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One of the main problems of superhydrophobic coatings is the low mechanical and chemical stability, which limits the industrial applications of these coatings. The purpose of this research is to create Ni-PTFE composite coatings with hierarchical morphology by electrodeposition method, in order to increase the corrosion resistance, and to improve the mechanical and chemical stability. Ni-PTFE Composite coatings were fabricated by adding different concentrations of PTFE particles (5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 g/L) into the Ni electrodeposition bath. The effect of PTFE concentration on morphology, wettability, and corrosion resistance of the coatings was investigated. The results showed that when an optimum concentration of PTFE (15 g/L) is introduced in the electrodeposition bath, not only the hierarchical morphology of the Ni coating is preserved; but also the maximum contact angle of 158° and the minimum corrosion current density of 0.03 µA/cm² was achieved. The long-term chemical and mechanical stability tests showed that by embedding of PTFE particles with hydrophobic nature, into the hierarcically structured superhydrophobic nickel coatings, higher mechanical and chemical stability is obtaind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to investigate the the effect of sodium hydroxide (NaOH, 50 g/kg DM), calcium oxide (CaO, 160 g/kg DM), hydrobromic acid (HBr, 60 mL/kg DM) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 57 mL/kg DM) processings on the nutritive value of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) residues. The chemical composition of the samples was determined using the standard methods. Degradability trial was done using nylon bag technique. In vitro digestibility of the samples was determined by the batch culture procedure. Xray diffraction method (XRD) was used to determine the crystallininty degree of the samples. Treatments of NaOH, CaO and H2O2 increased the ash content (P<0.0001). The ether extract (EE) was reduced by the NaOH and H2O2 treatments (P=0.0006). Except CaO, the other treatments reduced (P<0.0001) the neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Processing with HBr increased (P=0.0014) total digestible nutrients (TDN), net energy for lactation (NEl), and net energy for gain (NEg). CaO, HBr, and H2O2 treatments increased the effective ruminal degradability (ERD) of dry matter at ruminal outflow rates of 0.02, 0.05 and 0.08 h-1 (P=0.0074, P<0.0001). Except CaO (P<0.0001), the other treatments had no positive effect on the samples in vitro digestibility. The treatments increased the efficiency of microbial biomass at the end of 24 h incubation (P<0.0001). Chemicals reduced the crystallinity degree of chickpea residues compared to the control. The least crystallinity percentage was observed in CaO treated samples. Totally, based on the in vitro and in situ results, treatments, especially HBr, had a positive effect on nutritional value of chickpea residues. However, these results must be confirmed or invalidated by in vivo tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is to verify mortality rate, cause of death, severity of injury (ISS),GCS, patient fate in hospital, pattern of specific organ injuries and some other characteristics among injured pedestrians and car occupants referred to three trauma centers in Tehran (Sina hospital, Shohada Tajrich hospital, Fayazbakhsh hospital) from May 1996 until May 1997."nMaterials and Methods: 57367 patients were admitted to emergency department of these centers among which, 6027 victims of motor-vehicle accidents were included in this study."nResults: 71% of cases were pedestrians and rest was car occupants. M/F ratio was 1.8/5. Mean age was 29y. Motor vehicle accidents occurred most commonly during nights. The patients' GCS at arrival in emergency department had similar distribution in both groups. The most commonly injured organs in both groups were: integument, head and neck, extremities and bony pelvis. Thoracic and spinal injuries were more common among car occupants. Extremities and boney pelvis injuries were more common among pedestrians. The mortality rate was the same between both groups. Mortality rate was affected by GCS at arrival and severity of injury. Mortality rate among the old was 4 times the rate among the children. The accidents most commonly occurred on metropolitan roads and streets. The most common cause of death between both groups was head injury. Surprisingly head injury was a more common cause of death among the car occupants."nConclusion: Pattern of specific organ injuries was different form the pattern in previous studies as the pattern was virtually the same between both groups except for spinal and thoracic injuries were more common among the car occupants.

As the effectively transportation of injured patients is one of the most important concerns in developed countries, we tried to evaluate the patients transportation to Sina hospital trauma center in this regard. During an eighty-day period, 200 injured patients were transported to Sina hospital with intravenous cannula inserted only in 17.5 percent and fracture fixation was accomplished in only 8.5 percent of patients. We coucluded that the transportation quality was rather poor and more attention should be paid to this social problem

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on in vitro shoot organogenesis from hypocotyl explant derived from in vitro grown seedling as well as root formation of Antirrhinum majus L. (Snapdragon). In the first experiment, different concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) (0, 2.26, 4.52, and 6.79 μM) were used for callus formation. The highest callus fresh weight (1.86 g) as well as callogenesis frequency (93.34%) were observed in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 4.52 μM 2,4-D. In the later experiments, various concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 μM) of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were applied for shoot regeneration from callus that derived from hypocotyl segments. Based on our results, MS medium supplemented with 4.44 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) plus 0.49 μM 3-indolebutyric acid (IBA) along with 30 μM SNP had the highest shoot organogenesis frequency (93.34%) and shoot number (6.33) from callus. In root induction experiment, different concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 μM) of SNP were applied and MS medium containing 60 μM SNP was the best treatment for root induction. The survival rate of plantlets was more than 95% in acclimatization stage. The present study describes an efficient regeneration system for Snapdragon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, hot tensile behavior of Haynes 25 Co-base alloy was investigated in the temperature range of 950-1200 °C and 0.1 s-1. Thermodynamic calculations showed that M23C6 and M6C carbides were stable below 1000 °C and above 1050 °C, respectively. Stress-strain curves also indicated an unusual trend of strain fracture. It was observed that with increasing temperature from 950 to 1050 °C, the fracture strain was decreased, while it was raised above 1050 °C again. Increasing the volume fraction of M6C carbide rich in Tungsten resulted in the loss of ductility. Also, microstructural evaluations showed dynamic recrystallization (DRX) grains were nucleated and growth was around carbides and the initial grains at 1150 °C. Occurrence of DRX led to the improvement of ductility via grain refinement mechanism, so this alloy had the highest level of ductility at 1150 °C [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: A total of 13702 consecutive patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at Tehran Heart Center between January 2002 and March 2007 were included in this study. The demographic data, PVD, and outcome of these patients were reviewed. CABG patients before surgery were detected for PVD (stenosis >=70% in the abdominal aorta; renal, carotid, and iliac arteries; or any other peripheral vascular system) with physical examination and past medical history. The suspected cases of PVD were, thereafter, confirmed via Doppler sonography or invasive angiography. Results: This study recruited 4344 diabetic patients (mean age 59.30±8.7 years) and 9358 non-diabetic patients (mean age 58.42±9.9 years). The diabetics were significantly older and had a higher incidence of PVD (2.7% vs. 1.8%), female gender, hypertension, renal failure, smoking, and dyslipidemia than the non-diabetics (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to family history and left main disease. Also, the mean ejection fraction (EF) was 48.85%±10.4 and 49.35%±10. In the patients with and without DM, respectively; and the difference was significant (P=0.008). The in-hospital mortality rate (mortality over a 30-day post-operative period) was 1.8% in the diabetics and 0.7% in the non-diabetics (P<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, PVD, left main disease, age, female gender, and EF were significant in the development of mortality amongst the diabetic patients with a respective odds ratio of 4.17, 5.54, 1.03, 2.86, and 0.95 (P<=0.050). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, PVD was significantly higher in the diabetics than in those without DM (OR=1.283, 95% CI: 1.001- 1.644; P=0.049). In the diabetic patients, carotid (1.13% vs. 0.83%), subclavian (0.05% vs. 0.02%), femoral (0.18% vs. 0.09%), renal (0.62% vs. 0.25%), and tibialis (0.16% vs. 0.06%) arteries had a higher incidence of stenosis than those in the non-diabetics. Conclusion: We conclude that in diabetic patients with concomitant CAD, special attention must be directed towards the diagnosis of PVD using physical examination, Doppler sonography; and where needed, CT-angiography or invasive angiography. Also, in risk assessment, the presence of PVD should be strongly considered for CAD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Infertility is a stressful experience and has a high impact on the infertile women's psychological status. Infertility and it is treatment create a major and prolonged crisis for the women and create a heavy psychological trauma for the women. The effectiveness of infertility treatment depends on success rate of the treatment facility, the emotional well-being and sexual health of the women seeking treatment. Materials and Methods: For the propose of the study, 50 fertile and 50 infertile women were selected randomly (n=100) from Midwife IVF and Fertility Research Hospital in Mysore-India. All subjects were assessed using Quality of Well-Being Scale-Self Administered (QWB-SA), Marital Adjustment Test (MAT) and Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (MGFI) questionnaire were administered. Results: The results showed significant difference between fertile and infertile women assessment on Quality of Well-Being and Marital Adjustment score. Compare with the fertile women, the patients with infertility had significantly lower scores in the sexual interest and sexual arousal domains and lower frequency of intercourse. The patients with infertility retrospectively reported an orgasm, lubrication and sexual satisfaction score that was similar to that of the fertile women. Conclusion: Women with a diagnosis of infertility were found to be at higher risk for sexual dysfunction when compare with fertile women. Further infertile women reported poor marital adjustment and quality of well being compare with controls. The results suggest to apply counseling and psychotherapy services in the infertility centers to reduce the psychological problems, increase Quality of Well-Being, Marital Adjustment and identity the factors that can contribute to the development of sexual dysfunction on women facing infertility to help them to enhance fertility chances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]