Assessment framework for the impacts of climate change and urbanization on urban drainage systems

It has been widely recognized that global climate change will have negative impacts not only on the natural environment but also on the human-built environment. This paper describes the framework developed to assess the potential impacts of climate change and urbanization on drainage systems of Australian urban cities. One of real concerns is how the flooding risk will change over the next 5-25 years under such possible impacts. In this study, the assessment method is explored with regards to two major effects of climate change (i.e. changed pattern of storm event and rising sea level), two effects of urbanization (i.e. increasing impervious area and storm water harvesting) and two effects of hydraulic deterioration (i.e. reduced cross-sectional area and increased internal surface roughness of conduits). The framework is demonstrated on a simulation study at street. The outcomes of this study will provide preliminary understanding on how drainage systems respond to changing climate inputs and also guided steps to implement the framework on real-world problems

The effect of Ramadan fasting on spatial attention through emotional stimuli

Fasting can influence psychological and mental states. In the current study, the effect of periodical fasting on the process of emotion through gazed facial expression as a realistic multisource of social information was investigated for the first time. The dynamic cue-target task was applied via behavior and event-related potential measurements for 40 participants to reveal the temporal and spatial brain activities-before, during, and after fasting periods. The significance of fasting included several effects. The amplitude of the N1 component decreased over the centroparietal scalp during fasting. Furthermore, the reaction time during the fasting period decreased. The self-measurement of deficit arousal as well as the mood increased during the fasting period. There was a significant contralateral alteration of P1 over occipital area for the happy facial expression stimuli. The significant effect of gazed expression and its interaction with the emotional stimuli was indicated by the amplitude of N1. Furthermore, the findings of the study approved the validity effect as a congruency between gaze and target position, as indicated by the increment of P3 amplitude over centroparietal area as well as slower reaction time from behavioral response data during incongruency or invalid condition between gaze and target position compared with those during valid condition. Results of this study proved that attention to facial expression stimuli as a kind of communicative social signal was affected by fasting. Also, fasting improved the mood of practitioners. Moreover, findings from the behavioral and event-related potential data analyses indicated that the neural dynamics of facial emotion are processed faster than that of gazing, as the participants tended to react faster and prefer to relay on the type of facial emotions than to gaze direction while doing the task. Because of happy facial expression stimuli, right hemisphere activation was more than that of the left hemisphere. It indicated the consistency of the emotional lateralization concept rather than the valence concept of emotional processing

Analisis Kinerja Web Server Menggunakan Algoritma Round Robin dan Least Connection

In the industrialized world many companies are using web as a form of promotion or online transactions such as e-commerce. It handles millions of hit visits on the web server. There are many things that can cause the failure hit. One of them is the number of requests or transactions to the web server that is not able to be handled or the slowness of the response, which is very dangerous and detrimental for the company. The single web server with extremely expensive brands is a way to face the constraints overload, but only certain companies are able to have it. The issues faced, how to use some of the PCs as a web server with a reasonable economic value, could be empowered by implementing network load balancing technology. Network load balancing is a technology solution that is used, and expected to be able to handle the simultaneous load of web server with small output failure. Web server performance measurement at the round robin algorithm and least connection include parameters against components such as throughput, request loss, response time and cpu utilization, from the result of the measurement, it will be seen which is the best algorithm to use

Experimental Investigation on Supercavitating Flow over Parabolic Cavitators

In this paper experimental study was carried out to investigate supercavitation around parabolic cavitators. Various types of cavitators, such as disk, cone, and parabolic, were designed and manufactured. Also, the shape of the cavities formed behind these bodies were considered and compared. Dimensionless parameters such as dimensionless length and the diameter of the cavity as well as the dimensionless required air flow on the cavitators were obtained. The results showed that parabolic cavitators have an optimum design in comparison with the disk and cone cavitators due to their insignificant capability to reduce the drag force, yet the cavity’s length has a moderate size. It was also observed that this type of cavitator is capable of forming a cavity with a dimensionless length up to L/d= 33 and a dimensionless width up to D/d= 3.6. Moreover, parabolic cavitators require the highest amount of air injected in comparison with the cone and disk types; therefore, they operate in lower cavitation numbers. Since no other experimental data has been reported so far, this work reports the experimental characteristic behavior of parabolic cavitators

Oral consumption of α-linolenic acid increases serum BDNF levels in healthy adult humans

Background aims: Dietary omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids have remarkable impacts on the levels of DHA in the brain and retina. Low levels of DHA in plasma and blood hamper visual and neural development in children and cause dementia and cognitive decline in adults. The level of brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) changes with dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake. BDNF is known for its effects on promoting neurogenesis and neuronal survival. Methods: In this study, we examined the effect of the oral consumption of α-Linolenic acid (ALA) on blood levels of BDNF and Malondialdehyde (MDA) in healthy adult humans. 30 healthy volunteers, 15 men and 15 women, were selected randomly. Each individual served as his or her own control. Before consuming the Flaxseed oil capsules, 5cc blood from each individual was sampled in order to measure the plasma levels of BDNF and MDA as baseline controls. During the experiment, each individual was given 3 oral capsules of flaxseed oil, containing 500mg of alpha linolenic acid, daily for one week. Then, plasma levels of BDNF and MDA were tested. Results: The plasma levels of BDNF and MDA significantly (P < 0.05) increased in individuals who received the oral capsules of ALA. Plasma levels of BDNF increased more in the women in comparison with the men. Conclusion: ALA treatment could be a feasible approach to reduce size of infarcts in stroke patients. Thus, ALA could be used in adjunction with routine stroke therapies to minimize brain lesions caused by stroke. © 2015 Hadjighassem et al.; licensee BioMed Central

An early Little Ice Age brackish water invasion along the south coast of the Caspian Sea (sediment of Langarud wetland) and its wider impacts on environment and people

Caspian Sea level has undergone significant changes through time with major impacts not only on the surrounding coasts, but also offshore. This study reports a brackish water invasion on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea constructed from a multi-proxy analysis of sediment retrieved from the Langarud wetland. The ground surface level of wetland is >6 m higher than the current Caspian Sea level (at -27.41 m in 2014) and located >11 km far from the coast. A sequence covering the last millennium was dated by three radiocarbon dates. The results from this new study suggest that Caspian Sea level rose up to at least -21.44 m (i.e. >6 m above the present water level) during the early Little Ice Age. Although previous studies in the southern coast of the Caspian Sea have detected a high-stand during the Little Ice Age period, this study presents the first evidence that this high-stand reached so far inland and at such a high altitude. Moreover, it confirms one of the very few earlier estimates of a high-stand at -21 m for the second half of the 14th century. The effects of this large-scale brackish water invasion on soil properties would have caused severe disruption to regional agriculture, thereby destabilizing local dynasties and facilitating a rapid Turko-Mongol expansion of Tamerlane’s armies from the east.N Ghasemi (INIOAS), V Jahani (Gilan Province Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organisation) and A Naqinezhad (University of Mazandaran), INQUA QuickLakeH project (no. 1227) and to the European project Marie Curie, CLIMSEAS-PIRSES-GA-2009-24751

Using STROBE checklist to assess the reporting quality of observational studies affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, and its correlates: a scientometric study from Iran

The reporting quality of Observational Studies (OSs) is an important measure of their overall quality. We aim to assess the reporting quality of OSs of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) in Iran in the years 2012–2015, using Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies checklist. Systematic online search was performed. A random sample of SUMS affiliated published articles was selected. Articles were appraised and scored by two reviewers. Variables such as the study design, publication year, journals’ impact factor etc. were retrieved and their correlation with the articles’ scores was assessed. Out of 4297 published articles during 2012–2015, 1742 (40.5%) were OSs of which we assessed 171 (~ 10%) studies. Among these, 87 (50.9%), 74 (43.3%) and 10 (5.8%) articles had a cross-sectional, case–control and cohort design, respectively. Overall score of the reporting quality was 79% ± 0.01. It was at 81% ± 0.1, 77% ± 0.01 and 83% ± 0.02 for cross-sectional, case–control and cohort studies, respectively. A significant correlation was observed between the study design and the score for the reporting quality (P = 0.015). Reporting of “flow-diagram” (5%), “sources of bias” (28%) and “study size calculation” (30%) were the most missed items. Although the overall reporting quality of OSs was found to be at an acceptable rate, there are points of concern regarding some of the most important items that deserve the attention of authors as well as reviewers and editors

Effects of adverse early-life experiences on sexually transmitted infections among homelesswomen

Background: Homeless women are at high risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to their adverse early-life experiences. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between adverse early-life experiences and the risk of acquiring STIsamong homeless women in Tehran. Patients and Methods: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in 2014. The study recruited 241 homeless women through quota sampling from the drop in centers and shelters affiliated to a local welfare organization in Tehran, Iran. Data were obtained using questionnaires on demographics and adverse early-life experiences. Blood and urine samples were tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhea. Descriptive statistics including frequency were calculated for all variables. To analyze the data at a significance level of 0.05, binary logistic regression was used. Results: The prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS, HSV-2, syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhea were 8.29, 23.65, 14.93, 11.61, and 6.63, respectively. The results of logistic regression showed that the risk of acquiring STIs increases by factors such as sexual abuse (OR = 4.06; 95 CI = 1.21 -13.6, P = 0.02), running away from home (OR = 4.46; 95 CI = 1.67 -12.89, P = 0.03), drug use (OR = 3.93; 95 CI = 1.13 -13.58, P = 0.03), alcohol use (OR = 4.12; 95 CI = 1.38 -12.24, P = 0.01), imprisonment and criminal records (OR = 2.72; 95 CI = 1.01 -7.52, P = 0.04), premarital sexual activity (OR = 4.71; 95 CI = 1.06 -13.84, P = 0.05), divorce (OR = 3.47; 95 CI = 1.06 -11.32, P = 0.03), Nikah mut'ah (OR = 4.33; 95 CI = 1.39 -13.49, P = 0.01), having multiple sex partners (OR = 5.2; 95 CI = 1.81 -14.96, P = 0.02), and having unprotected sexual relationships (OR = 3.69; 95 CI = 1.00 -13.62, P = 0.05). Conclusions: Homeless women had high rates of adverse early-life experiences and overall 41.49 of them were affected at least by one STI. Future interventions should focus on the reduction of adverse early-life experiences, especially during adolescence, including the promotion of adolescent empowerment, promotion of condom use, and improvement of awareness of STIs. © 2019, Author(s)

Psychometric Properties of the Inventory of Statements about Self-Injury (ISAS) in Iranian Opioid and Alcohol Abusers

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is one of the most dangerous behaviors linked to substance abuse. The Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury (ISAS) has been developed to better understanding the factors associated with the onset and maintenance of NSSI behaviors. Objective: The ISAS was translated into the Persian language to study its psychometric properties in Iranian population of opioid and alcohol abusers. Methods: This is a psychometric study investigating opioid and alcohol abusers in Iran, including those residing in addiction rehabilitation camps, prisons, hospitals, and addiction treatment clinics dispensing methadone in 2017. The sample size of this study was 470. The subjects completed the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury, Barrat Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), and the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS). Results: The test-retest results were estimated for two weeks using the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC). The absolute reliability was determined to be 2.62. There was a significant correlation between convergent and divergent instruments. The results of the exploratory factor analysis on 235 individuals in the sample showed all subscales of the inventory measure a single factor in the Iranian population. The total Cronbach�s alpha coefficient for this subscale was 0.93. Also, the results of confirmatory factor analyses on the rest of the sample (235), after applying the AMOS software suggestions to improve the model, showed this inventory was a good indicator for this population (�2 = 131.69; P &lt; 0.001; df = 56; �2/df = 2.35; CFI = 0.97; RMSEA = 0.76; GFI = 0.92). Conclusions: The Persian version of the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury has high validity and reliability among the opioid and alcohol-abusing population in Iran. Copyright © 2020, Author(s)