Spatial variation of particle number concentration in school microscale environment

There is significant toxicological evidence of the effects of ultrafine particles (<100nm) on human health (WHO 2005). Studies show that the number concentration of particles has been associated with adverse human health effects (Englert 2004). This work is part of a major study called ‘Ultrafine Particles form Traffic Emissions and Children’s Health’ (UPTECH), which seeks to determine the effect of the exposure to traffic related ultrafine particles on children’s health in schools (http://www.ilaqh.qut.edu.au/Misc/UPT ECH%20Home.htm). Quantification of spatial variation of particle number concentration (PNC) in a microscale environment and identification of the main affecting parameters and their contribution levels are the main aims of this analysis

A Customizable Conflict Resolution and Attribute-Based Access Control Framework for Multi-Robot Systems

As multi-robot systems continue to advance and become integral to various applications, managing conflicts and ensuring secure access control are critical challenges that need to be addressed. Access control is essential in multi-robot systems to ensure secure and authorized interactions among robots, protect sensitive data, and prevent unauthorized access to resources. This paper presents a novel framework for customizable conflict resolution and attribute-based access control in multi-robot systems for ROS 2 leveraging the Hyperledger Fabric blockchain. We introduce an attribute-based access control (ABAC) Fabric-ROS 2 bridge to enable secure communication and control between users and robots. By defining conflict resolution policies based on task priorities, robot capabilities, and user-defined constraints, our framework offers a flexible way to resolve conflicts. Additionally, it incorporates attribute-based access control, granting access rights based on user and robot attributes. ABAC offers a modular approach to control access compared to existing access control approaches in ROS 2, such as SROS2. Through this framework, multi-robot systems can be managed efficiently, securely, and adaptably, ensuring controlled access to resources and managing conflicts. Our experimental evaluation shows that our framework marginally improves latency and throughput over exiting Fabric and ROS 2 integration solutions. At higher network load, it is the only solution to operate reliably without a diverging transaction commitment latency. We also demonstrate how conflicts arising from simultaneous control or a robot by two users are resolved in real-time and motion distortion is effectively eliminated

On the Relationship between Export Market Orientation and Export Performance of Tehran Home Appliances Exporting Companies

The rapid increase in the global trade in the last two decades has given prominence to the export performance of companies implying the extent to which they achieve strategic and economic goals for exporting products to foreign markets. The present study explores the relationship between export market orientation and export performance of home appliances exporting companies in Tehran, Iran. A total of 85 companies were selected from the list of 734 exporters of Tehran in 2016. Two standard questionnaires were utilized including export market orientation (Nagy & Beracs, 2012), and export performance of exporting companies (Lin, Huang & Peng, 2014) whose reliability and validity indices were assessed through Cronbach's alpha coefficient and content validity approach, respectively. Also, in order to test the main hypothesis of the research, Smart PLS was used. The results of this study demonstrated a positive and direct relationship between export market orientation and export performance. The findings of the study suggest that exporting companies may boost their export performance through export market orientation with respect to the needs of customers and rivals of the export market and market entry routes

A Series of Awake Craniotomy Procedures Performed in Iran

“Awake craniotomy” is a technique used in neurosurgical procedures, commonly performed to remove a tumor or an epileptogenicfocus while the patient is awake. There has been an increasing trend towards performing this type of procedure because of its advantages;above all, the ability to map the eloquent cortex to reduce post-surgical neurological sequel. The aim of this article is tointroduce 8 cases of awake craniotomies, performed in Loghman-e-Hakim hospital in Tehran, Iran. Patients were selected accordingto our specific criteria. Oral clonidine (4 g/kg), dexamethason (8 mg/IV), midazolam (0.03 mg/kg/IV), and sufentanil (3 g/kg/IV)were used as premedication. Patients underwent cerebral state monitoring and other monitoring modalities during the procedure.A laryngeal mask was used during the asleep phase of the anesthesia. General anesthesia was induced using propofol and lidocaine.Local anesthesia was provided with bupivacaine in the incision and pin insertion sites. Anesthesia was maintained using propofoland remifentanil infusion. A total of 8 patients underwent the procedure. No significant complications, including hemodynamicinstability, depressed respiration, the need to put the patient to sleep before mapping or tumor resection, intraoperative seizures,aspiration, and brain edema were observed in any of our patients. In conclusion, we believe that a modified asleep-awake-awaketechnique instead of the asleep-awake-asleep technique may provide less complications and less need to manage the patients’ airway.“Awake craniotomy” is a technique used in neurosurgical procedures, commonly performed to remove a tumor or an epileptogenicfocus while the patient is awake. There has been an increasing trend towards performing this type of procedure because of its advantages;above all, the ability to map the eloquent cortex to reduce post-surgical neurological sequel. The aim of this article is tointroduce 8 cases of awake craniotomies, performed in Loghman-e-Hakim hospital in Tehran, Iran. Patients were selected accordingto our specific criteria. Oral clonidine (4 g/kg), dexamethason (8 mg/IV), midazolam (0.03 mg/kg/IV), and sufentanil (3 g/kg/IV)were used as premedication. Patients underwent cerebral state monitoring and other monitoring modalities during the procedure.A laryngeal mask was used during the asleep phase of the anesthesia. General anesthesia was induced using propofol and lidocaine.Local anesthesia was provided with bupivacaine in the incision and pin insertion sites. Anesthesia was maintained using propofoland remifentanil infusion. A total of 8 patients underwent the procedure. No significant complications, including hemodynamicinstability, depressed respiration, the need to put the patient to sleep before mapping or tumor resection, intraoperative seizures,aspiration, and brain edema were observed in any of our patients. In conclusion, we believe that a modified asleep-awake-awaketechnique instead of the asleep-awake-asleep technique may provide less complications and less need to manage the patients’ airway

Comparing the Efficacy of Methadone and Tincture of Opium in Controlling Agitation Caused by Withdrawal Syndrome in Opium-Addicted Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Trial Study

Background: Few studies have been conducted regarding the comparison of the efficacy of methadone andtincture of opium (TOP) in controlling agitation induced by withdrawal syndrome. Therefore, the currentrandomized trial study is carried out with the aim to evaluate comparisons on the efficacy of methadone andTOP in controlling agitation caused by withdrawal syndrome in opium addicted patients in the intensive careunits (ICUs).Methods: This clinical trial study was conducted on 60 patients admitted to ICU of Shahid Bahonar Hospital,Kerman, Iran. After classification of the patients into two groups, the first and second groups consumedmethadone syrup (5 mg/ml) and TOP (10 mg/ml), respectively. Agitation in these patients was assessedthrough the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS). Vital signs were also assessed. Paired sample t-testand independent t-test were used for data analysis.Findings: In the current study, the administered dose of methadone and TOP was 36.17 ± 26.99 and112.67 ± 102.74 mg, respectively (P 0.05). In total, no significant difference was detected between two groups regardingvital signs (P > 0.05). However, a significant difference was seen between methadone and TOP groups interms of RASS score (P < 0.01). Conclusion: According to the results of the current study, lower dose of methadone, compared to TOP, couldcontrol agitation caused by opium withdrawal symptoms

Intra-peritoneal and intra-rectal immunogenicity induced by rotavirus virus like particles 2/6/7 in mice

We previously developed virus like particles of rotavirus (RV) with VP2, VP6, and VP7 proteins (VLP2/6/7) using stable High-five cell line. To evaluate the immunogenicity of our construct, we assessed the humoral and cytokine responses induced by VLP2/6/7 in BALB/c mice immunized intra-peritoneally and intra-rectally. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Relative quantitative (RQ) Real-time PCR were used to evaluate the antibody (IgG and IgA) levels in serum and mRNA levels of IL-6, IL-10 and IFN-gamma in spleen cells, respectively. Our results showed that VLP2/6/7 is capable of intra-peritoneal (I.P.) and intra-rectal (I.R.) induction of serum IgG and IgA responses. IgA was detected in fecal samples of immunization groups by I.P. and I.R. routes. Interestingly, I.R. route induced higher IgA titer compared with I.P. route which was statistically significant. Moreover, mRNA levels of IL-6 and IFN-gamma were significantly elevated in mice immunized intra- peritoneally with VLP2/6/7 compared to control group. As such, the mean change was 7.4 (P < 0.05) and 14.8 (P < 0.001) for IFN-gamma and IL-6, respectively. Likewise, the same pattern was found when mice were immunized intra-rectally. Although elevated, the difference in the mean change for IL-10 was not statistically significant when compared to control group. Our findings indicated that VLPs constructed via a stable insect cell line are able to induce both humoral and cellular responses, a similar pattern as observed after immunization with live RVs. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Long-term exposure to low concentrations of air pollutants and hospitalisation for respiratory diseases:A prospective cohort study in Australia

Background: Short- and long-term spatiotemporal variation in exposure to air pollution is associated with respiratory morbidity in areas with moderate-to-high level of air pollution, but very few studies have examined whether these associations also exist in areas with low level exposure. Objectives: We assessed the association between spatial variation in long-term exposure to PM and NO and hospitalisation for all respiratory diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pneumonia, in older adults residing in Sydney, Australia, a city with low-level concentrations. Methods: We recorded data on hospitalisations for 100,084 participants, who were aged >45 years at entry in 2006–2009 until June 2014. Annual NO and PM concentrations were estimated for the participants’ residential addresses and Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model the association between exposure to air pollutants and first episode of hospitalisation, controlling for personal and area level covariates. We further investigated the shape of the exposure-response association and potential effect modification by age, sex, education level, smoking status, and BMI. Results: NO and PM annual mean exposure estimates were 17.5 μg·m and 4.5 μg·m respectively. NO and PM was positively, although not significantly, associated with asthma. The adjusted hazard ratio for a 1 μg·m increase in PM was 1.08, 95% confidence interval 0.89–1.30. The adjusted hazard ratio for a 5 μg·m increase in NO was 1.03, 95% confidence interval 0.88–1.19. We found no positive statistically significant associations with hospitalisation for all respiratory diseases, and pneumonia while negative associations were observed with COPD. Conclusions: We found weak positive associations of exposure to air pollution with hospitalisation for asthma while there was no evidence of an association for all respiratory diseases

All-cause mortality and long-term exposure to low level air pollution in the ‘45 and up study’ cohort, Sydney, Australia, 2006–2015

Epidemiological studies show that long-term exposure to ambient air pollution reduces life expectancy. Most studies have been in environments with relatively high concentrations such as North America, Europe and Asia. Associations at the lower end of the concentration-response function are not well defined.We assessed associations between all-cause mortality and exposure to annual average particulate matte