Protocol for systematic review: peak bone mass pattern in different parts of the world

Copyright: © 2015 Mohammadi Z. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Peak bone mass, which can be defined as the amount of bone tissue present at the end of the skeletal maturation, and also it is an important determinant of osteoporotic fracture risk. The peak bone mass of a given part of the skeleton is directly dependent upon both its genetics and environmental factors. Therefore, the aim of the proposed research is a comprehensive systematic assessment of the pattern of peak bone mass in different countries across the globe. The present article explains the protocol for conducting such a research

Techno-economic analysis of supercritical carbon dioxide power blocks

Developing highly efficient power blocks holds the key to enhancing the cost competitiveness of Concentration Solar Thermal (CST) technologies. Supercritical CO (sCO) Brayton cycles have proved promising in providing equivalent or higher cycle efficiency than supercritical or superheated steam cycles at temperatures and scales relevant for Australian CST applications. In this study, a techno-economic methodology is developed using a stochastic approach to determine the ranges for the cost and performance of different components of central receiver power plants utilizing sCO power blocks that are necessary to meet the Australian Solar Thermal Initiative (ASTRI) final LCOE target of 12 c/kWh

A methodology to compare the economic feasibility of fuel cell-, gas turbine- and microturbine-based combined heat and power systems

Combined heat and power (CHP) systems are a proven technology to reduce emissions. A methodology was presented to compare the economic feasibility of fuel cell-based CHP systems with more alternative prime movers (microturbine and gas turbine). For demonstration purposes, the methodology was applied to three distinct case studies of varying size. The developed methodology allowed for the analysis of the system from various economic points of view. Because of the scarcity of complete equation sets modeling the off-design performance of fuel cells, several novel equations were proposed. All systems utilizing alternative prime movers were unprofitable. The fuel cell-based systems exhibited some economic potential; however, the results showed it would take close to the entire system lifetime to recover the capital costs. This is consistent with the reviewed literature and hence validates the new methodology and partial load equations proposed. Based on this analysis the fuel cell-based system for the medium sized case study showed the most economic potential. Because of the susceptibility of emerging technologies (fuel cells) to changes in capital costs, an in-depth sensitivity analysis was performed. The analysis showed that a 5% decrease in capital costs could reduce the payback period by as much as six months. This indicates that only a small decrease in price is necessary to potentially lead to the adoption of these systems in the near future.26 page(s

CLINICAL EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH MIGRAINE INDUCED STROKE IN MASHHAD, IRAN

Abstract &nbsp;&nbsp; BACKGROUND: Migraine Induced Stroke (MIS) is an important cause of brain infarction in the young people. &nbsp;&nbsp; METHODS: Consecutive patients with MIS admitted in Ghaem hospital, Mashhad during 2006-2010 enrolled a prospective clinical study. All of the patients suspected to MIS had brain MRI with a 0.5 Tesla generation, Philips NT Intra, Netherland. All of the MIS patients underwent a standard battery of diagnostic investigations for detecting etiology of stroke. Disability of MIS patients was detected based on the modified Rankin scale at 90 days post stroke. &nbsp;&nbsp; RESULTS: 32 MIS patients (18 females, 14 males) with mean age 37.2 &plusmn; 3.8 years ranged 15-58 years were evaluated. Hypodense area of infarction corresponding to clinical manifestations was detected in MRI in 32% of our MIS patients. The mean disability score in our MIS patients was 1.09 &plusmn; 0.32, which is significantly lower than other stroke patients (z = 2.55, P = 0.007)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; CONCLUSION: MIS is an important cause of stroke in Persian young adults which have good prognosis. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Keywords: Migraine, Stroke, Migraine Induced Stroke</p

A suggested prototype for assessing bone health

Background: Osteoporosis is becoming a health concern worldwide. Considering the fact that prevention, plays an important role in reducing the burden of this-silent disease and in view of the limited resources available, many countries have adopted certain programs to fight osteoporosis through shifting their attention towards at-risk individuals. The Iranian Multicenter Osteoporosis Study (IMOS) is one of these programs. The program aims to assess bone health and the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in different parts of Iran with various altitudes, latitudes and lifestyle habits in a way that the results could be generalized to the country. Method: The present article presents the protocol used in the third phase of the study. It was designed based on the experiences gathered in the previous phases to overcome the shortcomings particularly subject loss. The questionnaire applied in this study was developed based on a thorough literature review of the risk factors and secondary causes of osteoporosis and was approved-by an expert panel. Results: While the majority of the existing studies aim to study a certain aspect of osteoporosis, the present protocol provides the information needed for policy makers and researchers to study different osteoporosis-related issues. Conclusion: The authors believe the protocol, to be implemented with small modifications, can help policymakers in different parts of the world, particularly developing countries, gather accurate information on different aspects of bone health at the national level