Model-based and Population-based Optimization of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surveillance and Surgery Protocols

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is indicated when the diameter of the abdominal aorta is larger than 30 mm. The primary risk associated with AAA is an increased risk of aortic rupture, which is fatal in 68-90% of cases. Once a patient is diagnosed with AAA, the AAA is monitored via abdominal ultrasound. The rationale for the regular surveillance is that the risk of rupture is low for AAA, less than 55 mm in size, but increases dramatically in diameter larger than 55 mm. Early surgery on patients with smaller AAA diameters (lower risk of rupture) has a higher mortality rate than taking no action. Despite numerous researches done about prediction of AAA size, there is a lack of a design that quantifies the risk of surgery and rates of rupture and mortality at surveillances and integrates it with the process of decision making. This research addresses the necessity of integrating the rupture rate in different time periods. A Monte-Carlo simulation technique was applied to a growth model based on Bayesian Analysis to simulate 10,000 and 1,000,000 hypothetical patients. To ensure that the generated data correlated to the original data, the Cholesky decomposition was determined from the patient cohort data and applied to generation of characteristics of the hypothetical patients. The probability of each possible growth trajectory and cumulative risk of rupture is computed by Bayesian Analysis for each patient. Mortality and rupture rates are calculated individually, applying the Monte-Carlo simulation on meta-analysis paper and National Vital Statistics System data for 2014. The risk of rupture increases in patients with increase in the size and the mortality rate increases with the time. Different protocols regarding the surgical intervention threshold, risk of surgery, and observation time limits were designed, and the effects of life expectancy simulated. Simulating all 10,000 and 1,000,000 hypothetical patients and comparing the results for different designed protocols and current available protocols in different countries, gave us a unique opportunity to analyze the effect of the surveillance and surgery decisions on patients\u27 mortality

Investigating the Effect of Seepage on Earth Dam Using Geostudio (Case Study "Jereh" Dam Reservoir)

Earth dam is one of the oldest constructional establishments that man has used in agricultural fields and provision of potable water for his primitive needs. The water impounded in reservoir may be leaked through a dam body, its foundation or its abutments which has significant importance in the stability of dams and in particular earth dams. When water leaks through such dams it causes many problems. The purpose of this study was to find out the ways to reduce and control the rate of seepage in Jereh earth dam reservoir by numerical methods in finite element analysis. This research was conducted at Jereh Ramhormoz earth dam located 35km northeast of Ramhormoz city in 2013. Different kinds of soft wares are prepared for predicting and calculating seepage flow rate which are cost-effective and need less time to analyze the seepage before dam construction as compared to that of laboratory models. To do so, the effect of seepage on earth dam was investigated by using Geostudio software through which SEEP/W was used to analyze seepage and flow net. At the end the obtained results were analyzed as well. The results showed that for reducing the seepage rate in the given dam, upstream blanket with the thickness of .05 m and low permeability materials including geomembrane can be used. Moreover, concrete upstream blanket that is more cost-effective can be applied

Finding Rubber Dam Installation Site on the Karoon River, Between Molasani and Ahvaz (Iran)

As the supply water for agricultural, industrial and domestic purposes has always been a basic human need, controlling floods and flowing waters through by constructing dams is an essential and fundamental issue in achieving economic self-sufficiency. In this paper, suitable locations for rubber dam installation have been studied along the Karoon River between Ahvaz and Molasani, Iran. Rubber dams are hydraulic structures that can be inflated or deflated to suit circumstances. Potential rubber dam sites have been investigated for the temporary storage of river base discharge, reducing pumping costs to agricultural lands, and for water sports and recreation. The criteria for determining the appropriate installation sites include adequate river width at the location, and suitable river breadth, height and depth upstream. Thus, all locations in the study area which fitted these criteria were selected. Five such sites, at Molasani, Seyed Saleh, Gabir, Kut Abdullah, and Daghaghele Dam, respectively, were deemed potentially appropriate for rubber dam installation

The Outcomes of Surgical Treatment of Recurrent Lumbar Disk Herniation with Discectomy Alone and Discectomy with Posterolateral Interbody Fusion

 Background: Recurrent lumbar disk herniation (RLDH) is one of the major causes of failure of standard discectomy. The optimal treatment method for RLDH is controversial. In the current study, we aimed to compare the clinical and functional outcomes of treating RLDH with discectomy alone and discectomy associated with posterolateral interbody fusion (PLIF).Material and Methods: There were 41 patients with RLHD after primary discectomy in the current retrospective study. Patients were assigned to 2 groups based on the surgical method: discectomy alone (17 patients) and discectomy with PLIF (21 patients). At the final visit the following variables were measured and compared between groups: the back and radicular pain intensity using visual analogue scale (VAS), functional outcome using oswestry low back pain disability scale (ODI), return to previous work and complication. Patients were followed for 13.9±2.8 and 15±3 months in discectomy alone and discectomy with PLIF groups, retrospectively.Results: Complete fusion was achieved in 24 patients of PLIF group. The back pain intensity was the same; however the radicular pain intensity was significantly lower in PLIF group (1.5±0.9 V.s 2.3±1; p=0.017). Also, the mean of ODI scale was the same. 82.3% of patients in discectomy group and 87.5% of patients in PLIF group returned to previous work and the difference was not significant. One patient in discectomy group and 2 patients in PLIF group developed temporary neurological deficit which disappeared after 3 months.Conclusions: Although both discectomy alone and discectomy with PLIF were associated with favorable mid-term results in treating patients with RLDH, however, the authors recommend using discectomy with PLIF for lower radicular pain

Serum biochemical status and morphological changes in mice ovary associated with copper oxide nanoparticles after thiamine therapy

Introduction: Nanoparticles (NPs) can induce inflammatory responses and oxidative stress and are also cytotoxic to the genital organs of animals after exposure. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of copper oxide (CuO) and CuO NPs alone and in combination with thiamine on the ovaries of mice and on antioxidant enzymes.Methods: Sixty adult mice were randomly divided into five groups. Group A served as the control. Group B received CuO NPs and group C received CuO at 0.2 mL/kg intraperitoneally (IP). Mice in groups D and E respectively received CuO and CuO NPs along with thiamine (30 mg/L) therapy. The responses of the ovaries to the treatments were appraised by histopathology studies. The values for catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and lipid peroxidation were determined after 20 days of treatment.Results: The degree of degeneration and apoptosis of the different zones within the ovaries were recorded in groups B and C. The decrease in CAT value and increase in SOD activity were significant for groups B and C at 20 days compared to the control group. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level in groups B, C and E were significantly higher at 20th day when compared with control group. The groups treated with thiamine showed histopathological and enzymatic results that were similar to those of the control group.Conclusion: These findings suggest the combination of CuO NPs and CuO with thiamine improves serum enzyme activity and has positive effects on the ovary

DNA barcoding of Aphanius vladykovi from different habitats in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province, Iran

This study was aimed to reveal the possible cryptic diversity of the Aphanius vladykovi populations in the Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province, Iran using mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase subunit I (COI). A total of 30 specimens from the Beheshtabad River, Choghakhor and Gandoman Wetlands, and Brovi, Shalamzar, and Balagholi springs from the Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province were collected. The maximum within-population genetic distance based on K2P was 0.28% and this distance was 0.22% between populations of Gandoman and Brovi with Shalmazar, whereas the least genetic distance was observed between Choghakhor and Beheshtabad (0.09%). A total of six haplotypes were observed between the studied specimens. Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Neighbor-Joining (NJ) trees reconstructed and all haplotypes from A. vladykovi specimens collected from non-type localities nested in one group with A. vladykovi from Choghakhor wetland i.e. type locality. The results of this study detected no cryptic diversity in A. vladykovi inhabiting different habitats in the studied region. Hence, it is proposed to consider all the studied populations in conservation measures related to A. vladycovi

Experimental and Numerical Study of the Discharge Coefficient in Parabolic Labyrinth Weirs

An increase in the hydraulic capacity of flow conveyance over a weir per a given stage of a stream upstream of the weir is feasible by extending the effective length of the crest of the weir per unit width of flow section. In this work, in order to study the hydraulics of the flow and compare the values of the passing discharge, a 3-D simulation of the flow field on arced labyrinth weirs (single-cycle and double-cycle) was carried out in Flow3D software at the hydraulic loading rate of 0.05 to 0.74 by statistical analysis and the comparison of results obtained from numerical modeling of experimental data. Weirs utilized in this study were three single-cycle weirs (10, 12, and 15 cm in height) and three double-cycle weirs (5, 6, and 7.5 cm in height) examined in a rectangular flume having 8.4, 0.3, and 0.45 m length, width, and height, respectively. The results showed that the data of the numerical model were well conformed to the data of the experimental model. According to the results, a 50% increase in the weir's height will raise the discharge coefficient by 25.5%. Furthermore, the discharge coefficient in a single-cycle arced labyrinth weir at hydraulic loading rates less than 0.4 was higher than the discharge coefficient in a double-cycle arced labyrinth weir. Moreover, the corresponding values were nearly equal at higher hydraulic loading rates

Laboratory studies into hydraulic coefficient in curved planform labyrinth weir and piano key weir

U radu se koeficijent otjecanja tipkastih preljeva uspoređuje s odgovarajućim koeficijentom otjecanja labirintskih preljeva zakrivljenog tlocrta. Rezultati pokazuju da je koeficijent otjecanja tipkastih preljeva za 17,1 % veći od koeficijenta otjecanja labirintskih preljeva zakrivljenog tlocrta. Razlika u koeficijentu otjecanja tih dvaju preljeva smanjuje se povećanjem hidrauličkog opterećenja i postizanjem potopljenog otjecanja, kada su dobiveni podjednaki rezultati za obje vrste preljeva.In this paper, the discharge coefficient of piano key weirs is compared with that of curved planform labyrinth weirs. Results show that the discharge coefficient of piano key weirs is by 17.1% higher compared to that of curved planform labyrinth weirs. The difference in discharge coefficient of these two weirs reduces with an increase in hydraulic load and attainment of submerged discharge, when both weirs exhibit similar results

Monomethyl Auristatin E, a Potent Cytotoxic Payload for Development of Antibody-Drug Conjugates against Breast Cancer

Background: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease characterized by differential responses to targeted and chemotherapeutic agents. Antibody-drug conjugates are one of the promising strategies for the treatment of breast cancer. Monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) is a highly potent microtubule inhibitor and a common payload used for development of antibody-drug conjugates. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of MMAE on breast cancer cell lines.Materials and Methods: MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-453 cells were treated with MMAE at various concentrations (1, 10, 100, and 1000 ng/ml), and cytotoxicity was measured after 48 and 72 hours using an MTT assay.Results: Our findings indicated that MMAE possesses dose- and time-dependent cytotoxic activities against human breast cancer cells. The morphological features of the treated cells were supportive of the cytotoxic activity of MMAE. The results of the MTT assay showed that MMAE has a significant cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-468 and, to a lesser degree, MDA-MB-453 cells.Conclusion: MMAE can be used as a highly cytotoxic payload for development of antibody-drug conjugates against breast cancer

Alterations in metabolic pathways: a bridge between aging and weaker innate immune response

Aging is a time-dependent progressive physiological process, which results in impaired immune system function. Age-related changes in immune function increase the susceptibility to many diseases such as infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Different metabolic pathways including glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, amino acid metabolism, pentose phosphate pathway, fatty acid oxidation and fatty acid synthesis regulate the development, differentiation, and response of adaptive and innate immune cells. During aging all these pathways change in the immune cells. In addition to the changes in metabolic pathways, the function and structure of mitochondria also have changed in the immune cells. Thereby, we will review changes in the metabolism of different innate immune cells during the aging process