the computation of structural failure probability is vital importance in the reliability analysis and may be carried out on the basis of the first-order reliability method using various mathematical iterative approaches such as hasofer-lind and rackwitz-fiessler (hl-rf). this method may not converge in complicated problems and nonlinear limit state functions, which usually shows itself in the f...

Rheumatic fever (RF) is a prevalent healthcare problem in the developing countries. Recurrence of this disorder is often observed in childhood and adolescence. RF can mimic the presentations of infective endocarditis, and clinicians are not really familiar with this issue. Herein, we present a case of recurrent acute rheumatic fever in a patient suspicious of acute bacterial endocarditis due to...

steel corrosion of bars in concrete structures is a complex process which leads to the reduction of the cross-section bars and decreasing the resistance of the concrete and steel materials. in this study, reliability analysis of a reinforced concrete beam with corrosion defects under the distributed load was investigated using the enhanced hasofer-lind and rackwitz-fiessler (ehl-rf) method base...

Background: The rapidly increasing use of mobile phones has led to public concerns about possible health effects of these popular communication devices. This study is an attempt to investigate the effects of radiofrequency (RF) radiation produced by GSM mobile phones on the insulin release in rats.Methods: Forty two female adult Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. Group1 we...

Rhododendron dauricum L. is an ancient Chinese traditional herb. The pharmacological effects of R. dauricum extract have been shown in chronic tracheitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the cardiovascular effects of Rhododendron dauricum L. flavonoids (RF) on rats and its mechanisms. This study was performed in isolated vascular rings and a rat model of myocardial infarction and isola...