Optimum Functions for Radial Wires of Monopole Antennas with Arbitrary Elevation Angles

Monopole antennas on the earth usually use ground screen with simple radial wires to improve their radiation performance. The number of radials,N, is usually considered a constant in the screen. This paper studies the effect of changing N and considering it as a function of distance, ρ, from the monopole using a simple and yet a fast method. The function N(ρ) is optimized for different beam angles of an HF monopoleantenna. The theoretical functions are converted to practical functions to be formed using meandered lines. Practicable calculated results are validated bymethod of moments. Furthermore it is shown that for low angle radiation aconstant N(ρ) with optimized radius of the ground screen is the best choice. The results can be used for higher frequencies, i.e. VHF and UHF frequency bands as well

Categorization of Functional Constipation in Traditional Persian Medicine: A Descriptive Study

Functional constipation (FC) is a common clinical condition without any specific physiological causes with economic cost and adverse effects on patients� quality of life. The present study aimed to evaluate the causes of nonobstructive constipation in traditional Persian medicine and its prevalence in patients with functional constipation by content analysis of patients� interviews and clinical exams. In this study, almost two thirds of the patients with functional constipation had mild to severe cold distemperament of the gastrointestinal system, and in almost half of them the signs and symptoms were compatible with dry distemperament of the gastrointestinal. This observational study reports high prevalence of gastrointestinal system distemperaments in patients with functional constipation. According to the results, we can consider the proposed management of distemperaments in traditional Persian medicine for functional constipation treatment and pathophysiology explanation. This project is a novel study that provides the opportunity for investigating the epidemiological aspects of these distemperaments and their relationship with functional constipation. © 2015, © The Author(s) 2015

Efficacy of the Malva sylvestris L. flowers aqueous extract for functional constipation: A placebo-controlled trial

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Malva sylvestris L. flowers extract for treatment of FC. Method: Adults with FC were allocated to receive the M.sylvestris L. flowers aqueous extract syrup (MSL, 1g extract/day) or placebo for four weeks. Frequency of constipation symptoms and stool forms were assessed every week. Self-reported improvement was assessed after treatment. Results: Compared with placebo, more increase was observed in defecation frequency (F=18.8, P<0.001) and more decrease was observed in frequency of all constipation symptoms by MSL (F=16.5 to 25.3, all P values <0.001). Also, the MSL group experienced more reduction in frequency of hard stool forms (45.4 vs. 9.1, P<0.001) and reported more improvement in all symptoms (all P values <0.01) than placebo. Conclusion: The M.sylvestris L. flowers aqueous extract is efficacious and safe for the treatment of FC in adult patients. Investigating the mechanisms of action is warranted. IRCT2014031617032N1. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd