A survey on the consumption, knowledge and attitude of pregnant women toward the efects of folic acid on pregnancy outcome in Tabriz

ObjectiveWhile the effects of folic acid are well established in prevention of Neural Tube Defects (NTDs), these diseases have a high prevalence in Iran. In order to encourage folic acid supplement use in pregnancy, it is important to promote the awareness of women of childbearing age regarding folic acid importance in preventing NTDs. The aim of the present study was to study the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women on the effect of folic acid on pregnancy outcome and its use during pregnancy.Materials and MethodsA questionnaire was completed by 400 women from postnatal and prenatal wards/clinics using random sampling. The questionnaire included questions regarding demographic information, folic acid consumption in pregnancy and the attitude and knowledge of the participants on folic acid  supplementation and the source of information on folic acid supplementation.The questions were aimed at subjects' knowledge of folic acid effects on fetal growth and development and prevention of NTDs and not prevention of anemia. Data was analyzed by SPSS software (ver. 13.5).ResultsAbout 89.9% used folic acid supplements at some point of the pregnancy and 53.7% knew it was beneficial for the fetus. Approximately, 25% and 34.8% of those who used folic acid believed that it was most useful when taken preconception and during the first trimester, respectively. Only 15.4% knew itcould prevent NTDs. The most common information sources for folic acid use were physicians.ConclusionAwareness and use of folic acid were most prevalent among Iranian women, especially among educated ones. The results showed areas in which further work could be helpful to improve awareness regarding the benefits of folic acid.Key words: Folic acid;pregnancy; knowledge; neural tube defects (NTD

Optimization of composite distal radius fixture using continuum damage mechanics

With the increasing use of composites in medicine, the use of biocompatible composites of short fibers as fixtures for broken bones has also found its place. This paper uses damage mechanics to optimize a composite fixture for a wrist fracture - a fracture of the distal radius - to delay damage in the fixture. To model the fixture behavior, a model with two stages of homogenization as well as continuous Lemaitre damage is used to predict the damage. In this modeling, Mori-Tanaka homogenization is used to homogenize the grain hardness modulus and the Voight model is used for homogenizing the composite. The introduced algorithm for the numerical implementation of the two-stage homogenization model could easily be used to predict damage in other short fiber composites. After verifying the model presented in a valid fixture, the geometric shape of this fixture has been optimized. The research results show the proposed model; It is an efficient model for predicting damage in short fiber composite plates and can be used to optimize fixtures without clinical and experimental tests

Subcloning and expression of human alpha-fetoprotein gene in Pichia pastoris

Alpha-fetoprotein protein (AFP) is naturally found in fetal serum while production and appearance after birth is indicative of presence of malignant tumors. Therefore, by measuring this protein during fetal period and after birth, it is possible to diagnose abnormalities and tumors in fetus or the newborn. The objective of this study was to produce and purify AFP protein using DNA recombinant technology to apply in diagnostic kit preparations. In this study Pichia pastoris as metylotrophic yeast was used for AFP production. After construction of recombinant plasmid, pS1-AFP, electroporation and lithium chloride techniques were used for transferring to susceptible cells. The quantity and quality of the produced protein were checked by SDS-PAGE and ELISA methods. Selection of transformed mutant strains of Muts and culturing them in glycerol media (YPG) up to OD600=6 and their transfer to methanol media (YPM) with augmentation of methanol to 1% final concentration resulted in inducing protein production in auxotrophic media lacking histidine. This protein could be useful in monoclonal antibody production and in diagnostic kit preparations.Keywords: Alpha-fetoprotein, Pichia pastoris, cloning, expressio

Fermi-Bose Mixtures Near Broad Interspecies Feshbach Resonances

In this Letter we have studied dressed bound states in Fermi-Bose mixtures near broad interspecies resonance, and implications on many-body correlations. We present the evidence for a first order phase transition between a mixture of Fermi gas and condensate, and a fully paired mixture where extended fermionic molecules occupy a single pairing channel instead of forming a molecular Fermi surface. We have further investigated the effect of Fermi surface dynamics, pair fluctuations and discussed the validity of our results.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Перинатология. Настоящее и будущее

На основании обобщения многолетнего собственного опыта автора, данных литературы и результатов работы Московского центра планирования семьи и репродукции освещены актуальные проблемы перинатологии от пренатального периода до постнатальной охраны здоровья плода. Сделано заключение о необходимости и возможности создания стандартов в области лечебных мероприятий и тактики ведения родов при осложнениях.Basing on the generalization of many−year experience as well as the data of the literature and results of the work of Moscow Center for Family Planning and Reproduction, the author features the urgent issues of perinatology from prenatal period to postnatal health protection. The author concludes about the necessity and possibility to create the standards in the field of therapeutic measures and management tactics in complicated delivery

Robust Multivariable controller Design with the simultaneous H2 /H∞/µ for Single Person Aircraft

In a physical system several targets are normally being considered in which each of nominal and robust performance has their own strengths and weaknesses. In nominal performance case, system operation without uncertainty has decisive effect on the operation of system, whereas in robust performance one, operation with uncertainty will be considered. The target of present paper is a balance between nominal and robust performance of state feedback A new approach of present paper is the combination of two controllers of μ and H2/H∞.  The controller for robust stability status, nominal performance, robust performance and noise rejection are designed simultaneous. Controller will be achieved from solving constraint optimization problem. Where a simultaneous H2 /H∞/µ robust multivariable controller has been designed over an X-29 Single Person.  This model has three inputs and three outputs, where the state space equations of the system response to an unstable one. Simulation results show the effectiveness and benefits of the method.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v3i2.235

Finding Optimum Parameters of Passive Tuned Mass Damper by PSO, WOA, and Hybrid PSO-WOA (HPW) Algorithms

Using a tuned mass damper (TMD) is one of the passive methods of controlling structural vibrations. This energy absorption system has a mass, a spring, and a damper attaching to the main structure and vibrating with it, reducing the dynamic response of the structure by preventing the intensification. Therefore, finding optimal parameters is one of the main essential issues in the study and design of tuned mass dampers. This study investigates the optimization of parameters of an adjusted mass damper to reduce the displacement and relative response of a multi-story structural system equipped with this damper. For this purpose, a 10-story frame with similar properties on each floor and a 10-story frame with different properties on each floor were modeled under seismic loading in OpenSees software. The optimum parameters were extracted by Matlab software, using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, whale optimization algorithm (WOA), and the combination of these two algorithms (Hybrid PSO-WOA) and state space equations controlled the results. Comparing the results with the methods presented by other researchers showed that the proposed methods have good performance and are recommended as approximate and rapid methods for the optimal design of these dampers