Effect of personality traits on sensitivity, annoyance and loudness perception of low and high frequency noise

This paper presents investigations into a comparative assessment of the effects of low and high frequency noise in relation to personality traits. The high and low-frequency noises used are produced in the research laboratory using CoolEdit software. 80 candidates are exposed to equivalent continuous sound pressure level of 65 dBA of low and high frequency noise in an acoustic room with a 2 week interval. After 1 hour of exposure to noise, participants were asked to complete noise annoyance scale, Weinstein noise sensitivity questionnaire, loudness perception. The results obtained indicate that there is a significant difference between annoyance and perception of low frequency noise in comparison to annoyance and perception of high frequency noise, but no significant difference is noted between sensitivity to low and high frequency noise. The multivariate analysis of covariance test is applied, which reveals that personality traits have a significant effect on sensitivity to low and high frequency noise, annoyance due to low and high frequency noise, loudness perception of low frequency noise, but no interaction effects are found. It is further shown that personality traits are more effective on sensitivity, annoyance and loudness perception to high frequency noise than those of low frequency noise, and such effects are not only influenced by severity of noise, but also by personality traits and frequency components

Analysis of the Bq→Dq(Dq∗)PB_q\to D_q(D_q^*) P and Bq→Dq(Dq∗)VB_q\to D_q(D_q^*) V decays within the factorization approach in QCD

Using the factorization approach and considering the contributions of the current-current, QCD penguin and electroweak penguin operators at the leading approximation, the decay amplitudes and decay widths of $B_q\to D_q(D_q^*) P$ and $B_q\to D_q(D_q^*) V$ transitions, where $q=u,d,s$ and P and V are pseudoscalar and vector mesons, are calculated in terms of the transition form factors of the $B_q\to D_{q}$ and $B_q\to D^{*}_{q}$. Having computed those form factors in three-point QCD sum rules, the branching fraction for these decays are also evaluated. A comparison of our results with the predictions of the perturbative QCD as well as the existing experimental data is presented.Comment: 18 Pages and 9 Table

Expression of efflux pumps and fatty acid activator one genes in azole resistant Candida glabrata isolated from immunocompromised patients

Acquired azole resistance in opportunistic fungi causes severe clinical problems in immunosuppressed individuals. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of azole resistance in clinical isolates of Candida glabrata. Six unmatched strains were obtained from an epidemiological survey of candidiasis in immunocompromised hosts that included azole and amphotericin B susceptible and azole resistant clinical isolates. Candida glabrata CBS 138 was used as reference strain. Antifungal susceptibility testing of clinical isolates was evaluated using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) methods. Complementary DNA-Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) technology, semiquantitative RT-PCR, and sequencing were employed for identification of potential genes involved in azole resistance. Candida glabrata Candida drug resistance 1 (CgCDR1) and Candida glabrata Candida drug resistance 2 (CgCDR2) genes, which encode for multidrug transporters, were found to be upregulated in azole-resistant isolates (�2-fold). Fatty acid activator 1 (FAA1) gene, belonging to Acyl-CoA synthetases, showed expression in resistant isolates �2-fold that of the susceptible isolates and the reference strain. This study revealed overexpression of the CgCDR1, CgCDR2, and FAA1 genes affecting biological pathways, small hydrophobic compounds transport, and lipid metabolism in the resistant clinical C.glabrata isolates. © 2016 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Analysis of the Rare Bc→Ds,d∗l+l−B_c \to D_{s,d}^{*} l^+ l^- Decays in QCD

The rare $B_c \to D_{s,d}^{*} l^+ l^-$ decays are investigated in the framework of the three point QCD sum rules approach. Considering the gluon condensate corrections to the correlation function, the form factors relevant to these transitions are calculated. The total decay width and branching ratio for these decays are also evaluated. The results for the branching ratios are in good agreement with the quark models.Comment: 20 Pages, 2 Figures and 5 Table

Double-Lepton Polarization Asymmetries in B_s \rar \phi \ell^+ \ell^- Decay in the Fourth-Generation Standard Model

In this paper, we investigate the effects of the fourth generation of quarks on the double-lepton polarization asymmetries in the B_s \rar \phi \ell^+ \ell^- decay. It is shown that these asymmetries in B_s \rar \phi \ell^+ \ell^- decay compared with those of B \rar K \ell^+ \ell^- decay are more sensitive to the fourth-generation parameters. We conclude that an efficient way to establish the existence of the fourth generation of quarks could be the study of these asymmetries in the B_s \rar \phi \ell^+ \ell^- decay.Comment: 25 pages and 7 figure

Status inconsistency of women: a study in Hamadan, Iran

This research investigates the status inconsistency among women in Hamadan province, Iran. The study was carried out in eight cities and 32 villages. Questionnaire was applied to collect data from 767 women from urban areas and 786 women from rural area. Data analysis was done by using SPSS software and multi-variable regressions. The results show considerable status inconsistency among women in Hamadan. In addition, with decreasing social status of women here, the status inconsistency increases and the rate of status inconsistency in the rural area was higher than the urban area

Investigation of Mannose-binding lectin level and deficiency in patients with Dermatophytosis

Background: Dermatophytosis is a cutaneous fungal infection with a worldwide occurrence. In dermatophyte infections, the release of keratinocyte cytokines, in the presence of dermatophyte antigens, causes an acute phase response; subsequently, the acute-phase proteins are produced by hepatocytes. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL), an acute-phase protein, also acts as a kind of pattern recognition receptor. MBL deficiency plays a role in susceptible viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections. Objectives: Some research has been conducted on the role of acute-phase proteins in dermatophyte infections. This study has been designed to determine the serum MBL levels in patients with dermatophytosis. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study, included 96 healthy individuals and 105 patients with dermatophytosis, in access sampling procedure. Microscopic examinations were conducted and cultivated to detect dermatophytes, and in the cases that the identification of different dermatophyte species was necessary, complementary examinations were conducted. Additionally, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the serum MBL levels of healthy individuals and patients. Various tests (Chi-square, Fisher exact, Mann - Whitney, Kruskal Wallis, Kendal tau correlation coefficient and ROC curve analysis) were used to examine the relationships between variables, when the P < 0.05 were considered as significant level. Results: The mean serum MBL level of healthy individuals and patients, was 1.53 ± 1.87 μg/mL and 1.97 ± 2.03 μg/mL (P = 0.039), respectively. Using ROC curve analysis, the MBL level was established as a significant predictor of dermatophytosis (P = 0.042). MBL deficiency (serum level < 1 μg/mL) was more common in healthy group (56.2) than the patients with dermatophytosis (41.0). Conclusions: The findings showed that the increased concentrations of serum MBL in patients with dermatophytosis play a role in this fungal infection. The high frequency of MBL deficiency in healthy individuals was compared with patients indicated that MBL deficiency is not a predisposing factor of this type of infection. © 2013, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences; Published by Kowsar Corp

Specific identification and antifungal susceptibility pattern of clinically important dermatophyte species isolated from patients with dermatophytosis in Tehran, Iran

Background: With regard to the increasing number of antifungal-resistant dermatophytes, the requirement for precise identification of causative agents of infections and antifungal susceptibility test is vital. Antifungal susceptibility testing of dermatophytes plays a pivotal role in managing dermatophytosis. The current study aimed at determining antifungal susceptibility profile of 161 important dermatophyte species isolated from Iranian patients. Methods: The current descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted on 508 clinically suspected samples of dermatophytosis collected and identified by conventional methods. All dermatophyte isolates were identified using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The susceptibility of dermatophyte strains to two routine antider-matophyte agents (terbinafine and griseofulvin) was evaluated using micro-dilution method according to CLSI (the clinical and laboratory standards institute) M38-A2 guidelines. Trichophyton rubrum PTCC 5143 and Candida krusei ATCC 6258 were used as quality controls. Results: Among 161 dermatophyte isolates, T. interdigitale was reported as the most frequent species isolated from patients using PCR-RFLP and Microsporum ferruginum was the least isolated species. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of griseofulvin and terbinafine were ranged 0.0312-8 and 0.008-4 µg/mL, respectively. The most susceptible and resistant species to griseofulvin were T. interdigitale (MIC = 0.0312 µg/mL) and T. interdigitale/T. rubrum (MIC = 8 µg/mL), respectively. The results indicated that T. verrucosum (MIC = 0.008 µg/mL) was the most susceptible species to terbinafine, whereas T. interdigitale and T. rubrum were the most resistant species to it (MIC = 4 µg/mL). Conclusions: The obtained results assist clinicians to monitor the trend and be able to choose effective medications to treat patients with dermatophytosis, especially in countries such as Iran, where dermatophytosis is still a public health problem. © 2018, Archives of Clinical Infectious Diseases