Microalbuminuria correlates with the prevalence and severity of coronary artery disease in non-diabetic patients

Background: It has been shown that microalbuminuria is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in diabetetics, hypertensive patients and in the general population. However, few data has addressed the correlation of microalbuminuria with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the study was to assess the association of microalbuminuria with the prevalence and severity of CAD. Methods: The subjects, 79 men and 74 women aged 45–70 years, were classified as CAD-negative and CAD-positive according to the results of coronary angiography. The severity of CAD was scored on the basis of the number and the extent of lesions within the coronary arteries. Urine albumin excretion was measured in 24 h urine samples by method of nephelometry. Results: Coronary artery disease occurred more frequently in males than in females and in smokers than in non-smokers. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia between two groups. Microalbuminuria was more prevalent in CAD-positive patients than in controls (62.9% vs. 8.8%; p £ 0.001). Patients with microalbuminuria compared with the controls had increased prevalence of one (15.3% vs. 7.4%, p £ 0.001), two (50% vs. 22.2%, p £ 0.001), and three vessel disease (29.2% vs. 19.8%, p £ 0.001). Microalbuminuria exhibited a significant correlation with the severity of CAD (r = 0.40; p £ 0.001). Conclusions: Patients with microalbuminuria have more severe angiographically detected CAD than those without microalbuminuria. The results indicate that microalbuminuria exhibits a significant association with the presence and severity of CAD

Persian Speech Emotion Recognition Approach based on Multilayer Perceptron

The present paper is focused on the study of pre-service student’s attitude towards use of helpful technology in teaching learning process. A descriptive and survey method was used for the study. The sample consists of 150 pre-service students at B.ED and M.ED levels in the Department of Education, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. Out of 150 BED and MED students 69 were male and the rest female. We adapted tools from the research work of Abani Gwanshak Shikded and Theresa Ledger and further the tools were modified according to the objective of the study. We developed a tool by ourselves to measure attitude of pre- service student’s towards use of helpful technology in teaching learning process to disabled children. The data was tabulated and systematically analyzed, with the help of the Microsoft Excel. The data was fed in the Excel sheet and then analyzed using operations like converting the data into percentage, addition etc. and interpreted on the basis of objectives of the study. We took five types of helpful technology for various disabilities, namely, helpful technology for “visually impaired, reading impaired, hearing impaired, writing impaired and mathematically impaired” . The major findings of the study revealed that majority of the students are aware of helpful technology but they are not skilled in using helpful technology in teaching learning process and also majority of the pre-service students have favourable attitude towards the use of helpful technology in teaching learning process

Jewish Fundamentalism in the Context of Political Pragmatism:The Role of the Haredim in Strengthening Extremist Tendencies in the Israeli Regime

Currently, some important Jewish communities in Israel live primarily in the media because of their particular lifestyle and isolationism. They have specific beliefs and particular personal and social lifestyles that are mainly rooted in ancient Judaism. The opinions and beliefs of this community are in line with Jewish (pragmatic) fundamentalists, and therefore hold to the Jewish fundamentalist mandates. The ideas of the community in the social and political context, along with their growing importance - by rapid population growth and effective political presence - have made them an influential stream. Given their efforts to be more influential (in the context of fundamentalist discourse) - particularly in the political arena - and in view of their principles and objectives as well as the demographic and political structure of Israel, it seems that reinforcing this trend will increase tensions. And there will be an increase in extremist tendencies in the Israeli regime and even will include fundamental questions about the identity of the present Israel regime and its future

Effect of Intraarticular injection of ozone on inflammatory cytokines in knee osteoarthritis

Introduction: Knee Osteoarthrosis is one of the most debilitating diseases. Prolotherapy includes intraarticular injection of various drugs to decrease inflammation. Injection of Intradiscal O2-O3 has reduced pain and disability of patients with low back pain due to prolapsed lumbar disk. Objective: To compare the effect of intraarticular injection of Ozone and steroids in improvement of clinical and cellular healing of knee osteoarthritis. Methods: in a randomized clinical trial, 70 patients with knee osteoarthrosis were included in the study. In Ozone group, 5 ml (35 μg/ml) of Ozone and in steroid group 5ml (50 mg) Triamcinolone were injected intraarticular. At 1,2,and 6 month patients were followed for pain scale, disability index and IL-1β and TNF-α serum levels were measured. Results: At 1 month after injection pain scale and disability index and IL-1β and TNF-α were decreased in both groups. However, at 2 and 6 month pain scale and disability index were significantly lower in Ozone group compare to steroid group (

Evaluation of Antibacterial Effects of Cold Atmospheric Plasma, Calcium Hydroxide, and Triple Antibiotic Paste on Enterococcus faecalis Biofilm in the Root Canal System: An In Vitro Study

Introduction: One of the essential factors in successful endodontic therapy is effective cleaning and disinfection of the root canal. This study aims to determine the effect of the cold plasma on the infected root canals with Enterococcus faecalis and compare its antibacterial effect with the conventional medicaments in vitro. Methods: 63 single-root teeth were extracted. Canals were cleaned and shaped. Ten teeth were selected as a negative control randomly. The rest of the teeth were incubated at 37°C for 21 days to form Enterococcus faecalis biofilm. The specimens were divided into five groups; 2 positive control groups of medicaments and plasma, 1 group treated with calcium hydroxide; 1 group treated with 10 mg/ml of TAP; 1 group treated helium/oxygen plasma. After treatment, F4 Pro-Taper rotary file was used to collect root canal microbial biofilms. Bacterial suspensions are serially diluted, and the percentage of growth reduction for each group was obtained by dividing the logarithm of CFU /mL of each group by CFU /mL of the control of the same group. Results: The CFU/mL of TAP and plasma-treated samples was significantly lower than the control groups; however, there were no significant differences between the control group and samples treated by calcium hydroxide. The most percentage of CFU reduction was in the TAP-treated group compared with plasma and calcium hydroxide-treated groups. Conclusion: The application of cold plasma effectively inhibits the growth of Enterococcus faecalis and reduces bacterial biofilm. Also, in the present study, 10 mg/ml of TAP caused the complete elimination of Enterococcus faecalis. Calcium hydroxide had the most negligible effect on Enterococcus faecalis biofilm elimination

Investigating the rate of different ovarian response in in vitro fertilization cycles based on estrogen receptor beta +1730 polymorphism: A cross-sectional study

Background: The response to ovarian stimulation is different among women referring for assisted reproductive techniques. This difference could be due to different genotypes in genes related to reproduction such as estrogen receptor beta (E

Comparison of chromosomal instability of human amniocytes in primary and long-term cultures in AmnioMAX II and DMEM media: A cross-sectional study

Background: The genomic stability of stem cells to be used in cell therapy and other clinical applications is absolutely critical. In this regard, the relationship between in vitro expansion and the chromosomal instability (CIN), especially in human amniotic fluid cells (hAFCs) has not yet been completely elucidated. Objective: To investigate the CIN of hAFCs in primary and long-term cultures and two different culture mediums. Materials and Methods: After completing prenatal genetic diagnoses (PND) using karyotype technique and chromosomal analysis, a total of 15 samples of hAFCs from 650 samples were randomly selected and cultured in two different mediums as AmnioMAX II and DMEM. Then, proliferative cells were fixed on the slide to be used in standard chromosome G-banding analysis. Also, the senescent cells were screened for aneuploidy considering 8 chromosomes by FISH technique using two probe sets including PID I (X-13-18-21) & PID II (Y-15-16-22). Results: Karyotype and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (iFISH) results from 650 patients who were referred for prenatal genetic diagnosis showed that only 6 out of them had culture- derived CIN as polyploidy, including mosaic diploidtriploid and diploid-tetraploid. Moreover, the investigation of aneuploidies in senesced hAFCs demonstrated the rate of total chromosomal abnormalities as 4.3% and 9.9% in AmnioMAX- and DMEM-cultured hAFCs, respectively. Conclusion: hAFCs showed a low rate of CIN in two AmnioMAX II and DMEM mediums and also in the proliferative and senescent phases. Therefore, they could be considered as an attractive stem cell source with therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine. Key words: Human amniotic fluid cells, Chromosomal instability, Pseudomosaicism, Amniocentesis, Replicative senescence

Discovering and counting the mechanisms of establishing a succession planning system in governmental organizations

AbstractThe present study seeks to investigate what are the necessary stages for establishing a succession management system in governmental organizations. The methodology of the present study is qualitative. The research data have been collected using free and semi-structured interviews with 19 senior managers and professors in the field of human resources. Data analysis has been performed thematically based on 3-step coding using Nvivo software.The validity of the research was confirmed based on the opinions of professors and experts in the field of human resources and the reliability of the "angulation" technique based on continuous review. The study results indicate that establishment of succession management system consists of seven main themes that occur gradually and in a process. These themes include: organizational culture-building, providing the ground for implementation of succession planning system, implementation of a committed system, determining the policies, evaluating the candidates in order to establish a meritocracy system, analysis of the educational gaps and development of staff based on the mission, and finally evaluation of the succession management system.IntroductionIn the strategy of the new millennium organizations there is a great emphasis on intangible assets. More careful studies in this area suggest that to achieve success, one must not only place people in the appropriate positions, but also identify top employees in each position (Brandi &Kall, 2005).According to researchers in the field of organizations, especially large organizations, exploiting their potential capabilities is profitable for employees and the organization. Numerous factors can determine the success or failure of organizations. One of the main factors for success of today’s organizations can be considered human resources. Therefore, research and activity in this field will cause prosperity and self-flourishing of the organization by paying attention to intangible assets. Given the above, the present study aims to design a model of succession management system.Case studyIn this study, the governmental organizations in question have been large organizations in Tehran province in which the need to establish succession planning for development and excellence of the country seems essential.Theoretical frameworkIn today’s, the supply of young human resources has gradually decreased and on the other hand, the workforce has become older, and when faced with a new change, many organizations have various ambiguities about the ability to replace their employees. With a more comprehensive perspective, succession planning represents a deliberate and systematic effort to ensure continued leadership in key positions, maintain and develop intellectual capital and knowledge in all employees for the future, encourage personal advancement, ensure stability or the “bench power” of the key personnel, provide a holistic approach to the organization’s continued effective performance, and to organize coordinated programs to develop, replace, and influence key individuals to ensure a deep talent pipeline (Schoonover, 2011).To manage their current and future talents, today’s organizations must take effective measures at all levels;MethodologyThe present study is developmental in terms of the result, applied in terms of purpose, and qualitative in terms of data type and method. The methodology of the present study is qualitative. The research data has been collected by free and semi-structured interviews with 19 senior managers and expert professors in the field of human resources. Data analysis has been performed thematically based on 3-step coding using Nvivo software. Clarke-Braun thematic analysis method based on 3-step coding (free coding, selective coding, and axial coding) has been used for analysis.Discussion and ResultsIn the present study, the analysis of the texts has been done inductively and an attempt has been made to, passing through purely objective and experimental codes and issues provide abstract issues that can explain the whole succession management system. The theoretical literature has been used as a guide to the ultimate abstract categorization. Based on the analysis of the interviews, seven main themes have been counted. These themes are in fact the body of the succession management system in the present study.In this regard, first the basic condition which is the cultural context must be estimated because the importance of culture-building is known to everyone. Providing the context is itself a continuous and comprehensive process that can be the background for turning the succession planning system into a major goal. After preparing the executive conditions, it is necessary to determine the organizational policies so that the whole implementation process, which is a dynamic process, moves within a certain framework and can be responsive and helpful in different conditions. After determining the general policy of the organization, the candidates must be evaluated in order to establish a meritocracy system in the organization. The next step after evaluating the candidates is analysis of the gap and determination of educational needs, educational planning, development of career path and development through different methods based on that along with paying attention to staff motivation so that after development they move toward predetermined goals and be accountable to predetermined goals individually, collectively and systematically. The last step in implementation of any system is to evaluate that system in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. In fact, evaluation determines how successful the organization has been in the field of implementation. In this regard, by determining the evaluation criteria first and determining the evaluation methods and finally establishment of the PDCA cycle, the conditions must be provided to evaluate and eliminate deviations in order to achieve predetermined goals and more success.ConclusionIn the current era, the importance of implementing the succession planning system is known to every manager and organization. In this study, the results showed that establishing a succession management system in organizations consists of seven main themes that occur in a process and gradually. It should be noted that each of the mentioned themes are the background of the previous theme in order to establish a system efficiently

Effect of different application strategies of universal adhesive used for immediate and delayed dentin sealing on the microtensile bond strength of self-adhesive resin cement to dentin with and without aging

Bond strength of indirect restorations is a very important issue that should be given special attention. Immediate dentin sealing (IDS) technique has been suggested in recent years. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of different

The impacts of type and proportion of five different asphalt modifiers on the low-temperature fracture toughness and fracture energy of modified HMA

Low-temperature fracture toughness and fracture energy are two important measures that could be used to investigate the impacts of using asphalt modifiers on the performance of asphalt pavements in cold regions. The aim of this research was to identify the impacts of using various proportions of five different asphalt modifiers on the fracture toughness and the fracture energy of Hot Mix Asphalts (HMA) under mode I loading and at low environmental temperatures. The asphalt modifiers used for this purpose were: Elastoplastomer Polymer Strings (EPS), Parafiber, Sulfur Polymer, Polyolefin-Aramid Compound Structural Fibers (PACSF) and Sasobit. These modifiers were individually used at three different proportions to produce Semi-circular Bend Specimens containing vertical edge crack. Each specimen was then tested under symmetric monotonic three-point bend loading at 15�C. The results indicated that, except for the EPS, both fracture toughness and fracture energy were increased with an increase in the modifier proportion. The highest increase in both measures was observed in the specimens modified with the PACSF, closely followed by specimens modified with the Parafibers. The least increase in these two measures was observed in the specimens modified with the Sulfur Polymer. The results indicated the applicability of examined modifiers to improve the resistance of HMA to crack initiation and crack growth at low temperature