On Quasi-Chebyshev Subspaces of Banach Spaces

AbstractA quasi-Chebyshev subspace of a Banach space X has been defined as one in which the set of best approximants for every x in X is non-empty and compact. This generalizes the well known concept of pseudo-Chebyshev property. In this paper we shall give various characterizations of quasi-Chebyshev subspaces in Banach spaces. Moreover, we present a characterization of the spaces in which all closed linear subspaces are quasi-Chebyshev

Change in bone mineral density in post menopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction: Low bone mass is a serious complication of post menopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. We determined the Change in Bone Mineral Density in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was carried out on consecutive postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis who were referred to the Azar 5th teaching hospital affiliated to Golestan University of Medical Sciences, North of Iran in 2009. The required data were gathered from the patients' medical records. The data were analyzed using SPSS software and statistical tests. Results: We studied 98 postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. Mean number of years since menopause and mean duration of disease were 9.39 and 5.13 respectively. T Score mean in femoral neck and lumbar spines was -1.45±1.26 and -2.45±1.44 respectively. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis at both the lumbar spine and femoral neck was 13.3. We have found a significant correlation between age, duration of disease, duration of menopause and bone mineral density (P-Value<0.01). Conlusion: Our results indicate a negative effect of age, number of years since menopause and duration of disease on bone mineral density. So, BMD should be measured in high risk women prior to the implementation of any treatment or prevention program

Developing the attenuation relation for damage spectrum in X-braced steel structures with neural network

Evaluating structural damage, caused by earthquakes, is very important in seismic risk management. Zoning maps of structural damage are directly used in evaluating damage of different zones as well as planning to retrofit structures. Attenuation relation is applied in preparing the acceleration zoning of regions. Similarly, damage attenuation relations which are used in analyzing probabilistic hazard and preparing damage zoning are obtained by structural damage spectrum. This spectrum is nonlinear and designed by considering nonlinear parameters of a series of one-degree-of-freedom structures and time history dynamic analysis. After gathering and modifying 778 records of the earthquakes happened in Iran, the damage spectrum was prepared for X-braced steel structures with different specifications (yield force, hysteresis curves, and ductility capacity). Damage attenuation relation was developed for the structures through regression analysis and the obtained results were compared with those of artificial neural network method. Damage of three samples with different specifications was calculated by the developed attenuation relation. The obtained results were compared with those of time history dynamic analysis. The developed relations were used for analyzing the probabilistic damage risk and preparing the damage zoning maps for city of Qazvin, as a seismic region in Iran

Epidemiological alteration in pathogens found in ground meat in Iran: unexpected predominance of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis

Colonization of the human and animal intestinal tract with potential pathogenic bacteria is correlated with the risk of contamination of food products. The current study analyzed the prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli O157H7 in ground meat in Ilam, Iran. Both index organisms were identified following standard food microbiological methods. For E. faecalis, the susceptibility to vancomycin was tested, and PCR was used to check for the vanA gene. E. faecalis was present in all 24 ground meat samples, with no E. coli O157H7 detected in samples. The analysis showed the presence of the vanA gene in 5/24 vancomycin resistant enterococci. In conclusion, this study for the first time demonstrates the presence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in ground meat in Iran. This observation warrants further epidemiologic investigation and should be followed up in the future

Enantiomorphism and rule similarity in the astigmatism axes of fellow eyes: A population-based study Enantiomorfismo y similitud de la regla en los ejes del astigmatismo en ojos contralaterales: estudio poblacional

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship patterns between astigmatism axes of fellow eyes (rule similarity and symmetry) and to determine the prevalence of each pattern in the studied population. Methods: This population-based study was conducted in 2015 in Iran. All participants had tests for visual acuity, objective refraction, subjective refraction (if cooperative), and assessment of eye health at the slit-lamp. Axis symmetry was based on two different patterns: direct (equal axes) and mirror (mirror image symmetry) or enantiomorphism. Bilateral astigmatism was classified as isorule if fellow eyes had the same orientation (e.g. both eyes were with-the-rule) and as anisorule if otherwise. Results: Of the total cases of bilateral astigmatism, 80 were isorule, and in the studied population, the prevalence of isorule and anisorule astigmatism was 14.89 and 3.53, respectively. The prevalence of isorule increased with age (p 0.288). Both symmetry patterns reduced with age (p < 0.001). Among cases of bilateral astigmatism, 15.5 and 19.8 had exact direct and mirror symmetry, respectively. Conclusion: Bilateral astigmatism is mainly isorule in the population and anisorule astigmatism is rare. The enantiomorphism is the most common pattern in the population of bilateral astigmatism. © 2018 Spanish General Council of Optometr

Enantiomorphism and rule similarity in the astigmatism axes of fellow eyes: A population-based study Enantiomorfismo y similitud de la regla en los ejes del astigmatismo en ojos contralaterales: estudio poblacional

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship patterns between astigmatism axes of fellow eyes (rule similarity and symmetry) and to determine the prevalence of each pattern in the studied population. Methods: This population-based study was conducted in 2015 in Iran. All participants had tests for visual acuity, objective refraction, subjective refraction (if cooperative), and assessment of eye health at the slit-lamp. Axis symmetry was based on two different patterns: direct (equal axes) and mirror (mirror image symmetry) or enantiomorphism. Bilateral astigmatism was classified as isorule if fellow eyes had the same orientation (e.g. both eyes were with-the-rule) and as anisorule if otherwise. Results: Of the total cases of bilateral astigmatism, 80 were isorule, and in the studied population, the prevalence of isorule and anisorule astigmatism was 14.89 and 3.53, respectively. The prevalence of isorule increased with age (p 0.288). Both symmetry patterns reduced with age (p < 0.001). Among cases of bilateral astigmatism, 15.5 and 19.8 had exact direct and mirror symmetry, respectively. Conclusion: Bilateral astigmatism is mainly isorule in the population and anisorule astigmatism is rare. The enantiomorphism is the most common pattern in the population of bilateral astigmatism. © 2018 Spanish General Council of Optometr

Enantiomorphism and rule similarity in the astigmatism axes of fellow eyes: A population-based study Enantiomorfismo y similitud de la regla en los ejes del astigmatismo en ojos contralaterales: estudio poblacional

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship patterns between astigmatism axes of fellow eyes (rule similarity and symmetry) and to determine the prevalence of each pattern in the studied population. Methods: This population-based study was conducted in 2015 in Iran. All participants had tests for visual acuity, objective refraction, subjective refraction (if cooperative), and assessment of eye health at the slit-lamp. Axis symmetry was based on two different patterns: direct (equal axes) and mirror (mirror image symmetry) or enantiomorphism. Bilateral astigmatism was classified as isorule if fellow eyes had the same orientation (e.g. both eyes were with-the-rule) and as anisorule if otherwise. Results: Of the total cases of bilateral astigmatism, 80 were isorule, and in the studied population, the prevalence of isorule and anisorule astigmatism was 14.89 and 3.53, respectively. The prevalence of isorule increased with age (p 0.288). Both symmetry patterns reduced with age (p < 0.001). Among cases of bilateral astigmatism, 15.5 and 19.8 had exact direct and mirror symmetry, respectively. Conclusion: Bilateral astigmatism is mainly isorule in the population and anisorule astigmatism is rare. The enantiomorphism is the most common pattern in the population of bilateral astigmatism. © 2018 Spanish General Council of Optometr

Characterization of antimicrobial resistance pattern and molecular analysis among extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli

Background: Infection is a serious problem in medicine and appropriate antibiotic therapy is very important. Because of broad spectrum activity and low toxicity of β-lactam antibiotics, they are the most commonly used drugs. But, bacterial resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, has been considered as the global healthcare concern. The aim of study was to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance pattern and molecular characterization among ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolated from patients with diarrhea admitted to a hospital in Ilam, Iran. Methods: Totally, fifty E. coli isolates were investigated. Confirmatory tests for phenotypic detection of ESBLs were performed. Molecular identification of the blaTEM and blaSHV genes was carried out by PCR method. To identify genetic relatedness among isolates, Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was performed. Results: The antibiotic susceptibility results showed that the most effective antibiotic was imipenem and minimum effect was related to gentamicin. Thirty-one isolates (62) were ESBL-producing organisms according to phenotypic method. The distribution of blaTEM and blaSHV genes among ESBL-producing isolates were 20 (64.5) and 6 (19.3), respectively. RAPD-PCR typing among isolates gave us eight different types. Twelve isolates were clustered in genotype A and all of them were ESBL-producer. Conclusion: The present study showed noticeable incidence of ESBL-producing E. coli isolated from outpatients and hospitalized patients with diarrhea. Therefore, it seems that constant supervision is crucial to monitor the ESBL-producing microorganisms in hospitals and community. © 2016 The Authors