Malnutrition and medical nutrition therapy in hospitalized children: a case study of using national malnutrition screening tools in northeastern Iran

Background: Nationwide studies have focused only on prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized children, while medical nu- trition therapies and assessing nutritional interventions is neglected.Methods: This research was conducted in tertiary level children hospitals in the NorthEastern region of Iran for 1 year from 2016 to 2017. Five questions were included in the initial assessment form and, if there was even one positive response, nutrition- al interventions were prescribed for the patients.Results: A total of 65 children aged ≥ 5 years and hospitalized for ≥ two days were included. 24.6% of patients had 2 >BMI Z-score>-2 at time of admission. At the beginning of the study, weight loss more than 10%, and appetite loss or decreased food intake was observed in 10.8% and 20% of the study population, respectively. Median BMI percentile of patients with nutritional intervention was 8.9 (0.1-98.7) at the beginning of the study and 12.7 (0.1-98.4) at discharge time which shows a significant difference (P=0.01).Conclusion: Medical nutrition therapy employed in this study prevented deterioration of nutritional status of children during hospitalization and was effective in stabilizing indices of nutritional status.Keywords: Body mass index, hospitalized children, malnutrition

Analysis and Validation of a Designed Solar Chimney with 50 KW Output Power between 7 AM and 5 PM during a Year as a Power Supply Unit for Bushehr Province, Iran

The aim of the current research is analysis and validation of a solar tower (chimney) designed for power generation in southern provinces of Iran, especially in Bushehr province. The analysis consists of preparing and drawing the graphs of solar irradiance intensity on horizontal planes, analysis of solar tower without storing, preparing graphs considering the diameter of collector (absorber or receiver), height of tower and diameter of turbine in 50 kW output power. Already, the amount of received solar energy is computed by available relationships governing on tower elements as a set of codes in MATLAB. In addition, experimental data is already used to validate the results obtained from finite element software FLUENT. In the current research, the obtained results from graphs produced by computer softwares (EXCEL and FLUENT) with 50 kW daily output power (from 7 AM to 5 PM during a year) are analyzed and validated comparing to the model produced in Manzanares, Spain. The obtained results are represented in two parts: the first one shows characteristic curve of solar towers (i.e. a curve representing the relationship between tower elements in a given power); the second part shows the variable output power during a day. It is obvious from characteristic curves that in low powers and small diameters, turbine needs large size receiver and high equivalent height. Considering the cost effectiveness conditions, it can scientifically compete with the produced model

Anterior Cruciate Reconstruction with Quadriceps Autograft using QuadLink Anterior Cruciate Ligament FiberTag TightRope Implant

Quadriceps tendon autografts have been shown to be a reliable option for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The graft allows for optimal functional outcomes while reducing donor site morbidity. Although quadriceps graft fixation can be achieved using a variety of techniques, there is a lack of consensus on the optimal technique. Additionally, femoral fixation techniques have variance in durability and reproducibility. The purpose of this Technical Note and video is to provide our preferred method of quadriceps tendon autograft preparation and fixation using the Quad Link ACL FiberTag TightRope Implant in a single-bundle ACL reconstruction

The effect of continuous-educational program in interferon therapy on quality of life in patients suffering from Hepatitis B and C.

چکیده: زمینه و هدف: مؤثرترین روش در درمان بیماران مبتلا به هپاتیت های مزمن B و C درمان ترکیبی با اینتروفرون می باشد. این درمان ها به هر حال درجات مختلفی از عوارض جانبی ایجاد می کنند که ممکن است تأثیر منفی بر روی حیات بیمار، تعاملات اجتماعی و توانایی انجام کار و دیگر فعالیت های آنها داشته باشد. هدف از این مطالعه بررسی تأثیر آموزش نحوه مصرف صحیح اینترفرون، کنترل عوارض جانبی و پی گیری بیماران به مدت 28 هفته بر روی کیفیت زندگی بیماران مبتلا به هپاتیت B و C بود. روش بررسی: این پژوهش یک پژوهش نیمه تجربی است که به صورت پیش آزمون- پس آزمون بر روی بیماران مبتلا به هپاتیت مزمن B و C کاندید اینترفرون تراپی در مرکز هپاتیت تهران صورت گرفت. تعداد 60 بیمار به روش نمونه گیری در دسترس با توجه به مشخصات نمونه انتخاب و به طور تصادفی در گروه شاهد و آزمون (30 نفر شاهد، 30 نفر آزمون) قرار گرفتند. ابزار گردآوری داده ها پرسشنامه اطلاعات دموگرافیک و پرسشنامه کیفیت زندگی ویژه بیماران کبدی ( CLDQ=Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire) بود. برای گروه آزمون و همراهان برنامه آموزشی به صورت 4 جلسه 45 دقیقه ای اجرا شد و بیماران به مدت 28 هفته پیگیری شدند. کیفیت زندگی بیماران هپاتیتی در دو مرحله قبل و 28 هفته پس از شروع اینترفرون تراپی و اجرای برنامه آموزشی سنجیده شد و در پایان کیفیت زندگی در دو گروه با استفاده از آزمون های همبستگی و کای دو، من ویتنی و ویلکاکسون مقایسه گردید. یافته ها: قبل از اجرای مداخله متغیرهای دموگرافیک و امتیاز کلی کیفیت زندگی در دو گروه اختلاف معنی داری مشاهده نشد. میانگین امتیاز کلی کیفیت زندگی در گروه آزمون از 4/21±6/158 به 17±4/183 افزایش یافت (001/0p) امتیاز کلی کیفیت زندگی پس از مداخله بین دو گروه دارای تفاوت معنی دار بود (001/0

Tuning the analog and digital performance of Germanene nanoribbon field effect transistors with engineering the width and geometry of source, channel and drain region in the ballistic regime

In this paper, with taking advantage of electrical properties of a germanene nanoribbon, we propose a germanene nanoribbon field effect transistor (GeNR-FET). Here by tuning the width and geometry of the germanene nanoribbon in the source, drain and channel regions, we investigate theoretically the transistor characteristics, analog and digital performances of these several different GeNR-FETs at room temperature. Our simulations are obtained usingdensity functional theory (DFT) combined withnon-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) method. The simulation results show that for digital applications, by tuning the width of the germanene nanoribbon a GeNR-FET with a finite band gap in the channel region and small band gap in the source and drain regions showsa better Ion/Ioff ratio in transfer characteristics. However, for the analog applications, if the band gap of the channel region has small value and the band gap of the source and drain regionshave a finite value, the output characteristic shows a higher peak to valley (PVR) ratio which is an important figure of merit in analog applications. Also from the output characteristics, we find that the T-shape channel shows more desirable (PVR) compared with otherdevices and it reaches to 17.28 in this case

The Effect of Education on Quality of Life in Patients under Interferon Therapy

Background and Aims: The main purpose of treating and caring for patients with chronic viral hepatitis is to promote life satisfaction and a feeling of well-being in patients suffering from this disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of education on quality of life in patients with chronic hepatitis who were treated with Interferon alpha. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 60 patients with viral hepatitis. The intervention included teaching them the method of self injection of Interferon alpha 2 b, giving them educational pamphlets and then following their continuing treatment with interferon. Patients were randomly assigned to two 30-patient groups. The data- gathering tool was a demographic characteristics questionnaire and the Quality of Life Questionnaire for Patients with Chronic Liver Disease (CLDQ). The educational program was done in four 45- minute sessions for the case group and their relatives. The follow-up period was 12 weeks. Quality of life in patients with chronic hepatitis was measured before initiating interferon therapy, and after the educational period. Quality of life in the two groups was compared. Results: The total quality of life score in the two groups before therapy did not show any significant difference (P = 0.351); while 12 weeks after education there was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001) in three items including abdominal symptoms (P = 0.01), worry (P < 0.001) and emotional factors (P < 0.001). The other three items did not show a significant difference between the two groups. The total quality of life score in the case group was significantly different before and after education (P < 0.001), and improved after education. The total quality of life score in the control group did not differ significantly after 12 weeks (P = 0.143). Conclusions: Planning short and simple educational programs has a significant effect on the patient's control of his/her disease and its side effects; and can improve quality of life, life satisfaction, and mechanisms of coping with treatment in patients with viral hepatitis

Agreement Between Swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography and Rotating Scheimpflug Camera in Measurement of Corneal Parameters in Normal and Keratoconic Eyes

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the agreement between topographic indices of healthy subjects and keratoconus (KCN) patients using a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT CASIA2) versus a Scheimpflug camera (Pentacam). Methods: 40 eyes of 23 patients with KCN and 40 eyes of 20 healthy subjects were included and evaluated with the CASIA2, followed by the Pentacam. Two consecutive modalities were obtained for one eye of each patient. Corneal parameters, including anterior keratometry at steep (Ks) and flat meridians (Kf), anterior astigmatism, anterior and posterior corneal elevation values, thinnest corneal thickness, and apex corneal thickness, were evaluated. Results: CASIA2 and Pentacam showed perfect agreement (95% limits of agreement (LoA): -0.22 to 0.68, 95% LoA: -1.5 to 1.44 D) and good correlation (Intraclass correlation (ICC):0.986, ICC:0.987; to 0.68, 95% LoA: -1.5 to 1.44 D) and good correlation (Intraclass correlation (ICC):0.986, ICC:0.987; P &lt;0.01) for anterior (Ks) in normal and ectatic corneas, respectively. The cylinder amount had moderate agreement and correlation (95% LoA: -0.55 to 0.47D, ICC: 0.797, P &lt;0.01) in normal, and moderate to strong agreement and correlation (95% LoA: -1.57 to 0.87D, ICC=0.911, P &lt;0.01) in Keratoconic eyes. There was a fair agreement for anterior and posterior corneal elevation values in normal subjects (95% LoA: -3.09 to 4.59, 95% LoA: -6.91 to 7.31D). The thinnest corneal thickness amount had an excellent agreement in normal and KCN patients (ICC: 0.983, 0.953; respectively). Conclusions: Although the devices had different mean indices values, they had a good agreement based on the Bland–Altman plots. Since Pentacam is accepted as the standard tool for diagnosing ectatic cornea, pentacam CASIA2 is also helpful for early diagnosis of KCN

Precise predictions for Dirac neutrino mixing

The neutrino mixing parameters are thoroughly studied using renormalization-group evolution of Dirac neutrinos with recently proposed parametrization of the neutrino mixing angles referred to as 'high-scale mixing relations.' The correlations among all neutrino mixing and CP violating observables are investigated. The predictions for the neutrino mixing angle θ23 are precise, and could be easily tested by ongoing and future experiments. We observe that the high-scale mixing unification hypothesis is incompatible with Dirac neutrinos due to updated experimental data

Efficacy of Smoking Cessation on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Smokers with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: Stress, anxiety, and depression have been reported as very common comorbidities in smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of smoking cessation on stress, anxiety, and depression in smokers with COPD. Methods: Three block-randomized controlled trial groups with a block size of 6 and 9 including guided self-change (GSC) (n = 19), nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (n = 19), and combined GSC-NRT (n = 19) with a follow-up of 29 weeks were considered in this research. Participants included elderly adult smokers with COPD. The patients carried out 5 weekly GSC counseling sessions and NRT for smoking cessation. Transtheoretical Model (TTM) questionnaire, Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) as well as the exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) were evaluated over the baseline and 12 and 29 weeks following treatments. Findings: COPD participants with mean of 23 daily cigarette smoking completed the current study. The odds ratio (OR) of smoking cessation in GSC and GSC-NRT groups decreased more than NRT group. In addition, DASS, FTND, and the exhaled CO in GSC and GSC-NRT groups showed a better performance compared with the NRT group. Conclusion: The results showed that GSC and combined GSC-NRT therapy were significantly more effective than NRT alone. Also, the findings showed that GSC, NRT, and combined GSC-NRT were effective on stress, depression, and anxiety decreasing in smoking cessation. It seems that reducing smoking is associated with recovery in stress, anxiety, and depression in smokers with COPD