[ relationship between health expenditure and environmental quality in developing countries]

Any rise in health expenditure is the main concern of householders and policymakers. A few studies have been conducted on assessing the determinants of expenditures and environmental quality from a macroeconomic point of view. This paper aimed to investigate the relationship between health expenditure and environmental quality in more than 114 developing countries between 1995 and 2007. In this study, health expenditure was proxied by the total per capita health expenditure data of WHO. In addition to per capita Gross Domestic Product [GDP], environmental quality, per capita carbon dioxide emission, Energy Intensity, access to clean water and improved sanitation were used as the determinants of health expenditure. The long-run equilibrium of the variables as well as health expenditure and environmental quality were studied by panel cointegration tests. The long-run and short-run elasticities were estimated by Dynamic OLS and Error Correction Model techniques. According to the results, income was the most important determinant of health expenditure in different countries. The elasticity of health expenditure with respect to GDP was more than one. Although in the short-run the energy intensity did not affect health expenditure, in the long-run, there was a positive relationship between these two variables. Income and environmental quality are important determinants of per capita health expenditure. There is a direct connection between health expenditure and environmental quality, in both long and short-run, suggesting that the deterioration of environmental ecosystems - as an unpleasant bi-product of production - leads to health problems.

Human cloning from the viewpoint of fiqh and ethics

Muslim Scholars and Islamic official institutions consider human cloning as opposing religious doctrine, and forbidden. Their ideas are based upon some theological and juridical arguments, including: posing a challenge to the creative power of God, breaking the tradition of marriage, breaking the tradition of diversity in creatures or species, making changes in divine creatures, game with creatures and so on. They as well refer to some verses of holy Quran, and take consequences against the permission of human cloning. The author is going to say that the above mentioned arguments are not coincided with the traditional method of Islamic juridical reasoning [Al-Ijtehad]. The author offers some general solutions for formulating Islamic doctrines in the field of human cloning

effects of ultrasound on BBB integration in ischemic brain injury Model

Ultrasound [US] has been used in neuroprotection after cerebral ischemia, however the mechanism of action remains unclearly. We have previously shown the protective effect of ultrasound on infarction volume and brain edema in ischemic brain injured at normothermic condition. Ultrasound may also amplify the effect of fibrinolytic medications in thrombolysis process. We have also shown that hyperthermia can exacerbate cerebral ischemic injury and that the efficacy of tissue plasminogen activator [tPA] is reduced in the presence of hyperthermia. In this study, the effects of US alone or in combination with tPA on brain ischemic injury were evaluated. Focal ischemic brain injury was induced by emblazing a pre-formed clot into the middle cerebral artery in rats. Principally, we examined whether US can reduce the perfusion deficits and, the damage of blood-brain barrier [BBB] in the ischemic injured brain. There are two series of experiments at this study. In the first series, animals were randomly assigned to four groups [n = 7 per group] as follows: 1-control [saline], 2-US [1W/cm2, 10 duty cycle], 3- US+high- tPA [1W/cm2, 10 duty cycle +20 mg/kg] and 4- high -tPA [20 mg/kg]. We also examined the effects of US and tPA on BBB integrity after ischemic injury. The animals were assigned into four groups [n = 7 per group], treatment is the same as above. BBB permeability was assessed by the Evans blue [EB] extravasations method at 8 h after MCA occlusion. BBB permeability was evaluated by fluorescent detection of extravagated Evans blue dye and Perfusion deficits were analyzed using an Evans blue staining procedure. The perfused microvessels in the brain were visualized using fluorescent microscopy. Areas of perfusion deficits in the brain were traced, calculated and expressed in mm[2]. The results showed that US improved neurological deficits significantly [p < 0.05]. The administration of US significantly decreased perfusion deficits and BBB permeability. In the control set, for the US+high tPA, high tPA only and US only groups, the mean perfusion deficits [ +/- SD] were 14.32 +/- 3.15, 7.03 +/- 4.08, 5.92 +/- 1.90 and 9.14 +/- 3.37 mm2, respectively, 8 h after MCA occlusion [P < 0.05]. These studies suggest that US is protective in a rat embolic model of stroke due to decreased perfusion deficits

[Comparative study of crown retention on composite core by glassionomer luting cement, adhesive resin and zinc phosphate after thermocycling]

One of the important points in dentistry is retentive strength of crown on teeth or bridge on abutments. One the effective factors in retention is cement type and its relation to core buildup materials. One of the core buildup materials which has a wide usage in Iran, is the commercial Core Max II composite. The aim of this study is to compare the retention of cemented crowns by zinc phosphate, glassionomer and resin cements of panavia F on Core Max II dies. In this research silver cast alloy crowns were made on 90 similar dies of core max II, these dies were divided to 3 groups of 30: In each group the crowns were cemented on Core Max II dies with one of three cements. Then the crowns were pulled tensively in Instron machine, and the results were analyzed with SPSS V.11.5 software. In this study the analytic tests of ANOVA and Tuky test were used [alpha= 0.05]. According to quantitative analysis between 3 cements glassionomer, zinc phosphate and panavia F had significant difference [P=0.001]. The evaluation of mode of failure revealed that the most common failure pattern in panavia F was cohesive in core [80%], which reveals more retention between core, panavia [as cement] and crown, however in glassionomer this was [26/7%], and there was no cohesive failure in zinc phosphate. Considering retentive characteristics when the Core Max II composite cores are made the best cements are panavia F and glassionomer respectively

Burden of coronary heart disease on the Iranian oil industry [1999-2000]

To estimate the direct cost of coronary heart disease [CHD] to the Iranian oil industry, we calculated the cost of essential services for 1253 CHD patients admitted to the National Iranian Oil Corporation [NIOC] Central Hospital. The direct cost of CHD at the Hospital was 10940 million rials [US$ 1 = 8000 rials], or 8.7 million rials per patient. The direct cost of CHD to the Iranian oil industry was estimated at 22 770 million rials. Working days lost to workers hospitalized for CHD amounted to 62 832. The heavy burden of CHD on the Iranian oil industry necessitates the introduction of an industry-wide prevention programme