A study on influencing factors on brand loyalty: A case study of Mobile industry

Brand loyalty plays essential role on product development especially in mobile industry. In this paper, we present an empirical survey to study the effects of different factors including brand associate, brand awareness, distribution intensity and quality perception on brand loyalty. The proposed model of this paper is examined by designing a questionnaire consists of 16 questions in Likert scale and distributing it among 200 people who use a particular brand in mobile industry called Nokia. The results are analyzed using structural equation modeling where Cronbach alpha is calculated as 0.84. The results indicate that there is a positive relationship between perception quality as well as brand awareness and brand loyalty. In addition, there is a positive relationship between brand awareness and perception quality

Groundwater discharge drives water quality and greenhouse gas emissions in a tidal wetland

Wetlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle as they can be sources or sinks for greenhouse gases. Groundwater discharge into wetlands can affect the water chemistry and act as a source of dissolved greenhouse gases, including CO2 and CH4. In this study, surface water quality parameters and CO2 and CH4 concentrations were evaluated in a tidal wetland (Hunter Wetlands National Park, Australia) using time series measurements. Radon (222Rn), a natural groundwater tracer, was used to investigate the role of groundwater as a pathway for transporting dissolved CO2 and CH4 into the wetland. In addition, water-to-air CO2 and CH4 fluxes from the wetland were also estimated. The results showed a high concentration of radon in wetland surface water, indicating the occurrence of groundwater discharge. Radon concentration had a strong negative relationship with water depth with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.7, indicating that tidal pumping was the main driver of groundwater discharge to the wetland. Radon concentration also showed a positive relationship with CO2 and CH4 concentrations (R2 = 0.4 and 0.5, respectively), while the time series data revealed that radon, CO2, and CH4 concentrations peaked concurrently during low tides. This implied that groundwater discharge was a source of CO2 and CH4 to the wetland. The wetland had an average water-to-air CO2 flux of 99.1 mmol/(m2·d), twice higher than the global average CO2 flux from wetlands. The average CH4 flux from the wetland was estimated to be 0.3 mmol/(m2·d), which is at the higher end of the global CH4 flux range for wetlands. The results showed that groundwater discharge could be an important, yet unaccounted source of CO2 and CH4 to tidal wetlands. This work has implications for tidal wetland carbon budgets and emphasizes the role of groundwater as a subsurface pathway for carbon transport

Antinociceptive & anti-inflammatory effects of Berberis vulgaris L. root's hydroalcoholic extract and determination of it’s possible antinociceptive mechanism in male mice

      Berberis vulgaris L. (B. vulgaris) and specially its root have been used for a long time as a plant medicine in many countries including Iran. This plant is native in different parts of the world and is native in north areas of Iran like Khorasan. Recent research on this plant has shown its different therapeutic effects, Alkaloids especially Berberine has the most therapeutic usage among its compounds. This research is about the effects of Berberis vulgaris L. root's hydroalcoholic extract has done in two parts: its antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects was determined by Formalin and Xylene test respectively after determination of mortal plant dosage. Their dosage was 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg. The three drugs include Naloxone 2 mg/kg, Dextromethorphan 20 mg/kg and L-NAME 10 mg/kg  interact with more significant dosage of B. vulgaris. The results showed antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of root’s extract of B. vulgaris in acute and chronic phases of Formalin test. The extract efficiency was analyzed in part two through Formalin test by three drugs individually and also by root’s extract. Conclusion: due to reduction of extract’s antinociceptive effect in both acute and chronic phases after Naloxone injection, it may concluded that the extract shows its signs through opioid receptors

Blue carbon ecosystem monitoring using remote sensing reveals wetland restoration pathways

In an era of climate and biodiversity crises, ecosystem rehabilitation is critical to the ongoing wellbeing of humans and the environment. Coastal ecosystem rehabilitation is particularly important, as these ecosystems sequester large quantities of carbon (known in marine ecosystems as “blue carbon”) thereby mitigating climate change effects while also providing ecosystem services and biodiversity benefits. The recent formal accreditation of blue carbon services is producing a proliferation of rehabilitation projects, which must be monitored and quantified over time and space to assess on-ground outcomes. Consequently, remote sensing techniques such as drone surveys, and machine learning techniques such as image classification, are increasingly being employed to monitor wetlands. However, few projects, if any, have tracked blue carbon restoration across temporal and spatial scales at an accuracy that could be used to adequately map species establishment with low-cost methods. This study presents an open-source, user-friendly workflow, using object-based image classification and a random forest classifier in Google Earth Engine, to accurately classify 4 years of multispectral and photogrammetrically derived digital elevation model drone data at a saltmarsh rehabilitation site on the east coast of Australia (Hunter River estuary, NSW). High classification accuracies were achieved, with >90% accuracy at 0.1 m resolution. At the study site, saltmarsh colonised most suitable areas, increasing by 142% and resulting in 56 tonnes of carbon sequestered, within a 4-year period, providing insight into blue carbon regeneration trajectories. Saltmarsh growth patterns were species-specific, influenced by species’ reproductive and dispersal strategies. Our findings suggested that biotic factors and interactions were important in influencing species’ distributions and succession trajectories. This work can help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of restoration planning and monitoring at coastal wetlands and similar ecosystems worldwide, with the potential to apply this approach to other types of remote sensing imagery and to calculate other rehabilitation co-benefits. Importantly, the method can be used to calculate blue carbon habitat creation following tidal restoration of coastal wetlands

Optimal reservoir operation using Nash bargaining solution and evolutionary algorithms

Optimizing reservoir operation is critical to ongoing sustainable water resources management. However, different stakeholders in reservoir management often have different interests and resource competition may provoke conflicts. Resource competition warrants the use of bargaining solution approaches to develop an optimal operational scheme. In this study, the Nash bargaining solution method was used to formulate an objective function for water allocation in a reservoir. Additionally, the genetic and ant colony optimization algorithms were used to achieve optimal solutions of the objective function. The Mahabad Dam in West Azerbaijan, Iran, was used as a case study site due to its complex water allocation requirements for multiple stakeholders, including agricultural, domestic, industrial, and environmental sectors. The relative weights of different sectors in the objective function were determined using a discrete kernel based on the priorities stipulated by the government (the Lake Urmia National Restoration Program). According to the policies for the agricultural sector, water allocation optimization for different sectors was carried out using three scenarios: (1) the current situation, (2) optimization of the cultivation pattern, and (3) changes to the irrigation system. The results showed that the objective function and the Nash bargaining solution method led to a water utility for all stakeholders of 98%. Furthermore, the two optimization algorithms were used to achieve the global optimal solution of the objective function, and reduced the failure of the domestic sector by 10% while meeting the required objective in water-limited periods. As the conflicts among stakeholders may become more common with a changing climate and an increase in water demand, these results have implications for reservoir operation and associated policies

Comparative Study of the Level of Inflammatory Factors of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate and Reactive Protein C in Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules

Objective: To evaluate the level of inflammatory factors of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and reactive protein C in benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Material and Methods: In this case-control study, patients who were referred because of an enlarged thyroid gland were selected, patients who had undergone surgery for the thyroid nodule were included in the study. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and reactive protein C were measured before surgery in patients who were candidates for thyroid surgery. The histopathological records of patients were retrospectively reviewed. Relevant cases had a cytological evaluation of thyroid nodules by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The mean of ESR / CRP in both groups was compared using an independent t-test (p>0.05). Results: In malignant tumor type, in all patients, with Pill (PTC), analyzes in the malignant group showed a significant difference between the mean ESR / CRP in both groups with and without thyroid history. Sub-analyzes in the malignant group were significantly different between the mean ESR / CRP in both groups with and without thyroid histories (p=0.009) (40.16 ± 28.81). The association between ESR and CRP, ESR / CRP and tumor size, ESR / CRP and age in each group as well as in the whole patients were evaluated using Pearson correlation test, which showed a positive association between ESR age and ESR (p=0.024, r=0.375). In the malignant group, a negative correlation was found between the age and the CRP rate (p=0.027, r=-0.441), and in the total patients between the age and the rate (ES=0.043, r=-0.256). Conclusion: Factors such as ESR and CRP, which are considered acute phase reactors and their levels increase in acute inflammatory conditions, may not have a significant increase in chronic inflammatory conditions and malignancies

Comparative Study of the Level of Inflammatory Factors of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate and Reactive Protein C in Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules

Objective: To evaluate the level of inflammatory factors of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and reactive protein C in benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Material and Methods: In this case-control study, patients who were referred because of an enlarged thyroid gland were selected, patients who had undergone surgery for the thyroid nodule were included in the study. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and reactive protein C were measured before surgery in patients who were candidates for thyroid surgery. The histopathological records of patients were retrospectively reviewed. Relevant cases had a cytological evaluation of thyroid nodules by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The mean of ESR / CRP in both groups was compared using an independent t-test (p>0.05). Results: In malignant tumor type, in all patients, with Pill (PTC), analyzes in the malignant group showed a significant difference between the mean ESR / CRP in both groups with and without thyroid history. Sub-analyzes in the malignant group were significantly different between the mean ESR / CRP in both groups with and without thyroid histories (p=0.009) (40.16 ± 28.81). The association between ESR and CRP, ESR / CRP and tumor size, ESR / CRP and age in each group as well as in the whole patients were evaluated using Pearson correlation test, which showed a positive association between ESR age and ESR (p=0.024, r=0.375). In the malignant group, a negative correlation was found between the age and the CRP rate (p=0.027, r=-0.441), and in the total patients between the age and the rate (ES=0.043, r=-0.256). Conclusion: Factors such as ESR and CRP, which are considered acute phase reactors and their levels increase in acute inflammatory conditions, may not have a significant increase in chronic inflammatory conditions and malignancies

Mantle Cell Hyperplasia of Peripheral Lymph Nodes as Initial Manifestation of Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a well known hemoglobinopathy with usual manifestations including anemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and vasoocclusive complications. Despite presence of mild splenomegaly in early phase of the disease, lymphadenopathy is not an often finding of SCD. We introduce an undiagnosed case of SCD who presented in third decade of his life with multiple cervical lymphadenopathies and mild splenomegaly persistent for about five years. Histopathologic examination of the resected lymph nodes showed expansion of the mantle cell layers of secondary follicles as well as several monomorphic mantle cell nodules. To rule out possibility of a malignant process involving lymph nodes, an immunohistochemical panel was ordered which was in favor of benign mantle cell hyperplasia. Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement study showed no clonal bands and confirmed benign nature of the process. Respecting mild abnormalities on Complete Blood Count, peripheral blood smear was reviewed revealing some typical sickle red blood cells as well as rare nucleated red blood cells. Solubility test for hemoglobin (HB) S was positive. Hemoglobin electrophoresis confirmed diagnosis of homozygous HbS disease

Mantle Cell Hyperplasia of Peripheral Lymph Nodes as Initial Manifestation of Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a well known hemoglobinopathy with usual manifestations including anemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and vasoocclusive complications. Despite presence of mild splenomegaly in early phase of the disease, lymphadenopathy is not an often finding of SCD. We introduce an undiagnosed case of SCD who presented in third decade of his life with multiple cervical lymphadenopathies and mild splenomegaly persistent for about five years. Histopathologic examination of the resected lymph nodes showed expansion of the mantle cell layers of secondary follicles as well as several monomorphic mantle cell nodules. To rule out possibility of a malignant process involving lymph nodes, an immunohistochemical panel was ordered which was in favor of benign mantle cell hyperplasia. Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement study showed no clonal bands and confirmed benign nature of the process. Respecting mild abnormalities on Complete Blood Count, peripheral blood smear was reviewed revealing some typical sickle red blood cells as well as rare nucleated red blood cells. Solubility test for hemoglobin (HB) S was positive. Hemoglobin electrophoresis confirmed diagnosis of homozygous HbS disease

THE EFFECT OF USING AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS VERSUS PICTURES ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE VOCABULARY LEARNING OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MILD INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

J Spec Educ Rehab 2016; 17(1-2):16-35