Fruit and Vegetable Intake in Relation to Prostate Cancer in Iranian Men: A Case-Control Study

Askari, Faezeh,Parizi, Mehdi Kardoust,Jessri, Mahsa,Rashidkhani, Bahram Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.13

Background: Findings of epidemiologic studies on the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and prostate cancer (PCa) risk have been inconclusive. We therefore examined the association between intake of fruits and vegetables and PCa risk in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this hospital based, case-control study, a total of 50 patients with PCa and 100 controls underwent face-to-face interviews. Regression analysis was used to examine the relation between fruit and vegetable intake and PCa risk. Results: A protective independent effect was observed for the highest tertile of total fruit and vegetable (OR: 0.33, CI: 0.04-0.30, p value<0.001), total fruit (OR: 0.30, CI: 0.06-0.4, p value=0.03) and total vegetable (OR: 0.31, CI: 0.02-0.21, p value<0.001) consumption. Within the group of fruits, a significant inverse association was observed for apple and pomegranate (p trends were 0.01 and 0.016, respectively). In the vegetable group, a significant inverse association was observed for tomatoes (p trend<0.001) and cabbage (p trend=0.021). Conclusions: The results of the present study suggested that fruits and vegetable intake might be negatively associated with PCa risk.

Occlusion handling using angular spectrum convolution in fully analytical mesh based computer generated hologram

Askari, Mehdi,Kim, Seong-Bok,Shin, Kwang-Soo,Ko, Seok-Bum,Kim, Sang-Hoo,Park, Dae-Youl,Ju, Yeon-Gyeong,Park, Jae-Hyeung The Optical Society 2017 Optics express Vol.25 No.21

Dietary Patterns in Relation to Prostate Cancer in Iranian Men: A Case-Control Study

Askari, Faezeh,Parizi, Mehdi Kardoust,Jessri, Mahsa,Rashidkhani, Bahram Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.5

Background: Prostate cancer is the most frequently occurring cancer among males in economically developed countries. Among the several risk factors that have been suggested, only age, ethnicity, diabetes, and family history of prostate cancer are well-established and primary prevention of this disease is limited. Prior studies had shown that dietary intake could be modified to reduce cancer risk. We conducted a hospital-based, casecontrol study to examine the association between dietary patterns and prostate cancer risk in Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of fifty patients with prostate cancer and a hundred controls underwent face-to-face interviews. Factor analysis was used to determine the dietary patterns. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: We defined two major dietary patterns in this population: 'western diet'(high in sweets and desserts, organ meat, snacks, tea and coffee, French fries, salt, carbonated drinks, red or processed meat) and 'healthy diet' (high in legumes, fish, dairy products, fruits and fruit juice, vegetables, boiled potatoes, whole cereal and egg). Both Healthy and western pattern scores were divided into two categories (based on medians). Higher scores on Healthy pattern was marginally significantly related to decreased risk of prostate cancer (above median vs below median, OR =0.4, 95%CI=0.2-1.0). An increased risk of prostate cancer was observed with the higher scores on the Western pattern (above median vs below median, OR=4.0, 95%CI=1.5-11.0). Conclusions: The results of this study suggested that diet might be associated with prostate cancer among Iranian males.

Comparing Performance Indicators of Obstetrics and Gynecology Ward at Yazd Educational Hospitals with Expected Limits of Indicators, 2015

Roohollah Askari,Milad Shafii,Najmeh Baghian 질병관리본부 2016 Osong Public Health and Research Persptectives Vol.7 No.3

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance indicators for obstetrics and gynecology wards in Iran. Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study and was carried out in obstetrics and gynecology wards of Afshar and Shahid Sadoughi hospitals in 2015. The information required for the performance indicators was gathered through questionnaires, statistical forms, and direct observation. In several tables, performance rating and performance status are presented using the Likert scale index based on the expected limits. Results: According to the results of the categories of input indicators, the bed occupancy rate of Afshar Hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology ward was, at 83%, higher than expected (79%), and that in Shahid Sadoughi Hospital (at 69%) was lower than expected. For medicinal methods and nonmedicinal methods of pain alleviation, the index process at Afshar Hospital was much lower than expected (40%). In Afshar Hospital, patient satisfaction at discharge was about 66.74%. Conclusion: Effective steps can be taken to improve the input and output criteria: allocating appropriate physical space, examining the reasons for low bed occupancy rate by using complex analytical models, and in order to study the reasons for large number of cesarean section childbirth, it was recommended to place more emphasis on training of pregnant mothers and to inform them about the side effects of cesarean section and advantages of natural childbirth.

Semi-active control of smart building-MR damper systems using novel TSK-Inv and max-min algorithms

Mohsen Askari,Jianchun Li,Bijan Samali 국제구조공학회 2016 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.18 No.5

Two novel semi-active control methods for a seismically excited nonlinear benchmark building equipped with magnetorheological dampers are presented and evaluated in this paper. While a primary controller is designed to estimate the optimal control force of a magnetorheological (MR) damper, the required voltage input for the damper to produce such desired control force is achieved using two different methods. The first technique uses an optimal compact Takagi-Sugeno-Kang (TSK) fuzzy inverse model of MR damper to predict the required voltage to actuate the MR dampers (TSKFInv). The other voltage regulator introduced here works based on the maximum and minimum capacities of MR damper at each time-step (MaxMin). Both semi-active algorithms developed here, use acceleration feedback only. The results demonstrate that both TSKFInv and MaxMin algorithms are quite effective in seismic response reduction for wide range of motions from moderate to severe seismic events, compared with the passive systems and performs better than original and Modified clipped optimal controller systems, known as COC and MCOC.

Rheological and Thermal Characterization of AISI 4605 Low‑Alloy Steel Feedstock for Metal Injection Molding Process

Ali Askari,Mohammad Hossein Alaei,Ali Mehdipoor Omrani,Khanali Nekouee,박성진 대한금속·재료학회 2020 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.26 No.12

In this study, rheological and thermal decomposition behavior of AISI 4605 MIM feedstock investigated using capillaryand thermogravimetric analysis. For this purpose and in order to find the critical solids loading, the feedstock was preparedby compounding AISI 4605 micro powder (~ 4 μm) with an adopted multi-component wax-based binder system at variouspowder loadings (53–61 vol%). After preparing the feedstock with optimal solids loading, fundamental rheological characteristicsof homogenized feedstock, including flow behavior index (n), flow activation energy (E), and general moldabilityindex (αstv) were studied. Furthermore, thermal analysis of feedstock, including apparent debinding activation energy andmaster decomposition curve was investigated. The results showed that critical solids loading of feedstock is around 58 vol%. The flow behavior index of developed feedstock was acceptable, since it came out to be less than one. Also, flow activationenergy which shows the sensitivity of material to temperature changes, came out to be 70.406 kJ/mol. Using these two parameters,general moldability index was calculated to be 2.3147E−06. Finally, the master decomposition curve of feedstock wasconstructed based on calculated apparent debinding activation energy and verified using decomposition curves at differentheating rates of 2, 5 and 10 °C/min.

Application of Modified Model Predictive Control to a Gantry System

Masood Askari,Haider A. F. Mohamed,M. Moghavvemi,S. S. Yang 제어로봇시스템학회 2009 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2009 No.8

This paper considers in particular the design of a controller based on model predictive control and feedbacklinearization methods for gantry systems. In order to meet the operation requirements of fast anti-swaying and precisepositioning of gantry crane systems, a practical optimal control scheme is presented. This controller is designed toguarantee the performance in presence of a class of nonlinear dynamics. The controller is implemented on anexperimental rotary gantry system. The controller achieves good positioning accuracy and significant sway reduction.

Identification of Piecewise affine Systems with Hysteresis Model

Masood Askari,Haider A. F. Mohamed,Mahmoud Moghavvemi,S. S. Yang 제어로봇시스템학회 2008 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2008 No.10

A general nonlinear system can be identified as a piecewise affine system by approximating a nonlinear function using a piecewise affine one with arbitrary accuracy. In this paper, the problem of identifying discrete-time hybrid systems in the piecewise affine form where the discrete state depends on continuous state with a hysteresis function is addressed. The first step of the proposed identification method is the estimation of the local parameter vectors for small neighborhood of each measured data point. Then the local parameter vectors are clustered. Finally, the threshold levels of the hysteresis function which defines the discrete state are estimated.

Effectiveness of Exogenous Salicylic Acid on Root and Shoot Growth Attributes, Productivity, and Water Use Efficiency of Water-deprived Fennel Genotypes

Ehsan Askari,Parviz Ehsanzadeh 한국원예학회 2015 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.56 No.5

This study was carried out to investigate the response of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) to water deficit and exogenous application of salicylic acid (SA). Six fennel genotypes, from Iran (namely ‘Urmia’, ‘Hamadan’, ‘Kerman’, ‘Shiraz’, ‘Birjand’ and ‘Yazd’) were subjected to two levels of irrigation consisting of either irrigation after 35% (control) or 75% depletion of available soil water (water deficit) and 3 levels of treatment with SA (0.0, 0.5 and 1.0 mM). Root growth attributes, yield and yield components as well as irrigation water use efficiencies for seed, oil and dry masses of the shoot and whole plant were studied. Shoot dry mass, grain yield and essential oil yield were decreased due to water deficit. Furthermore, root growth attributes were decreased under water deficit, except for root diameter and dry mass, and root/shoot ratio. With the exception of irrigation water use efficiency for seed yield, all irrigation water use efficiency aspects were increased when fennel was subjected to water deprivation. Fennel genotypes were grouped according to their stress susceptibility indices (SSI) into drought-tolerant, moderately drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive groups. The largest drought-induced decreases in root length, root dry mass, root length density, number of fruits per umbel, seed yield, 1000-seed weight, seed essential oil yield, and irrigation water use efficiency for seed and oil yield were observed in genotype ‘Hamadan’ from the drought-sensitive group. Salicylic acid led to increases in root growth and yield attributes, seed essential oil content and yield, and irrigation water use efficiency aspects under both moisture conditions. Overall, foliar application of SA appeared to attenuate the negative effects of drought stress on fennel through increases in most of the root growth and yield attributes and the attenuation was more substantial in the drought-tolerant set of fennel genotypes.

Bioelectrochemical treatment of olive oil mill wastewater using an optimized microbial electrolysis cell to produce hydrogen

Anis Askari,Milad Taherkhani,Farzaneh Vahabzadeh 한국화학공학회 2022 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.39 No.8

A single chamber microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) was constructed to treat olive oil mill wastewater(OOMW) biologically and produce hydrogen simultaneously. To characterize the optimal MEC condition, the MECwas fed with synthetic wastewater (SW) having a phenol concentration of 250mg l1. Therefore, the influence of differentapplied voltages and cathode materials was explored and the optimum condition for MEC was determined, whichwas when the stainless steel cathode was implemented and the external voltage of 0.6 V was supplied. Chemical oxygendemand (COD) removal of 62% and current density of 362 mA m2 were obtained for OOMW treatment, whileCOD removal of 73% and the current density of 274.4mA m2 were attained for SW treatment in this MEC at 0.6 V. Hydrogen production rate was 0.045m3 H2 m3d1 for SW and 0.053m3 H2 m3d1 for OOMW. Furthermore, the coulombicefficiency and cathodic hydrogen recovery were 23% and 81%, respectively. Finally, MEC performance in termsof electrical current generation, wastewater treatment and hydrogen production was compared to some similar reportedstudies.