Breast tuberculosis in Northeast Iran: Review of 22 cases

Background: Breast tuberculosis (breast TB) is an extremely rare disease, so case reviews are also rare.Methods: This study is a retrospective review of patients with breast TB who were treated between 2002 and 2012 at the Health Center of Gorgan City.Results: All 22 patients were females, their mean age was 32.4 years, and all were new cases. Patients presented with swelling of the breast (22%), lump (55%) and excretion from the involved breast (27%), and breast pain (55%). The highest rate of breast TB occurred in 2011 (27%). All patients received the DOTS regimen for a mean duration of 7.3 ± 0.7 months; in addition, segmental resection was performed on 11 patients (50%).Conclusions: The findings confirmed that breast TB in Iran should be considered as a differential diagnosis of breast masses. All patients in our study received the daily and 'Directly Observed Treatment Short-course' (DOTS) regimens. Anti-tubercular therapy for six months with or without minimal surgical intervention currently is the main treatment. © 2014 Khodabakhshi and Mehravar; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

On the Detectability of CMB Anisotropies Induced by de Sitter-G\"odel-de Sitter Phase Transition

A geometrical phase transition in the very early Universe, from de Sitter to G\"odel and back to de Sitter (dGd) spacetimes, can explain the universal phenomenon of rotation of many large scale structures. This phase transition is shown to induce fluctuations on the matter and radiation fields with possibly observable traces. In this work we simulate the dGd-induced inhomogeneities and use their power spectrum, parametrized by the parameter pair ($p_1, p_2$), as possible seeds of CMB anisotropies along with the standard inflationary perturbations. With the Planck 2018 observations, we find $p_1=0.008^{+0.003}_{-0.008}$ and $p_2= 0.002^{+0.001}_{-0.002}$ consistent with pure inflationary power spectrum and no hint for the dGd transition. Future large scale surveys can further tighten the constraints and probe the physics of the early Universe

Contact Pressure Distribution in Joints Formed by V-Band Clamps

V-band clamps offer an efficient clamping solution in diverse applications including process equipment, exhaust systems and air handling. This paper studies the distribution of interface contact pressure between the V-band and flange when the coupling is established. The determination of the contact area and pressure distribution in a joint is essential information, as it determines the integrity of the coupling. A three dimensional finite element model has been developed for this purpose. Contrary to the previous assumption in developing axisymmetric models, the 3D results showed that the contact pressure is non-uniform around the circumference of V-band with maximum contact pressure near the T-bolt area. This is in agreement with the theory in the literature. The presence and magnitude of friction has a noticeable influence on the form of the interface pressure distribution curve. It is also shown that the diameter of the band interacts with the effect of friction

Classical and numerical approaches to determining V-section band clamp axial stiffness

V-band clamp joints are used in a wide range of applications to connect circular flanges, for ducts, pipes and the turbocharger housing. Previous studies and research on V-bands are either purely empirical or analytical with limited applicability on the variety of V-band design and working conditions. In this paper models of the V-band are developed based on the classical theory of solid mechanics and the finite element method to study the behaviour of the V-bands under axial loading conditions. The good agreement between results from the developed FEA and the classical model support the suitability of the latter to model V-band joints with diameters greater than 110 mm under axial loading. The results from both models suggest that the axial stiffness for this V-band cross section reaches a peak value for V-bands with radius of approximately 150 mm across a wide range of coefficients of friction. Also, it is shown that the coefficient of friction and the wedge angle have a significant effect on the axial stiffness of V-bands

On the classification of consistent boundary conditions for f(R) \mathit{f}(\mathit{R})-Gravity

Using a completely covariant approach, we discuss the role of boundary conditions (BCs) and the corresponding Gibbons--Hawking--York (GHY) terms in $\mathit{f}(\mathit{R})$-gravity in arbitrary dimensions. We show that $f(\mathit{R})$-gravity, as a higher derivative theory, is not described by a degenerate Lagrangian, in its original form. Hence, without introducing additional variables, one can not obtain consistent BCs, even by adding the GHY terms (except for $f(\mathit{R})=R$). However, following the Ostrogradsky approach, we can introduce a scalar field in the framework of Brans-Dicke formalism to the system to have consistent BCs by considering appropriate GHY terms. In addition to the Dirichlet BC, the GHY terms for both Neumann and two types of mixed BCs are derived. We show the remarkable result that the $f(\mathit{R})$-gravity is itself compatible with one type of mixed BCs, in $D$ dimension, i.e. it doesn't require any GHY term. For each BC, we rewrite the GHY term in terms of Arnowit-Deser-Misner (ADM) variables.Comment: 21 page

Turbocharger Structural Integrity

Since the introduction of Euro VI in January 2014, all new diesel powered commercial vehicles have been equipped with turbocharged engines. It is virtually impossible to meet these emission regulations without using a turbocharger. Similarly, in the passenger car sector both on diesel and petrol (gasoline) powered vehicles, legislative pressure to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide are seeing the introduction of turbochargers across almost all new power units. Future legislation will continue this trend with engine manufacturers becoming increasingly reliant on turbocharging. As well as increasing the requirement for turbochargers, these external factors are also demanding that turbochargers become more responsive with reduced rotor inertia and lower thermal inertias. This in turn makes the task of ensuring that turbocharger components remain fit for purpose for the life of the turbocharger that much more difficult. In this paper some of the recent developments in turbocharger technology will be identified and the demands that these place on the structural components will be explored. The limitations of current methods of structural integrity assessment for some of these components will be discussed. Future developments of these methods will then be proposed

Possible role of TORCH agents in congenital malformations in Gorgan, northern Islamic Republic of Iran

This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out to explore the frequency of contamination with TORCH agents in neonates with congenital malformations in a referral centre in Gorgan city, Islamic Republic of Iran. Blood samples were taken from 64 neonates and their mothers over a 20-month period in 2003-04. Serologic tests showed that 4/64 infants born with congenital malformations (6%) had positive IgM antibody titres for Toxoplasma gondii (2 cases), rubella virus (1 case) and cytomegalovirus (1 case). IgM was positive in 9/63 mothers (14%), also for T. gondii (3 cases), rubella virus (3 cases) and cytomegalovirus (3 cases). No cases of herpes simplex virus type II or Treponema pallidum were found

Knowledge about AIDS among medical students in Iran

Young people are among the high risk group who are susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. Several educational programs are scheduled to raise awareness about risky behaviours and to decrease the rate of the HIV pandemic. This cross sectional study showed that in young medical students, the level of awareness about HIV/AIDS increased during the years of academic education (not significant) and that males have a higher level of awareness than females. Higher awareness is desirable in this group due to their key role in the community

Evaluating the Role of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy on Entrepreneurial Intention of Tehran University (Case Study of Engineering Campus)

Entrepreneurship is the engine of economics of human society. In most countries, entrepreneurship, and especially start up of new businesses is most essential matter. Intention to run business is the base of entrepreneurial action. People, who have entrepreneurial intention, expect to start businesses in the future. In this study, we evaluated the impact of entrepreneurial self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intention. Women entrepreneurship is very important economic matter. Today, many of developed and developing countries, focus on the importance of women entrepreneurship and the enterprises founded by them (GEM, 2010). In this study, we implemented two modified questionnaire: first; Shapero's entrepreneurial intention questionnaire (Shapero, 1982) and Entrepreneurial self-efficacy questionnaire (DeNoble, et al., 1999). In order to analyze gathered data, we used SPSS11 Software, regression and Coefficient. Result shows that entrepreneurial self-efficacy has positive effect on entrepreneurial intention

Mitochondrial dysfunction and lipid metabolism play a major role in the lethality caused by developmental alcohol exposure

Exposure to ethanol during development causes a variety of physical, developmental, and cognitive abnormalities. In humans, these symptoms are referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Previously, we established a Drosophila melanogaster model of FASD and showed that developmental ethanol exposure causes oxidative stress, and that this is a primary cause of the developmental lethality and delay associated with ethanol exposure. In this study, we investigate the role of fatty acid metabolism and lipid accumulation in connection to FASD. Here, we show that developmental ethanol exposure leads to dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism and lipid accumulation. Flies reared in ethanol-containing food had increased fat storage and had increased expression of withered, a lipid metabolism gene. Further, we saw a novel synergistic interaction between ethanol and a long-chain saturated fatty acid (palmitic acid), which strongly indicates that they both have the same molecular target in the cell. Our results show that one of the mechanisms by which ethanol induces oxidative stress is through dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism. These data suggest that dietary changes may prevent some aspects of FASD