The association of diet and anthropometric indices with high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), among depressed and healthy female nurses.

زمینه و هدف: افسردگی با افزایش سطوح سرمی پروتئین واکنشگر فاز حاد (CRP) و به دنبال آن التهاب سیستمیک ارتباط دارد. التهاب، مکانیسم احتمالی اثر رژیم غذایی بر پیشرفت بیماری‌های مزمن است. هدف این مطالعه بررسی ارتباط بین دریافت غذایی و شاخص‌های تن سنجی با سطوح سرمی پروتئین واکنشگر فاز حاد با حساسیت بالا (hs-CRP) در پرستاران سالم و افسرده‌ی بیمارستان‎های شهر اهواز بود. روش بررسی: در این مطالعۀ توصیفی-تحلیلی 98 پرستار زن (45 نفر افسرده و 53 نفر سالم) به صورت تصادفی از 6 بیمارستان اصلی وابسته به دانشگاه علوم پزشکی جندی شاپور اهواز در سال 1389-1388 انتخاب شدند. بسامد دریافت غذایی، اندازه‌های تن سنجی و سطوح hs-CRP سرم اندازه‌گیری شد. نتایج با آمار توصیفی، آزمون های آماری ANOVA و مدل رگرسیون خطی تجزیه و تحلیل شد. یافته‌ها: بین دو گروه سالم و افسرده از نظر میانگین hs-CRP اختلاف معنی داری مشاهده نشد. در افراد افسرده، نمایه توده بدن، وزن، درصد چربی و نسبت چربی به وزن بدن ارتباط مثبت معنی‌داری با hs-CRP سرم داشت (05/0P). در گروه افسرده، افرادی که از نظر سطوح hs-CRP سرم در چارک چهارم قرار داشتند نسبت به چارک دوم، دریافت ویتامین‌های B12، A و E بیشتری داشتند (05/0P). نتیجه‌گیری: نتایج این مطالعه نشان داد که در افراد افسرده، اندازه‌های تن سنجی بالاتر و دریافت ویتامین‌های B12، A و E بیشتر از رژیم غذایی، با افزایش پاسخ‌های فاز حاد ارتباط دارد

In-situ damage and strain monitoring of large polymer composite structures using carbon nanotube networks

In this work, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been introduced in fiber reinforced polymer composites (FRPC) to enhance their capabilities in terms of sensing and improving electrical properties. Even though there have been extensive studies on incorporating MWCNTs into polymer matrix composites to monitor their integrity, no work has been found to provide a technique to detect, locate and quantify damage in large polymer composite structure (LPCS) and also to investigate electrical resistance behavior of glass fiber/epoxy/MWCNT composites subjected to multi-directional deformation. The thesis is organized into two major sections: Developing two new structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques to detect, locate and quantify damages in LPCS, and investigating electrical resistance behavior of glass fiber/epoxy/MWCNT composites subjected to multi-directional deformation. In the first part of the thesis, two new, practical and real-time SHM techniques have been developed. One is for LPCS made of electrically non-conducive fibers and MWCNT networks. The other is for LPCS made of electrically conducive fibers and MWCNT networks. In these techniques, MWCNTs are added into epoxy matrix. This modified matrix is then incorporated with long fibers to make large composite plates. Two different strategies have been proposed for measuring electrical properties of LPCS depending on the type of fibers. The large plate is marked with grid points where electrically conductive silver paints are deposited. The electrical resistances and potentials between the grid points for electrically non-conductive fibers and conductive fibers reinforced polymer composite structures containing MWCNT are measured respectively. These values are used as reference sets. It has been shown that the occurrence of the damage makes the electrical properties between the contact points surrounding this damage change. The significant change in the electrical properties between contact points is used as an indication for detection, location and quantification of damage in the large plates. The SHM computer programs are written to provide the facility to detect, locate and quantify damage for the LPCSs in real-time. Two new concepts have been introduced for detecting, locating and quantifying damage in LPCSs using MWCNT networks. One is uniformity of MWCNT distribution. The other is sensitivity to change in electrical resistance. A new model of resistors network has been proposed for composite plates with different electrical conductivity as a result of different quantity of MWCNT. Theoretical analyses are performed based on Ohm’s and Kirchhoff’s laws using Matlab Simulink. Good agreement is found between experimental and simulation results. In the second part of the thesis, the behavior of electrical resistance for glass fiber/epoxy composite laminates containing MWCNT subjected to uniaxial stresses along different directions is investigated. An explanation is provided for the electrical resistance behavior of the laminates containing MWCNT subjected to multi-directional deformation

Analysis of Free Edge Stresses in Composite Laminates Using Higher Order Theories

This paper presents the determination of the interlaminar stresses close to the free edges of general cross-ply composite laminates based on higher order equivalent single-layer theory (HESL). The laminates with finite dimensions were subjected to a bending moment, an axial force, and/or a torque for investigation. Full three-dimensional stresses in the interior and the boundary-layer regions were determined. The computed results were compared with those obtained from Reddy’s layerwise theory. It was found that HESL theory predicts precisely the interlaminar stresses near the free edges of laminates. Besides, high efficiency in terms of computational time is obtainable when HESL theory is used as compared with layerwise theory. Finally, various numerical results were presented for the cross-ply laminates. Also design guidelines were proposed to minimize the edge-effect problems in composite laminates.</jats:p

Curved Nanotube Structures under Mechanical Loading

Configuration of carbon nanotube (CNT) has been the subject of research to perform theoretical development for analyzing nanocomposites. A new theoretical solution is developed to study curved nanotube structures subjected to mechanical loadings. A curved nanotube structure is considered. A nonlocal displacement-based solution is proposed by using a displacement approach of Toroidal Elasticity based on Eringen&apos;s theory of nonlocal continuum mechanics. The governing equations of curved nanotube structures are developed in toroidal coordinate system. The method of successive approximation is used to discretize the displacement-based governing equations and find the general solution subjected to bending moment. The numerical results show that all displacement components increase with increasing the nonlocal parameter. The present theoretical study highlights the significance of the geometry and nonlocal parameter effects on mechanical behavior of nanotube structures

Nutrition Education Based on Health Belief Model Improves Dietary Calcium Intake among Female Students of Junior High Schools

This study examined the effects of a nutrition education programme based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of dietary calcium in female students. In this interventional study, 188 students were placed into intervention (95) and control (93) groups. The intervention group participated in a nutrition education programme. Students in both the groups completed KAP and food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at baseline and after two and three months of follow-up respectively. The data were analyzed by independent and paired t-tests. Those who received the intervention were found to have better attitude (p=0.049) and practice (p=0.005) scores compared to the controls. The HBM constructs, including perceived susceptibility (p=0.006), perceived severity (p=0.001), perceived benefits (p=0.002), perceived barriers (p=0.001), and taking health action (p=0.02) scores, were also significantly higher. The findings support the effectiveness of nutrition education based on the HBM in improving the knowledge, attitude, and practice relating to calcium intake among adolescent students

G protein-coupled receptors: what a difference a 'partner' makes

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are important cell signaling mediators, involved in essential physiological processes. GPCRs respond to a wide variety of ligands from light to large macromolecules, including hormones and small peptides. Unfortunately, mutations and dysregulation of GPCRs that induce a loss of function or alter expression can lead to disorders that are sometimes lethal. Therefore, the expression, trafficking, signaling and desensitization of GPCRs must be tightly regulated by different cellular systems to prevent disease. Although there is substantial knowledge regarding the mechanisms that regulate the desensitization and down-regulation of GPCRs, less is known about the mechanisms that regulate the trafficking and cell-surface expression of newly synthesized GPCRs. More recently, there is accumulating evidence that suggests certain GPCRs are able to interact with specific proteins that can completely change their fate and function. These interactions add on another level of regulation and flexibility between different tissue/cell-types. Here, we review some of the main interacting proteins of GPCRs. A greater understanding of the mechanisms regulating their interactions may lead to the discovery of new drug targets for therapy

Study of universal behavior for the single-impurity Kondo problem

First, the magnetization equation {\cal M}\sb{i}={\cal M}\sb{i}(H) obtained by the application of Bethe Ansatz technique to the $s - d$ exchange Hamiltonian, is expanded to fourth power in coupling constant, for the weakly interacting high-magnetic field, low-temperature regime.Next, a perturbative treatment of the $s - d$ exchange model of the Kondo problem is presented. Calculations of the partition function and free energy are carried out, using conventional perturbation theory. This leads to a series expansion for the impurity magnetization, up to fourth-order in coupling constant. Once again, this analysis is for the weakly interacting, high-magnetic field (still $H\ll D,$ the cutoff of the order of Fermi energy) and low-temperature $(T\ll H)$ regime.Comparison between {\cal M}\sb{i} obtained via Bethe Ansatz (where a cutoff scheme D is employed), to that obtained by application of conventional perturbation theory (where the momentum cutoff scheme (${\cal D}$ scheme) is applied), enables one to examine universality of physical quantities. In particular, it will be established that once the calculations are carried to high enough order of perturbation theory (fourth-order in coupling constant), the magnetization equation is non-universal.</p

Sensitivity of myometrium to CGRP changes during gestation

The uterus is innervated by calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactive neurons, and CGRP inhibits spontaneous and evoked contractions in the uterus and fallopian tubes. Using isometric force measurements on myometrial strips, it was determined that the sensitivity of the myometrium to CGRP is dependent on the gestational and hormonal state of the animal. CGRP inhibition of acetylcholine (ACh)-induced contractions was drastically reduced at parturition compared to earlier stages of gestation in mice. In addition, the inhibitory effect of CGRP varied during the estrous cycle. This inhibition was the lowest at estrus, then gradually increased as the cycle advanced, and reached a maximum at diestrus.The level of inhibition exerted by CGRP paralleled the expression of a novel protein recently implicated in CGRP receptor activation, the CGRP-receptor component protein (CGRP-RCP). The mouse CGRP-RCP cDNA was isolated from uterus, and expression of the CGRP-RCP was monitored during gestation by northern and western blot analysis. While no significant change in CGRP-RCP mRNA levels during gestation and post partum was found, CGRP-RCP protein was greatly diminished at parturition. This diminution correlated with the loss of CGRP inhibition of ACh-induced contractions at term, observed in the force experiments.The signal transduction pathway whereby CGRP inhibits myometrial contractility, including the expression of CGRP-RCP, appears to be regulated by the hormonal events of the estrus cycle and gestation. A role for CGRP and CGRP-RCP in modulation of myometrial smooth muscle contractility during gestation is suggested