Thermodynamics of the FRW universe at the event horizon in Palatini f(R) gravity

In an accelerated expanding universe, one can expect the existence of an event horizon. It may be interesting to study the thermodynamics of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe at the event horizon. Considering the usual Hawking temperature, the first law of thermodynamics does not hold on the event horizon. To satisfy the first law of thermodynamics, it is necessary to redefine Hawking temperature. In this paper, using the redefinition of Hawking temperature and applying the first law of thermodynamics on the event horizon, the Friedmann equations are obtained in f(R) gravity from the viewpoint of Palatini formalisn. In addition, the generalized second law (GSL) of thermodynamics, as a measure of the validity of the theory, is investigated

A queuing location-allocation model for a capacitated health care system

International audienceThe aim of the present paper is to propose a location-allocation model for a capacitated health care system. This paper develops a discrete modeling framework to determine the optimal number of facilities among candidates and optimal allocations of the existing customers to operating health centers in a coverage distance. In doing so, the total sum of customer and operating facility costs is minimized. Our goal is to create a model that is more practical in the real world. Therefore, setup costs of hospitals are based on the costs of customers, xed costs of establishing health centers, and costs based on the available resources in each level of hospitals. In this paper, the idea of hierarchical structure has been used. There are two levels of service in hospitals, including low and high levels, and sections at diierent levels that provide diierent types of services. The patients refer to diierent sections of the hospital according to their requirements. To solve the model, two meta-heuristic algorithms, including genetic and simulated annealing algorithms and their combination, are proposed. To evaluate the performance of the three algorithms, some numerical examples are produced and analyzed using the statistical test in order to determine which algorithm works better

The First Integral Method to Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations

In this paper, we show the applicability of the first integral method for obtaining exact solutions of some nonlinear partial differential equations. By using this method, we found some exact solutions of the Landau-Ginburg-Higgs equation and generalized form of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation and approximate long water wave equations. The first integral method is a direct algebraic method for obtaining exact solutions of nonlinear partial differential equations. This method can be applied to nonintegrable equations as well as to integrable ones. This method is based on the theory of commutative algebra

Sqfemethod Under Uncertain Conditionsby Generating Fuzzy Membership Function

Abstract: The quality-based approach SQFE (Suivi Qualite Par le Fournisseur Exterieur) has been introduced by three automotivecorporationstomeasure the quality of supplier products. This approach proposesa general criterionby which inspection samples are classified to different demerit categories with different weights, to compute mean unit demerit ( for each measurable quality characteristic. However, the assignment of an actual and crisp demerit weight to each sampleis unrealistic, in the face of the unavoidable measurement errors as well as the inevitable uncertainty involved in human judgment. In this paper an improved estimation procedure which is based on fuzzy logic instead of bivalent logic,is presented to calculate s. The fuzzy set theory is used to add more accuracy and flexibility to the analysis. For this aim, "likelihood view" has been adapted to generate fuzzy membership function, in order to assign the appropriate demerit weight to each sample. In addition, a numerical example that evaluates productsbased on the proposed methodand compares it with the current standard procedureis presented

Peanut consumption and cardiovascular risk

Objective We evaluated the effects of peanut consumption on lipid profiles, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and CHD risk in hypercholesterolaemic men.Design Randomised crossover clinical trial.Setting Participants were randomly assigned to two groups. They were asked to consume peanut supplements (about 77 g) with their habitual diet for 4 weeks.Subjects Fifty-four hypercholesterolaemic men with total cholesterol (TC) concentrations between 200 and 350 mg/dl.Results Compared with the habitual diet, peanut supplementation of the habitual diet significantly reduced TC/HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (mean 1 (se 03) P = 0001) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C)/HDL-C ratio (mean 07 (se 02); P = 0001). Peanut consumption increased HDL-C (mean 61 (se 15) mg/dl; P < 0001) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (mean 12 (se 06) U/mL P = 004). In addition, peanut consumption significantly reduced the AIP (mean 01 (se 003) P = 001) and CHD estimated risk over 10 years based on systolic and diastolic blood pressures (mean 14 (se 05 ) P = 0004 and mean 22 (se 05 ) P < 0001, respectively).Conclusions Short-term peanut consumption might improve lipid profiles, the AIP and CHD risk in free-living hypercholesterolaemic men. © 2009 The Authors

The effect of on-site and outreach-based needle and syringe programs in people who inject drugs in Kermanshah, Iran

Background: Needle and syringe programs (NSPs) are widely used to reduce harms associated with drug injecting. This study assessed the effect of facility-based (on-site services at drop-in centre) and outreach models of NSP on injection risk behaviours. Methods: Self-reported data from 455 people who injected drugs (PWID) during 2014 in Kermanshah, Iran, were examined to measure demographic characteristics and risk behaviors. Self-reported and program data were also assessed to identify their main source of injection equipment. Participants were divided into three sub-groups: facility-based NSP users, outreach NSP users and non-users (comparison group). Coarsened exact matching was used to make the three groups statistically equivalent based on age, place of residence, education and income, and groups were compared regarding the proportion of borrowing or lending of syringes/cookers, reusing syringes and recent HIV testing. Results: Overall, 76% of participants reported any NSP service use during the two months prior to interview. Only 23% (95%CI: 17-27) reported outreach NSP as their main source of syringes. Using facility-based NSP significantly decreased recent syringe borrowing (OR: 0.27, 95%CI: 0.10-0.70), recent syringe reuse (OR: 0.38, 95%CI: 0.23-0.68) and increased recent HIV testing (OR: 2.60, 95%CI: 1.48-4.56). Similar effects were observed among outreach NSP users; in addition, the outreach NSP model significantly reduced the chance of lending syringes (OR: 0.31, 95%CI: 0.15-0.60), compared to facility-based NSP (OR: 1.25, 95%CI: 0.74-2.17). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the outreach NSP model is as effective as facility-based NSP in reducing injection risk behaviours and increasing the rate of HIV testing. Outreach NSP was even more effective than facility-based in reducing the lending of syringes to others. Scaling up outreach NSP is an effective intervention to further reduce transmission of HIV via needle sharing

Client-Level Coverage of Needle and Syringe Program and High-Risk Injection Behaviors: A Case Study of People Who Inject Drugs in Kermanshah, Iran

Background: Needle-syringe programs (NSP) have been running in Iran since 2002. However, the coverage of such program among the NSP clients at the individual level was not studies yet. This study aimed to determine the client coverage of NSP and its correlation with high injection-related risk behaviors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Kermanshah province, Iran, in 2014. 230 people who inject drugs (PWID) recruited from two drop-in centers (DICs) from April to September 2014, participated in a face-to-face interview to provide information related individual coverage of NSP, demographic characteristics, and injecting behaviors 30 days prior to the interview. Findings: Overall, the average of syringe coverage was 158% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 65.7-205.5], while 56% (95% CI = 40-97) have individual converge less than 100%. Needle/syringe sharing was significantly higher among individual with low NSP coverage [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.3-6.2]. About 85% participants with coverage of less than 100% reported reuse of syringe within the last 30 days (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.4-7.7). Conclusion: PWID are different regarding their NSP individual-level converges. There are certain clusters of PWID, who do not receive sufficient number of syringes. Given that insufficient individual syringe coverage level is highly associated with injection risk behaviors, reasons for such low converge need to be assessed and addressed carefully

Outcome assessment of a triangular clinic as a harm reduction intervention in Rajaee-Shahr Prison, Iran

Background: Transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among incarcerated injection drug users (IDU) is a health epidemic in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Triangular clinics (TCs) were established in prisons as a harm reduction measure to decrease the risk of HIV transmission and other blood-borne infections. The objective of this study was to assess the immediate outcomes of one TC among male IDUs in Iran's Rajaee-Shahr prison.Methods: This study was conducted in two stages between 2003 and 2005. In the preparatory stage, focus group data was collected to update the prison's TC education and medical interventions and construct the self-report questionnaire. In stage two, 150 male IDUs were recruited in a closed cohort study design to assess the immediate outcome of the TC. Participants were measured at baseline and followed up to six months to measure their drug use, attitude toward and knowledge of high risk behaviours, serological conversion for HIV, HBV and HCV, and engagement in risky behaviors. The TC outcomes were determined through random urine analysis testing, a self-administered questionnaire and behaviour report cards, and viral infection testing.Results: The findings of the urine analyses indicated a minimal yet consistent decrease in drug use over the six months. The pre and post- self-administered questionnaire data relayed a modest change in IDU risky behaviours associated with sexual practices; this was greater in comparison to the knowledge and attitude measures. It was determined that age may have a detrimental effect as may viral infections (HIV and HBV) on knowledge, attitude and behavior change. Both education and employment may have a protective effect. Data collected from the self-report behaviour cards similarly showed a modest reduction in high risk practices. At the six month follow-up, only one case became HIV positive, 9 HCV and 17 HBV.Conclusions: Considering that HIV is concentrated among Iranian prisoners who inject drugs at a high level, the results of this study indicate that TCs are a possible effective intervention. However, many prisoners continued with risky behaviors even if they were participating in harm reduction measures, such as methadone maintenance therapy. © 2013 Asl et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd