Verbal and oral apraxia in patients with acute stroke: Frequency, relationship, and some risk factors

Verbal and oral apraxia are two possible consequences of stroke. It seems that there are not sufficient studies regarding the frequency of these disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of Verbal and oral apraxia. In addition, the relationship between apraxia and some variables such as age, gender, and education, as well as the relationship between types of apraxia with each other, and damaged areas of the brain in apraxia of the oral system in Persian-speaking patients with stroke were studied. In this descriptive-analytical study, 42 patients participated using the convenient sampling method. Verbal and oral apraxia were assessed using the oral and verbal apraxia tasks for adults test. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact test. The frequency of patients with oral apraxia was 35.7%, those with verbal apraxia was 2.3%, and the combination of both verbal and oral apraxia was 4.7%. People with apraxia were significantly older than those without apraxia. There was not any significant relationship between apraxia and gender, apraxia and education, and oral apraxia with verbal apraxia (p < 0.05). The present study's findings showed the high frequency of post-stroke apraxia and the high rate of its incidence with age.

The psychological toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental care providers in Iran: A multicenter cross-sectional study

Background/Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic affects social and psychological resources. Healthcare workers, especially dental personnel, are more at risk for mental issues due to anxiety, pressure, and frustration. This study assessed mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 epidemic among Iranian dental care providers, focusing on insomnia, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods

In this multicenter cross-sectional survey, the Insomnia Severity Index, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Global Psychotrauma Screening were masured. Six hundred thirty-eight dental care providers (dental specialists, general dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental students) from different parts of Iran (Tehran, Shiraz, Tabriz, and Mashhad) were investigated by the stratified sampling method. The univariate analysis was incorporated as independent in binary logistic regression models to analyze the data. In this study, the significance level was set at 0.05.

Results

Among all the participants, 42.8% were dental students or residents, 21.9% were general or specialist dentists, 18.7% were dental assistants, and 16.6% were nonclinicians. The prevalence of insomnia, anxiety, and depression was 31.3%, 40.8%, and 54.9%, respectively. The frequency of participants in the low, moderate, and high levels of PTSD resulting from LCA 56.6%, 33.7%, and 9.7%, respectively.

Conclusions

This study found a significant frequency of mental health issues among Iranian dentists. Females, participants whose relatives have COVID-19, and those with a higher workload were more likely to develop mental health symptoms. As mental problems among dental professionals might affect the quality of patient care, diagnostic, supportive, and therapeutic interventions should be taken.

Predicting the effect of a combination drug therapy on the prostate tumor growth via an improvement of a direct radial basis function partition of unity technique for a diffuse-interface model

Chemotherapy is usually applied to treat advanced prostate cancer that cancer cells spread outside the prostate gland. The treatment uses cytotoxic drugs to target cells that grow and divide quickly. On the other hand, the growth of such cancerous tumors depends on angiogenesis. In this paper, we numerically study a diffuse-interface model in a two-dimensional space related to the therapies of prostate cancer. The proposed model describes the tumor growth driven by a generic nutrient and producing the prostate-specific antigen. More precisely, the effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy in the model is evaluated by considering a time-dependent function in the tumor dynamics. Also, another function related to the antiangiogenic therapy is considered to show the reducing intratumoral nutrient supply in the nutrient dynamics. Here, a meshless approximation, i.e., a generalized form of the direct radial basis function partition of unity (D-RBF-PU) method is presented for finding the numerical simulations of this model utilizing in medical oncology. The method uses the lower number of trial points in each patch than the original D-RBF-PU scheme for approximating the trial function per test point. Hence, the time complexity of the method is less than the D-RBF-PU technique. Besides, a semi-implicit time discretization of order 1 has been used to deal with the time variable. Consequently, a linear system of algebraic equations could be solved iteratively per time step by the use of the biconjugate gradient stabilized method with zero-fill incomplete lower-upper preconditioner. Finally, the obtained results without using any adaptive algorithm demonstrate the response of the prostate tumor growth to the chemotherapy, antiangiogenic therapy and a combined therapy.

The numerical solution of a mathematical model of the Covid-19 pandemic utilizing a meshless local discrete Galerkin method

It was in early December 2019 that the terrible news of the outbreak of new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) was reported by the world media, which appeared in Wuhan, China, and is rapidly spreading to other parts of China and several overseas countries. In the field of infectious diseases, modeling, evaluating, and predicting the rate of disease transmission are very important for epidemic prevention and control. Several preliminary mathematical models for Covid-19 are formulated by various international study groups. In this article, the SEIHR(D) compartmental model is proposed to study this epidemic and the factors affecting it, including vaccination. The proposed model can be used to compute the trajectory of the spread of the disease in different countries. Most importantly, it can be used to predict the impact of different inhibition strategies on the development of Covid-19. A computational approach is applied to solve the offered model utilizing the Galerkin method based on the moving least squares approximation constructed on a set of scattered points as a locally weighted least square polynomial fitting. As the method does not need any background meshes, its algorithm can be easily implemented on computers. Finally, illustrative examples clearly show the reliability and efficiency of the new technique and the obtained results are in good agreement with the known facts about the Covid-19 pandemic.

Radial basis function-generated finite difference scheme for simulating the brain cancer growth model under radiotherapy in various types of computational domains

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

We extend the original mathematical model, i.e., Swanson's reaction-diffusion equation to the surfaces with no boundary, and we find a new numerical method based on a meshless approach for solving numerically Swanson's reaction-diffusion model in the square and on the sphere.

METHODS

To solve numerically the Swanson's reaction-diffusion model and its extension version, a collocation meshless technique, namely radial basis function-generated finite difference (RBF-FD) scheme is employed for approximating the spatial variables in the square domain and on the sphere, respectively. Also, to approximate the time variable of the studied models, a first-order semi-implicit backward Euler scheme is used. The resulting fully discrete scheme is a linear system of algebraic equations per time step that is solved via the biconjugate gradient stabilized (BiCGSTAB) iterative algorithm with a zero-fill incomplete lower-upper (ILU) preconditioner.

RESULTS

The numerical simulations show the growth of untreated and treated brain tumors with radiotherapy using estimated and clinical data (given from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of patients). Moreover, the results reported here can be used for improving the treatment strategies of the invasive brain tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the developed numerical scheme in this paper, we can simulate the behavior of the invasive form of brain tumor response to radiotherapy. Also, we can see the effects of radiation response on the brain tumor cell concentration of individual patients. The proposed meshless technique, which is applied for solving numerically the studied model, does not depend on any background mesh or triangulation for approximation in comparison with mesh-dependent methods. Moreover, we apply this technique to the sphere via any set of distributed points easily.

Generalized moving least squares approximation for the solution of local and non-local models of cancer cell invasion of tissue under the effect of adhesion in one- and two-dimensional spaces

The main aim of this study is to solve numerically the mathematical models showing cancer cell invasion of tissue with/without considering the effect of cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion. The mathematical models studied here are the systems of time-dependent reaction-diffusion-taxis equations in one- and two-dimensional spaces, which are formulated in the local and non-local forms. There are some difficulties in finding their solutions via numerical methods. The main difficulty is to compute the non-local term appearing in one of the studied models, which causes more CPU time during simulations. The current paper aims to overcome this problem, where a new meshless method, namely generalized moving least squares (GMLS) approximation in space and a semi-implicit backward differential formula of first-order (SBDF1) in time have been applied. Based on GMLS theory, the non-local term is approximated without any difficulties. Moreover, a simple method based on the GMLS technique is presented to implement the boundary conditions. The obtained discrete scheme for both mathematical models is a linear system of algebraic equations per time step. The biconjugate gradient stabilized (BiCGSTAB) algorithm with zero-fill incomplete lower-upper (ILU) preconditioner is used to solve the obtained linear system at each time step. At the end of this paper, some simulation results are reported to show the behavior of cancer cell invasion in the local model, and the non-local model due to reduction of cell-cell adhesion and increasing cell-matrix adhesion in one- and two-dimensional spaces, where two different types of distribution points have been considered in the square domain. The computational algorithms of the GMLS approximation and the developed numerical method for solving the non-local (local) model are included in the Appendix.

The Study of Vowel Space and Formant Structure in Mazani Language

Objective: One of the parameters showing the correct phonetic and phonological development is the correct and clear articulation of vowels is achieved by changing the shape of vocal cords through altering the height and position of the tongue and the movement of the lips and jaw. The tongue’s height and position are the basis of the production and difference of vowels. In other words, the raw sound produced by vocal cords, which has a base frequency, changes and intensifies according to the displacement of organs and vocal tract cavities which makes harmonies from the base sound called formats. These intensified harmonies depend on the shape, size, and material of the cavities, and can affect a person’s speech clarity and, consequently, the listeners’ perception. Due to such effects and the significant role of vowels space and formants on communicative aspects in each language, they are considered as one of the most important acoustic characteristics of any spoken language. Therefore, determining a scale as a tool to assess vowel errors and speech disorders is necessary. This study aimed to investigate vowel space and formant structure of Mazani language in adults. Materials & Methods: This descriptive-analytical study with a cross-sectional design was conducted on 60 adults (30 males and 30 females) with Mazani language aged 18-40 years who were selected randomly and based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria (no history of respiratory diseases, verbal and auditory disorders and having at least 5 years of experience in living in Babol county. After producing the vowels by participants, the first, second, and third formants (F1, F2, and F3) of all 6 vowels were obtained in PRAAT v.6.0 program, and analyzed finally using independent t-test in SPSS v. 18 software. Results: In men, the highest mean value for the base frequency was related to the vowels /i/ and /u/ (136 Hz), and for F1, F2, and F3, it was related to the vowels /æ/ (646 Hz), /i/ (2182 Hz), and /i/ (2888 Hz), respectively. On the other hand, their lowest mean values were related to the vowels /a/ (124 Hz), /i/ (283 Hz), /a/ (1150 Hz), and /e/ (2629 Hz), respectively. In women, the highest mean values of base frequency, F1, F2 and F3 were related to the vowels /u/ (222 Hz), /æ/ (828 Hz), /i/ (2346 Hz), and /i/ (3151 Hz), while the lowest mean values were related to the vowels /æ/ and /e/ (202 Hz), /i/ (364 Hz), /a/ (1167 Hz), and /o/ (2775 Hz), respectively. Conclusion: There was difference in formants and vowel space between men and women with Mazani language. The /a/ was the lowest pitch vowel and /i/ and /u/ were the highest pitch the vowels in men, while /æ/ and /e/ were the lowest pitch vowels and /u/ was the highest pitch vowel in women. Furthermore, the most open, closed, backward and forward vowels were /æ/, /i/, /i/ and /a/, respectively. The /e/ in men and /o/ in women were the most rounded vowels, while the /i/ in both genders was the most unrounded vowel. The results are somewhat different from the results of studies conducted on the production of vowels in standard Persian language. Since the speech clarity and fluency can be affected by the incorrect production of vowels, the results of this study can be used to evaluate and diagnose speech disorders in Mazani language for clinical and research purposes.

Effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis on the Larynx

Introduction:

The aim of the present study was to compare the videolaryngostroboscopic findings between patients with rheumatoid arthritis and vocally healthy controls.

Materials and Methods:

This case-control descriptive study was performed on 113 people, including 50 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 63 controls. The participants were subjected to videolaryngostroboscopic examinations in order to evaluate fundamental frequency, different structural vocal lesions, patterns of glottal closure, subglottal changes, supraglottis appearance, and movement patterns of the arytenoid cartilage. The obtained results were compared between the two research groups. Data analysis was performed in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 24.0. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

The results revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the complete pattern (P=0.00) and strained state of glottal closure (P=0.00), pattern of subglottal changes (χ²=25.98, df=2; P<0.001), and movement patterns of the arytenoid (χ²=21.16, df=1; P<0.001). Additionally, based on the obtained frequencies, the two groups showed significant differences regarding the normal state of the larynx (P=0.00), hypertrophy of vocal fold (P=0.007), epithelial change (P=0.007), and Reinke's edema (P=0.001). However, the videolaryngostroboscopic examination results revealed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of polyp (P=0.20), nodule (P=0.57), sulcus vocalis (P=0.08), cyst (P=0.45), and atrophy of vocal folds (P=0.45).

Conclusion:

It seems that rheumatoid arthritis affects the patterns of arytenoids movement, some kinds of glottal closure patterns, and subglottal changes. As the results indicated, the occurrence of some laryngeal structural changes was higher in patients with rheumatoid arthritis than in individuals without this disorder.

A multilevel Monte Carlo finite element method for the stochastic Cahn-Hilliard-Cook equation

In this paper, we employ the multilevel Monte Carlo finite element method to solve the stochastic Cahn-Hilliard-Cook equation. The Ciarlet-Raviart mixed finite element method is applied to solve the fourth-order equation. In order to estimate the mild solution, we use finite elements for space discretization and the semi-implicit Euler-Maruyama method in time. For the stochastic scheme, we use the multilevel method to decrease the computational cost (compared to the Monte Carlo method). We implement the method to solve three specific numerical examples (both two- and three dimensional) and study the effect of different noise measures.

Deposition of zinc oxide as an electron transport layer in planar perovskite solar cells by spray and SILAR methods comparable with spin coating

CH₃NH₃PbI₃ planar-structure perovskite solar cells were fabricated with the configuration FTO/ZnO/CH₃NH₃PbI₃/Au. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the precipitation method. Three different deposition methods including spin-coating, spraying and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) were applied to fabricate the ZnO films as electron transport layers. Certain analyses, such as XRD, SEM, FESEM, UV-visible and I–V measurements, were carried out to evaluate the performance of the cells. The best cell performance was achieved for the perovskite solar cell with a ZnO film coated by the spin method. The average efficiency was 7% without using any hole transport materials and 10.25% using spiro-OMeTAD as a hole transport material. The average efficiencies of the cells coated by the spraying and SILAR methods using spiro-OMeTAD, were found to be 8.64% and 7.7% respectively. This study demonstrates the versatility of the spray and SILAR coating methods and their potential for fabricating low-cost, large scale, flexible and mass produced perovskite solar cells.

We have examined the versatility of spray and SILAR coating methods in fabricating mass produced low cost efficient planar perovskite solar cells.

Learning Stationary Correlated Equilibria in Constrained General-Sum Stochastic Games

We study constrained general-sum stochastic games with unknown Markovian dynamics. A distributed constrained no-regret Q -learning scheme (CNR Q ) is presented to guarantee convergence to the set of stationary correlated equilibria of the game. Prior art addresses the unconstrained case only, is structured with nested control loops, and has no convergence result. CNR Q is cast as a single-loop three-timescale asynchronous stochastic approximation algorithm with set-valued update increments. A rigorous convergence analysis with differential inclusion arguments is given which draws on recent extensions of the theory of stochastic approximation to the case of asynchronous recursive inclusions with set-valued mean fields. Numerical results are given for the exemplary application of CNR Q to decentralized resource control in heterogeneous wireless networks.

Candida laryngitis appearing as carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Focal laryngeal candidiasis is not reported widely and is very infrequently recognized clinically. This disease is rare and may occur after pulmonary, pharyngeal and esophageal candidiasis or as part of disseminated disease. It is also secondary to inhaled steroid therapy which is usually mild and has been reported in 10-15 percent of patients taking these medications.

CASE PRESENTATION

In this study, we introduced a rare case of laryngeal candidiasis in a 79-year-old immunocompromised male presented with 17 months of progressive hoarseness. In video laryngoscopy a white, vegetative mass on anterior one-third of right vocal cord mimicking laryngeal carcinoma. The histopathological examination showed laryngeal mucosal with keratosis, degenerating necrotic epithelial cell aggregates containing hyphea and candida albicans.

CONCLUSION

In immunocompromised patients, the diagnosis of laryngeal candidiasis should be considered in any patients with laryngeal symptoms.

Investigation of treatment options to minimize the effects of acid erosion on enamel

This in vitro study investigated 4 products (containing calcium, phosphate, and/or fluoride) and their ability to reharden enamel softened by hydrochloric acid as compared to hardening with saliva alone. Extracted human molars were embedded and polished, and baseline Vickers hardness (VH) of enamel was measured. Statistical analysis was performed with ANOVA followed by Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc tests (P = 0.05). For all groups, VH decreased significantly after immersion in hydrochloric acid. Fluoride in combination with casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate was the most effective treatment for enamel hardness recovery.

Etiologies of Dysphonia in Patients Referred to ENT Clinics Based on Videolaryngoscopy

INTRODUCTION

Laryngeal dysfunction may be divided into three categories; organic, neurologic and functional disorders. Dysphonia and hoarseness are the most common symptoms and, in some cases, the only signs of laryngeal dysfunction. In differential diagnosis of any type of chronic hoarseness, a neoplastic process must be considered and, thus continuous light video laryngoscopy can provide important information on the presence of neoplastic lesions in order to prevent disease progression via early detection and action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was carried out on 197 patients with voice disorders admitted to Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital for video laryngoscopy. Available sampling was used and the results achieved were analyzed using SPSS17 statistical software.

RESULTS

A total of 197 patients (mean age, 40.72 ±15.17 years) participated in this study, 56.9% of whom were male. From analysis of video laryngoscopy, organic dysphonia was found to be the most common cause of voice disorders, while functional and neurologic dysphonia were observed in 8.6% and 5.6% of patients, respectively. Vocal nodules and Reinke's edema were among the most common causes of organic dysphonia, with a frequency of 24.4% and 23.4%, respectively; while laryngeal carcinoma accounted for 2.5% of all diagnosed cases with organic causes.

CONCLUSION

Since the presence of voice disorders for more than 3 weeks can be a sign of laryngeal dysfunction, early diagnosis using noninvasive methods such as video laryngoscopy and appropriate medical measures can help prevent the disease progression and eliminate the need for actions such as laryngectomy.

Application of the Decomposition Method of Adomian for Solving the Pantograph Equation of Order m

In many fields of the contemporary science and technology, systems with delaying links often appear. By a delay differential equation (DDE), we mean an evolutionary system in which the (current) rate of change of the state depends on the historical status of the system. Delay models play a relevant role in different fields such as biology, economy, control, and electrodynamics and hence have been attracted a lot of attention of the researchers in recent years. In this study, the numerical solution of a well-known delay differential equation, namely, the pantograph equation is investigated by means of the Adomian decomposition method and then a numerical evaluation is included to demonstrate the validity and applicability of this procedure

Key words: Nonlinear Differential-Difference Equations; Exp-Function Method; N-Soliton Solutions

In this paper, the homotopy analysis method is applied to solve linear fractional problems. Based on this method, a scheme is developed to obtain approximation solution of fractional wave, Burgers, Korteweg-de Vries (KdV), KdV-Burgers, and Klein-Gordon equations with initial conditions, which are introduced by replacing some integer-order time derivatives by fractional derivatives. The fractional derivatives are described in the Caputo sense. So the homotopy analysis method for partial differential equations of integer order is directly extended to derive explicit and numerical solutions of the fractional partial differential equations. The solutions are calculated in the form of convergent series with easily computable components. The results of applying this procedure to the studied cases show the high accuracy and efficiency of the new technique.

HPTLC Method for the Simultaneous Estimation of Emtricitabine and Tenofovir in Tablet Dosage Form

A simple, precise, accurate and rapid high performance thin layer chromatographic method has been developed and validated for the estimation of emtricitabine and tenofovir simultaneously in combined dosage form. The stationary phase used was precoated silica gel 60F 254. The mobile phase used was a mixture of chloroform: methanol (9:1 v/v). The detection of spots was carried out at 265 nm. The method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision and specificity. The calibration curve was found to be linear between 200 to 1000 ng with regression coefficient of 0.9995. The proposed method can be successfully used to determine the drug content of marketed tablet formulation.

Factors associated with fruit and vegetable consumption among adults

BACKGROUND

The higher consumption of fruit and vegetables is considered to be an indicator of healthy eating and the protective effects of fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption for noncommunicable diseases have been investigated extensively. The present study aimed to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable intake (FVI), health behaviours and socio-demographic factors among adult Canadians.

METHODS

This analysis was based on the information from the Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 3.1. Daily intake of fruit and vegetables from a total number of 15,512 apparently healthy individuals, aged 18-64 years, were assessed using a structured questionnaire, which included 20 questions on the frequency of consumption of different types of fruit and vegetables. Multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the association between FVI and some socio-economic factors and lifestyle behaviour among adult Canadians.

RESULTS

In total 77% of Canadian adults consumed fruit and vegetables less than five times per day. Females were more likely to consume more fruit [odds ratio (OR) 2.05; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75-2.4], vegetables (OR 1.95; 95% CI 1.65-2.29) and FV (OR 2.52; 95% CI 2.20-2.90) than males. Single/never married individuals, individuals with higher levels of education, never smokers, former drinkers and older people reported more consumption of fruit and vegetables than others.

CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained in the present study indicate an association between FVI and some socio-economic and healthy lifestyle behaviours, and that a substantial gap exists between the recommended level and the actual intake of the FV among the Canadian population. Because a higher intake of FV improves public health, it is imperative to tailor nutrition education at the individual and community levels in Canadian populations.

Helminth infections of stray dogs from garmsar, semnan province, central iran

BACKGROUND

The aim was to study the gastro-intestinal helminths of stray dogs of Garmsar, Semnan Province, Central Iran, and its impacts on human health and animal production.

METHODS

During 2006, the alimentary tracts of 50 stray dogs at necropsy, selected from villages around Garmsar, were removed, and examined for helminth infections. Subsequently helminths were collected from the contents of each part and scraped sample of small intestines of washed materials in a 100-mesh sieve. To identify the species of helminths, the nematodes were cleared in lactophenol and cestodes were stained using carmine acid.

RESULTS

Mixed infection was the rule and 40 dogs (80%) harbored more than one species of helminth. Taenia hydatigena was the most prevalent species (80%) followed by Echinococcus granulosus (64%), Toxocara canis (22%), Mesocestoides lineatus (12%), Taenia multiceps (10%) and Dipylidium caninum (4%). The mean intensity of worm infection was low (1-3) except for that of E. granulosus (645). No significant difference was noticed between sex, age and most helminth infections except for that of sex and T. hydatigena (P=0.001) as well as age and T. canis (P=0.001).

CONCLUSION

Although human infection with T. hydatigena is unlikely, but other helminths reported in this study are of zoonotic importance, and may pose a threat to community health, and reduce the productions of ruminants harboring taeniid metacestodes.

Stomatal vs. genome size in angiosperms: the somatic tail wagging the genomic dog?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Genome size is a function, and the product, of cell volume. As such it is contingent on ecological circumstance. The nature of 'this ecological circumstance' is, however, hotly debated. Here, we investigate for angiosperms whether stomatal size may be this 'missing link': the primary determinant of genome size. Stomata are crucial for photosynthesis and their size affects functional efficiency.

METHODS

Stomatal and leaf characteristics were measured for 1442 species from Argentina, Iran, Spain and the UK and, using PCA, some emergent ecological and taxonomic patterns identified. Subsequently, an assessment of the relationship between genome-size values obtained from the Plant DNA C-values database and measurements of stomatal size was carried out.

KEY RESULTS

Stomatal size is an ecologically important attribute. It varies with life-history (woody species < herbaceous species < vernal geophytes) and contributes to ecologically and physiologically important axes of leaf specialization. Moreover, it is positively correlated with genome size across a wide range of major taxa.

CONCLUSIONS

Stomatal size predicts genome size within angiosperms. Correlation is not, however, proof of causality and here our interpretation is hampered by unexpected deficiencies in the scientific literature. Firstly, there are discrepancies between our own observations and established ideas about the ecological significance of stomatal size; very large stomata, theoretically facilitating photosynthesis in deep shade, were, in this study (and in other studies), primarily associated with vernal geophytes of unshaded habitats. Secondly, the lower size limit at which stomata can function efficiently, and the ecological circumstances under which these minute stomata might occur, have not been satisfactorally resolved. Thus, our hypothesis, that the optimization of stomatal size for functional efficiency is a major ecological determinant of genome size, remains unproven.

Association between fruit juice consumption and self-reported body mass index among adult Canadians

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of obesity and being overweight is rising among adult Canadians and diet is recognised as one of the main causes of obesity. The consumption of fruit and vegetables is shown to be protective against obesity and being overweight but little is known about the association of fruit juice consumption and obesity and being overweight. The present study aimed to investigate the association between fruit juice consumption and self-reported body mass index (BMI) among adult Canadians.

METHODS

This analysis is based on the Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 3.1. A regression method was used to assess the association of fruit juice consumption with self-reported BMI in 18-64-year-old Canadians who had been adjusted for sex, age, total household income, education, self-rated health, and daily energy expenditure. Because the analysis is based on a cross-sectional dataset, it does not imply a cause and effect relationship.

RESULTS

Almost 38.6% of adult Canadians reported a fruit juice intake of 0.5-1.4 times per day and 18.2% consumed fruit juice more than 1.5 times per day. Participants with normal weight were likely to consume more fruit juice than obese individuals. Regression analysis showed a negative association between fruit juice consumption and BMI after adjusting for age, sex, education, marital status, income, total fruit and vegetable intake, daily energy expenditure, and self-rated health. On average, for each daily serving of fruit juice, a -0.22 unit (95% confidence interval = -0.33 to -0.11) decrease in BMI was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained showed a moderate negative association between fruit juice intake and BMI, which may suggest that a moderate daily consumption of fruit juice is associated with normal weight status.

Multicast and Unicast ODMRP Routing in Ad hoc Networks Based on Quality of Service Support and Local Recovery Approach

An ad hoc network is comprised of mobile hosts without any wired infrastructure support. The primary concerns in ad hoc networks are bandwidth limitation and unpredictable dynamic topology. Therefore, efficient bandwidth utilization is crucial in routing protocols. Reliable multicast plays a significant role in many applications of mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). The on-demand multicast routing protocol (ODMRP) was designed for multicast routing in ad hoc networks. However, ODMRP supports unicast routing too. It is very important to efficiently allocate and consume link bandwidth in this protocol, especially when many sessions are working concurrently. In this article, we propose a new method for estimating bandwidth in multicast protocols and also a new technique for supporting QoS routing in multicast and unicast ODMRP by making an acceptable estimation of available and required bandwidth. Also, we propose a local recovery approach to design a reliable multicast algorithm. Simulation results show that using QoS routing for ODMRP improves network performance in presence of mobility, by searching for suitable paths. By local recovery approach, nodes can join to multicast group in minimum time, and data delivery will be increased.