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A perennial anomaly in the academic, political, and popular discourse about "Afghan" and "Afghanistan" is the chronic absence of an informed and systematic engagement with the epistemology and semantic construction of the Persian identity label "Afghan" and its derivative use in the cultural, political, social, and spatial configuration of "Afghanistan." This article offers a brief overview of, and a corrective to, this cultural and linguistic disposition. The essay examines the widespread use, the cultural and historical roots, and linguistic seeds of the ethnonym "Afghan" and its derivative toponymal "Afghanistan." The essay excavates the Buddhist stance and the epistemological cradle of the Persian morpheme from which the term "Afghan" is derived. This exercise in the ethnology of Afghanistan locates the country and its people in historical "deep time" and in the context of several cultural layers and processes rather than a cultural construct in isolation. It aims to serve as a springboard for a corrective etymological awareness for the production of academic and political texts and discourse dealing with Afghanistan and its people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mixing process of two liquids inside an open minichannel was experimentally studied in the presence of liquid metal and an electric field. The Y-type mixers under study were made of Plexiglas, and two liquid metal-enabled pumping systems (based on electrically induced surface tension gradients) were placed at the inlets of the mixer instead of conventional syringe pumps. The effects of the mixing angle, the voltage applied to the liquid metals, and the Reynolds number on the mixing process were investigated. To accurately determine the mixing index, the image processing toolbox of MATLAB software was employed. The results showed that the mixing intensity increased as the applied voltage signal increased, thereby creating a chaotic advection in the minichannel. Furthermore, although the Reynolds number of induced flow and the applied voltages were directly proportional, the input angle plays an important role in the mixing. Among the considered models, in the constant voltage, the 30° and 90° had the best and the worst mixing, respectively. The maximum mixing intensity of 94% was obtained at an input angle of 30° and voltage of 14 V, where, in the absence of an electric field, the maximum mixing intensity was 55%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the efficacy of a partially decreased dietary cation-anion difference (pDCAD) of dry period rations of dairy cattle ((DCAD ~ 0 mEq/Kg DM) in prevention of postpartum subclinical hypocalcemia (SCH). The primary goal of the Experiment I was to compare the efficacy of a pDCAD strategy in minimizing SCH against a full DCAD (fDCAD ~ − 50 mEq/Kg DM) and a low calcium diet (LCD) in late (21 days (d)) pregnancy in Farm 1, using 66 multiparous cows (parity ≥ 3). The primary goal of Experiment II was to evaluate the effect of extension of a pDCAD to whole dry period (expDCAD-60 days), enrolling 40 cows (parity ≥ 3) to compare a pDCAD vs. expDCAD strategy. In both experiments, a primiparous heifers group was included as well. Serum Ca, Pi, Mg, and energy status indicators β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were monitored pre- and post-partum, serially. Experiment I showed a significantly lower Ca, a numerically higher prevalence of SCH, and significantly lower NEFA and BHB in pDCAD vs. fDCAD. The prevalence of subclinical ketosis (SCK) was significantly higher in fDCAD peripartally. In Experiment II, a significantly higher Ca and lower prevalence of SCH were observed in expDCAD vs. pDCAD postpartum, while BHB, NEFA, and the prevalence of SCK were not significantly different. The prevalence of SCH in primiparous heifers in both experiments was about 30%. Overall, compared to common ordinary fDCAD strategy, pDCAD could be potentially regarded as a practical intervention, when the adverse effects of fDCAD are unavoidable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the success rates of frozen and fresh embryo transfer methods in different patient groups. Material and methods: The study included 453 patients who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. The patients were further divided into three groups as male factor, tubal/ovarian/uterine factor, and other factors. IVF treatment was performed through either fresh or frozen embryo transfer (FET). Of the 453 patients, 298 had fresh embryo transfer, and 155 received FET. The implantation and live-birth rates of FET were compared with fresh transfer approach, focusing on the effects of male infertility. Results: There was a significant difference between the pregnancy ratios of patients who underwent fresh embryo transfer versus patients who underwent FET. In patients who were receiving IVF treatment due to male factors, the pregnancy rate was 49.32% in the fresh embryo transfer group, whereas it was 69.70% in the FET group, revealing a significant difference between the two groups (p=0.0321). Although the live-birth ratios were higher in the FET group both among all patients who underwent IVF due to male factor, the differences between the groups were not statistically significant. Conclusion: We observed higher pregnancy rates in FET patients compared with fresh embryo transfer in the study group. The differences in pregnancy rates and live-birth rates were especially evident in IVF cases where male factor was the reason for the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which examined current-voltage characteristics of polycrystalline silicon films doped with phosphorus and boron over a wide range of temperatures and applied electric fields. Increase in dc current versus applied voltage; Discussion on electric field-induced transitions; Effect of electric field on trap occupancy.

Deals with a study which presented an interpretation of the electrical behavior of polycrystalline semiconductors which takes into account intergranular fluctuations in potential. Suspicion made on intergranular doping concentration fluctuations; Result that can occur in many defects induced in ion-implanted silicon; Source of all the macroscopic inhomogenities.

Reports on the interpretation of thermoelectric power in silicon-on-sapphire films by means of a long-range potential-fluctuation model. Overview of the long-range fluctuation model; Nature of thermoelectric power; Representation of potential valleys as an electrical network.

One of the methods of increasing the power of the steam turbines is decreasing the exhaust pressure. In this method, the exhaust section is connected to a surface condenser which operates in vacuum condition. Consequently, the lower saturating pressure of condensed vapor leads to the higher power of turbine. Steam turbine studied here consists of two high- and lowpressure cylinders that, a portion of steam should be extracted between them. Saturation pressure of this temperature is about 24 kPa that is higher than exhaust pressure of similar turbines in this region of Iran. Therefore, in this research, feasibility of utilization of absorption refrigeration in lowering the cooling water temperature and its effect on increasing the power of the turbine was studied. In order to this, firstly, mathematical model of the system was defined, then this model was simulated by EES software, then, the variation of exhaust pressure and power of the turbine were obtained. Results show that, 75.31% decrease in the temperature of cooling water causes 13.94% decrease in the exhaust pressure and 0.93% increase in the power of the turbine. Regarding the water velocity in the condenser pipes, effect of increasing this velocity on power of the turbine was studied. Results show that increasing the velocity to 8 ft/sec, using first method causes 3.93% decrease in the exhaust pressure and 0.205% raise in the power. Finally, specification of a suitable condenser that should be replaced with the present one was estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights a conference on the establishment of the Transitional Authority in order to adopt a new constitution in Afghanistan. Details on the exotic Afghan mechanism for the production of the hegemony of the bourgeoisie; Source of legitimacy for the Afghan government; Components of the Afghan hegemonic apparatus.

The influence of Cd and Ge on the kinetics of Guinier-Preston zone formation has been studied for Cu-2 wt% Be-0.3 wt% Cd and Cu-2 wt% Be-0.3wt% Ge solid solutions. The relative volume fractions of these Guinier-Preston (GP) zones are determined for different times of ageing at 473 K by a method based on microhardness measurements. Cd atoms in Cu-Be-Cd accelerate GP zone formation. This is due to the supersaturation of Cd atoms in Cu and their strong binding energy with vacancies. In contrast, the Ge atoms do not influence GP zone formation in Cu-Be-Ge. The binding energies between the two solute atoms and a vacancy, and the concentration of the quenched-in vacancies bound to the solute atoms, are calculated using the Hasiguti formula and the Kimura equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology and growth kinetics of the discontinuous precipitation and dissolution reactions in supersaturated Mg-Al solid solutions containing 7.3, 9.1 and 10.9 at % Al have been investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopy and X-ray measurements. The volume fraction of regions transformed by the discontinuous precipitation reaction, the reaction front velocity, the interlamellar spacing and the average composition of the solute-depleted lamellae were determined as a function of the temperature. For the first time, the kinetics of the discontinuous dissolution reaction has been studied in the Mg-Al system. It has been shown that the transport of the solute atoms during both reactions is governed by grain boundary diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the corner parasitic effects induced by an abrupt transition in complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS). Study results of CMOS substrate bias; Indications that the corner parasitic transistor is less sensitive to short channel and substrate bias effects.

This prospective study involved 102 patients who had acute renal failure and were treated at Aleppo University Hospital during the period 1980-1986. Acute renal failure in this group was categorized, according to the aetiology, into 12 causes. Obstructive uropathy, surgery, and crush injuries constituted 64% of all cases in males. In females, 56% of all cases were due to obstetrical trauma, acute glomerulonephritis and eclampsia. Haemodialysis was used for the treatment of 77 patients, with 65% cure, and 33% mortality. Conservative treatment was adopted for 21 patients with 62% cure, and 38% mortality. Four patients were treated by peritoneal dialysis, and they all survived. The prognosis in the studied group depended on the aetiology of acute renal failure, and accompanying risk factors such as infection, electrolyte disturbances, encephalopathy, failure of other end organs, etc. It was also found that patients presenting with anuria or oliguria had worse prognosis when compared with patients who had normal urine output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the leakage mechanisms of titanium silicided junctions fabricated using rapid thermal processing. Features of advanced submicron complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor; Performance of current-voltage measurements.

Presents the view of the author on anthropologist Robert L. Canfield's comment on a literary review. Lack of critical discourse among several scholars; Dismissal of substantive issues as quibbles; Discussion on the political dictatorship in Afghanistan; Association of the scholars of Afghanistan with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

Focuses on the application of anthropological concepts to the historical canvas of Afghanistan. Details on the social, economic and political dynamics of the country; Accounts on the ethnic relations and political life in the area; Role of hawala and hawaladar in the local and regional economic networks involving the Hazaras.