Green Cloud and reduction of energy consumption

By using global application environments, cloud computing based data centers growing every day and this exponentially grows definitely effect on our environment. Researchers that have a commitment to their environment and others which was concerned about the electricity bills came up with a solution which called “Green Cloudâ€. Green cloud data centers based on how consume energy are known as high efficient data centers. In green cloud we try to reduce number of active devices and consume less electricity energy. In green data centers toke an advantage of VM and ability of copying, deleting and moving VMs over the data center and reduce energy consumption. This paper focused on which parts of data centers may change and how researchers found the suitable solution for each component of data centers. Also with all these problems why still the cloud data centers are the best technology for IT businesses

Prevalence and risk factors of relationship dissatisfaction in women during the first year after childbirth: Implications for family and relationship counseling.

The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of relationship dissatisfaction among Australian women during the first year after childbirth and to uncover factors affecting their relationships. Postnatal women who had given birth during the previous 12 months were invited to participate in a cross-sectional online study. A comprehensive, multisection questionnaire, as well as the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and Patient Health Questionnaire - 8 (PHQ-8), were used to collect data. Responses were analyzed using SPSS for Windows. Results showed that 37.2% of the participants experienced relationship dissatisfaction. Results of the multiple logistic regression revealed that the following were significant risk factors for relationship dissatisfaction during the first postpartum year: annual income of less than AU $ 50,000, sexual dysfunction, and a clinical diagnosis of depression and having symptoms of depression according to the PHQ-8 scores (p < 0.05). Compared to women in a heterosexual relationship, women who were in a same- sex relationship were less likely to have relationship dissatisfaction. In addition, in the period six to 12 months postpartum, women were less likely to have relationship dissatisfaction compared to the period 5 months or less postpartum (p < 0.05)

Sexual function of women during the first year after childbirth: Effect of parity (giving birth after the 20th week of pregnancy), depression and relationship satisfaction

The aim of the present study was to measure the effect of parity, relationship satisfaction and depression on the sexual function of postpartum women during the first year after childbirth. This was a cross-sectional online study, guided by a survey methodology. Postpartum women who had given birth 0-12 months ago were invited to participate in this anonymous study. A multi-section questionnaire requesting information concerning demographics, obstetrics and gynaecological history, baby’s characteristics, medical history and sexual life was designed. In order to measure sexual function of postpartum women, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used. Symptoms of depression were assessed by the use of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) and the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS) was employed to investigate the level of relationship satisfaction. Also, women were asked seven open-ended questions about sexual function, mental health and relationships of women during pregnancy and after childbirth. The questionnaire was available online for a period of four months, from May to August 2012. Responses from 325 women who met the inclusion criteria were considered for analysis. The data were analysed using Chi-square test, independent samples t test and multiple logistic regression analysis. P-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The qualitative data were analysed using content analysis.This study collected quantitative and qualitative data. Results of the quantitative section of the study showed that 64.3% of the postpartum women studied experienced sexual dysfunction. The most prevalent forms of sexual dysfunction were reported to be sexual desire disorder (81.2%), sexual dissatisfaction (70.5%), orgasmic dysfunction (53.5%), arousal disorder (52.3%), lubrication disorder (43.4%) and pain disorder (39.4%). When analysed as a group, less than one-third of participants in the study (24%) reported symptoms of depression and more than one-third of participants in the study (37.2%) reported dissatisfaction with their relationships. Postpartum sexual dysfunction was shown to be significantly (p<0.05) associated with the following: less frequent sexual activity (fortnightly or less), not being the initiator of sex during a sexual activity with the partner, late resumption of sexual activity (9+ weeks postpartum), 0-5 months postpartum, primiparity, depression and relationship dissatisfaction.Less than one-fourth of primiparous and less than one-third of multiparous women reported having postnatal depression (18.4% and 26.1%, respectively) (p=0.187). Postpartum depression was shown to have a statistically significant association with the following variables: diploma or lower educational level, sexual dysfunction and relationship dissatisfaction (p<0.05).Primiparous (66.7%) and multiparous (61.3%) participants in heterosexual relationships reported high levels of relationship satisfaction (p=0.437). The following variables were shown to be statistically significant risk factors for relationship dissatisfaction after childbirth: annual income less than $50,000, sexual dysfunction, being clinically diagnosed with depression and having symptoms of depression on the PHQ-8 (p<0.05). In contrast, women who were in a same-sex relationship were less likely to report relationship dissatisfaction and at 6-12 months postpartum these women reported a higher level of relationship satisfaction compared to 0-5 months postpartum (p<0.05).According to the findings of the qualitative questions in the study, the following factors were reported to make women happy in their sexual relationships: emotion (emotional closeness, intimacy, exclusivity); love (affection and love, feeling desired in a loving and open relationship, sharing friendship, humour, feeling uninhibited, compatibility, caring about each other’s needs); meeting sexual needs (foreplay, having an orgasm, mutual sexual enjoyment and high libido of the partner); and physical attractiveness. In addition, women reported that the following factors resulted in unhappiness within sexual relationships: unmet sexual needs (feeling pressure to have sex when not being in the mood; lack of sexual drive, lack of time, lack of emotion); birth related issues (breastfeeding, fluctuation of hormones); physical and physiological issues (tiredness, low self-confidence due to weight gain, sharing bed or room with baby); and conflicts with partners.Some women reported that pregnancy and childbirth had positive impacts on their sexual function and they had a better sexual life during pregnancy and after childbirth. However, other women reported that pregnancy and childbirth had negative effects on their sexual life for the following reasons: sexual problems (lack of desire for sex or intimacy, lack of lubrication, inability to orgasm, painful intercourse due to vaginal trauma); physical issues (painful caesarean scar, tiredness, sleep deprivation); and intrapersonal issues (role conflict, relationship issues).Some women reported that pregnancy and childbirth had positive impacts on their sexual function and they had a better sexual life during pregnancy and after childbirth. However, other women reported that pregnancy and childbirth had negative effects on their sexual life for the following reasons: sexual problems (lack of desire for sex or intimacy, lack of lubrication, inability to orgasm, painful intercourse due to vaginal trauma); physical issues (painful caesarean scar, tiredness, sleep deprivation); and intrapersonal issues (role conflict, relationship issues).Women’s sexual function, mental health and relationships can be significantly disturbed during pregnancy and one year after childbirth. Findings confirmed the importance of assessing these aspects of life of women during pregnancy and after childbirth in order to promote the quality of life of women, their families and society

Recovery challenges of public housing residents after disasters: Lumberton, North Carolina after Hurricane Matthew

Social vulnerability acknowledges that social structures shape disaster vulnerabilities and recovery outcomes. Public housing residents are one of the most socially vulnerable people that experience significant losses in disasters. Many factors, such as lower income and limited access to information, cause a delay in the housing recovery of public housing tenants. To explore these challenges, I examined the disaster impacts and recovery of public housing units in Lumberton, North Carolina, following the floods induced by Hurricane Matthew in 2016. This research is a part of an interdisciplinary recovery-based field study conducted by the Center of Excellence for Community Resilience Planning funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Hurricane Matthew made landfall in North Carolina on October 8, 2016, as a Category 1 storm. Several communities, including Lumberton, were devastated by heavy rainfall and the river flooding that occurred after Hurricane Matthew. Lumberton is a socioeconomically diverse community with 729 public housing units, many of which got damaged after the floods. Extensive damages have led to the displacement of many public housing families. Using descriptive statistics, mapping, and qualitative analysis, I investigated the recovery progress and challenges of public housing residents. Data on race, income, and housing tenure of the residents at Block Group level were collected from the 2015 ACS-5-year estimation to map the social vulnerability and overlaid with the location of the public housings and the spatial distribution of residential damages. Also, household survey data on disaster impacts, recovery resources, decisions, and dislocations were collected using longitudinal field study surveys conducted in December 2016 shortly after the flooding, and January 2018 one year after the disaster. Furthermore, In-depth interviews with local officials in Lumberton were utilized to examine recovery challenges and progress. Findings show that housing tenure, race, and poverty make up the most significant portion of public housing residents’ vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities resulted in widespread damages to public housing developments and lengthy displacement of the public housing developments. State’s priorities in recovery, absence of strong voice advocating for recovery of affordable housing, funding resources, and allocations influence the pace of the recovery of public housing residents

Sildenafil and Female Sexual Dysfunction: Isn't it Time to Target the Right Candidates?

Female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) is one of the subcategories of female sexual dysfunction (FSD). During recent years, many different chemical and herbal medicines have been introduced to the market by pharmaceutical companies targeting women who suffer sexual dysfunction. Notwithstanding, the majority of these medications failed to demonstrate their efficacy in experimental studies. Regarding the fact that men and women are increasingly becoming similar in terms of life style, familial and social responsibilities, etc, treating female sexual problems by the use of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) has become of interest to many physicians and professionals. This drug is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor and is commonly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Evaluation of the effect of sildenafil on FSAD has yielded controversial results and still there is no unanimity on this issue. The focus of this review article is on the efficacy of sildenafil as a treatment for FSAD. Regarding the fact that women’s sexual dysfunction is a biopsychosocial disorder with a multifaceted etiology, it is proposed that the sole use of sildenafil may not be an effective treatment for FSAD. All aspects of female sexuality should be taken into account during evaluation of female sexual function and when therapeutic approaches for FSAD are introduced. As a matter of fact, women’s sexual problems may become worse and their self-confidence may be negatively affected if improper treatment approach is nominate

A comparison between the efficacy of dydrogesterone and calcium plus vitamin D in improving women’s general health

Objective: The aim of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of dydrogesterone and calcium plus vitamin D on young women's general health. Method: One hundred and eighty students studying at Shiraz University were recruited. Students completed the General Health Questionnaires (GHQ-28) prior to participation. They were then randomly assigned to take a tablet containing either 5 mg of dydrogesterone, 500 mg of calcium plus 200 mg of vitamin D, or a placebo twice daily from the 15th to the 24th day of their menstrual cycle for 2 consecutive cycles, and to complete the same questionnaires during both the intervention cycles. Results: The effects of dydrogesterone and calcium plus vitamin D on general health scores were similar during the first month of intervention (11.41±4.28, 12.23±3.76, respectively) (p>0.05) and both of them were more effective than placebo (16.69±3.28) (

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. & Endl) - the potential of a neglected crop as an alternative sweetener and source of phytochemicals for functional foods

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. & Endl.) as an underutilized crop, native to the Andean region, has attracted growing attention. The tuberous roots of yacon have been advertised as an alternative low caloric plant source for replacing sucrose. In fact, yacon has gained recognition based on the fact that its sweet tasting tuberous roots and its leaves have a favourable phytochemical content to be included in a range of functional food products. The leaves on the one hand are a significant source of health promoting phenolic compounds and their extract exerts certain biological activities such as antioxidant activity and hyperglycemic effects. The tubers on the other hand consist of carbohydrates including simple sugars, namely, fructose, glucose, sucrose and fructooligosaccharides (FOS). The FOS - representing the dominant polysaccharide in the tubers - are sweet tasting, prebiotic, and non-digestible oligosaccharides. Therefore, their consumption imposes several health benefits such as lowering the energy intake while enhancing the beneficial microflora of the colon. It is noted that 60-70 % of the dry matter content of yacon tubers is composed of FOS. Besides, yacon tubers are a remarkable source of biological components such as phenolic compounds. Thus, yacon is considered as multifunctional plant food. The main objectives of this thesis were to 1) differentiate between the quality of young and old yacon leaves of two cultivars (red and white) in terms of their total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity when using ohmic-assisted decoction (OH-DE) and decoction (DE) as well as energy consumption of extraction process, 2) differentiate between various parts of yacon tubers (flesh, peel and whole tuber) of seven cultivars in terms of their simple sugar (fructose, glucose and sucrose) content, TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity, 3) examine the TPC and antioxidant activity of yacon tubers of two cultivars (red and white) one week and three weeks after the harvest and under the influence of different pre-treatments before drying, and 4) determine the effect of drying on quality of yacon chips produced from two cultivars (red and white) at two time intervals after harvest. Overall, this thesis provided a broad dataset und information with regard to phytochemical contents of yacon leaves and tubers of different cultivars grown under the environmental conditions of southwestern Germany. However, further studies with regard to the determination of individual functional constitutes of leaves and tubers of yacon, their mechanism of action and effectiveness in promoting the health benefits, and their safety is essential. Moreover, with regard to novel product development from yacon leaves and tubers, further studies are strongly suggested to ensure the sustainability of final food products by optimizing energy consumption and environmental impacts of the whole food supply chain for such products as well as their quality.Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. & Endl.), eine Knollenfrucht, die in der Andenregion heimisch ist, hat sich wachsende Aufmerksamkeit aufgezogen, da die Knollen als alternative, pflanzliche Zuckerquelle beworben wurden. Neben den Knollen stellen die Blätter eine bedeutende Quelle für gesundheitsfördernde phenolische Verbindungen dar und ihr Extrakt weist bestimmte biologische Aktivitäten, wie ein hohes antioxidatives Potenzial und hyperglykämische Wirkung, auf. Die Yaconknollen bestehen aus Kohlenhydraten einschließlich der Einfachzucker Fructose, Glucose,Saccharose und Fructooligosacchariden (FOS). Die FOS gelten als süß schmeckende, präbiotische Oligosaccharide. Ihr Verzehr führt zu einigen gesundheitlichen Vorteilen, wie der Verringerung der Energiezufuhr, während gleichzeitig die vorteilhafte Mikroflora des Dickdarms verbessert wird. Es wurde festgestellt, dass 60-70 % des Trockensubstanzgehalts der Yaconknolle aus FOS besteht. Außerdem sind Yaconknollen eine bemerkenswerte Quelle für biologische Komponenten wie etwa den phenolischen Verbindungen. Yacon gilt somit als multifunktionales pflanzliches Nahrungsmittel. Die Hauptzielen dieser Dissertation darin bestand: 1) die Qualität junger und alter Yaconblätter zweier Sorten (rot und weiß) hinsichtlich ihres Gesamtphenolgehaltes (TPC), des Gesamtflavonoidgehalts (TFC) und des antioxidativen Potenzials mit Hilfe der Verwendung verschiedener Extraktionsverfahren sowie dem Energieverbrauch des Extraktionsprozesses zu unterscheiden, 2) verschiedene Teile der Yaconknollen (Fruchtfleisch, Schale und ganze Knolle) hinsichtlich ihres Gehalts an Einfachzucker (Fructose, Glucose und Saccharose), TPC, TFC und der antioxidativen Aktivität zu unterscheiden, 3) die TPC- und Antioxidationsaktivität von zweier Sorten (rot und weiß) eine Woche und drei Wochen nach der Ernte und unter dem Einfluss verschiedener Vorbehandlungen vor der Trocknung zu untersuchen und, 4) die Auswirkung der Trocknung auf die Qualität von Yaconchips von zwei Sorten (rote und weiß) in zwei Zeitabständen nach der Ernte zu bestimmen. Insgesamtdie vorliegende Dissertation bietet eine umfassende Datengrundlage zu den phyotchemischen Gehalten verschiedener Inhaltsstoffe in Yaconblättern und knollen, die unter den gegebenen Umweltbedingungen in Südwestdeutschland erzeugt wurden. Um jedoch, sind weitere Studien zur Bestimmung der Zusammensetzung der Blätter und Knollen von Yacon, ihres Wirkmechanismus und ihrer Wirksamkeit im Hinblick auf ihre ernährungsphysiologischen Vorteile sowie die finale Produktsicherheit von wesentlicher Bedeutung. Im Hinblick auf die Entwicklung neuer Lebensmittelprodukte aus Yaconblättern und Knollen werden weitere Studien empfohlen, um die Nachhaltigkeit der Endprodukte zu gewährleisten und den Energieverbrauch und die Umweltauswirkungen der gesamten Wertschöpfungskette zu optimiere

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. & Endl) - the potential of a neglected crop as an alternative sweetener and source of phytochemicals for functional foods

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. & Endl.) as an underutilized crop, native to the Andean region, has attracted growing attention. The tuberous roots of yacon have been advertised as an alternative low caloric plant source for replacing sucrose. In fact, yacon has gained recognition based on the fact that its sweet tasting tuberous roots and its leaves have a favourable phytochemical content to be included in a range of functional food products. The leaves on the one hand are a significant source of health promoting phenolic compounds and their extract exerts certain biological activities such as antioxidant activity and hyperglycemic effects. The tubers on the other hand consist of carbohydrates including simple sugars, namely, fructose, glucose, sucrose and fructooligosaccharides (FOS). The FOS - representing the dominant polysaccharide in the tubers - are sweet tasting, prebiotic, and non-digestible oligosaccharides. Therefore, their consumption imposes several health benefits such as lowering the energy intake while enhancing the beneficial microflora of the colon. It is noted that 60-70 % of the dry matter content of yacon tubers is composed of FOS. Besides, yacon tubers are a remarkable source of biological components such as phenolic compounds. Thus, yacon is considered as multifunctional plant food. The main objectives of this thesis were to 1) differentiate between the quality of young and old yacon leaves of two cultivars (red and white) in terms of their total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity when using ohmic-assisted decoction (OH-DE) and decoction (DE) as well as energy consumption of extraction process, 2) differentiate between various parts of yacon tubers (flesh, peel and whole tuber) of seven cultivars in terms of their simple sugar (fructose, glucose and sucrose) content, TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity, 3) examine the TPC and antioxidant activity of yacon tubers of two cultivars (red and white) one week and three weeks after the harvest and under the influence of different pre-treatments before drying, and 4) determine the effect of drying on quality of yacon chips produced from two cultivars (red and white) at two time intervals after harvest. Overall, this thesis provided a broad dataset und information with regard to phytochemical contents of yacon leaves and tubers of different cultivars grown under the environmental conditions of southwestern Germany. However, further studies with regard to the determination of individual functional constitutes of leaves and tubers of yacon, their mechanism of action and effectiveness in promoting the health benefits, and their safety is essential. Moreover, with regard to novel product development from yacon leaves and tubers, further studies are strongly suggested to ensure the sustainability of final food products by optimizing energy consumption and environmental impacts of the whole food supply chain for such products as well as their quality.Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. & Endl.), eine Knollenfrucht, die in der Andenregion heimisch ist, hat sich wachsende Aufmerksamkeit aufgezogen, da die Knollen als alternative, pflanzliche Zuckerquelle beworben wurden. Neben den Knollen stellen die Blätter eine bedeutende Quelle für gesundheitsfördernde phenolische Verbindungen dar und ihr Extrakt weist bestimmte biologische Aktivitäten, wie ein hohes antioxidatives Potenzial und hyperglykämische Wirkung, auf. Die Yaconknollen bestehen aus Kohlenhydraten einschließlich der Einfachzucker Fructose, Glucose,Saccharose und Fructooligosacchariden (FOS). Die FOS gelten als süß schmeckende, präbiotische Oligosaccharide. Ihr Verzehr führt zu einigen gesundheitlichen Vorteilen, wie der Verringerung der Energiezufuhr, während gleichzeitig die vorteilhafte Mikroflora des Dickdarms verbessert wird. Es wurde festgestellt, dass 60-70 % des Trockensubstanzgehalts der Yaconknolle aus FOS besteht. Außerdem sind Yaconknollen eine bemerkenswerte Quelle für biologische Komponenten wie etwa den phenolischen Verbindungen. Yacon gilt somit als multifunktionales pflanzliches Nahrungsmittel. Die Hauptzielen dieser Dissertation darin bestand: 1) die Qualität junger und alter Yaconblätter zweier Sorten (rot und weiß) hinsichtlich ihres Gesamtphenolgehaltes (TPC), des Gesamtflavonoidgehalts (TFC) und des antioxidativen Potenzials mit Hilfe der Verwendung verschiedener Extraktionsverfahren sowie dem Energieverbrauch des Extraktionsprozesses zu unterscheiden, 2) verschiedene Teile der Yaconknollen (Fruchtfleisch, Schale und ganze Knolle) hinsichtlich ihres Gehalts an Einfachzucker (Fructose, Glucose und Saccharose), TPC, TFC und der antioxidativen Aktivität zu unterscheiden, 3) die TPC- und Antioxidationsaktivität von zweier Sorten (rot und weiß) eine Woche und drei Wochen nach der Ernte und unter dem Einfluss verschiedener Vorbehandlungen vor der Trocknung zu untersuchen und, 4) die Auswirkung der Trocknung auf die Qualität von Yaconchips von zwei Sorten (rote und weiß) in zwei Zeitabständen nach der Ernte zu bestimmen. Insgesamtdie vorliegende Dissertation bietet eine umfassende Datengrundlage zu den phyotchemischen Gehalten verschiedener Inhaltsstoffe in Yaconblättern und knollen, die unter den gegebenen Umweltbedingungen in Südwestdeutschland erzeugt wurden. Um jedoch, sind weitere Studien zur Bestimmung der Zusammensetzung der Blätter und Knollen von Yacon, ihres Wirkmechanismus und ihrer Wirksamkeit im Hinblick auf ihre ernährungsphysiologischen Vorteile sowie die finale Produktsicherheit von wesentlicher Bedeutung. Im Hinblick auf die Entwicklung neuer Lebensmittelprodukte aus Yaconblättern und Knollen werden weitere Studien empfohlen, um die Nachhaltigkeit der Endprodukte zu gewährleisten und den Energieverbrauch und die Umweltauswirkungen der gesamten Wertschöpfungskette zu optimiere

Evaluating the miR-302b and miR-145 expression in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background: MicroRNAs are involved in key cellular processes regulating, and their misregulation is linked to cancer. The miR-302-367 cluster is exclusively expressed in embryonic stem and carcinoma cells. This cluster also promotes cell reprogramming and stemness process. In contrast, miR-145 is mostly regarded as a tumor suppressor, where it regulates cellular functions such as cell division, differentiation, and apoptosis. By suppressing the main pluripotency factors (OCT4, SOX2, MYC and KLF4), miR-145 silences the self-renewal program in ESCs. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to find a potential link between the expression level of hsa-miR-302b and hsa-miR-145 with tumor vs. non-tumor as well as high-grade vs. low-grade states of the esophageal tissue samples. Methods: A total number of 40 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) were obtained, and the tumor and marginal non-tumor areas delineated and punched off by an expert pathologist. Total RNA was extracted with Trizol, and cDNA synthesized using the miRCURY LNA™ Universal RT microRNA PCR Kit. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays were performed using specific LNA-primers and SYBR Green master mix. Results: The expression level of miR-302b failed to show any significant difference, neither between tumor and their non-tumor counterparts, nor among tumors with different grades of malignancies (P > 0.05). In contrast, miR-145 was significantly down regulated in all grades of tumor samples (P 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our data revealed a significant down-regulation of miR-145 in ESCC tissue samples. Based on our ROC curve analysis data (AUC = 0.74, P < 0.001) miR-145 could be regarded as a potential tumor marker for diagnosis of esophageal cancer. © 2015, Academy of Medical Sciences of I.R. Iran. All rights reserved

Lifelong education in the age of globalization

Close observation of the world's development and progression during the last few decades,reveals to us drastic changes in all domains including educational fields. No longer is education bounded to certain privileged groups or loci, as it was in earlier times. It is now available at our doorsteps and its rigidity has changed due to increasing flexibility. Globalization has empowered people towards lifelong learning. Hence, lifelong education together with formal and informal learning (blended learning) helps to improve standard of living. This paper seeks to investigate the need for such an education, the obstacles to it, and its implementation at world level. We hope it could shed light on the related issues and help overcome the hindering factors