Monitoring the occurrence of frost through an analysis of air masses in south west basins of Iran

Frost is one of the atmospheric phenomena which seriously threaten crop production. It also causes numerousaccidents in mountainous roads. In this research the Spatial Synoptic Classification SSC method was employed toclassify the type of air masses. For the classification, such meteorological data as: temperature, dew point, mean sealevel pressure, cloudiness, direction and speed of wind were collected for a period of 45 years from 1961 to 2005. For aclassification of air masses a discernment method was applied and while typical characteristics of seed days being usedas input for this discernment function method. The results indicated that, spring season air masses, Dry Polar (DP) airmasses, Moist Polar (MP) and Moist Moderate (MM) air masses have contributed most to the occurrence of advectionfrosts respectively. Dry Polar air masses bore the lowest temperature and dew point, along with northerly and easterlywind components and a clear sky. These air masses caused the occurrence of the most severe and most extensiveadvection frosts in south west basins of Iran

Comparison of physical and statistical methods for estimating probable maximum precipitation in southwestern basins of Iran

The probable maximum precipitation (PMP) is the greatest depth of precipitation for a given duration that is physically possible over a given size storm area at a particular geographical location at a certain time of the year. In this study a physically based method was compared with a statistical procedure to calculate PMP in the southwest arid regions of Iran. In order to estimate PMP using a physically or meteorologically oriented method, such climatological elements as precipitation, dew point temperature, and wind speed were studied in seven synoptic stations in the region. Synoptic maps of appropriate time scales were also studied. Then widespread and severe storms with various durations were selected and Depth-Area-Duration (DAD) curves for all the selected storms extracted. Using the physical method, PMP estimations were obtained at different locations and then the results applied to areas of 1000, 5000 and 10,000 km2. PMP estimations were also obtained through statistical analysis of the series of annual maximum 24 hour precipitations. The result showed that the values obtained through statistical procedures are more than two times those of meteorological method, for all the stations. Comparison of estimates indicated that least difference between two methods belongs to Abadan and the most difference to Bushehr, the magnitude of PMP in physical method is 39.2 and 22.8 percent of statistical method, respectively. Thus using statistical method for an estimation of PMP in the region leads to unacceptable consequences for a construction of water structures

Analysis of implications of organ donation on living donors in southeastern Iran: A qualitative study

Objectives: despite the annual increase in living donors and the positive and negative implications following organ donation, this issue had become a significant challenge for donors. The present study aimed to analyze the experiences and views of living donors to organ donation implications.Material and Methods. The present study was performed using qualitative content analysis. Twenty participants were selected using the purposive sampling method; data were collected by semi-structured interviews and analyzed based on Lundman and Graneheim contractual content analysis method after implementing MAX 12.Results. Data analysis elicitated 721 codes, 20 subcategories, six main categories, and two themes, including positive and negative implications of organ donation from the viewpoint of living donors. The main categories of positive effects resulting from organ donation included the «donor’s peace of mind», «fundamental strength», and «recipient’s achievements». On the other hand, the main categories of negative implications resulting from organ donation included «donor’s physical suffering», «damaged interactions», and «abandonment».Conclusion. Increasing the number of living donors makes us consider it essential to understand the efficiency of its two-way implications on many aspects of donor and recipient. Thus, managing the negative impacts of living organ donation and strengthening its positive side emphasizes the need to increase the awareness of organ donation associations, develop health policies at higher levels, and, most importantly, improve the satisfaction of live organ donors

The effect of preoperative aspirin use on postoperative bleeding and perioperative myocardial infarction in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery

Background: We tried to evaluate the clinical outcomes (mortality, postoperative bleeding and perioperative myocardial infarction) of patients who underwent first elective coronary artery bypass grafting and received aspirin during the preoperative period. Methods: The study was a prospective, randomized and single-blinded clinical trial. Two hundred patients were included and divided into two groups. One group received aspirin 80-160 mg, while in the other aspirin was stopped at least seven days before surgery. The primary end-points of the study were in-hospital mortality and hemorrhage-related complications (postoperative blood loss in the intensive care unit, re-exploration for bleeding and red blood cell and non-red blood cell requirements). The secondary end-point was perioperative myocardial infarction. Results: There were no differences in patient characteristics between the aspirin users and non-aspirin users. We found a significant difference between postoperative blood loss (608 ± ± 359.7 ml vs. 483 ± 251.5 ml, p = 0.005) and red blood cell product requirements (1.32 2+ ± 0.97 unit packed cell vs. 0.94 ± 1.02 unit packed cell, p = 0.008). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding platelet requirement and the rate of in-hospital mortality and re-exploration for bleeding. Similarly, we found no significant difference in the incidence of definite and probable perioperative myocardial infarction (p = 0.24 and p = 0.56 respectively) or in-hospital mortality between the two groups. Conclusion: Preoperative aspirin administration increased postoperative bleeding and red blood cell requirements with no effect on mortality, re-exploration rate and perioperative myocardial infarction. We recommend withdrawal of aspirin seven days prior to surgery. Copyright © 2007 Via Medica

Basal parasympathetic deficits in C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion carriers relate to smaller frontoinsula and thalamus volume and lower empathy

Diminished basal parasympathetic nervous system activity is a feature of frontotemporal dementia that relates to left frontoinsula dysfunction and empathy impairment. Individuals with a pathogenic expansion of the hexanucleotide repeat in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72), the most common genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, provide a unique opportunity to examine whether parasympathetic activity is disrupted in genetic forms of frontotemporal dementia and to investigate when parasympathetic deficits manifest in the pathophysiological cascade. We measured baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia, a parasympathetic measure of heart rate variability, over two minutes in a sample of 102 participants that included 19 asymptomatic expansion carriers (C9+ asymp), 14 expansion carriers with mild cognitive impairment (C9+ MCI), 16 symptomatic expansion carriers with frontotemporal dementia (C9+ FTD), and 53 expansion-negative healthy controls (C9- HC) who also underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. In follow-up analyses, we compared baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia in the C9+ FTD group with an independent age-, sex-, and clinical severity-matched group of 26 people with sporadic behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. The Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration-modified Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes score was used to quantify behavioral symptom severity, and informant ratings on the Interpersonal Reactivity Index provided measures of participants' current emotional (empathic concern) and cognitive (perspective-taking) empathy. Results indicated that the C9+ FTD group had lower baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia than the C9+ MCI, C9+ asymp, and C9- HC groups, a deficit that was comparable to that of sporadic behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. Linear regression analyses indicated that lower baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia was associated with worse behavioral symptom severity and lower empathic concern and perspective-taking across the C9orf72 expansion carrier clinical spectrum. Whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analyses in participants with C9orf72 pathogenic expansions found that lower baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia correlated with smaller gray matter volume in the left frontoinsula and bilateral thalamus, key structures that support parasympathetic function, and in the bilateral parietal lobes, occipital lobes, and cerebellum, regions that are also vulnerable in individuals with C9orf72 expansions. This study provides novel evidence that basal parasympathetic functioning is diminished in FTD due to C9orf72 expansions and suggests that baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia may be a potential non-invasive biomarker that is sensitive to behavioral symptoms in the early stages of disease

Echocardiographic evaluation of mitral geometry in functional mitral regurgitation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>We sought to evaluate the geometric changes of the mitral leaflets, local and global LV remodeling in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and varying degrees of Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR).</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) occurs as a consequence of systolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction caused by ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Mitral valve repair in ischemic MR is one of the most controversial topic in surgery and proper repairing requires an understanding of its mechanisms, as the exact mechanism of FMR are not well defined.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>136 consecutive patients mean age of 55 with systolic LV dysfunction and FMR underwent complete echocardiography and after assessing MR severity, LV volumes, Ejection Fraction, LV sphericity index, C-Septal distance, Mitral valve annulus, Interpapillary distance, Tenting distance and Tenting area were obtained.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was significant association between MR severity and echocardiogarphic indices (all p values < 0.001). Severe MR occurred more frequently in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients compared to ischemic patients, (p < 0.001). Based on the model, only Mitral valve tenting distance (TnD) (OR = 22.11, CI 95%: 14.18 – 36.86, p < 0.001) and Interpapillary muscle distance (IPMD), (OR = 6.53, CI 95%: 2.10 – 10.23, p = 0.001) had significant associations with MR severity.</p> <p>Mitral annular dimensions and area, C-septal distance and sphericity index, although greater in patients with severe regurgitation, did not significantly contribute to FMR severity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Degree of LV enlargement and dysfunction were not primary determinants of FMR severity, therefore local LV remodeling and mitral valve apparatus deformation are the strongest predictors of functional MR severity.</p

Phytochemicals as antibiotic alternatives to promote growth and enhance host health

There are heightened concerns globally on emerging drug-resistant superbugs and the lack of new antibiotics for treating human and animal diseases. For the agricultural industry, there is an urgent need to develop strategies to replace antibiotics for food-producing animals, especially poultry and livestock. The 2nd International Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics was held at the World Organization for Animal Health in Paris, France, December 12-15, 2016 to discuss recent scientific developments on strategic antibiotic-free management plans, to evaluate regional differences in policies regarding the reduction of antibiotics in animal agriculture and to develop antibiotic alternatives to combat the global increase in antibiotic resistance. More than 270 participants from academia, government research institutions, regulatory agencies, and private animal industries from >25 different countries came together to discuss recent research and promising novel technologies that could provide alternatives to antibiotics for use in animal health and production; assess challenges associated with their commercialization; and devise actionable strategies to facilitate the development of alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) without hampering animal production. The 3-day meeting consisted of four scientific sessions including vaccines, microbial products, phytochemicals, immune-related products, and innovative drugs, chemicals and enzymes, followed by the last session on regulation and funding. Each session was followed by an expert panel discussion that included industry representatives and session speakers. The session on phytochemicals included talks describing recent research achievements, with examples of successful agricultural use of various phytochemicals as antibiotic alternatives and their mode of action in major agricultural animals (poultry, swine and ruminants). Scientists from industry and academia and government research institutes shared their experience in developing and applying potential antibiotic-alternative phytochemicals commercially to reduce AGPs and to develop a sustainable animal production system in the absence of antibiotics.Fil: Lillehoj, Hyun. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service; ArgentinaFil: Liu, Yanhong. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Calsamiglia, Sergio. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Fernandez Miyakawa, Mariano Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Patobiología; ArgentinaFil: Chi, Fang. Amlan International; Estados UnidosFil: Cravens, Ron L.. Amlan International; Estados UnidosFil: Oh, Sungtaek. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service; ArgentinaFil: Gay, Cyril G.. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service; Argentin

Effect of patient-centered collaborative learning on students\' scores of the nursing process and critical thinking of nursing trainers

Introduction: One of the challenge that nursing education is faced is developing a curriculum with appropriate clinical training, to develop critical thinking skills. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of patient-centered collaborative learning on students' scores on the nursing process and critical thinking of nursing trainers. Methods: This study is a quasi-experimental research. Nursing students studying at the fifth semester allocated to two randomly selected arms of 30 cases, collaborative education patient-centered, and 30 controls (clinical education according to the common way(. In struments used was a questionnaire with three parts demographics, nursing process of patients and critical thinking.Results: Mean score of post-test critical thinking was 12.8 in cases and 9.2 in the control group. There was significant relationship between post-test score in the two groups P <0.05.post test scores were significantly different across the two groups 15.8/20 in case group compare to 13.43/20 in the control group. Discussion: Both groups showed improvement in learning. The students in the study group were participated as a team in the study of real patient i.e. case study. They used their skills to find and use evidence for critical care. The development in the study group was significantly higher than the control group and the difference has led to the information classification, understanding patients' condition, logic reasoning, problems prioritization and assessment