Hearing evaluation usually includes hearing threshold assessment, middle ear function, and word recognition tests that lead to an accurate result of peripheral and central auditory system. However, ...they have some limitations because they cannot fully encompass all aspects of hearing loss problems. Using self-assessment approach, via a questionnaire or telephone survey, is one of the easiest methods to study hearing loss in population. In this research, 60 nursing home residents (27 females and 33 males) ranging from 55 to 85 years with a mean age of 71±5.5 were studied via completing self-assessment questionnaire by the elderly cases (NHHI self-version) and the other one was filled by the nursing home personnel (NHHI staff-version). The effects of the hearing loss level on the self- and staff-version scores indicated that there is a significant relationship between self- and staff-version with hearing loss levels (P<0.05) in male and female. Results from this study demonstrate the usefulness of NHHI questionnaire for evaluating hearing handicap of aged people and it may be a useful adjunct in setting up treatment and determining proper care.
Abstract
Ultra-high-energy photons with energies exceeding 10
17
eV offer a wealth of connections to different aspects of cosmic-ray astrophysics as well as to gamma-ray and neutrino astronomy. The ...recent observations of photons with energies in the 10
15
eV range further motivate searches for even higher-energy photons. In this paper, we present a search for photons with energies exceeding 2 × 10
17
eV using about 5.5 yr of hybrid data from the low-energy extensions of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The upper limits on the integral photon flux derived here are the most stringent ones to date in the energy region between 10
17
and 10
18
eV.
Abstract
We present a measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum above 100 PeV using the part of the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory that has a spacing of 750 m. An inflection of the ...spectrum is observed, confirming the presence of the so-called
second-knee
feature. The spectrum is then combined with that of the 1500 m array to produce a single measurement of the flux, linking this spectral feature with the three additional breaks at the highest energies. The combined spectrum, with an energy scale set calorimetrically via fluorescence telescopes and using a single detector type, results in the most statistically and systematically precise measurement of spectral breaks yet obtained. These measurements are critical for furthering our understanding of the highest energy cosmic rays.
Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the third most frequent cause of stroke and accounts for 10 to 15 percent of all strokes in whites and 30 percent of them in blacks and Asian Population. ...The commoner sites of hemorrhages are different among populations and complications of them are different too. Methods: In the present descriptive observational study, we studies 226 ICH patients admitted in Al-Zahra Hospital in Isfahan, Iran, from November 2001 to November 2003 and evaluated them for their symptoms and signs according to size and location of their hemorrhages recognized by CT-scan at the time of admission. Results : From our 226 patients (126 men and 100 women ) , 38.5% of them had thalamic hemorrhage , 24% had lobar hemorrhage , 22.5% had putaminal hemorrhage , 8% had pontine hemorrhage , 6% had cerebellar hemorrhage, and 1.3% had internal capsular hemorrhage . Seizure was commoner in lobar and putaminal hemorrhages. Vomiting was present in 100% of cerebellar hemorrhage cases. Headache was present in 100% of cerebellar hemorrhage cases and between 66-83% of cases with hemorrhage cases in other sites. Coma was common in pontine hoemorrhage . Conclusion: ICH accounts for 28.5% of our all stroke admissions.The incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage increases with age , reaching a maximum between the ages of 60 and 80 years old, and is higher in men than women and right side than the left side . We found that thalamic hemorrhage was the commonest site of hemorrhage among our patients second by lobar hemorrhage and more than half of our patients had headache or vomiting on the day of admission. Overall acute mortality rate depends mainly on the position and size of hemorrhage, which we can estimate them by the CT- scan. Diabetes mellitus is not considered as a risk factor, in contrast to hypertension. Keywords: ICH, hypertension, CT-scan
The efficiency of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is low due to the strong resistance of somatic donor cells to epigenetic reprogramming. Many epigenetic drugs targeting DNA methylation and ...histone acetylation have been used in attempts to improve the in vitro and in vivo development of SCNT embryos. H3K9me3 has been shown to be an important reprogramming barrier for generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and SCNT embryos in mice and humans. In this study, we examined the effects of selective siRNA and chemical inhibition of H3K9me3 in somatic donor cells on the in vitro development of bovine SCNT embryos. Chaetocin, an inhibitor of SUV39H1/H2, was supplemented during the culture of donor cells. In addition, the siRNA knockdown of SUV39H1/H2 was performed in the donor cells. The effects of chaetocin and siSUV39H1/H2 on H3K9me3 and H3K9ac were quantified using flow cytometry. Furthermore, we assessed chaetocin treatment and SUV39H1/H2 knockdown on the blastocyst formation rate. Both chaetocin and siSUV39H1/H2 significantly reduced and elevated the relative intensity level of H3K9me3 and H3K9ac in treated fibroblast cells, respectively. siSUV39H1/H2 transfection, but not chaetocin treatment, improved the in vitro development of SCNT embryos. Moreover, siSUV39H1/H2 altered the expression profile of the selected genes in the derived blastocysts, similar to those derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF). In conclusion, our results demonstrated H3K9me3 as an epigenetic barrier in the reprogramming process mediated by SCNT in bovine species, a finding which supports the role of H3K9me3 as a reprogramming barrier in mammalian species. Our findings provide a promising approach for improving the efficiency of mammalian cloning for agricultural and biomedical purposes.
The hemibiotrophic oomycetes are significant threats to a wide range of Cucurbitaceae species, causing substantial losses of plant productions. Particularly, Phytophthora melonis Katsura evokes ...severe symptoms, thus dramatically limiting the yield in cucumber. However, the information about cucumber-P. melonis interaction is still limited. This study explored the changes in the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in cucumber roots of two resistant genotypes (Soheil and Ramezz), one moderately resistant genotype (Baby) and three highly susceptible genotypes (Extrem, Mini 6-23 and Yalda), over the time courses of 7, 14 and 21 days after inoculation (DAI). The results indicated that the activities of defense-related enzymes differed between the resistant and highly susceptible genotypes. Although the defense-related enzymatic activities were elevated sharply in the resistant and moderately resistant genotypes after inoculation, no significant correlations were present between the activity trends of PPO, SOD and CAT and resistance characteristics. Moreover, no significant changes in enzyme activities were found in the control plants, non-inoculated plants of the six genotypes during the testing period. Altogether, the resistance of cucumber to P. melonis is related to POX and PAL activities, but does not show relationship with PPO, SOD and CAT activities. Studying the physiological metabolic pathways of POX and PAL appears to be an important direction in research to elucidate the resistance to P. melonis in cucumber genotypes.
Highlights ► Fndc5 knockdown was performed in two stages. ► Fndc5 knockdown during both stages affected neuronal and astrocytes maturation ► Fndc5 expression is required for the appropriate neural ...differentiation.
This paper is provided to analyze the free vibration of a sandwich truncated conical shell with a saturated functionally graded porous (FGP) core and two same homogenous isotropic face sheets. The ...mechanical behavior of the saturated FGP is assumed based on Biot's theory, the shell is modeled via the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), and the governing equations and boundary conditions are derived utilizing Hamilton's principle. Three different porosity distribution patterns are studied including one homogenous uniform distribution pattern and two non-homogenous symmetric ones. The porosity parameters in mentioned distribution patterns are regulated to make them the same in the shell's mass. The equations of motion are solved exactly in the circumferential direction via proper sinusoidal and cosinusoidal functions, and a numerical solution is provided in the meridional direction utilizing the differential quadrature method (DQM). The precision of the model is approved and the influences of several parameters such as circumferential wave number, the thickness of the FGP core, porosity parameter, porosity distribution pattern, the compressibility of the pore fluid, and boundary conditions on the shell's natural frequencies are investigated. It is shown that the highest natural frequencies usually can be achieved when the larger pores are located close to the shell's middle surface and in each vibrational mode, there is a special value of the porosity parameter which leads to the lowest natural frequencies. It is deduced that in most cases, natural frequencies decrease by increasing the thickness of the FGP core. In addition, reducing the compressibility of the porefluid a small growth in the natural frequencies can be seen.
The primary challenge to exploit the nanowire as a truly one‐dimensional building block in nanoscale devices is the clear incorporation of scale effects into the operational performance. ...Size‐dependent behavior in physical properties of nanowires is the subject of intense experimental and computational studies for more than two decades. In this review, the measurement techniques and computational approaches to study scale effects on mechanical properties of nanowires are reviewed for fcc metallic, silicon, and zinc oxide structures. Advantages and disadvantages of each measurement tool are summarized with data reported in the literature. A similar comparison is carried out for computational techniques. Contradictions in the literature are highlighted with an assessment of research needs and opportunities, among which the plastic behavior of gold nanowires and elastic properties of silicon nanowires can be primarily mentioned. Furthermore, challenges associated with the coupling of measurement methods and modeling approaches are summarized. Finally, points of agreement between experimental measurements and computational studies are discussed paving the way for the utilization of nanowires in future nanoscale devices.
This article reviews achievements made in the determination of the size‐dependent mechanical properties of nanowires. Covering both measurement techniques and computational approaches, data reported in the literature are summarized for a variety of nanowires. With the description of the landscape for the future utilization of nanowires in engineering applications, contradictions, and convergence points are highlighted for research needs and opportunities.
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