Discharge Coefficient of a C-Type Piano Key Side Weir at 30° and 120° Sections of a Curved Channel

A piano key side weir (PKSW) is a non-linear weir that discharge exceeds linear weirs by increasing the length in width. PKSW can be used in side weirs with space limitation. As side weirs are extensively used in flood control, water level control in rivers, and water supply channels, it is necessary to use PKSW as side weirs. This research discusses the discharge coefficient of a PKSW by assessing a C-type PKSW at 30° and 120° sections of a channel with a longitudinal curve. Dimensional analysis was used for identifying the parameters effective in the discharge coefficient. The effects of these parameters are examined by analysing the effective parameters. Finally, an empirical relationship has been proposed for determining the discharge coefficient based on the dimensionless parameters for calculating the discharge coefficient with the correlation coefficient of 0.88 and the mean error of 0.091. The influence of the parameter on the PKSW is more than that of the remaining parameters: With an increase in the value of this parameter, considering decreases in the length of the deviation and a lack of submerged inlet keys, the coefficient of discharge increases

Evaluating the relationship between high-resolution computed tomography findings and their extent in eosinophilic lung diseases with peripheral blood eosinophil level

Purpose: Eosinophilic lung diseases are a group of pulmonary disorders associated with peripheral or tissue eosinophilia. They can be classified into primary (idiopathic) and secondary groups based on their aetiology. On the other hand, blood eosinophilia is a common clinical problem with various causes. In many cases the lung infiltrations in patients with peripheral eosinophilia are non-eosinophilic. Herein, we aim to assess the relationship between blood eosinophilia and abnormal high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) features and their extent in idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (ICEP) (the most common form of idiopathic eosinophilic lung disease). This can help in differentiating eosinophilic from non-eosinophilic lung infiltrations in patients with blood eosinophilia. Material and methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, all patients with proven ICEP, who were referred to Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran from 2012 to 2019, were included. The ICEP diagnosis was based on lung infiltrations on imaging, in addition to increased numbers of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, blood or lung biopsy samples, and rapid response to corticosteroids. Patients with known aetiologies for eosinophilic lung diseases were excluded. The HRCT findings and their extent in each patient were compared with the blood eosinophil level. Results: Positive correlation was found only between blood eosinophil level and frequency and extent of consolidation, and with frequency of lymphadenopathy. Conclusions: HRCT can help to differentiate eosinophilic from non-eosinophilic lung infiltrations in patients with blood eosinophilia by comparing the extent of consolidation with the blood eosinophil level

The landscape of exosomal non-coding RNAs in breast cancer drug resistance, focusing on underlying molecular mechanisms

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among women worldwide. Like many other cancers, BC therapy is challenging and sometimes frustrating. In spite of the various therapeutic modalities applied to treat the cancer, drug resistance, also known as, chemoresistance, is very common in almost all BCs. Undesirably, a breast tumor might be resistant to different curative approaches (e.g., chemo- and immunotherapy) at the same period of time. Exosomes, as double membrane-bound extracellular vesicles 1) secreted from different cell species, can considerably transfer cell products and components through the bloodstream. In this context, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including miRNAs, long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are a chief group of exosomal constituents with amazing abilities to regulate the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of BC, such as cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, migration, and particularly drug resistance. Thereby, exosomal ncRNAs can be considered potential mediators of BC progression and drug resistance. Moreover, as the corresponding exosomal ncRNAs circulate in the bloodstream and are found in different body fluids, they can serve as foremost prognostic/diagnostic biomarkers. The current study aims to comprehensively review the most recent findings on BC-related molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways affected by exosomal miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, with a focus on drug resistance. Also, the potential of the same exosomal ncRNAs in the diagnosis and prognosis of BC will be discussed in detail

An effective computational approach based on Hermite wavelet Galerkin for solving parabolic Volterra partial integro differential equations and its convergence analysis

In this research article Hermite wavelet based Galerkin method is developed for the numerical solution of Volterra integro-differential equations in onedimension with initial and boundary conditions. These equations include the partial differential of an unknown function and the integral term containing the unknown function which is the memory of the problem. Wavelet analysis is a recently developed mathematical tool in applied mathematics. For this purpose, Hermit wavelet Galerkin method has proven a very powerful numerical technique for the stable and accurate solution of giving boundary value problem. The theorem of convergence analysis and compare some numerical examples with the use of the proposed method and the exact solutions shows the efficiency and high accuracy of the proposed method. Several figures are plotted to establish the error analysis of the approach presented

Evaluation of three phases computed tomography scan findings in blunt abdominal trauma

Introduction: Blunt abdominal trauma is one of the important types of trauma and causes mortality in patients. Identifying the internal organ damage is necessary to proper management of trauma patients. Computed tomography (CT) scan is a powerful non-invasive imaging technique to assess internal organ damages in blunt abdominal trauma. The aim of present study was to evaluate findings of CT scan with contrast in patient with blunt abdominal trauma. Methods: In this descriptive study, 290 patients with blunt abdominal trauma were studied who referred to emergency department of Imam-Reza Hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Tabriz, Iran, from June 2014 to June 2015. Abdominal and pelvic CT scan with contrast was done using 1 detector CT scan machine in three phases (arterial phase, portal-venous phase and a delayed phase). Patients’ demographic information, cause of trauma, and CT scan findings were collected. Results: Mean age of patients was 26.3 ± 8.15 years. Male to female ratio was 1 to 0.42. Most common causes of blunt abdominal trauma were traffic accidents in 65.5% of patients, fall from height in 24.1% patients, and fall of heavy objects in 10.4% patients. Among all the patients, 57.6% had a detectable damage based on CT scanning. Based on CT scan findings, most common injuries were spleen injury in 20.0% of patients, liver injury in 18.9% of patients, and kidney injury in 8.9%. Conclusion: Traffic accidents were the most common cause of blunt abdominal trauma. Spleen, liver, and kidney injury were the most common internal organ damages based on CT scan findings

Unfolded protein response signaling in hepatic stem cell activation in liver fibrosis

Frequent exposure to various external and internal adverse forces (stresses) disrupts cell protein homeostasis through endoplasmic reticulum (ER) capacity saturation. This process leads to the unfolded protein response (UPR), which aims to re-establish/maintain optimal cellular equilibrium. This complex mechanism is involved in the pathogenesis of various disorders, such as metabolic syndrome, fibrotic diseases, neurodegeneration, and cancer, by altering cellular metabolic changes integral to activating the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The development of hepatic fibrosis is one of the consequences of UPR activation. Therefore, novel therapies that target the UPR pathway effectively and specifically are being studied. This article covers the involvement of the UPR signaling pathway in cellular damage in liver fibrosis. Investigating the pathogenic pathways related to the ER/UPR stress axis that contribute to liver fibrosis can help to guide future drug therapy approaches