external factors evaluation were 2.37 and 2.42, respectively. The highest score in internal factors was 2.95 belonging to Qazvin municipality's parks and green spaces. Also, the highest score of external factors was 3.1 belonging to the organization of transport and traffic administration of Qazvin municipality.Conclusion: The HSE situation in half of Qazvin municipality's units was considered undesirable based on SWOT matrix (district 4); and therefore, they should adopt defensive strategies to improve their HSE status. Other organizations were in the shift (2 units) or diversification (4 units) strategies. The results ofpresent study revealed that SWOT analysis can be used as an effective management tool to determine thestatus and management of HSE as well as continuous improvement strategies.Keywords: HSE, Strategic management, External factors, Internal factors, SWOT matrix, Qazvin municipalityFor downloading the full text please click her

A Novel Missense Mutation in Oncostatin M Receptor Beta Causing Primary Localized Cutaneous Amyloidosis

Primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis (PLCA) is a chronic skin disorder, caused by amyloid material deposition in the upper dermis. Autosomal dominant PLCA has been mapped earlier to pathogenic missense mutations in the OSMR gene, which encodes the oncostatin M receptor ß subunit (OSMRß). OSMRß is interleukin-6 family cytokine receptors and possesses two ligands, oncostatin M and interleukin-31, which both have biologic roles in inflammation and keratinocyte cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Here, we identified a new OSMR mutation in a Kurdish family for the first time. Blood samples were taken from all the affected individuals in the family. DNA extraction was performed using salting out technique. Primers were designed for intron flanking individual exons of OSMR gene which were subjected to direct sequencing after PCR amplification for each sample. Sequencing showed a C/T substitution at position 613 in the proband. This mutation results in an L613S (leucine 613 to serine) amino acid change. The identified mutation was observed in all affected family members but not in 100 ethnically matched healthy controls. Elucidating the molecular basis of familial PLCA provides new insight into mechanisms of itch in human skin and may lead to new therapeutic targets for pruritus

Cigarette butts abundance and association of mercury and lead along the Persian Gulf beach: an initial investigation.

The toxic metal contents of cigarette butts and distribution of cigarette butts have not been studied well in maritime environment. In the present study, cigarette butts distribution and the associations of Hg and Pb from cigarette butts were monitored along the Persian Gulf with 10 days interval sampling time. The number of cigarette butts, and Hg and Pb associations of butts were found to vary widely between 2 and 38 items per square meter, 2.5 and 86.32 ng/g cigarette butt (CB), as well as 650 and 8630 ng/g CB, respectively. Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that there were no significant differences between the number of butts, and Hg and Pb contents of the butts at different sampling times. Considering amount of cigarette butts littered yearly, this study demonstrates that remarkable toxic metals of Hg and Pb may enter maritime environment each year and may introduce critical hazards to aquatic organisms, enter food chain, and finally human body. KEYWORDS: Bushehr; Cigarette butts; Lead; Mercury; Persian Gul

Anesthesia considerations in surgical deep brain stimulation for Tourette syndrome management

Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is a neuro-behavioral disease associated by phonic and motor tics with a high frequency of psychiatric co-morbidities. For these cases, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a developing neuro-modulated treatment option since the first report on a successful surgery in 1999. A male thirty-one years old (77 kg, 178 cm) with diagnosis of Gilles De La Tourette syndrome admitted to neurosurgery ward. His medication included Aripiprazole, pimozide, buspirone, clomipramine, citalopram, phenytoin, Desmopressin and Lithium. The patient underwent implanting DBS (Deep Brain Stimulator) surgery and battery implantation in two steps with two weeks interval. General anesthesia with considerations and according to behavior of disease and drug interactions was performed. The cause and symptoms may be due to central dopaminergic hyperactivity or anomalous dopamine neurotransmission and interventions and anesthesia should be done considering these abnormalities

The Effectiveness of Interpersonal Psychotherapy on Alexithymia, Emotion Regulation, and Psychological Capital of Male Substance Abusers Treated by Addiction Treatment Centers in Kerman

Background: Addiction is a psychiatric disorder with biological, psychological, and social aspects. Literatures indicated that alexithymia, emotional dysregulation, and low psychological capital affect substance abuse. This study investigated the effectiveness of interpersonal psychotherapy on alexithymia, emotional regulation, and psychological capital of male substance abusers.Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2021 in Kerman, Iran using a pretest, post-test design with a control group. A single therapy center was randomly selected via the multi-stage cluster method from several substance abuse treatment centers. 50 people were randomly selected and allocated to experimental and control groups. The research instruments were questionnaires for alexithymia, emotional regulation, and psychological capital. After the pretest phase, the experimental group underwent 12 sessions of interpersonal psychotherapy. In the next step, the post-test was conducted and after 6 weeks the follow-up test was performed on the groups. The control group did not receive the treatment. Finally, the data obtained from 40 participants were analyzed using the MANCOVA test by SPSS25 statistical software.Findings: Our findings indicated significant MANCOVA results for alexithymia (F=65.14 and P<0.05), emotion regulation (F=44.72 and P<0.05) and psychological capital (F=12.05 and P<0.05) showing a significant difference between the scores of dependent variables in the experimental group and control group.Conclusion: The results showed that interpersonal psychotherapy improves the state of alexithymia, emotional regulation, and psychological capital in substance abusers. It can also be used as an effective intervention in addiction treatment centers