INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SERUM LEPTIN LEVELS AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN IN POLY CYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS) PATIENTS

  Objective: Despite the using of some biological and clinical criteria for definition of Polycystic ovarian syndrome, such as hyperandrogenism and menstrual dysfunction. However, the complex mechanism of this syndrome is still of interest to researchers, and began to investigate new parameters intervene in the pathogenesis of this disease, including leptin and C-reactive protein (CRP). However, the role of these parameters are still not clear and under controversy. This study, aimed to investigate the relationship between serum leptin levels with C-reactive protein in patients diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome attending Aleppo gynecology university hospital. Methods: The study includes 46 patients and 25 healthy control subjects with the same range of age- and body mass index. Related parameters were measured for both groups: serum glucose, leptin, insulin and C-reactive protein levels, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Results: Serum leptin levels were significantly correlated with C-reactive protein only in Polycystic ovarian syndrome group (p<0.05). The levels of C-reactive protein and leptin were significantly higher in the Polycystic ovarian syndrome group in comparison with the control group (p<0.05). There were a correlation between leptin with C-reactive protein only in patients with insulin resistance group (p > 0.05), and there was a correlation between C-reactive protein and HOMA-IR only in polycystic ovarian syndrome group (p>   0.001), but not in control group. Conclusion: Increased leptin, C-reactive protein levels in polycystic ovarian syndrome patients is independently associated with insulin resistance and make these parameters more important to take them in consideration.  Keywords: CRP, HOMA-IR, Leptin, PCOS. Â&nbsp

Gränsöverskridande resultatutjämning inom EU

Att främja en fungerande inre marknad är en av EU:s främsta mål. För att uppnå målet skall enligt EG-fördraget alla hinder för den fria rörligheten undanröjas. Detta innefattar även gränsöverskridande inkomstöverföringar mellan närstående bolag. EG-domstolen har på senare år fått pröva huruvida medlemsstaters resultatutjämningsregler utgör en inskränkning i den fira rörligheten. I ett av tidens mest uppmärksammade skattemål, Marks &amp&semic Spencer fick EG-domstolen ta ställning till huruvida de brittiska reglerna utgjorde hinder mot etableringsfriheten. Domstolen kom fram till att de brittiska reglerna var oproportionerliga. Detta mot bakgrund av att moderbolag vid gränsöverskridande situationer inte medges avdragsrätt för dotterbolag som har förluster i dess etableringsstat, vilket inte är fallet vid inhemska situationer. EG-domstolen framförde genom domen i M &amp&semic S, att medlemsländer i undantagsfall skall medge moderbolag avdrag för dotterbolagsförluster. I ett annat mål, Esab-målet som är uppe för prövning i EG-domstolen, handlar det om huruvida de finska resultatutjämningsreglerna utgör hinder i etableringsfriheten. Generaladvokaten framhöll i sitt förslag till avgörande, att de finska reglerna utgjorde en inskränkning av etableringsfriheten, men att de kunde rättfärdigas. Detta motiverade generaladvokaten genom att hänvisa till domen i Marks &amp&semic Spencer. Undantagsfall som var aktuellt i M &amp&semic S- målet, var ej tillämplig i förevarande fall. Det är flera medlemsstater inklusive Sverige som ej medger avdragsrätt vid gränsöverskridande resultatutjämning inom en koncern. I dagsläget råder en stor ovisshet bland medlemsstaterna om hur de i framtiden skall utforma sina koncernbidragsregler. Mot bakgrund av denna ovisshet, är det centrala i denna uppsats, ett direktivförslag. Direktivförslaget kommer att bidra till att EU blir mer konkurrenskraftig på en global nivå. Direktivförslaget kommer att i huvudsak vara koncentrerat på att diskriminering undanröjs, likaså dubbelbeskattning. Direktivet kommer även att ha i syfte att motverka utebliven beskattning eller skattefusk samt att säkerställandet av fördelningen av beskattningsrätten mellan medlemsstaterna uppnås

Hochpräziser Mehrkoordinatenantrieb mit repulsiver Magnetführung

Viele moderne Applikationen, z.B. aus der Biotechnologie oder der Halbleiterindustrie, benötigen Mehrkoordinatenantriebe, die Positioniergenauigkeiten im Nanometerbereich und große planare Bewegungsbereiche besitzen. Zudem müssen die zum Einsatz kommenden Systeme auch vakuumtauglich sein. Um diese hohen Anforderungen zu erfüllen, werden magnetisch geführte Mehrkoordinatenantriebe untersucht und entwickelt. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit besteht darin, einen neuartigen magnetisch geführten Mehrkoordinatenantrieb mit einem großen Fahrbereich zu entwickeln. Im Vergleich zu anderen, aus der Literatur bekannten Lösungen zeichnet sich das vorgeschlagene Konzept durch eine wesentlich vereinfachte kompakte Konstruktion, entkoppelte Antriebsund Führungskräfte und einen von oben frei zugänglichen passiven Läufer aus. Ein wesentlicher Schwerpunkt der Arbeit ist die semi-analytische Kraftberechnung der eingesetzten Aktoren. Die Ergebnisse der hergeleiteten Kraftgleichungen werden den numerischen 3D-FEM und den experimentellen Ergebnissen gegenübergestellt. Zwischen den Ergebnissen der hergeleiteten Kraftgleichungen und den numerisch ermittelten Kräften zeigt sich ein maximaler Fehler von 1 %. Zwischen den Berechnungen und den Messungen ergibt sich ein maximaler Fehler von 5 %. Da der Funktionsnachweis des vorgeschlagenen Konzepts im Vordergrund steht, ist ein Funktionsmuster mit einem Bewegungsbereich von 50 × 50 × 2 mm^3 aufgebaut und in Betrieb genommen worden. Für die Regelung des Systems ist ein Zustandsregler mit integrierender Rückführung implementiert. Erste experimentelle Messungen zeigen, dass das System stabilisiert und der Läufer in den sechs Bewegungsfreiheiten positioniert werden kann. Dabei besitzt das Positionsrauschen in den Koordinaten x, y und z eine Standardabweichung von σx = 193 µm, σy = 178 µm und σz = 8.2 µm und liegt damit im Bereich der Messsystemauflösung.Fields, such as biotechnology and the semiconductor industry, require positioning systems that can offer high precision in the nanometer range in combination with long motion regions. Furthermore the positioning systems should also be vacuum compatible. In order to satisfy these demands, magnetically guided multi-coordinate drives have been investigated and developed. This dissertation seeks to develop a new magnetically guided multi-coordinate drive with an extended range of movement. In comparison with other solutions, this system has a significantly simplified and, more compact structure, decoupled levitation and propulsion forces, and free access to the passive rotor from above. This dissertation focuses on the semi-analytical force calculation of the applied actuators. The results from the derived force equations are compared with the numerical 3D-FEM simulation and the experimental results. The results of the force calculation and the numerical 3D-FEM simulation yield a maximum error of 1 %, while between the force calculations and the measured forces the maximum error is 5 %. The objective of this thesis is to demonstrate the functionality of the proposed system. Thus, a prototype with a movement area of 50×50×2 mm^3 has been built and is operational. A state-space controller with integrated feedback is implemented in order to control the system. Initial experimental measurements show that the system can be stabilized and the rotor can be positioned in six degrees-of-freedom. The position noise in the coordinates x, y and z has standard deviations of σx = 193 µm, σy = 178 µm and σz = 8.2 µm and is thus within the resolution range of the measurement device

Teaching foreign language grammar to primary-school children with developmental language disorder: A classroom-based intervention study

Introduction: Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) start learning foreign languages, usually English as a foreign language (EFL), at an increasingly young age. However, current scholarship lacks crucial insights into how children with DLD respond to language learning in classroom settings and how they can be supported in doing so. The purpose of this early efficacy study is to determine whether a business-as-usual curriculum or a new teaching method tailored to the specific needs of pupils with DLD results in (greater) progress in the foreign language (English) and in the school language (Dutch). Method: The participants were 75 pupils with DLD in the last three years of primary school, learning EFL in special education in the Netherlands. The intervention group (n=41) received 12 lessons following the CodeTaal approach, including metalinguistic instruction of grammar rules, explicit cross-linguistic contrasts and multimodal interaction with the material. The control group (n=34) received their regular English lessons. The study used a pre- to post-test design and compared the performance of the two groups on a Grammaticality Judgment Task (GJT) in English and a narrative task in both English and Dutch. Results: Only the intervention group significantly improved in their ability to identify ungrammaticalities in English and generalised the learnt rules to new sentences. Although the performance on the GJT predicted accuracy of English narratives, neither group showed a significant decrease of error rates in English. In contrast, the accuracy of Dutch narratives showed improvement, but only in the intervention group. However, the effects were small and there was significant variability in responsiveness to the intervention. Conclusion: We conclude that pupils with DLD are able to make progress in foreign language learning in a classroom setting if provided with adequate support

Association between smoking and chronic kidney disease: a case control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains one of the main challenges in clinical nephrology. Therefore, identifying the pathophysiological mechanisms and the independent preventable risk factors helps in decreasing the number of patients suffering end stage renal disease and slowing its progression.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Smoking data was analyzed in patients with CKD throughout 2005-2009. One hundred and ninety-eight patients who had recently been diagnosed with stage three CKD or higher according to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) 2002 Classification were studied. The control group was randomly selected and then matched with the case subjects using a computerized randomization technique. The relative risk was estimated by computing odds ratio (OR) by using multinomial logistic regression in SPSS ® for Windows between the two groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Smoking significantly increases the risk of CKD (OR = 1.6, <it>p </it>= 0.009, 95% CI = 1.12-2.29). When compared to nonsmokers, current smokers have an increased risk of having CKD (OR = 1.63 <it>p </it>= 0.02, 95% CI = 1.08-2.45), while former smokers did not have a statistically significant difference. The risk increased with high cumulative quantity (OR among smokers with > 30 pack-years was 2.6, <it>p </it>= 0.00, 95% CI = 1.53-4.41). Smoking increased the risk of CKD the most for those classified as hypertensive nephropathy (OR = 2.85, <it>p </it>= 0.01, 95% CI = 1.27-6.39) and diabetic nephropathy (2.24, <it>p </it>= 0.005, 95% CI = 1.27-3.96). No statistically significant difference in risk was found for glomerulonephritis patients or any other causes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study suggests that heavy cigarette smoking increases the risk of CKD overall and particularly for CKD classified as hypertensive nephropathy and diabetic nephropathy.</p

What are the validity and reliability of the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale-Short Form in children less than 2 years old?

Background: Accurate measurement of preoperative anxiety is important for pediatric surgical patients’ care as well as for monitoring anxiety-reducing interventions. The modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale-short form is well validated for this purpose in children aged 2 years and above, but not in younger children. Aims: We aimed to validate the Dutch version of the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale-short form for measuring preoperative anxiety in children less than 2 years old. Methods: Two investigators independently assessed infants’ anxiety at the holding area and during induction of anesthesia with the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale-short form and the COMFORT-Behavior scale—live and from video observations. Construct validity and responsiveness of both scales were tested with Pearson correlation coefficient. Internal con

Optimization of an intrinsically safe solenoid valve and the static and dynamic characteristics

© 2019 IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved. The solenoid valve used on the hydraulic roof support in the coal mine is an intrinsically safe solenoid. It requires the solenoid valve to achieve large electromagnetic force at low current. The load can not be driven if the current is too low, while a large temperature rise and energy loss would occur in the form of heat if the current is too high. In order to solve this contradictory problem, the load force of the solenoid valve was analyzed first. Then the ANSYS models of the solenoid were established to carry out the simulation jobs. The effects of the three parameters, the sleeve length, the seat length and the boss height, on the electromagnetic forces and magnetic fields were researched so as to optimize the three parameters. The static and dynamic characteristics of the optimized solenoid valve were also studied. An experimental setup was established to verify the simulation results finally. Results show that the simulation values are in good agreement with the experimental values. The peak value of starting current and holding current is small and the solenoid responses rapidly. This study proves the accuracy and reliability of the simulation models and the methods. It also provides valuable references for the design and optimization of the intrinsically safe solenoid valve

Digitala läromedel i matematikundervisningen.En undersökning som visar hur delaktighet, motivation, inlärning och analysförmåga påverkas vid användning av digitala läromedel i utforskande samtal under matematikundervisningen.

Inom skolvärlden har traditionella läromedel såsom böcker, papper och pennor alltid varit en förutsättning för att en lektion skall hållas. Idag lever vi i en mer digitaliserad värld med mycket teknik som både underlättar och effektiviserar vår vardag. Även vår skola har utvecklats och idag använder många lärare sig av olika digitala läromedel för att effektivisera undervisningen. Jag har undersökt hur elevernas delaktighet, motivation, inlärning och analysförmåga påverkas vid användning av digitala läromedel i utforskande samtal under en matematikundervisning. Detta skall göras genom en systematisk litteraturstudie där vetenskapliga artiklar kommer att studeras och bearbetas. Jag har analyserat och bearbetat olika resultat som artiklarna kommer fram till. Ökad motivation, ökad delaktighet, förbättrade elevresultat och förbättrad analysförmåga är det som utgör huvudresultatet för denna studie.  In the school world, traditional teaching aids such as books, papers and pencils have always been a prerequisite for a lesson to be held. Today, we live in a more digitalized world with a lot of technology that both facilitates and streamlines our everyday lives. Our school has also developed and today many teachers use various digital teaching materials to make teaching more efficient. I have investigated how students' participation, motivation, learning and analytical ability are affected when using digital teaching materials in exploratory conversations during a mathematics lesson. This will be done through a systematic literature study where scientific articles will be studied and processed. I have analyzed and processed various results that the articles arrive at. Increased motivation, increased participation, improved student results and improved analytical ability are the main results of this study.