The quality of life in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

We conducted a study to evaluate the quality of life in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy aged 8–18 years, compared with that in matched healthy controls. A total of 85 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy aged 8–18 years and 136 age, sex and living place matched healthy controls were included in this study. Patients and one of their parents separately completed the 27-item Persian version of KIDSCREEN questionnaire (child and adolescent version and parent version). From the children's perspective, the quality of life in patients was found to be lower in two subclasses: “physical activities and health” (p < 0.001) and “friends” (p = 0.005). Parental estimation of their sick child's quality of life was significantly lower than children's own assessment in two subclasses: “physical activities and health” (p < 0.001) and “general mood and feelings” (p < 0.001). Our results indicate that boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have quite a satisfactory quality of life. A happier and more hopeful life can be promoted through increasing social support and improving the parental knowledge regarding their child's more positive life perspective. © 2016 Elsevier B.V

Spherical Solutions due to the Exterior Geometry of a Charged Weyl Black Hole

Firstly we derive peculiar spherical Weyl solutions, using a general spherically symmetric metric due to a massive charged object with definite mass and radius. Afterwards, we present new analytical solutions for relevant cosmological terms, which appear in the metrics. Connecting the metrics to a new geometric definition of a charged Black Hole, we numerically investigate the effective potentials of the total dynamical system, considering massive and massless test particles, moving on such Black Holes.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

An introduction to the royan human ovarian tissue bank

From December 2000 until 2010, the researchers at Royan Institute conducted a wide range of investigations on ovarian tissue cryopreservation with the intent to provide fertility preservation to cancer patients that were considered to be candidates for these services. In 2010, Royan Institute established the Royan Human Ovarian Tissue Bank as a subgroup of the Embryology Department. Since its inception, approximately 180 patients between the ages of 7-47 years have undergone consultations. Ovarian samples were cryopreserved from 47 patients (age: 7-35 years) diagnosed with cervical adenocarcinoma (n=9); breast carcinoma (n=7), Ewing�s sarcoma (n=7), opposite side ovarian tumor (n=7), endometrial adenocarcinoma (n=4), malignant colon tumors (n=3), as well as Hodgkin�s lymphoma, major thalassemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n=1-2 patients for each disease). Additionally, two patients requested ovarian tissue transplantation after completion of their treatments. © 2016, Royan Institute (ACECR). All Rights Reserved

Distribution state estimation based on particle swarm and doubly loop mutant optimization (DLM-PSO)

This paper presents a novel algorithm based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) to estimate the states of electric distribution networks. In order to improve the performance, accuracy, convergence speed, and eliminate the stagnation effect of original PSO, a secondary PSO loop and mutation algorithm as well as stretching function is proposed. For accounting uncertainties of loads in distribution networks, pseudo-measurements is modeled as loads with the realistic errors. Simulation results on 6-bus radial and 34-bus IEEE test distribution networks show that the distribution state estimation based on proposed DLM-PSO presents lower estimation error and standard deviation in comparison with algorithms such as WLS, GA, HBMO, and original PSO

Evaluation Grain Yield and Yield Component of Three Wheat Cultivars to Drought Stress and Different Levels of Nitrogen

To study the effect of drought stress and N fertilizer application on biological yield, grain yield and yield component of three wheat cultivars, a field experiment was conducted in 2006-2007 at Shushter region in Iran. The experiment was a factorial based on completely randomized block design with replications. Treatments were wheat cultivars (Chamran, Showa and Falat), N fertilizer in two levels (50 and 150 kg/ha) and levels of drought stress (without stress, and stress at grain filling). Chamran and Falat were soft bread wheat type  and Showa was durum. Results indicated that under drought stress Chamran had the higher grain yield (5584 kg/ha) as compared to Showa (5332 kg/ha) and Falat (4821 kg/ha).The high level of N increased grain yield by 45% against low level N application. Response of Chamran to N fertiliser was more than that of Showa and Falat respectively. Spike number, grain number per spike and 1000 grain weight affected grain yiel

The Effect of Different Level of Ziziphus jujube Mill Foliage on Feed Intake, Blood Metabolites and Milk Production and Composition in Fluffy Goats

This Research was conducted to study the effect of different levels of Ziziphus jujube mill foliage on milk yield and composition, blood metabolites (glucose, BUN, triglyceride), dry matter intake and ruminal fermentation. For this purpose 27 heads multiparous southern Khorasan cross-bred goats (DIM of 60±12 and average BW of 28.59±3.18kg) were assigned to three groups as randomized complete design and housed in individual stalls. Treatments were: 1. without jujube leaves, 2. 7.5% jujube leaves/DM of diet and 3. 15% jujube leaves/DM of diet. The Goats were fed TMR diets twice a day (800 and 2000h) and water was available at all the times. For determination the milk composition, ruminal pH, NH3-N and blood parameters, samples were taken in days 30 and 60 and dry matter intake (DMI) and milk yield was measured daily. Dry matter intake between experimental treatments were significant difference (

A novel algorithm based on Honey Bee Mating Optimization for distribution harmonic state estimation including distributed generators

This paper presents a new algorithm based on Honey-Bee Mating Optimization (HBMO) to estimate harmonic state variables in distribution networks including Distributed Generators (DGs). The proposed algorithm performs estimation for both amplitude and phase of each harmonics by minimizing the error between the measured values from Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) and the values computed from the estimated parameters during the estimation process. Simulation results on two distribution test system are presented to demonstrate that the speed and accuracy of proposed Distribution Harmonic State Estimation (DHSE) algorithm is extremely effective and efficient in comparison with the conventional algorithms such as weight Least Square (WLS), Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Tabu Search (TS)

Restoration of estrous cycles by co-transplantation of mouse ovarian tissue with MSCs

This study investigates the effect of bone marrow (BM-MSCs) and visceral peritoneum (VP-MSCs)-derived mesenchymal stem cells on the transplanted ovary. VP-MSCs and BM-MSCs were obtained from green fluorescent protein-expressing mice (GFP+). Six- to eight-week-old female NMRI mice were divided into four experimental groups, autograft ovarian tissue fragments (AO), autograft ovarian tissue fragments encapsulated in fibrin-collagen hydrogel (AO-H), autograft ovarian tissue fragments encapsulated in fibrin-collagen hydrogel containing BM-MSCs (AO-HB) and autograft ovarian tissue fragments encapsulated in fibrin-collagen hydrogel containing VP-MSCs (AO-HP). Intact ovary (IO) was the control group. The estrous cycles resumption time was monitored and at the third estrous cycle, the blood samples and grafted ovaries were evaluated using hormonal, histological and gene expression analysis. Onset of estrous cycles, especially at the second cycle, was earlier in AO-HB and AO-HP groups than in the AO-H group (P &lt; 0.05). Moreover, E2 and FSH levels in AO-HB and AO-HP groups were returned to those of the intact group. However, folliculogenesis was still retarded as compared with the IO group. The gene expression of theca (Lhcgr, Cyp17a1, Gli2, Gli3 and Ptch1), granulosa (Amh and Fshr), oocyte (Zp3 and Gdf9), germ cells (Stella and Prdm1), angiogenesis (VEGF and bFGF) and apoptosis (Bax/Bcl2 and Caspase3) markers was similar in both AO-HB and AO-HP groups. Expression of Amh, Fshr, Gdf9 and VEGF increased only in the AO-HP group whereas expression of Ptch1 increased only in the AO-HB group, as compared with the AO group (P &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, BM-MSCs or VP-MSCs can improve ovarian autotransplantation in mice with no superiority over each other. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature

A dynamic kinetic model for methanol synthesis on deactivated catalyst

A kinetic model for methanol synthesis and the deactivation of catalyst has been proposed. This model is a Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson type, which has been obtained from an active-site balance and describes the dynamic behavior of the active sites of a deactivated CuZnO commercial catalyst. The parameters of the proposed kinetic model have been determined by fitting the experimentally obtained mole fractions of all components for a wide variety of conditions to the transient mass conservation equation in a gradientless differential reactor. By using this model, the rates of reactions on deactivated catalyst have been obtained as a function of time. The results show that catalyst deactivation depends on the composition of CO2 and water. Also, it is found that by enriching synthesis gas with CO2 through a dynamic feeding strategy, the conversion of the reactor will be increased