Two novel methods for synthesizing poly (propylene fumarate): Technical aspects and role of vacuum and N2 purging effects‏

Poly (propylene fumarate) (PPF), a linear unsaturated polyester consisting of alternating propylene glycol and fumaric acid units, can be cured in vivo to fill the skeletal defects with minimal surgical intervention. Many different methods have been reported for synthesizing PPF, but none of them gives a clear method. The present paper introduces two new methods in PPF synthesis: Modified reflux system (MRS) and mixed reflux-distillation system (MRDS). Similarly, the effects of applying vacuum (vacuum sequence, time, vacuum applying position, and the distance between vacuum applying position and reactor) as well as nitrogen gas (used continuously or only as an N2 blanket) on the PPF synthesis have been studied. The PPF obtained using optimum reaction condition has been characterized by using NMR, FTIR, and GPC analyses. It is demonstrated that the efficiency of MRDS in synthesizing PPF is higher than that of MRS. Nitrogen gas, vacuum applying position, continuously/stepwise-continuously applying vacuum and other parameters show an important role in the polymerization of PPF in both the MRDS and MRS systems

Investigation of corrosion protection performance of epoxy coatings modified by ZnO-Cr2O3 nanocomposites on mild steel surfaces

In this study, ZnO-Cr2O3/epoxy nanocomposites are employed to protect mild steel corrosion in 3.5% NaCl solution. The corrosion performances of the nanocomposites coatings were evaluated by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization measurements. Electrochemical measurements show that ZnO-Cr2O3 nanocomposite coated has good inhibitive properties with PE% of ~99% at 0.04 gr/L concentration on mild steel corrosion in 3.5% NaCl solution. The results indicated that the incorporation of ZnO-Cr2O3 nanoparticle into epoxy resin coating significantly decrease the corrosion current as well as the hardness of epoxy coatings. ZnO-Cr2O3 nanoparticle are able to cure the defect in epoxy resin and prevent the diffusion of corrosive electrolyte to mild steel substrate

Review on the Implementation of the Islamic Republic of Iran about Tobacco Control, Based on MPOWER, in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control by the World Health Organization

Background: Smoking is the largest preventable cause of death in the world, killing nearly 6 million people annually. This article is an investigation of measures implemented laws in the Iran to study the proposed strategy of control and reduce tobacco use based on the monitor, protect, offer, warn, enforce and raise (MPOWER) policy.Methods: All laws approved by the Parliament along with the instructions on tobacco control prepared by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade were collected and studied. Moreover, practical steps of Ministry of Health and other organizations were examined in this regard.Findings: Iranian Parliament after the adoption of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) acts to create a comprehensive and systematic program for tobacco control legislation as a first step towards comprehensive national tobacco control and combat. In this law and its implementing guidelines and based on the strategy of MPOWER, specific implement is done to monitor tobacco use and prevention policies, protect people from tobacco smoke, offer help to quit tobacco use, warn about the dangers of tobacco, enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and raise taxes on tobacco. However, the full objectives of the legislation have not achieved yet.Conclusion: According to Iran’s membership in the FCTC and executive producer of tobacco control laws and regulations, necessary infrastructure is ready for a serious fight with tobacco use. In Iran, in comparison with developed countries, there is a huge gap between ratified laws and performing of laws

Associated Factors and Standard Percentiles of Blood Pressure among the Adolescents of Jahrom City of Iran, 2014

Background. High blood pressure in adults is directly correlated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Hypertension in childhood and adolescence could be considered among the major causes of this problem in adults. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with hypertension among the adolescents of Jahrom city in Iran and also standard percentiles of blood pressure were estimated for this group. Methods. In this community-based cross-sectional study 983 high school students from different areas of the city were included using a multistage random cluster sampling method in 2014. Blood pressure, weight, and height of each student measured using standard methods. Data were analyzed by statistical software SPSS 16. Results. In total, 498 male and 454 female students were included in this study. Average systolic blood pressure of students was 110.27 mmHg with a variation range of 80.6–151.3. Average diastolic blood pressure was 71.76 mmHg with the variation range of 49.3–105. Results of this study indicated that there was a significant relationship between gender, body mass index, and parental education level with systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the students (P<0.05). Conclusions. Body mass index was one of the most important changeable factors associated with blood pressure in adolescents. Paying attention to this factor in adolescence could be effective in prevention of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundDisorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.MethodsWe estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined.FindingsGlobally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer.InterpretationAs the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed

Shapes and way of inhabiting the excavated architecture: knowledge and comparison of the cave dwellings in Bamyan and Matera

Rock-cut architecture is an essential yet little-known type of vernacular architecture whose nature is different from what we understand by the term ‘architecture’. This research seeks to define the comparison between cave dwellings in Italy (Sassi di Matera) and Bamyian in Afghanistan. In Bamyian, more than 750 Buddhist caves were hollowed out along a cliff. The caves consist of several types of construction: two niches of standing Grand Buddhas, five niches of Seated Buddhas, domed-ceiling caves, vaulted-ceiling caves, laternendecke-ceiling caves, and flat ceiling caves. About fifty caves have murals remaining inside; various types of figures are depicted in these: buddhas, decorated buddhas, buddhi satva figures (particularly Avalokitesvara), and circular mandala motifs are popular designs were influenced by Sassanian art. Sassi di Matera, located in the southern Italian region of Basilicata comprises a complex of houses, churches, monasteries, and heritages built into the natural caves of the Murgia. The research shows the model of two dwellings is the same in general since a place to settle is a dominant keyword for the two contexts. In detail, environmental conditions (climate and material) and religion have shaped different forms of architecture

Knowledge and project for the protection of cultural heritage affected by armed conflict: some case studies from Afghanistan

Afghanistan has always been a crossroads of cultures, as it is situated in a significant position in relation to the historical stratifications of the “Silk Roads”. Its cultural heritage and architectural and archaeological heritage, in fact, reflect a past characterized by intricate interactions between Buddhism, Islam, Alexandrian Greece, and Achaemenid Persia. The vast Afghan territory is characterized by a variety of architectural and urban forms, which over the past fifty years has suffered extensive damage caused by different man-made factors, such as illegal excavations, looting of museums, and the armed conflict that has plagued this land since 1978. These disastrous events have, on the other hand, also provided valuable lessons and opportunities for critical intervention in the knowledge and protection of architectural and cultural heritage. This research will start from some conditions related to the presence of doctoral knowledge that intends to examine, through extensive documentation, the redesigning, and cataloging of some artifacts, comparing them to the progress made in the field of cultural heritage rights protection in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021 and highlighting the efforts of local and international humanitarian groups in the process of historical preservation. The terms of protection and preservation carried out through appropriate regulations and legislation will be critically analyzed through some examples that can become case studies. In addition, the foundations of contemporary legislation, tools, and methods for the knowledge and cataloguing of heritage assets, and project management practices will be investigated

Evaluation of anti-corrosion properties of electrosynthesized polyaniline on copper at various immersion times

Due to the many uses of copper metal and its alloys, great deal attention has done to different methods of corrosion protection in corrosive environments. Using of organic coating is a great way to protect metal from corrosion, especially if the coating also has good mechanical properties. Electrodeposit of conductive polymer on the surface of an electrode is a very wide research in electrochemistry during the last decades. In this research, homogeneous and the adherent polyaniline coating was electrosynthesized on copper metal by using the chronopotentiometery under galvanostatic conditions method. During the formation of polyaniline coatings, three stages (electro-adsorption of monomer and electrolyte and initiation of formation of passive film, growth and impingement of the passive film and decomposition of the latter and formation of polymer coatings) are observed. The synthesized coatings were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-Vis spectroscopy and SEM. The improved corrosion protection effect of polyaniline after 24 hours immersion time in 3.5% NaCl solution was demonstrated by performing a series of electrochemical experiments potentiodynamic and impedance measurements on copper electrode. The effect of applied current density on the protective properties of polyaniline coatings has been investigated, and it was shown that protection efficiency depends on the applied current density. The corrosion current decreases significantly from 43.56 µA cm-2 for blank electrode copper to 0.84 µA cm-2 for the copper that was coated with polyaniline under the same conditions. According to the results, the polyaniline coating enhanced the corrosion protection effect compared to uncoated electrode

Effects of aerobic exercise on hematologic indices of women with rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized clinical trial

Background: To investigate the effects of moderate aerobic exercise on the hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell (RBC) mass of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Specialized Clinic of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Al-Zahra Hospital of Isfahan, during a 4-month period in 2014. We included patients with RA who did not have any malignancy and hematologic disorder. Two groups - one group receiving aerobic therapy along with medical therapy (N = 16) and the other group receiving medical therapy alone (N = 17) both for a period of 8 weeks. The levels of RBC mass, Hb, and HCT were measured before and after the intervention. The changes in these parameters were compared between the two study groups. Results: There was no significant difference between the two study groups regarding the baseline characteristics. The aerobic exercise resulted in increased RBC mass (P < 0.001), Hb (P < 0.001), and HCT (P < 0.001). However, those who received medical therapy alone did not experience any significant changes in these parameters. We found that the RBC mass (P = 0.581), Hb (P = 0.882), and HCT (P = 0.471) were comparable between the two study groups after 8 weeks of intervention. Conclusion: Although the aerobic exercise results in increased Hb, HCT, and RBC mass in patients with RA, the increase was not significant when compared to that in controls. Thus, the increase in the HB, HCT, and RBC could not be attributable to aerobic exercise

In vitro study of a new biodegradable nanocomposite based on poly propylene fumarate as bone glue.

A novel poly propylene fumarate (PPF)-based glue which is reinforced by nanobioactive glass (NBG) particles and promoted by hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as crosslinker agent, was developed and investigated for bone-to-bone bonding applications. In-vitro bioactivity, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and bone adhesion were tested and the results have verified that it can be used as bone glue. In an in-vitro condition, the prepared nanocomposite (PPF/HEMA/NBG) showed improved adhesion to wet bone surfaces. The combined tension and shear resistance between two wet bone surfaces was measured, and its maximum value was 9±59MPa. To investigate the bioactivity and biodegradability of the nanocomposite, it has been immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF). After 14days exposure to SBF, a hydroxyapatite (HA) layer formed on the surface of the composite confirms the bioactivity of this material. In the XRD pattern of the nanocomposite surface, the HA characteristic diffraction peak at θ=26 and 31.8 were observed. Also, by monitoring the weight change after 8weeks immersion in SBF, the mass loss was about 16.46wt%. It has been confirmed that this nanocomposite is a biodegradable material. Also, bioactivity and biodegradability of nanocomposite have been proved by SEM images. It has been showed that by using NBG particles and HEMA precursor, mechanical properties increased significantly. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of nanocomposite which contains 20% NBG and the ratio of 70/30wt% PPF/HEMA (PHB.732) was approximately 62MPa, while the UTS in the pure PPF/HEMA was about 32MPa. High cell viability in this nanocomposite (MTT assays, 85-95%) can be attributed to the NBG nature which contains calcium phosphate and is similar to physiological environment. Furthermore, it possesses biomineralization and biodegradation which significantly affected by impregnation of hydrophilic HEMA in the PPF-based polymeric matrix. The results indicated that the new synthesized biodegradable PPF/HEMA/NBG composite is suitable for biomedical applications especially as biodegradable bone glue in orthopedic surgeries