Interlaminar Shear Properties of Bamboo Composite for Structural Applications

Interlaminar shear strength in bamboo composite (BC) is mainly provided by epoxy resin as the matrix in BC. This may greatly change due to humidity. This study aims at evaluating the shear strength of BC by testing and developing probabilistic relationships. The interlaminar shear strength of bamboo composite (BC) in different moisture conditions was tested according to ASTM D2344. The results show that the maximum shear stress does not generally occur at the centroid of samples, which could be associated with imperfections in BC layers. An extreme value theory-based model is suggested to evaluate the probability of shear failure in BC samples. The shear capacity decreased from 20.4 MPa to 14 MPa as the humidity increased from 60% to 90%. A summary of findings is as follows: It was found that under transient moisture conditions, local failure is likely to happen before the first significant crack occurs. Local failure is suggested to be considered in the design for serviceability. Stress drop caused by the local failure could exceed 10% of total shear strength and, therefore, should be regarded as a serviceability design. The probabilistic model developed in this study could be used for developing structural design safety factors

Solitary Eosinophilic Granuloma in the Lumbar Spine: Case Report

A case of a 3-year-old patient with osteolytic lesion in the lumbar region is presented. The clinic-radiological suspicion was infection, primary or metastatic tumor of spine. Subsequently, a CT guided biopsy proved an eosinophilic granuloma of bone. Following medical treatment after two month, there was improvement in patient medical status

Comparison of Two Manual Therapy Techniques in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Manual therapy techniques are part of physiotherapy treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) which are classified into two groups including nerve mobilization and mechanical interface mobilization. The aim of the study was to find which manual therapy method-technique directed to mechanical interface and nerve mobilization–has superior beneficial effects on clinical and electrophysiological findings in conservative management of patients with CTS. Methods: Thirty patients with CTS participated into two groups namely: mechanical interface and nerve mobilization in this randomized clinical trial. The intervention was performed three times weekly for 4 weeks. Mechanical interface mobilization was directed to structures around the median nerve at the forearm and wrist. Techniques of median nerve gliding and tension were used in the nerve mobilization group. The outcome measures included visual analogue scale (VAS), symptom severity scale (SSS), hand functional status scale (FSS) and motor and sensory distal latencies of median nerve. Paired t-test and ANCOVA were used for statistical analysis. Results: At the end of the 4th week of the treatment, the mean of VAS, SSS and FSS significantly improved in both groups (p<0.05), but the difference was not significant between the two groups (P>0.05). Although the mean of motor and sensory distal latencies of median nerve at the end of the treatment period only improved in the nerve mobilization group (p<0.05), the difference was not significant between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Mechanical interface mobilization and nerve mobilization techniques are not superior to each other in reducing pain and improving hand symptoms and functional status

Manual therapy in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetic patients: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Generally, conservative interventions including physiotherapy modalities and manual therapy have been recommended in the management of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but this subject has not been studied in diabetic patients with CTS. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of manual therapy on diabetic patients with CTS. Methods: Thirty diabetic patients with CTS were randomly divided into two equal groups: modality group and manual therapy group. Participants in the modality group received transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and therapeutic ultrasound (US) and patients in the manual therapy group received manual techniques for the median nerve and its surrounding structures. Interventions were applied 3 times weekly for 4 weeks in both groups. Visual analogue scale (VAS), symptom severity scale (SSS), functional status scale (FSS) and median neurodynamic test (MNT) were evaluated before and after the interventions in both groups. Paired t-test and independent t-test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Paired t-test revealed that all of the outcome measures had a significant change in the manual therapy group, whereas only the VAS and SSS changed significantly in the modality group at the end of 4 weeks. Independent t-test showed that the variables of SSS, FSS and MNT in the manual therapy group improved significantly greater than the modality group. Conclusions: Manual therapy techniques applied to mechanical interface of the median nerve and nerve mobilization possess more appropriate and valuable effects on hand difficulties than modalities in diabetic patients with CTS

Assessment of stylohyoid ligament in patients with Eagle’s syndrome and patients with asymptomatic elongated styloid process: A cone-beam computed tomography study

BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study was performed to evaluate and compare the calcification patterns of the stylohyoid ligament in Eagle’s syndrome (ES) patients, and asymptomatic patients with elongated styloid process (SP) via cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS: A total of 52 CBCT images in two symptomatic (ES) and asymptomatic groups (n = 26 per group) were assessed. The mean length and thickness of the SP, morphology, and pattern of calcification between the two sides in each group and between ES and asymptomatic groups were compared. The t-test was used for comparison. Fisher exact and chi-square tests were used to determine the relationship between different types of calcification pattern and morphology. The level of significance was considered at P < 0.050. RESULTS: The SP was thicker in the ES group than the asymptomatic group. However, the styloid length showed no significant difference among the ES and asymptomatic groups. The most common pattern of calcification in both groups was partially calcified with no significant difference between the two study groups. The most common morphology in the asymptomatic and ES groups was “segmented” and “elongated,” respectively. CONCLUSION: The morphology and thickness of the SP showed a significant difference between the ES and asymptomatic groups. This can be helpful in differential diagnosis of facial, pharyngeal, and tonsillar pain. KEYWORDS: Eagle Syndrome; Elongated Styloid Process Syndrome; Cone Beam Computed Tomograph

Computed Tomographic findings of maxillofacial SCC and Undifferentiated carcinoma

Abstract:Objectives: Tomographic findings contribute enormously to the accurate diagnosis of malignant lesions in due time and/or at imminent stages. This study investigates CT-scan findings of maxillofacial SCC and undifferentiated carcinoma.Study design:  CT images of 61 maxillofacial malignant tumors included 42 SCCs and 19 undifferentiated carcinomas were evaluated based on the location, internal density, border, bone destruction and expansion, periosteal reaction, emphysema, calcification, loss of facial and fat plane, and fat plane reticulation, by two expert radiologists separately. The data were analyzed, using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test.Results: Isodense/homogeneous (78.7%) and total heterogeneous enhancement (87.8%) appearance were the most common internal patterns detected before and after injection of contrast, respectively. There was a significant association between borders and pathology of our two lesions (p= 0.007).Conclusions: It is highly unlikely to diagnose the tumor histopathology based merely on its tomography patterns; however it is feasible to determine its aggressive nature.      Key words: Computed tomography, SCC, undifferentiated carcinoma, maxillofacial regio

Direct Load Control Programs by using of Logarithmic Modeling in Electricity Markets

Abstract: In this study a logarithmic modeling for Direct Load Control programs (DLC) as incentive-based Demand Response Programs (DRPs) is presented. The proposed model considers nonlinear behavioral characteristic of elastic loads which causes to more realistic modeling of demand response to DLC rates. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed technique, a real world power system is considered as test system. Where, Iranian power system is investigated. Simulation results emphasis on the effectiveness impact of running DLC programs using proposed logarithmic model on load profile of the peak day of the proposed power system

Reactive Power Planning for Loss Minimization Using Simulated Annealing

Abstract: This paper addresses an optimal Reactive Power Planning (RPP) of power system. The Static Var Compensator (SVC) is introduced into power system in order to reactive power support and voltage control. The locations and the outputs of SVCs are determined using our proposed optimal reactive power planning model. The proposed method optimizes several objective functions at the same time within one general objective. The optimized objectives are minimization of total investment in reactive power support, average voltage deviation and minimization of total system loss. These objective functions are one of the most important objectives for every transmission and distribution systems. Simulated Annealing technique (SA) is used to solve the optimization problem. The validity of the proposed method is tested on a typical power system

On the use of satellite, gauge, and reanalysis precipitation products for drought studies

Precipitation is a critical variable to monitor and predict meteorological drought. TheWMO recommended standardized precipitation index (SPI) is calculated from gauge (i.e. GPCC), satellitegauge (GPCP, CHIRPS), reanalysis (i.e. ERA-Interim, and MERRA-2), and satellite-gauge-reanalysis ( i.e.MSWEP) over the global domain. Measured differences among the precipitation datasets include metrics such as percent area under drought, number of drought events, spread and correlation in the number of drought events, and critical success index in capturing moderate and severe-exceptional droughts. As precipitation products are available at different lengths and spatial resolutions, sensitivity of drought metrics to record-length and spatial resolution were explored. The results suggest that precipitation-based drought metrics can vary significantly with the choice of precipitation product, its record-lengths, and spatial resolution. These relationships also vary with the severity of drought events with more severe drought events being more sensitive to the differences in resolution and record length. The quantified variation among the products has to be recognized in the interpretation of drought events when a single or a subset of products used