Environmental impacts assessment of construction and utilization phases of tourism projects in Karun Dam IV, Iran

There is a strong mutuality between tourism and environment via the creation of feedback mechanisms, since tourism often places adverse effects upon the quality and quantity of natural and cultural resources of the destination, leading to its qualitative and quantitative degradation. Within the Environmental Impacts Assessment (EIA) studies, various methods have been proposed to assess and analyze the environmental impacts. The Rapid Impact Assessment Method (RIAM) has been used in the present study to assess and analyze the environmental impacts of Karun Dam IV touristic area. The outcome of the study indicates that the developments in tourism can have considerable negative effects on the physical and biological parameters in construction and utilization phases. For the optimum utilization of the resources and facilities of the area throughout the year, and the amelioration of social welfare of the inhabitants and their ability to enjoy the auspices of tourism development, the touristic- developmental activities besides the Karun Dam IV should take place by the observation of environmental management programs. This will lead to considerable positive effects in the Southwestern Zagros area

Chemo-mechanical model for skeletal muscle contraction

Generation of force in skeletal muscle tissue depends on both chemical and mechanical phenomena. In this work, considering the kinetics of cross bridges, a one dimensional model has been proposed for predicting the isometric force according to the intracellular calcium ion distribution

Association of serum uric acid with proteinuria in type 2 diabetic patients

Background: Various findings suggest that uric acid is an inflammatory factor and may have a role in endothelial dysfunction and act as a mediator of diabetic nephropathy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships between serum uric acid level and level of proteinuria in type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in 60 patients with T2D without a history of gout. None was treated with allopurinol. Venous blood samples were obtained in fasting state for determinations of serum creatinine, uric acid, and hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) (reference range 3.8-5.5%); 24-h urine proteinuria was also measured. Results: Mean age of the patients was 57 +/- 8.3 years. Mean +/- standard error (SE) of serum creatinine was 0.98 +/- 0.028 mg/dL, mean +/- SE of serum uric acid was 4.5 +/- 0.15 mg/dL, and mean +/- SE of proteinuria was 388 +/- 28.7 mg/day (median = 303.5 mg/day). There was no significant difference in serum uric acid, HbA(1c), and creatinine level between males and females (P > 0.05). There was a significant positive association between body mass index (BMI) and serum uric acid levels (r = 0.428, P = 0.001). After adjustment for weight, a significant positive association of serum uric acid with level of proteinuria was seen (r = 0.47, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Serum uric acid had a significant positive association with diabetic nephropathy. It might be hypothesized that serum uric acid plays a role in diabetic nephropathy in T2D

Interacting entropy-corrected new agegraphic dark energy in Brans-Dicke cosmology

Motivated by a recent work of one of us [1], we extend it by using quantum (or entropy) corrected new agegraphic dark energy in the Brans-Dicke cosmology. The correction terms are motivated from the loop quantum gravity which is one of the competitive theories of quantum gravity. Taking the non-flat background spacetime along with the conformal age of the universe as the length scale, we derive the dynamical equation of state of dark energy and the deceleration parameter. An important consequence of this study is the phantom divide scenario with entropy-corrected new agegraphic dark energy. Moreover, we assume a system of dark matter, radiation and dark energy, while the later interacts only with dark matter. We obtain some essential expressions related with dark energy dynamics. The cosmic coincidence problem is also resolved in our model.Comment: 16 pages, no figure, accepted for publication in Gen. Relativ. Gra

Assessing the role of Ca2+ in skeletal muscle fatigue using a multi-scale continuum model

The Calcium ion Ca2+ plays a critical role as an initiator and preserving agent of the cross-bridge cycle in the force generation of skeletal muscle. A new multi-scale chemo-mechanical model is presented in order to analyze the role of Ca2+ in muscle fatigue and to predict fatigue behavior. To this end, a cross-bridge kinematic model was incorporated in a continuum based mechanical model, considering a thermodynamic compatible framework. The contractile velocity and the generated active force were directly related to the force-bearing states that were considered for the cross-bridge cycle. In order to determine the values of the model parameters, the output results of an isometric simulation were initially fitted with experimental data obtained for rabbit Extensor Digitorum Longus muscle. Furthermore, a simulated force-velocity curve under concentric contractions was compared with reported experimental results. Finally, by varying the Ca2+ concentration level and its kinetics in the tissue, the model was able to predict the evolution of the active force of an experimental fatigue protocol. The good agreement observed between the simulated results and the experimental outcomes proves the ability of the model to reproduce the fatigue behavior and its applicability for more detailed multidisciplinary investigations related to chemical conditions in muscle performance