A Survey of Smartwatch Platforms from a Developer’s Perspective

Technological innovation has made it possible to package a powerful processor and memory subsystem coupled with a high-resolution display, wireless communication, and specific sensors into a device known as the smartwatch. This device introduces a new set of new challenges such as battery life, user interaction, and other how to create applications for it. Smartwatches are connected to the Internet and provide gesture interaction and the ability to continuously monitor a user’s physical activity. The smartwatch has access to the smartphone and therefore can be used as a second display to show users various notifications from the phone such as calls and messaging as well as information from the Internet, such as social networking apps (Facebook, Twitter etc.), to do lists and many other applications. The objective of this project is to explore smartwatch technology from a developer’s perspective. A short history of smartwatch technology is given along with a discussion of the typical use cases. This is followed by a deeper technology dive into the two most popular smartwatch platforms on the market today: the Apple Watch and Android Wear. This paper will look at the features of both devices side by side, and take a look at the development platforms available to create applications on them. This study will discuss the frameworks, the tools, and some of the challenges we encountered in learning to build applications with them. A sample application for both platforms will be presented and discussed

The Effects of Three Bleaching Agents on Tooth Discoloration Caused by Mineral Trioxide Aggregate

Introduction: Successful outcome of pulp capping treatment using mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), often leads to tooth discoloration. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of external bleaching technique with three bleaching agents naming hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide and sodium perborate for correction of tooth discoloration caused by MTA. Methods and Materials: This in vitro, experimental study used 36 tooth blocks prepared from 12 bovine central incisors. White ProRoot MTA was applied in cavities; drilled in blocks for 40 days to cause discoloration. Then, the blocks were assigned to three experimental groups (n=12). Following application of hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide and sodium perborate, the color parameters were determined at baseline and at 1, 7 and 14 days, using a spectrophotometer. Data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA and Tukey’s test. Results: No significant difference was noted in color change (∆E) immediately after bleaching with hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide (P>0.05). However, these two groups had significant differences in ∆E with the sodium perborate group (P=0.001). Hydrogen peroxide group showed significantly higher ∆E at 1 week compared with other groups (P=0.01). The three groups were significantly different in ∆E at 2 weeks after bleaching (P=0.001). Pairwise comparisons revealed no significant difference between sodium perborate and carbamide peroxide in ∆E but they both had a significant difference with hydrogen peroxide (P=0.01). Conclusion: The three bleaching agents bleached the discoloured teeth effectively. Hydrogen peroxide had the highest efficacy whilst sodium perborate and carbamide peroxide had lower but similar efficacy.Keywords:Bleaching; Carbamide Peroxide; Hydrogen Peroxide; Mineral Trioxide Aggregate; Sodium Perborate

HYSSOP and POLIUM could help to prevent COVID-19 in high-risk population: The results of a parallel randomized placebo-controlled field trial

243-253This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of HYSSOP (composed of Hyssopus officinalis L., Echium amoenum Fisch & C. A. Mey and Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) and POLIUM (contained Teucrium polium L., Cuscuta epithymum Murr and Cichorium intybus L.) combined distilled herbal medicines compared to placebo in the prevention of COVID-19. This is a double-blind parallel placebo-controlled field trial conducted on 751 asymptomatic individuals whose one of the family members recently had a positive RT-PCR test for COVID-19. They were divided into three groups including POLIUM, HYSSOP and placebo using random blocks with a 1:1:1 allocation ratio. Participants received daily 5 cc (under 12 years) or 10 cc (over 12 years) of allocated oral medications for 20 days. The primary outcome was the frequency of positive RT-PCR test among participants who became symptomatic. The mean age of participants was 36.6. Nineteen participants get infected by COVID-19 during the intervention; fifteen of them belonged to the placebo and four to the POLIUM group. Fisher's exact test indicated significant differences between HYSSOP and placebo (p<0.001) as well as POLIUM and placebo (p=0.009) groups in terms of COVID-19 confirmed by PCR tests. Cox regression model adjusted for confounders illustrated that the hazard of getting infection by COVID-19 in POLIUM and HYSSOP groups decreased by 66% (OR (95% CI): 0.34 (0.12 to 0.94); p=0.038) and 93% (OR (95% CI): 0.07 (0.01to 0.56); p=0.012) respectively, compared to placebo .Oral administration of HYSSOP and POLIUM with the other supportive health care could decrease the risk of getting COVID-19

Nationwide Prevalence of Diabetes and Prediabetes and Associated Risk Factors Among Iranian Adults: Analysis of Data from PERSIAN Cohort Study

Introduction Over the past decades prevalence of diabetes has increased in Iran and other countries. This study aimed to update the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in Iran and to determine associated sociodemographic risk factors, as well as diabetes awareness and control. Methods This is a nationally representative cross-sectional survey that included 163,770 Iranian adults aged 35-70 years, from different ethnic backgrounds, between 2014 and 2020. Diabetes was diagnosed at fasting blood sugar of >= 6.99 mmol/L (126 mg/dL), or receiving blood glucose-lowering treatment. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to detect determinants associated with prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes, as well as predictors of diabetes awareness and glycemic control. Results Sex- and age-standardized prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes was 15.0% (95% CI 12.6-17.3) and 25.4% (18.6-32.1), respectively. Among patients with diabetes, 79.6% (76.2-82.9) were aware of their diabetes. Glycemic control was achieved in 41.2% (37.5-44.8) of patients who received treatment. Older age, obesity, high waist to hip ratio (WHR), and specific ethnic background were associated with a significant risk of diabetes and prediabetes. Higher awareness of diabetes was observed in older patients, married individuals, those with high WHR, and individuals with high wealth score. Moreover, glycemic control was significantly better in women, obese individuals, those with high physical activity, educational attainment, and specific ethnic background. Conclusions The prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes is increasing at an alarming rate in Iranian adults. High proportion of uncontrolled patients require particular initiatives to be integrated in the health care system

Effect of Oxidized Soybean Oil against Pomegranate Seed as Antioxidant on the in vitro Rumen Fermentation Parameters

Introduction Oxidative stress is an inevitable consequence of intensive production due to mismatched balance between free radical production and natural antioxidant capacity of animals. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) refers to a group of free radicals produced by oxidative energy cycle and also recently demonstrated to be as a weapon for macrophage cells. Moreover, feed processing phenomena such as extruding and pelleting is one of the major sources of ROS production in feed due to lipid peroxidation and notably oxidation cascades in unstable organic matters of feed. Although ROS could be a source of adverse effect on fiber degradation in the gut of ruminant by reducing microbial population counts and diversity, because rumen bacterial, protozoal and fungal community as well as eukaryotes are susceptible to oxidative damages. Therefore, using plant or feed base antioxidant in the diet of dairy animals would be necessary in further feeding strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant capacity of pomegranate seed against the adverse effect of peroxide content of feed that induced by supplementation of oxidized soybean oil as energy and fiber source in preparturient dairy goats. Materials and Methods The gas production experiment and batch culture degradability test were carried out to investigate the effects of fresh soybean oil (FSO), oxidized soybean oil (OSO) and biologically active constituents of pomegranate seed (PS) on microbial fermentation characteristics, kinetics of gas production, methane and carbon dioxide production, in vitro dry matter degradation (DMD), t 0.5, and lag time. Also, the calculated parameters e.g. microbial protein, molar proportion of volatile fatty acids, metabolizable energy (ME), and organic matter digestibility (OMD %) were evaluated for different treatments. The parameters were analyzed through the completely randomized design with repeated measurements. The treatments were 1) base diet and FSO (4% of dry matter (DM)), 2) base diet and OSO (4% of DM), and 3) base diet, OSO and milled PS (8% of DM). The OSO contained higher peroxide value (7.06 vs. 1.37 gram millieqivalent /kg oil), and more Trans fatty acid isomers than FSO. Results and discussion OSO reduced total gas production, t 0.5, DMD, microbial protein, ME, OMD%, total carbon dioxide production, molar production of propionate, and moles numbers of total volatile fatty acids and increased the methane production, lag time, and molar proportion of acetate and butyrate when compared with FSO. Adding PS as antioxidant increased the total gas production, t 0.5, DMD, ME, OMD %, total carbon dioxide production, molar productions of propionate and acetate, and moles numbers of total volatile fatty acids, and reduced the lag time, methane production and molar proportion of butyrate significantly. The major observed effect of OSO that is important from an economical point of view in ruminant nutrition was reduced DM degradability. Depressed DM intake, negative energy balance, metabolic disorders and susceptibility to microbial disease and inflammation are expected in this oxidative situation. Also environmental importance of increased methane production by progressive effect of free radicals in proton partitioning in to methane production pathway in the rumen are significant, but could be improved by PS supplementation. PS may play a protective role against oxidized oil via flavonoids, polyphenols, special fatty acid contents, carotenoids and other bioactive compounds well documented in herbal medicine. Conclusion In general, OSO feeding quantitatively and qualitatively reduced positive parameters of microbial fermentation, DMD, Microbial protein synthesis and VFA production but PS diminished the adverse effects of OSO and FSO feeding significantly. It seems that the PS has potential antioxidant compound reducing the harmful ROS effect on Microbial metabolism in the rumen as well as reducing progressive peroxidation cascades in feed and animal body

The effect of energy prices on energy consumption efficiency in the petrochemical industry in Iran

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of energy prices on consumption energy consumption efficiency in the petrochemical industry in Iran during the period 1994–2012. Also, in order to avoid the bias (bias, error) omitted variables, a number of determinants of energy consumption efficiency, i.e. the ratio of workforce to energy, the ratio of capital to total energy consumption, the price of labor, cost of capital and technology are used within the framework of an econometric model. For this purpose, based on the Cobb-Douglas production function, extended average energy consumption efficiency in the petrochemical industry is measured. Then, using the approach ARDL (Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model), the effect of explanatory variables on the dependent variable has been analyzed. The results show that energy consumption efficiency index in the petrochemical industry of Iran has a long-term trend growing; however, this index has been relatively high volatility. In addition, according to the findings, energy prices had a significant and positive effect on energy consumption efficiency. Also, the ratio of workforce to total energy consumption, the ratio of capital to total energy consumption and the price of capital and technology have a significant and positive effect on total energy consumption efficiency in the petrochemical industry. Keywords: Energy consumption efficiency, Energy prices, Petrochemical industry, ARDL, Mode