The present study addresses the following question: if among a group of decision making units, the decision maker is required to increase inputs and outputs to a particular unit in which the DMU, ...with respect to other DMUs, maintains or improves its current efficiencylevel, how much should the inputs and outputs of the DMU increase? This question is considered as a problem of inverse data envelopment analysis, and a method is introduced toanswer this question. Using (weak) pareto solutions of multiple-objective linear programming, necessary and sufficient conditions for inputs and outputs estimation are established.An application of inverse DEA using real data (for choosing a suitable strategy for spreading educational departments in a university) is presented. In addition, two new optimal notions are introduced for multiple-objective programming problems: semi-pareto and semi-weak pareto optimal notions. The aforementioned solutions are used to answer the above question.
•Safe load-carrying mechanism of a Double Shear Bolted Bracket (DSBB) connection.•Parametric study on the 6-bolt and 8-bolt configurations.•Less bolt diameter and pretension force, fast erection, ...cost-efficient construction.•Sufficient rotational stiffness for strong joints and long beams.•Less or equal damage risk of DSBB segments than code-prequalified Kaiser connection.
Double shear bolted bracket connections (DSBBs) have been introduced in 2020 as reliable, cost-efficient, fully restrained connections. The double shear performance of bolts allows efficient reduction of bolt material usage in these types of connections. This advantage also shortens the time of bolt installation in steel moment frames. The design methodology and global hysteresis response of the DSBB connections were already presented in the scientific literature. However, the present study discusses the material damage by investigating the precise stress state of DSBB segments, connection stiffness evaluation, and energy dissipation distribution around the connection. Indeed, efficiency of the design guidelines and DSBB geometrical shape is thoroughly evaluated with the help of parametric studies of this discourse. Thus, the damage investigation of the main and parametric DSBB connections is developed by monitoring the prevalent damage indices. These damage indicators are plastic equivalent strain, rupture index, longitudinal plastic strain in bolts, undesirable out-of-plane deformations, buckling deformations, and prying action. In order to validate the results of this study, Kaiser Bolted Bracket (KBB) connection as a code-prequalified connection is selected in these comparative studies. In addition to the acceptable structural performance, DSBBs have more efficient and safer performance than or at least equivalent to the code-prequalified KBB connections.
Autophagy is a major regulatory cellular mechanism which gives the cell an ability to cope with some of the destructive events that normally occur within a metabolically living cell. This is done by ...maintaining the cellular homeostasis, clearance of damaged organelles and proteins and recycling necessary molecules like amino acids and fatty acids. There is a wide array of factors that influence autophagy in the state of health and disease. Disruption of these mechanisms may not only give rise to several autophagy-related disease, but also it can occur as the result of intracellular changes induced during disease pathogenesis causing exacerbation of the disease. Our knowledge is increasing regarding the role of autophagy and its mechanisms in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Indeed, getting to know about the pathways of autophagy and its regulation can provide the basis for designing therapeutic interventions. In the present paper, we review the pathways of autophagy, its regulation and the possible autophagy-targeting interventions for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
English advertisement slogans are rarely translated into Persian though they are almost everywhere around us. In the present study, due to the importance of the persuasive language and the rhetorical ...figures in advertisement slogans, couples of English-Persian advertisement slogans were analyzed to illustrate the persuasive characteristics used in them. The findings revealed that to sell the foreign products well in Iran's markets, translators of related slogans should be aware of the persuasive language of advertisements and find the most appropriate translation strategy through analyzing them. It was also revealed in the analysis of the selected slogans and comparison of their translated versions that the Persian style of advertisements is in some ways different from their counterparts in English, yet they do share a number of features. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the translation of advertisement slogans should be regarded as a form of featured translation demanding translators' sensitivity.
The self-assembly of amphiphilic graft copolymers is generally reported for polymer melts or polymers deposited onto surfaces, while a small number of cases deal with binary mixtures with water. We ...report on the associative properties of poly(ethylene glycol)-graft-poly(vinyl acetate) (PEG-g-PVAc) comb-like copolymers in water, demonstrating the existence of a percolative behaviour when increasing the PEG-g-PVAc content. Rheology, light- and small-angle X-ray scattering experiments, together with dissipative particle dynamics simulations, reveal a progressive transition from spherical polymer single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) towards hierarchically complex structures as the weight fraction of the polymer in water increases. The ability of PEG-g-PVAc to attain different nano- and microstructures is of great importance in numerous applications such as in the fields of cosmetics, detergency and drug delivery.
Purpose
Serum decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) level increases in chronic inflammatory diseases. The present study aimed to examine serum DcR3 and IL-6 levels in male patients with stable chronic obstructive ...pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute exacerbation of the disease and correlations between these markers and airflow limitation.
Methods
We measured serum DcR3 and IL-6 levels in 60 COPD patients 30 stable COPD (SCOPD), and 30 acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD), and 30 control subjects and assessed their correlations with airflow limitation according to the COPD stage indicated by the global initiative for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (GOLD) criteria, peripheral O
2
saturation (SpO
2
), and COPD assessment test (CAT) score. We also tested associations between serum DcR3 levels and COPD patients’ clinical parameters.
Results
Both serum DcR3 and IL-6 levels increased with increasing severity of airflow limitation in SCOPD and AECOPD groups (
P
< 0.01 to 0.001). These markers also increased in patients with AECOPD compared with subjects in SCOPD group in GOLD stages III–IV (
P
< 0.05 to 0.001). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between serum DcR3 level and IL-6, CAT score and smoking history (per year).
Conclusion
The study revealed that serum DcR3 level elevated with increasing severity of airflow limitation in male COPD patients, particularly in acute exacerbation phase. This increase was associated with a reduced quality of life and increased severity of hypoxia. These results suggest that DcR3 may be associated with the underlying pathophysiology of COPD in male patients.
Precise causes of musculoskeletal complaints among nurses are not known well, but many studies have pointed to manual patient handling tasks. Subjective judgment and decision-making process for ...patient lifting is crucial for gathering data regards patient handling. The aim of this study was to consider reliability and validity and re-structure of two special tools for patient handling's tasks.
In this cross- sectional study 249 nurses were fully participated. As recommended by literature for cultural adaptation of instruments, forward/backward translation method was applied. Reliability of the translated version was assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Validity testing for the two scales was based on content validity index/ratio analysis and also Exploratory Factor Analysis was run to extract latent factors.
Reliability estimated by internal consistency reached a Cronbach's Alpha of above 0.7 for all subscales of two questionnaires. After testing the validity, the final version of questionnaires was remained by 14 and 15 questions respectively.
These instruments evaluated for manual handling of normal and obese patients had acceptable validity and reliability in Iranian Nursing context. So, these tools can be used in further studies with the same cultures.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
It is well known that the environmental conditions e.g. humidity can alter the shape-memory properties of polymers. In this work we applied an atomistic molecular dynamics simulation approach to ...model the influence of the addition of 1 wt% and 2 wt% water on the simulated shape-memory behavior of the amorphous switching domains of poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) with a molecular weight of Mn = 52,000 g mol−1. For the dry as well as the water swollen PLLA-models, two subsequent uniaxial thermomechanical test cycles have been calculated, whereby the applied uniaxial deformation εm was varied between 50% and 150%.
All simulated PLLA models showed high shape fixity ratio of Rf ≥ 84%. The shape-memory properties obtained at εm = 100% for the dry PLLA and the models containing 1 wt% water were almost identical with a shape recovery ratio in the first and second test cycle around Rr = 61%–64%. In contrast PLLA with 2 wt% water exhibited higher values of Rr = 76% during the first test cycle, but a lower Rr = 52% in the subsequent second cycle. Furthermore, increasing the applied εm resulted in a decrease of Rr from 82% to 42% for the dry PLLA, whereas PLLA with 2 wt% water did not show a dependence of Rr on εm. We anticipate that these observations can be attributed to differences in the initial structure of the various simulated PLLA models e.g. the different distribution of the free volume elements.
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In this letter, a novel printed monopole antenna (PMA) for ultrawideband (UWB) applications with variable frequency band-notch characteristic is presented. The proposed antenna consists of a stepped ...square radiating patch with two U-shaped slots and a notched ground plane with a T-shaped sleeve that provides a wide usable fractional bandwidth of more than 140% (2.8516.73 GHz). By cutting two modified U-shaped slots with variable dimensions on the radiating patch, frequency band-stop performance is generated, and we can control its characteristics such as band-notch frequency and its bandwidth. The designed antenna has a small size of 12 times 19 mm 2 while showing the band rejection performance in the frequency band of 5.02-5.97 GHz.
Water stress is a major factor that limits agricultural crop production. Silicon (Si) is generally considered as a beneficial element for the growth of higher plants, especially for those grown under ...stressful environment. This study was conducted to examine the effects of Si on growth and development of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa ‘Camarosa’) under water stress conditions. A factorial experiment, in a completely randomized design, was used to investigate the effects of three irrigation levels and four Si treatments consisting of 0, 5, 10, and 15 mmol·L−1 potassium silicate (K2SiO3). The results showed that an increase in the levels of water stress caused a decrease in most of the quantitative characteristics such as specific leaf area, chlorophyll fluorescence, net photosynthesis rate, and stomata conductance; addition of Si significantly increased most of the mentioned factors; water stress increased electrolyte leakage, proline, and water use efficiency (WUE); Si treatment significantly decreased transpiration rate and improved chlorophyll content and WUE. Water stress stimulated mineral nutrient absorption whereas Si application decreased it under water stress. In conclusion, it was found that in most of the investigated factors, 10 mmol·L−1 potassium silicate had the best effect on growth and development of strawberry. Besides, Si application had beneficial effects on strawberry plants and the addition of it could alleviate water stress.
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