MWCNTs-C-PO_3H_2 has been used as an efficient,heterogeneous and reusable nanocatalyst for synthesis of acylals from aldehydes under solvent-free conditions at room temperature.A wide range of ...aldehydes was studied and corresponding products were obtained in good to excellent yields in short reaction times.Nanocatalyst can be easily recovered by centrifuge and reused for subsequent reactions for at least five times without deterioration in catalytic activity.The major advantages of the present method are high yields,short reaction time,recyclable catalyst and solvent-free reaction conditions at room temperature.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Objectives: The goal of this study was to identify the priorityof research needs in a healthcare organization in Iran, based onidentification of the problems faced by patients, as the mainrecipients ...of healthcare services.Method: A cross -sectional descriptive study was planned toachieve the objectives of study. The service recipients sampleconsisted of 400 patients. Given the necessity to gain in-depthinsights of the subject matter, a qualitative research design waschosen. A number of 50 interviews were conducted withindividuals from among 400 patients. The data was analyzedusing ATLAS.ti softwarePrioritizing of the topics was doneusing Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and theExpert Choice software.Results: Based on the issues extracted from the interviews anddiscourses, 13 research topics were proposed by experts.Among these, the topics “designing the model of premium andcomplementary franchise payment, proportional to theincome, access and enjoyment”, “designing the dental servicespackage with specific premium in three basic, complementaryand optional levels” and “Presenting the model of diseaseprevention in healthcare organizations” acquired the highestpriority ranked 1 to 3 and earning the scores of 0.63, 0.61 and0.41, respectively.Conclusion: Because resources are limited and needs areunlimited, in order to avoid wasting research resources inhealthcare organizations, allocating the resources must bebased on the extracted priorities; and this is vital to fulfill theorganizational objectives.
Scientific discoveries of the 20th century had a profound impact not only on the study of the natural sciences but disciplines worldwide. The studies were rooted in understanding the complex process ...of organisation, development and evolution in natural systems before attempting to emulate the behaviours in artificial systems, leading to the emergence of new disciplines such as systems theory, complexity science, genetics, developmental and evolutionary biology. The discoveries had a profound impact in understanding the nature of cities as they develop over time. Once considered top-down models in equilibrium, the dynamic qualities of cities could be explained through the study of dynamic complex systems, exhibiting non-deterministic characteristics that over time emerge as organised structures. These characteristics are not exclusive to cities alone; they are inherent to all complex systems. The understanding of cities as complex systems has stimulated a body of research through mathematical and scientific modelling in understanding the behaviour of cities over time. The studies have been strongly focused on the analytical performance of city morphologies and less on the relational qualities of how systems interact to produce functioning spatial configurations. With the rapid rate of urbanisation and the emergence of new cities around the world, the approach to the design of cities remains rooted in static, top-down models. The implications of such models have led to high energy consumption, lack of integration and poor performance. It is a contradiction to consider cities as complex systems but design them as simple systems. The thesis explores principles of complex systems through the study of biological morphogenesis (the formation and development of organisms over time) for their implementation in formalising a design model for the formation, development and evolution of cities. The central contribution of the thesis lies in the computational modelling of cities in three main areas. The first is the co-evolution of networks and block systems towards the generation of differentiated spatial morphologies. Network systems are generated by coupling multi-agent systems and branching systems from the mathematics of natural systems, and the block systems are generated through procedural subdivision and volumetric modelling. The process involves substantial computational coding and the integration of knowledge from outside disciplines including biology, genetics, complexity theory and mathematics. The second is the development of a unified computational model combining morphological, topological and analytical modelling. The integration of the models is contingent on the writing of classes including graph theory, centrality measures and environmental calculations - all classes were written in C#. The third area is the evolutionary modelling of urban systems. The process utilised the open-source evolutionary solver Octopus in evolving solutions. The advantage lay in the populace-based nature of the model in generating differentiated phenotypes - or geometries - as a response to multiple-objectives. The model has been designed to enable the integration of systems of different types. Analytical data can be used as input to influence the model on the types of decisions it can make. The model has also been designed to enable the exploration of multiple design objectives at varying spatial and time scales. A significant part of the design model takes advantage of open source software including the open source language C#. The software have been extensively modified by hard coding. The model is mutable so that others may add new classes and procedures in the future.
Shift schedule and torque converter lockup schedule are designed based on parameters of the vehicle. In addition, Optimization of shift quality based on uniform design method, which can reduce test ...time, is put forward and the application method is specified. Furthermore, circuit diagram of transmission control unit (TCU) hardware including power supply module, signal input channels, signal output channels are designed, and then TCU hardware is manufactured. Finally, dynamic performance, constant speed fuel economy and shift quality of vehicle equipped with the TCU are inspected, satisfactory results are obtained.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in the development and progression of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and could serve as disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The function of ...miR-146a in lymphoid differentiation has been here with discussed. However, the role of this miRNA in the outcome of ALL is not well understood. Peripheral blood of 48 patients with ALL and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects was used to accurately evaluate the expression of miR-146a by stem-loop Real time PCR. No statistically significant difference was found between patients and controls in total miR-146a expression. The expression of miR-146a was high (18.75%), low (27.08%) and not different (54.17%) in ALL patients. Our analysis indicated no association between the expression of miR-146a and any prognostic factors such as WBC/PLT counts, Hb, fusion genes (P190 and some translocations) with ALL type. This study revealed that miR-146a cannot be an independent factor for predicting the outcome of ALL patients.We suggest a multi-parameter analysis including miRNAs, transcription factors and critical genes to achieve a precise clinical panel for prognostic values.
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FZAB, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
To date most research on international arbitration has focused exclusively on Western models of arbitration as practiced in Europe and North America. To extend this research internationally, this ...dissertation compares survey data collected in 1992 by Christian Buhring-Uhle regarding the reasons why arbitration practitioners in America, Germany, and Europe choose arbitration, the way in which amicable settlements are facilitated in arbitration, and the extent to which "alternative" procedures are employed with data collected from arbitration practitioners in East Asia. Based on survey data, follow-up interviews, case analysis and statistics, and case studies, the dissertation examines three related questions: (1) Does diversity of culture and worldview, in particular, values and attitudes held in East Asia reflecting preferences for conciliated outcomes, translate into differing understandings and expectations of international arbitration procedure? If so, how do these differing expectations manifest themselves in international arbitration practice? (2) Are global economic and legal forces simultaneously exerting a harmonizing influence on arbitrator's expectations through conventions such as the UNCITRAL Model Arbitration and Conciliation Rules? And finally, (3) If diversity and harmonization simultaneously influence the practice of international arbitration, what suggestions do practitioners have for increasing the efficacy of the international arbitral system? The findings indicate that while participants in East Asian international arbitration proceedings exhibit a greater openness to exploring settlement options and a greater degree of support for arbitrator-initiated settlement discussions than in western countries, at the same time global economic and legal forces are simultaneously exerting a harmonizing influence on key aspects of the arbitration procedure relating to pre-hearing directives, party statement of claims and defenses, and issuing of awards following the promulgation of conventions such as the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods and the UN Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration. This research simultaneously challenges widely held assumptions that diversity of culture and norms represent fundamentally irreconcilable perspectives relating to commercial conflict. Rather, diversity of arbitration technique is compatible with convergence of overarching arbitration procedure.
The surface oxidation of polyethylene (PE) under solid-state conditions with potassium permanganate has been investigated. This oxidation was also performed under solid-state conditions with ...potassium permanganate by using a domestic microwave (MW) oven at a different time intervals of 0, 20, 30, 50, and 60 s of MW irradiation. In order to see the effect of MW power on the surface oxidation of PE, the oxidation was carried out at different power of MW irradiation. The oxidation was also performed at different molar ratio of repeating unit of PE/KMnO
4 and at constant MW irradiation time and power. According to the data which was obtained from FT-IR spectroscopy, the vinylic and hydroxy groups are observed on the polymer surface. It is noteworthy that no hydroperoxy group have been formed during this oxidation process. Furthermore, PE and oxidized PE have similar TGA and DTG thermograms.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
BACKGROUND:Choledocholithiasis is the most common cause of obstructive jaundice and cholangitis and occurs in about 10%of patients with symptomatic gallstone.The aim of this study was to find ...preoperative and non-invasive tests for predicting common bile duct stones(CBDs). METHODS:Findings of clinical examination,history laboratory tests and ultrasound(US)in 60 patients with CBDs were compared retrospectively,with 60 patients with gallstones.The data were collected from medical charts The sensitivity,specificity and positive predictive value (PPV)were determined. RESULTS:The comparison between the two groups showed significant differences in anorexia,itching,dark urine subicterus(slightly elevated serum bilirubin without clinical evidence of jaundice)and jaundice appearance increased bilirubin level,aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotranferase(ALT),CBD diameter>6 mm and stone observation under US(P<0.05).The highest specificity(100%)and PPV(100%)were found in dark urine and pale colored stool,history of cholangitis,and icterus.Among paraclinical tests,alkaline phosphatase (ALP)had the highest specificity(72.1%)and PPV(12.5%) Under US,stone observation in CBD was the most important factor with a sensitivity of 94.5%,a specificity of 100%and a PPV of 100%. CONCLUSIONS:The most important factors for predicting CBDs are history of cholangitis and pancreatitis,presence of icterus,dark urine,pale colored stool,elevation of ALP and sonographic evidence of chledocholithiasis.
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