Mechanical damage to corn seeds

The objective of this research was to evaluate and model the mechanical damage to corn seeds under impact loading. The experiments were conducted at moisture contents of 7.60 to 25% (wet basis) and at the impact energies of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 J, using an impact damage assessment device. The results showed that impact energy, moisture content, and the interaction effects of these two variables significantly influenced the percentage of physical damage in corn seeds (p<0.01). Increasing the impact of the energy from 0.1 to 0.3 J caused a significant increase in the mean values of damage from 23.73 to 83.49%. The mean values of physical damage decreased significantly by a factor of 1.92 (from 83.75 to 43.56%), with an increase in the moisture content from 7.6 to 20%. However, by a higher increase in the moisture from 20 to 25%, the mean value of damage showed a non-significant increasing trend. There was an optimum moisture level of about 17 to 20%, at which seed damage was minimized. An empirical model composed of seed moisture content and energy impact was developed for accurately describing the percentage of physical damage to corn seeds. It was found that the model has provided satisfactory results over the whole set of values for the dependent variable

Comparison of Intra-abdominal Pressure Measurement and Physical Exam for Diagnosis of Surgery Indication in Patients with Abdominal Compartment Syndrome due to Blunt Trauma

Background & Aims: Increase in abdominal pressure can lead to the so-called intra–abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) that is often observed during the first 24 hours after sever abdominal trauma and surgery. Measurement of the intra abdominal pressure through the bladder as a non-invasive measurement can provide a quick and accurate assessment of abdominal pressure changes. This study was performed to compare the diagnostic value of intra-abdominal pressure measurement through the bladder with that of physical exam in the diagnosis of surgery indication. Methods: This descriptive- analytical study was performed on patients with intra-abdominal compartment syndrome due to blunt abdominal trauma referred to Nemazee hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Tools for data collection included a check list consisting demographic information, and intra-abdominal pressure measurement instruments. Data analysis was done through SPSS software. Results: Of 100 patients with abdominal trauma whose abdominal pressures were measured, 28 ones had abdominal compartment syndrome of whom, 21 ones (75 percent) were referred to the operation room by physician. Among all patients who were sent to the surgery room, 5 patients (23.80%) were survived and all those who were not sent to the surgery room died. Mean diagnosis time of measuring abdominal pressure for detection of operation indication was significantly lower than that of physical exam (P<0.01). Age, sex, type of trauma and type of injury to internal organ had no significant relationship with the rate of abdominal compartment syndrome. Also, there was no significant difference between the two methods in finding surgery indication. Conclusion: Implementing education on methods of early diagnosis of intra-abdominal pressure increase for medical team especially nurses is one of the treatment prioritie

Physico-mechanical analysis data in support of compatibility of chitosan/κ-carrageenan polyelectrolyte films achieved by ascorbic acid, and the thermal degradation theory of κ-carrageenan influencing the properties of its blends

This article presents the complementary data regarding compatibilization of chitosan/κ carrageenan polyelectrolyte complex for synthesizing of a soft film using ascorbic acid. It includes the thermal-theory for estimating the degradation of κ-carrageenan, as reflected in alteration of the structural properties of the blend. The data has been provided to demonstrate that the blend solution based on chitosan, a polycation, and κ-carrageenan, a polyanion polymer, produces an incompatible polyelectrolyte composite, susceptible to coaservative phase separation. We present further data on water resistance, water barrier property, mechanical parameters, scanning electron micrograph, as well as contact angle image dataset of the chitosan/κ-carrageenan film. The physical data were collected by water solubility and water permeability assays, with a view to elucidate the role of ascorbic acid in the compatibility of polyelectrolyte blends. The mechanical data is obtained from a stress-strain curve for evaluation of tensile strength and elongation at break of the chitosan/κ-carrageenan film. The microstructure observations were performed using scanning electron micrograph. These dataset confirm fabrication of a soft film in presence of ascorbic acid, with reduced heterogeneities in the polyelectrolyte film structure. The κ-carrageenan was also treated by a thermal process, prior to inclusion into the chitosan solution, to investigate the impact of this on the mechanical and structural features of the resulting blend. We present the required data and the theoretical analysis supporting the thermal chain degradation of a polymer and its effects on behavior of the film. Additional information, characterizing the hydrophobicity of the surface of the blend layers is obtained by measuring water contact angles using a contact anglemeter

Classical Analogue of the Ionic Hubbard Model

In our earlier work [M. Hafez, {\em et al.}, Phys. Lett. A {\bf 373} (2009) 4479] we employed the flow equation method to obtain a classic effective model from a quantum mechanical parent Hamiltonian called, the ionic Hubbard model (IHM). The classical ionic Hubbard model (CIHM) obtained in this way contains solely Fermionic occupation numbers of two species corresponding to particles with \up and \down spin, respectively. In this paper, we employ the transfer matrix method to analytically solve the CIHM at finite temperature in one dimension. In the limit of zero temperature, we find two insulating phases at large and small Coulomb interaction strength, $U$, mediated with a gap-less metallic phase, resulting in two continuous metal-insulator transitions. Our results are further supported with Monte Carlo simulations.Comment: 12 figure

DRAG FORCE RELATED TO BODY DIMENSIONS IN FRONT CRAWL SWIMMING

So far, a great deal of attention has been given to find out relationship between body dimensions (anthropometrical variables) and hydrodynamic resistance for actively swimming subjects. The development of a new indirect method for determining active drag (IMAD) warranted a reevaluation of this relationship, which was the aim of present study. Twenty one novice male swimmers with different body shape and experience ranging from 11 to 14 years and in mass from 35 to 70 kg have volunteered in this study. The variables were mass, height, upper limit length, arm, forearm, hand lengths, and torso, arm, and head circumferences. Very high and significant correlations were found between active drag and anthropometric variables. The drag force was ranging from 14.5 to 52.5 N. The results achieved from this study agreed well with the results obtained by other researchers using direct measurement systems

Emergence of hexatic and long-range herringbone order in two-dimensional smectic liquid crystals : A Monte Carlo study

Using a high resolution Monte Carlo simulation technique based on multi-histogram method and cluster-algorithm, we have investigated critical properties of a coupled XY model, consists of a six-fold symmetric hexatic and a three-fold symmetric herringbone field, in two dimensions. The simulation results demonstrate a series of novel continues transitions, in which both long-range hexatic and herringbone orderings are established simultaneously. It is found that the specific-heat anomaly exponents for some regions in coupling constants space are in excellent agreement with the experimentally measured exponents extracted from heat-capacity data near the smecticA-hexaticB transition of two-layer free standing film

Nursing Students’ viewpoints about Problems of Clinical education

Background:Clinical training is fundamental part of nursing education program and causes the student to apply the theoretical knowledge in caring for patients. The nature and duties of nursing in community is such a special issue that doubles the sensitivity of coordination between theoretical courses and clinical services. About half of nursing and midwifery training time is spent on clinical training but there are many factors that affect the process of clinical education. Therefore the aim of this study is assessing the problems of clinical training in nursing students in clinical environments in Nursing and Midwifery faculty of Isfahan. Methods:This descriptive analytical study was performed on 75 nursing students in their last term. A two-part questionnaire included questions on demographic information and factors to assess clinical training problems in six major areas of problems: problems related to learner, clinical instructor, clinical environment, patient, educational program and clinical evaluation. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software. Results:After analyzing the data the following results were obtained: most of the problems were related to the clinical instructor 78%, learners 73%, clinical environment 71%, clinical training program 66%, clinical evaluation 60% and patient-related problems 43%. Conclusions:Results of this article showed that there are problems in clinical training in nursing, especially in fields that are related to learner and clinical instructor. Due to the fact that Clinical Education is the fundamental part of clinical training and in this type of training, students in interaction with instructors and the environment, apply the learned concepts in the clinical field, by understanding nursing and midwifery clinical education problems, the planners will be able to design good educational programs to increase the quality of health services to all people. Therefore, to reach this goal there is a need to more assessment and continuous clinical evaluation processes

Nursing students’ viewpoints about problems of clinical education

Background:Clinical training is fundamental part of nursing education program and causes the student to apply the theoretical knowledge in caring for patients. The nature and duties of nursing in community is such a special issue that doubles the sensitivity of coordination between theoretical courses and clinical services. About half of nursing and midwifery training time is spent on clinical training but there are many factors that affect the process of clinical education. Therefore the aim of this study is assessing the problems of clinical training in nursing students in clinical environments in Nursing and Midwifery faculty of Isfahan. Methods:This descriptive analytical study was performed on 75 nursing students in their last term. A two-part questionnaire included questions on demographic information and factors to assess clinical training problems in six major areas of problems: problems related to learner, clinical instructor, clinical environment, patient, educational program and clinical evaluation. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software. Results:After analyzing the data the following results were obtained: most of the problems were related to the clinical instructor 78%, learners 73%, clinical environment 71%, clinical training program 66%, clinical evaluation 60% and patient-related problems 43%. Conclusions:Results of this article showed that there are problems in clinical training in nursing, especially in fields that are related to learner and clinical instructor. Due to the fact that Clinical Education is the fundamental part of clinical training and in this type of training, students in interaction with instructors and the environment, apply the learned concepts in the clinical field, by understanding nursing and midwifery clinical education problems, the planners will be able to design good educational programs to increase the quality of health services to all people. Therefore, to reach this goal there is a need to more assessment and continuous clinical evaluation processes

USE OF A NEW INDIRECT METHOD IN DETERMINING THE CONTRIBUTION OF LEGS AND HANDS TO PROPULSION IN FRONT CRAWL

The aim of the present study was to determine the contributions of arms and legs action in front crawl. So far many researchers using different methods, such as oxygen consumption, filming and measurement of active drag, measured and reported the percentage of arms and legs contributions to propulsive force. A newly indirect measurement of active drag IMAD, which has recently been introduced, enabled us to estimate not only the percentage of arms and legs contributions but also the percentage of swimmers´ arms and legs coordination. Our results have been well comparable with other researchers’ results

USE OF A NEW INDIRECT METHOD IN DETERMINING THE CONTRIBUTION OF LEGS AND HANDS TO PROPULSION IN FRONT CRAWL

The aim of the present study was to determine the contributions of arms and legs action in front crawl. So far many researchers using different methods, such as oxygen consumption, filming and measurement of active drag, measured and reported the percentage of arms and legs contributions to propulsive force. A newly indirect measurement of active drag IMAD, which has recently been introduced, enabled us to estimate not only the percentage of arms and legs contributions but also the percentage of swimmers´ arms and legs coordination. Our results have been well comparable with other researchers’ results