Cryptanalysis of some protocols using matrices over group rings

We address a cryptanalysis of two protocols based on the supposed difficulty of discrete logarithm problem on (semi) groups of matrices over a group ring. We can find the secret key and break entirely the protocols

Quality management systems selection using FAHP and mixed integer programming

In current paper, an organized and quantitative approach is proposed for selection of quality management systems. The proposed model of this paper first uses fuzzy analytic hierarchical process to rank different quality management systems. Since there are normally various constraints associated with the selection of quality management, we propose a 0-1 programming for selecting an optimal mix of quality management systems. We also use the proposed model of this paper for a real-world case study of research center in aerial industries and the results are discussed

Content of toxic and essential metals in recrystallized and washed table salt in Shiraz, Iran

BACKGROUND: Table salt is the most commonly used food additive. Since most of the salt consumed in Iran comes from mines, contamination with heavy metals is a health concern. The commonest salt purification method in Iran is washing with water. But recently, some industries have turned to recrystallization method. The present study aimed to determine the level of essential and non-essential heavy metals in the table salt refined with recrystallization and washing methods. METHODS: Thirty eight pre-packed salt samples were directly collected from retail market in Shiraz (22 samples refined with recrystallization method and 16 with washing method). The level of lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, nickel and cobalt was determined using Voltammetric method. Daily intakes of lead and cadmium as well as their weekly intakes were calculated. RESULTS: The levels of lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, nickel and cobalt in recrystallized samples were 0. 30 ± 0.26, 0.02 ± 0.02, 0.11 ± 0.06, 0.34 ± 0.22, 0.15 ± 0.19 and 0.008 ± 0.007 μg/g, respectively, and also 0.37 ± 0.27, 0.017 ± 0.021, 0.19 ± 0.18, 0.37 ± 0.20, 0.13 ± 0.23 and 0.037 ± 0.06 μg/g in washed salt samples. The calculated weekly intake of lead and cadmium was 0.216 and 0.014 μg/kg, respectively for the recrystallized and 0.2653 and 0.0119 μg/kg for the washed salts. CONCLUSION: All values for toxic metals were lower than the permitted maximum for human consumption as prescribed by Codex and Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran. Only 0.8652-1.0612% of lead and 0.17-0.2% of cadmium PTWIs are received via salt consumption weekly

Effect of Dipyridamole Injected for Myocardial Perfusion Imaging on Blood Glucose Concentration; A Preliminary Study

Introduction: Dipyridamole inhibits adenosine reuptake and increases cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP) levels in platelets, erythrocytes and endothelial cells, all of which influence blood glucose. Acute hyperglycaemia reduces endothelium-dependent vasodilation and suppresses coronary microcirculation; which, in theory, can alter the outcome of a radionuclide scan. Aim: The present study was conducted with the aim to investigate the changes in blood glucose level of patients receiving dipyridamole for cardiac scan. Materials and Methods: A total of 293 patients (85 men and 208 women, age: 60.59±10.43 years) were included in the study. Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) was measured before and 8 min after dipyridamole (0.568 mg/kg) injection during myocardial perfusion imaging. The data in different groups were analysed by paired t-test. R esults: There was not a significant difference between first (106.89 ± 19.21mg/dL) and second (107.98 ± 17.57 mg/dL) FBG measurements (p= 0.293). However, when the patients were grouped based on the quartiles of first measurement, there was an increase in FBG following dipyridamole injection in the first quartile (mean difference: 7.15±21.27 mg/dL, p<0.01); in contrast, FBG levels showed a significant decrease after dipyridamole administration in the 4th quartile (mean difference: -9.53±18.20 mg/dL, p<0.001). The differences in 2nd and 3rd quartiles were negligible. The patients were divided into normal, ischemic and fixed lesions based on the outcome of scans, then the possible correlation of dipyridamole-induced FBG alteration and scan results were investigated. There were no significant difference between the FBG values before and after dipyridamole injection and the final outcome of scan. C onclusion: The effects of dipyridamole on blood glucose highly depend on the initial blood glucose level

Love protects us; we should take care of it

Five years of work as emergency physician (EP) in some of the busiest hospitals in a developing country has never been an exhausting experience for me. In fact, my immense passion for this job has brought me happiness even amidst the most challenging shifts. There has been, however, instances of extraordinary difficulty, which have long stuck in my mind. One of those occasions was the time when, at the end of an already tough shift, my middle-aged patient died despite our team’s efforts. At that very moment, I assumed that it would not be possible for me to survive from my terrible feelings this time. Nevertheless, just in a couple of days, I was prepared for my next shift. I wondered what helped me recover so early. I knew that loving my job had rescued me. However, many questions engaged my mind. What was the origin of this passion? I have had the privilege of working with passionate, responsible physicians whose primary goal in life was caring for patients. This experience encouraged me to take pleasure in my struggle to improve my clinical practice. I should also humbly admit that plenty of medical students have gained the same attitude and insight from working with me. The reputation of the experience of “love transmission” augmented somewhat the hypothesis of its origin. But what will be the consequences of that? Will the resilience and hardiness remain in the future or cause dropping out of my job earlier than normal? A rapid review of the medical literature revealed only a few papers dealing with the role of love in medicine, none specifically pertaining to the realm of emergency medicine. Some studies investigated love in terms of biology. Tobias et al. evaluated central nervous system activity in response to love. They showed that love could activate the limbic structure which could in turn result in reduction of stress and improving health, well-being and productivity. Dr. Marcum defined the concept of “prudent love” by a philosophical analysis method in 2011. He maintains that wisdom in combination with the emotion of love can work synergistically and result in a better outcome. In other words, a physician with prudent love tries constantly with pleasure to gain more and the best knowledge and skill for caring of patients (i.e., more wisdom). A positive cycle will exist among the experience in mind and the pleasure in heart. This pleasure could heal a tired healer. Such physicians with prudent love not only will treat more effectively their patients, but will also feel more long-term wellness in their career, and perhaps even more longevity.In summary, I believe EPs deserve a quality of life better than what is achieved through just struggling with difficulties and fighting against burnout. An EP who loves his job, has a different perception of inevitable occupational stresses, because love can create a mindset that views sad events and even failures as opportunities which motivates him instead of causing disappointment and tiredness. However, we are human beings and unwanted stress will inevitably occur. In these circumstances, such EPs will find out the best coping strategy to react to them properly in a way that would prevent from entrapment in the vicious cycle of burnout. I acknowledge that, at present, these remarks remain vague, poetic, and non-pragmatic. They need to be operationalized in the form of transferrable skills. Therefore, I think the topic of love in this context is an untouched area that merits further research, preferably in cooperation with psychologists and psychiatrists. &nbsp;I sincerely hope that in future we will see more powerful, self-healing physicians, who care for their patients with pleasure

Internal evaluation of speech therapy department of Semnan University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Using students' view for teacher evaluation is a common method. This study was designed to investigate the view of faculties and medical students about faculty teaching experiences. Materials and Methods: 100 medical students and 35 faculties from Jahrom University of Medical Sciences were participated in this study. Two separate questionnaires were designed for this purpose and after determining validity and reliability completed by teachers and students. Results: 70.9 percent of faculties reported that they are satisfied with evaluation by students. 48.6 percent of them reported that feedback from this evaluation improved their teaching. 48.8 percent of them thought that some students behave spitefully. 60 percent reported self assessments as a useful method for evaluation of their own teaching. The majority of medical students (76.6%) reported that teachers' communication skills are one of the important factors in teacher evaluation. 67.4 percent of them reported that they completed the teachers' evaluation forms carefully and 60.9 percent of them asserted that teachers, who take difficult examinations, have lower grades in evaluation forms. Conclusion: In general, most teachers are agreed with teacher evaluation. Since students' opinion about their teachers is influenced by some factors which have no close relationship with the evaluation subject and is merely related to other factors, using other evaluation methods such as self evaluation and peer evaluation seems to be necessary. In addition, we should establish a single national and standard method for teacher evaluation all over the country

Evaluation of total-LDH / heat resistant- LDH ratio in patients with acute myocardial infarction and unstable pectoral angina

چکیده: زمینه و هدف: اندازه گیری آنزیم های سرم به صورت معیار متداولی جهت تشخیص بیماران مشکوک به انفارکتوس میوکارد در آمده که از میان آنها می توان به لاکتات دهیدروژناز (LDH) و ایزوآنزیم های آن اشاره کرد. هدف این مطالعه مقایسه نسبت LDH تام به LDH مقاوم به حرارت، در بیماران مبتلا به انفارکتوس حاد میوکارد (MI) و آنژین صدری ناپایدار (UA) بود. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه توصیفی تحلیلی 110 بیمار با MI و 11 بیمار با UA، بستری در بخش CCU بیمارستان اکباتان همدان مورد مطامعه قرار گرفتند. تشخیص بیماری فرد بر اساس علایم بالینی، نوار قلب (ECG) و تغییرات آنزیمی بود. میزان LDH تام و LDH مقاوم به حرارت سرم 24 تا 48 ساعت بعد از بستری بر اساس مقدار مصرف نیکوتین آمید آدنین دینوکلئوتید فسفات (NADH) و تبدیل آن به نیکوتین آمید آدنین دینوکلئوتید (NAD) اندازه گیری شد. داده ها با استفاده از آزمون های آماری t و من ویتنی تجزیه و تحلیل گردیدند. یافته ها: نسبت LDH تام به LDH مقاوم به حرارت در بیماران مبتلا به MI 18/0±27/1 و در بیماران مبتلا به UA 39/1±51/2 بود (001/0

Preventive effect of N-acetylcysteine in a mouse model of steroid resistant acute exacerbation of asthma

Oxidative stress appears to have an important role in glucocorticoid insensitivity, as a crucial problem in asthma therapy. We studied the preventive effect of antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) and the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the airways in an animal model of steroid resistant acute exacerbation of asthma. Systemically sensitized Balb/C mice were exposed to Ovalbumin aerosol on days 13, 14, 15 and 16, followed by intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce acute exacerbation. NAC (intraperitoneal, 320 mg/kg 30 min before and 12 hours after each challenge) reduced hyperresponsiveness with/out dexamethasone. LPS application caused neutrophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and eosinophil count was higher than respective control in BALF as well as neutrophils after dexamethasone treatment. NAC significantly decreased neutrophil and eosinophil count in BALF as well as inflammatory cytokines (IL-13 and IL-5).We concluded that addition of NAC to asthma therapy has beneficial preventive effects in an animal model of steroid resistant acute exacerbation of asthma

99mTc-MIBI Lung Scintigraphy in the Assessment of Pulmonary Involvement in Interstitial Lung Disease and Its Comparison With Pulmonary Function Tests and High-Resolution Computed Tomography

Abstract: The differentiation of active inflammatory processes from an inactive form of the disease is of great value in the management of interstitial lung disease (ILD). The aim of this investigation was to assess the efficacy of 99mTc-methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile (99mTc- MIBI) scans in distinguishing the severity of the disease compared to radiological and clinical parameters. In total, 19 known cases of ILD were included in this study and were followed up for 1 year. Five patients without lung disease were considered as the control group. The patients underwent pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and high-resolution computed tomography scans, followed by 99mTc-MIBI scanning. The 99mTc-MIBI scans were analyzed either qualitatively (subjectively) or semiquantitatively. All 19 ILD patients demonstrated a strong increase in 99mTc-MIBI uptake in the lungs compared to the control group. The 99mTc-MIBI scan scores were higher in the patient group in both the early phase (0.24[0.19–0.31] vs 0.11[0.10–0.15], P<0.05) and the delayed phase (0.15[0.09–0.27] vs 0.04[0.01–0.09], P<0.05) compared with the control group. A positive correlation was detected between the 99mTc-MIBI scan and the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scores (Spearman’s correlation coefficient ¼ 0.65, P<0.02) in the early phase but not in the delayed phase in patients (P>0.14). The 99mTc-MIBI scan scores were not significantly correlated with the PFT findings (P>0.05). In total, 5 patients died and 14 patients were still alive over the 1-year follow-up period. There was also a significant difference between the uptake intensity of 99mTc-MIBI and the outcome in the early phase (dead: 0.32[0.29–0.43] vs alive: 0.21[0.18–0.24], P<0.05) and delayed phase (dead: 0.27[0.22–0.28] vs alive: 0.10[0.07–0.19], P<0.05). The washout rate was �40 min starting from 20 min up to 60 min and this rate was significantly different in our 2 study groups (ILD: 46.61[15.61–50.39] vs NL: 70.91[27.09–116.36], P¼0.04). The present study demonstrated that 99mTc-MIBI lung scans might distinguish the severity of pulmonary involvement in early views, which were well correlated with HRCT findings. These results also revealed that 99mTc-MIBI lung scans might be used as a complement to other diagnostic and clinical examinations in terms of functional information in ILD; however, further investigations are strongly require