1,285 research outputs found
The comparison of under-5-year nutritional status among Fars-native, Turkman and Sistani ethnic groups in the north of Iran
Background: Under nutrition is a health problem in developing countries and the main aim of this study was determine of the nutritional status and some sociodemographic factors among rural under-5-year children in the North of Iran in 2013. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study, which carried out on 2530 children (637 = Fars-native, 1002 = Turkman and 891 = Sistani) from 21 villages in the North of Iran. Villages were chosen by random sampling among 118, and all of under-five children were chosen by simple sampling. For all of cases, a questionnaire with contain questions on the socialdemographic condition was completed and anthropometric indexes were measured by a learned team. Anthropometric data were compared with those in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reference population. SPSS 18.0 software was used for statistical data analysis and P value under 0.05 included significations. Results: Generally, under nutrition (Z-score †â2) was observed in 6.6%, 18.5% and 3.3% based on underweight, stunting and wasting, respectively and there were in boys more than girls and in Sistani more than other ethnic groups. Based on underweight and stunting, under nutrition was seen in Sistani more than other ethnic groups. Among three ethnic groups, stunting was significant both in boys (P = 0.013) and in girls (P = 0.004), but wasting was significant only in girls (P = 0.001). The estimated odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval of under nutrition was obtained from logistic regression. Compared with good economic group, the OR was 1.831 in poor economic groups (P = 0.001). The risk of under nutrition in Sistanish ethnic group was 1.754 times more than Fars-native group (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Under nutrition is a health problem among under-5-year children in rural area in the North of Iran and stunting was seen in an alarming rate among them. Among ethnic groups, Sistanish children more than others were under nourished. Poor economic status is a risk factor for under nutrition in this area. © 2015 Veghari G
Power allocation for D2D communications using max-min message-passing algorithm
The approach of factor-graphs (FGs) is applied in the context of power control and user pairing in Device-to-Device (D2D) communications as an effective underlay concept in wireless cellular networks. D2D communications can increase the spectral efïŹciency of wireless cellular networks by establishing a direct link between devices with limited help from the evolved node base stations (eNBs). A well-designed user pairing and power allocation scheme with low complexity can remarkably improve the systemâs performance. In this paper, a simple and distributed FG based approach is utilized for power control and user pairing implementation in an underlay cellular network with D2D communications. A max-min criterion is proposed to maximize the minimum rate of all active users in the network, including the cellular and multiple D2D co-channel links in the uplink direction. An associated message-passing (MP) algorithm is presented to distributedly solve the resultant NP-hard maximization problem, with a guaranteed convergence compared to game-theoretic and Q-learning based methods. The complexity and convergence of the proposed method are analyzed and numerical results conïŹrm that the proposed scheme outperforms alternative algorithms in terms of complexity, while keeping the sum-rate of users nearly the same as centralized counterpart methods
Obesity paradox versus frailty syndrome in first-ever ischemic stroke survivors
No description supplie
The effect of purslane hydroextract and zinc on performance, antioxidant capacity and immunity of broiler chickens during summer conditions
Due to negative effects of high ambient temperature, the present study was
conducted to investigate the effects of Portulaca oleracea hydroextract (PHE) and zinc (Zn) on the growth performance and immunity of broiler
chickens reared under high summer ambient temperature conditions. A total of
420Â day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to seven
dietary treatments each replicated four times with 15 birds per replicate. The
basal diet as the control diet was supplemented with 100 mg kgâ1
butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), or 300 and 600 mg kgâ1 of PHE,
100 mg kgâ1 of zinc and 100 mg kgâ1 of zinc plus 300 or
600 mg kgâ1 of PHE (ZP300 and ZP600). The result of the present study showed that
Zn, PHE and their combination did not alter daily feed intake and feed
conversion ratio. Although there was a tendency toward an increase in
broiler body weight at 24 and 44 days of age (Pâ=â0.059 and Pâ=â0.061), the body weight of birds fed the basal
diet supplemented with Zn reduced at day 10. The birds fed diets supplemented
with BHT or ZP600 showed lower aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and lactate
dehydrogenase activity at 24Â days of age (Pâ<â0.05), but it remains lower in
the ZP600 group only for ASAT activity level at day 44. The results of the
present study suggest that dietary PHE and Zn supplementation partially
improved body weight and serum antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase
activity and antibody titer against sheep red blood cells and Newcastle
diseases in the broiler chickens during summer conditions.</p
Prospects for detecting the 21cm forest from the diffuse intergalactic medium with LOFAR
We discuss the feasibility of the detection of the 21cm forest in the diffuse
IGM with the radio telescope LOFAR. The optical depth to the 21cm line has been
derived using simulations of reionization which include detailed radiative
transfer of ionizing photons. We find that the spectra from reionization models
with similar total comoving hydrogen ionizing emissivity but different
frequency distribution look remarkably similar. Thus, unless the reionization
histories are very different from each other (e.g. a predominance of UV vs.
x-ray heating) we do not expect to distinguish them by means of observations of
the 21cm forest. Because the presence of a strong x-ray background would make
the detection of 21cm line absorption impossible, the lack of absorption could
be used as a probe of the presence/intensity of the x-ray background and the
thermal history of the universe. Along a random line of sight LOFAR could
detect a global suppression of the spectrum from z>12, when the IGM is still
mostly neutral and cold, in contrast with the more well-defined, albeit broad,
absorption features visible at lower redshift. Sharp, strong absorption
features associated with rare, high density pockets of gas could be detected
also at z~7 along preferential lines of sight.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figures. MNRAS, in pres
Psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in Norway : nationwide prevalence and use of biologic agents
Objective To estimate the prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the use of biologic agents in these diseases in Norway. Methods From the Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR), we identified as PsA, axSpA and RA patients >= 18 years those with >= 2 recorded episodes with diagnostic coding for index disease (L40.5, M07.0-M07.3 for PsA; M45, M46.0, M46.1, M46.8 and M46.9 for axSpA; M05-M06 for RA). We calculated the point prevalence of PsA, axSpA and RA as per the 1(st) of January 2017 in the Norwegian adult population (age >= 18). Dispensed disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) prescriptions were obtained from the Norwegian Prescription Database and biologic DMARDs given in hospitals from the NPR. Results The point prevalence of PsA, axSpA, RA, and any of these diseases in total was 0.46%, 0.41%, 0.78%, and 1.56%, respectively. Among women, the prevalence of PsA, axSpA, and RA was 0.50%, 0.37%, and 1.10%, and among men 0.43%, 0.45%, and 0.46%, respectively. In 2017, 27.3% of RA patients, 25.7% of PsA patients and 35.1% of axSpA patients used biologic DMARDs. Treatment with biologics was more frequent in younger age groups in all three diseases, and became more infrequent especially after age >= 55 years. Conclusion In Norway, the combined prevalence of PsA, axSpA, and RA was over 1.5%. Reflecting the good overall access to highly effective but costly biologic treatments, more than a fourth of these patients used biologic agents, which corresponds to over 0.4% of Norwegian adult population.Peer reviewe
Exploiting within-breed variability in the autochthonous Reggiana breed identified several candidate genes affecting pigmentation-related traits, stature and udder defects in cattle
Autochthonous cattle breeds constitute important reservoirs of genetic diversity. Reggiana is an Italian local cattle breed reared in the north of Italy for the production of a mono-breed ParmigianoâReggiano cheese. Reggiana cattle usually have a classical solid red coat colour and pale muzzle. As part of the strategies designed for the sustainable conservation of this genetic resource, we investigated at the genome-wise level the within-breed detected variability of three pigmentation-related traits (intensity of red coat colour, based on three classes â light/diluted, normal and dark; spotted patterns/piebaldism that sometime emerge in the breed; muzzle colour â pink/pale, grey and black), stature, presence/absence and number of supernumerary teats and teat length. A total of 1776 Reggiana cattle (about two-thirds of the extant breed population) were genotyped with the GeneSeek GGP Bovine 150k SNP array and single-marker and haplotype-based GWASs were carried out. The results indicated that two main groups of genetic factors affect the intensity of red coat colour: darkening genes (including EDN3 and a few other genes) and diluting genes (including PMEL and a few other genes). Muzzle colour was mainly determined by MC1R gene markers. Piebaldism was mainly associated with KIT gene markers. Stature was associated with BTA6 markers upstream of the NCAPGâLCORL genes. Teat defects were associated with TBX3/TBX5, MCC and LGR5 genes. Overall, the identified genomic regions not only can be directly used in selection plans in the Reggiana breed, but also contribute to clarifying the genetic mechanisms involved in determining exterior traits in cattle
Vertical-via interconnection for infrared antennas
The authors present fabrication process details and test data for a vertical-via. interconnection suitable for low-frequency signal extraction from infrared antenna-coupled sensors. Electrical readout of the signal from an antenna-coupled bolometer was accomplished using two 300 nm diameter Au via structures that extended 300 nm in the vertical direction. These vertical vias passed through two isolation layers of SiO2 and through a 1500 X 600 nm(2) cutout in a ground plane. Electromagnetic, isolation of the antenna from its associated electrical-readout bondpads at 28.3 THz in the infrared was demonstrated by mapping the two-dimensional spatial response of the antenna and comparing it to spatial response data from a similar structure without the intervening ground plane. (c) 2006 American Vacuum Society
Adaptive sliding-mode observer for second order discrete-time MIMO nonlinear systems based on recurrent neural-networks
Cloning and Expression of Major Surface Antigen 1 Gene of Toxoplasma gondii RH Strain Using the Expression Vector pVAX1 in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells
Background: Toxoplasmosis is an opportunistic protozoan infection with a high prevalence in a broad range of hosts infecting up to onethird
of the world human population. Toxoplasmosis leads to serious medical problems in immunocompromised individuals and fetuses
and also induces abortion and mortality in domestic animals. Therefore, there is a huge demand for the development of an effective
vaccine. Surface Antigen 1 (SAG1) is one of the important immunodominant surface antigens of Toxoplasma gondii, which interacts with
host cells and primarily involved in adhesion, invasion and stimulation of host immune response. Surface antigen 1 is considered as the
leading candidate for development of an effective vaccine against toxoplasmosis.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to clone the major surface antigen1 gene (SAG1) from the genotype 1 of T. gondii, RH strain into
the eukaryotic expression vector pVAX1 in order to use for a DNA vaccine.
Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from tachyzoite of the parasite using the QIAamp DNA mini kit. After designing the
specific primers, SAG1 gene was amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The purified PCR products were then cloned into a pPrime
plasmid vector. The aforementioned product was subcloned into the pVAX1 eukaryotic expression vector. The recombinant pVAX1-SAG1
was then transfected into Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells and expression of SAG1 antigen was evaluated using Reverse Transcriptase
Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA) and Western Blotting (WB).
Results: The cloning and subcloning products (pPrime-SAG1 and pVAX1-SAG1 plasmid vectors) of SAG1 gene were verified and confirmed by
enzyme digestion and sequencing. A 30 kDa recombinant protein was expressed in CHO cells as shown by IFA and WB methods.
Conclusions: The pVAX1 expression vector and CHO cells are a suitable system for high-level recombinant protein production for SAG1
gene from T. gondii parasites and are promising approaches for antigen preparation in vaccine development
- âŠ