Thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of Kaolin clay

The need for an improved understanding of the effects of temperature on the hydro-mechanical behaviour of compacted clays is important in many applications, such as disposal of high level nuclear wastes, burial of high voltage cables, drilling of deep offshore wells, and clay liners used on landfills. In this thesis, a study of the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behaviour of kaolin clay under different conditions is presented. A series of experimental unsaturated tests was carried out, including temperature and suction controlled oedometer tests, and suction measurements to obtain the soil water retention curves at different temperatures. In order to describe the dependency of the soil water retention curves on temperature, the influences of temperature on the contact angle of menisci and the microstructure of the soil samples were studied. Moreover, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy was employed for studying the microstructure of the soil at certain conditions of interest. A new suction and temperature controlled oedometer cell was designed, developed and calibrated for investigating THM behaviour of kaolin clay. The oedometer was used to examine the combined effects of suction and temperature on compressibility and collapse behaviour of the soil. In this thesis, special attention was given to the filter paper methodology for suction measurements at different temperatures. The calibration curve of Whatman No. 42 filter paper was determined at 10, 25 and 50ºC using the vapour equilibrium technique with sodium chloride solutions at different concentrations and the axis translation technique. Based on the experimental data, a unique calibration equation was proposed; taking into account the effect of temperature. The experimental results showed that temperature has a relevant influence on filter paper suction measurement and that misleading results can be obtained if temperature is not taken into account in the calibration equation

The effect of corporative leverage on earnings management in Drug industry

In order to mislead shareholders, the directors often manage the profit. In this survey, the impact of corporative leverage on earnings management explored. The research sample includes 313 firm-years, which had been admitted in Drug industry in Tehran Security and Exchange Organization (TSEO). The period of research implementation was selected among fiscal years 2001-2014. To measure earnings management based on accruals in this investigation, jones’s was used, and to measure corporative financial leverage, total corporative liabilities have been divided by total corporate assets and properties. We found a negative relationship among financial leverage and earnings management in this research. Keywords: Financial Leverage- Earnings Management-Drug industr

Comparison between different control strategies of a Z-source inverter based dynamic voltage restorer

In this paper, dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) compensation methods are compared to each other for the load side connected shunt converter topology of z-source inverter based DVR to choose the best method. Four different topologies are recognized for DVR that two of them have energy storage devices, and two topologies have no energy storage that take ener\-gy from the grid during the period of compensation. Here the load side connected shunt converter topology that takes necessary energy from the grid is used. Pre-sag compensation, in-phase compensation, energy-optimized methods are the three DVR compensation methods that studied and compared. A deep analysis through different diagrams would show the advantages or disadvantages of each compensation method. Equations for all methods are derived and the characteristics of algorithms are compared with each other. The simulation results done by SIMULINK/ MATLAB shows compensating by this topology based on the compensation methods

Frequency of Intestinal Parasitic Infections among Individuals Referred to the Medical Center Laboratories in Nahavand City, Hamadan Province, Western Iran

Background: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) cause serious public health problem in the world, especially those located in tropical and subtropical areas. This study was conducted with the aim of obtaining frequency of intestinal parasites in referred people to the Nahavand city laboratories, Hamadan province, western Iran.Materials and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among checkup individuals and patients referred to laboratories of Nahavand County. A total of 371 stool samples (150 from checkup individuals and 221 from patients) were selected by using systematic random sampling during summer 2014.  The stool specimens were examined macroscopically, and microscopically by using direct slide smear (saline wet mount and lugol staining), formaldehyde - diethyl ether concentration, trichrome staining and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining techniques. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and Chi-square test.Results: Ninety two patients (24.8%) were infected with single or multiple intestinal parasites. The overall prevalence of IPIs in checkup individuals and patients was 21.3% and 27.1%, respectively. The frequency of the observed intestinal parasites was: Blastocystis spp. 72 (19.4%), Entamoeba coli 7 (1/9%), Endolimax nana 7 (1/9%), Giardia lamblia 5 (1/3%), Cryptosporidium spp. 3 (0.8%), Entamoeba hartmanni 3 (0.8%), Entamoeba histolitica/E. dispar 1 (0.3%), Trichomonas hominies 1 (0.3%), Chilomastix mesnili 1 (0.3%), Iodamoeba butschlii 1 (0.3% ) and Enterobius vermicularis egg l (0.3%).Conclusion: The proportion of observed protozoan parasites 91 (24.5%) is higher than helminthes infection 1 (0.3%). The worm infections in Nahavand city was dramatically decreased over the past decades, induced increases in public health at the community level.  Blastocystis spp. was the predominant intestinal parasite in people referred to the Nahavand city laboratories.  Proportion of pathogenic IPIs among patients 4.07% (9 of 221) was higher in compare to the checkup individuals in which only one out of 150 (0.66%) Giardia lamblia was observed.

The Relationship of Knowledge Management and Organizational Performance in Science and Technology Parks of Iran

Any effective and sustainable changes in an organization refers to three areas related with each other and play the best way in the humans, structure and technology fields. The Knowledge management by emphasizing the three areas with the axis of man and preparing him as a knowledge worker tries to achieve organizational goals.Purpose: The current study aims to investigate the existing relationship between knowledge management infrastructures, knowledge management process capabilities, creative organizational learning, and organizational performance.Originality/value: Previous researches did not appraise the effect of knowledge management and its capabilities on organizational performance, and the specific influence of creative organizational learning was disregarded. The present study demonstrates the mechanism of knowledge management effect on organizational performance and describes the comprehensive dimensions of knowledge management performance.Methodology: Statistical population includes executives of Knowledge based companies in Science and Technology Parks of Iran. The 336 questionnaire was distributed to the census, 248questionnaireswerecompletedcorrectly. The research data were analyzed by PLS software. The unit of analysis is a company that has adopted a KMS. Target population of the research consisted of 700 Top Managers of Knowledge based companies in Science and Technology Parks of Iran (N=700). Random sampling method applied in this study and 248Top Managers were considered as the statistical sample based on "Morgan Table". One standard 5-point Likert questionnaire adopted and distributed between Top managers in the park. 252 questionnaires were returned among which 248 ones were statistically investigated. The structural relations among variables were tested using the partial least squares (PLS) method.Findings: This study shows that the KM processes can mediate between creative organizational learning and factors in the KM infrastructure. The results of the study demonstrate that knowledge management process capabilities has the most crucial role in creative organizational learning. The results indicate that there is a significant influence of the infrastructure capabilities (Collaboration, Trust, Learning Culture, Decentralization, Top Management, Promotion, IT support) on the process capabilities, also the impacts of knowledge management process capabilities on creative organizational learning and the impacts of creative organizational learning on organizational performance was confirmed

Methyl Mercury Induced Changes in the Serum Proteins of Bluegills – Lepomis Macrochirus (Teleostei)

Author Institution: Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State UniversityThere were qualitative and quantitative changes in the serum proteins of bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus, exposed to 8.728 X 10~4 ppb (W/V) of methyl mercury (MeHg) for 24, 48, and 72 hr. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of serum proteins revealed significant changes in the qualitative and quantitative profiles at 24 and 48 hr. However, at 72 hr a trend to return to control levels was noted. The data suggest that at the dose tested, MeHg produced repairable lesions in certain tissues or organs of bluegills

Presence of Leptin in Chronic Periapical Lesions

INTRODUCTION: Studies have shown the regulatory role of Leptin in bone formation, its expression in adipose tissue as well as increased levels in circulation following the adminstration of inflammatory stimuli such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS). However, there is little data evaluating the role of Leptin in inflammatory periapical lesions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and concentration of Leptin in chronic periapical lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chronic periapical lesions with different sizes were collected during periapical surgery of the mandibular molars from twenty patients and cultured for 72 hours. The ELISA method determined the concentration of Leptin in supernatant fluids of explants cultures. Statistical analysis was performed using non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U, Chi-Square and Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient). RESULTS: Leptin was found in all samples with the average concentration of 405.55±102.98 (pg/mL). There was no significant correlation between the concentration of Leptin and BMI, and the diameters of lesions. CONCLUSION: Leptin can be considered an inflammatory mediator and is likely to have a role during the early phases of dental periapical lesions

The Role of Informational Medium on Decisions to Respond to a Message

The dangers of texting while driving has been clearly reported in distracted driving studies. People generally see texting while driving a dangerous behavior but they do it. A new line of research in the area of driving distraction is concerned with why people do risky behavior such as texting while driving although most people believe it is a dangerous behavior. This study examined the value of responding to a message and factors that may influence the decision making process of people about responding to message. Using the delay discounting method in this study it was examined if information medium of message influences decisions to respond to a message. The results of first experiment showed that there is a quantitatively difference in the shape of the delay discounting function for different informational mediums suggesting discounting for a cell phone text message compared with post-it message and post card message. The results of the second experiment showed the same different shape of delay discounting function for the value of responding to a message depending on the weather condition and response medium of a message in driving condition. People could not wait to respond to a message while driving in a normal weather condition. They also showed inability to wait to respond to a message if it is received through a car in-dash system rather than cellphone. In sum this study showed that people’s decisions to respond to a message is valued differently given informational medium related factors