The comparison of the effects of both propranolol and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in prevention of migraine headache

زمینه و هدف: سردرد میگرنی یک بیماری شایع با مبنای فامیلی می باشد و شیوع آن بر حسب جنس، سن و نژاد متفاوت است. درمان آن شامل درمان حمله حاد سردرد و درمان پیشگیری جهت جلوگیری از بروز حملات سردرد می باشد. انواع مختلف داروها از جمله بتابلوکرها که رایج ترین آنها پروپرانولول است در پیشگیری از حملات میگرن بکار رفته است. همچنین از درمان های غیر دارویی نظیر TENS (Transcutaneos Electerical Nerve Stimulation) در درمان حمله حاد سردردهای میگرنی و نیز درد های مزمن استفاده می شود. هدف از این بررسی، مقایسه اثر پروپرانولول و TENS در پیشگیری از حملات میگرنی بوده است. روش بررسی: در یک کارآزمایی بالینی تعداد 60 بیمار مبتلا به سردرد میگرنی که میگرن آنها بر اساس مقیاس IHS (International Headache Society) توسط متخصصین نورولوژی تأیید گردید و دارای اندیکاسیون درمان پیشگیری از حملات سردرد میگرنی بودند با روش غیر احتمالی انتخاب و بعد به صورت تصادفی در دو گروه 30 نفری تحت درمان با TENS به مدت ده جلسه به صورت روزانه یک جلسه 15 دقیقه ای و پرویرانولول به میزان 40 میلی گرم روزانه به مدت 6 ماه قرار گرفتند. نتایج از نظر شدت، مدت و تعداد حملات قبل از شروع درمان، بعد از 3 و 6 ماه جمع آوری و با استفاده از آزمون آماری مجذور کا تجزیه و تحلیل گردید. یافته ها: پس از 3 ماه درمان 90 درصد بیمارانی که تحت درمان با TENS قرار گرفتند هیچگونه حمله سردردی نداشتند در حالی که در گروه تحت درمان با پروپرانولول 40 درصد بیماران بدون حمله سردرد بودند (001/0

Microfluidics for Advanced Drug Delivery Systems.

Considerable efforts have been devoted towards developing effective drug delivery methods. Microfluidic systems, with their capability for precise handling and transport of small liquid quantities, have emerged as a promising platform for designing advanced drug delivery systems. Thus, microfluidic systems have been increasingly used for fabrication of drug carriers or direct drug delivery to a targeted tissue. In this review, the recent advances in these areas are critically reviewed and the shortcomings and opportunities are discussed. In addition, we highlight the efforts towards developing smart drug delivery platforms with integrated sensing and drug delivery components

Additively manufactured porous scaffolds by design for treatment of bone defects

There has been increasing attention to produce porous scaffolds that mimic human bone properties for enhancement of tissue ingrowth, regeneration, and integration. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, i.e., three dimensional (3D) printing, have played a substantial role in engineering porous scaffolds for clinical applications owing to their high level of design and fabrication flexibility. To this end, this review article attempts to provide a detailed overview on the main design considerations of porous scaffolds such as permeability, adhesion, vascularisation, and interfacial features and their interplay to affect bone regeneration and osseointegration. Physiology of bone regeneration was initially explained that was followed by analysing the impacts of porosity, pore size, permeability and surface chemistry of porous scaffolds on bone regeneration in defects. Importantly, major 3D printing methods employed for fabrication of porous bone substitutes were also discussed. Advancements of MA technologies have allowed for the production of bone scaffolds with complex geometries in polymers, composites and metals with well-tailored architectural, mechanical, and mass transport features. In this way, a particular attention was devoted to reviewing 3D printed scaffolds with triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) geometries that mimic the hierarchical structure of human bones. In overall, this review enlighten a design pathway to produce patient-specific 3D-printed bone substitutions with high regeneration and osseointegration capacity for repairing large bone defects

Improved genetic algorithms by means of fuzzy crossover operators for revenue management in airlines

Abstract: Revenue Management is an economic policy that increases the earned profit by adjusting the service demand and inventory. Revenue Management in airlines correlates with inventory control and price levels in different fare classes. We focus on pricing and seat allocation problems in airlines by introducing a constrained optimization problem in Binary Integer Programming (BIP) formulation. Two BIP problems are represented. Moreover, some improved Genetic Algorithms (GAs) approaches are used to solve these problems. We introduce new crossover operators that assign a Fuzzy Membership Function to each parent in GAs. We achieve better outputs with new methods that take lower calculation times and earn higher profits. Three different test problems in different scales are selected to evaluate the effectiveness of each algorithm. This paper defines new crossover operators that help to reach better solutions that take lower calculation times and more earned profits

Moisture-dependent engineering properties of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seed

The moisture-dependent physical properties are important to investigate for designing the post harvest equipments of the product.  The physical properties of black cumin were evaluated as a function of moisture content in the range of 5.1% to 18.75% w.b.  The average length, width, thickness and 1,000 seed mass were 3.11 mm, 1.59 mm, 1.09 mm and 2.76 g, respectively, at moisture content of 5.1% w.b.  The geometric mean diameter and sphericity increased from 1.75 mm to   1.79 mm and 56.34% to 56.98% as moisture content increased from 5.1% to 18.75% w.b., respectively.  In the same moisture range, the bulk density decreased from 539.3 kg/m3 to 486.4 kg/m3, whereas the corresponding true density and porosity increased from 1,009.4 kg/m3 to 1,071.2 kg/m3 and 46.5% to 54.59%, respectively.  As the moisture content increased from 5.1% to 18.75% w.b., the angle of repose, terminal velocity and surface areas were found to increase from 32.5° to 33.3°,    5.6 m/s to 5.92 m/s and 8.14 mm2 to 8.46 mm2, respectively.  The static coefficient of friction increased on four structural surfaces namely, galvanized iron sheet (0.37-0.41), mild steel (0.36-0.39), aluminum (0.32-0.34) and plywood (0.53-0.58) in the moisture range from 5.1%-18.75% w.b.Key words: black cumin, Nigella sativa, engineering properties, moisture content Citation: Gharib-Zahedi S. M. T., S. M. Mousavi, A. moayedi, A. T. Garavand, and S. M. Alizadeh.  Moisture-dependent engineering properties of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seed.  Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal, 2010, 12(1): 194-202.&nbsp

Three Motions based on Mullā Sadrā's Three Philosophical Journeys: Natural Motion, Substantive Motion, Renewal of Likes

It is recognized by scholars that Mullā Sadrā has three philosophical journeys: Fundamentality of quiddity, Fundamentality of existence on gradational unite, and Fundamentality of existence on individual Unite; With this in mind, the issue of motion, an important issue in Sadra's wisdom, has changed as a result of these three journeys; In this regard, the belief of “Natural Motion” is commensurate with the first level, the belief of “Substantial Motion” is appropriate with the second level, and the belief of “Renewal of Likes” is commensurate with the third philosophical journey of Mullā Sadrā; Each of this three journeys has its requirements and causes the evolution of related issues. Addressing the above-mentioned issues, we have implicitly emphasized the longitudinal relationship between natural motion, substantial motion, and the renewal of the like, and their adherence to the longitudinal journey of Sadrā's wisdom

The Role of Pregnant Women’s Attachment Relationships in Predicting Maternal Adjustment during Pregnancy

Maternal adjustment is a woman’s response to the challenges she experiences from the moment pregnancy is discovered until the baby is born. This adjustment is achieved gradually during pregnancy and has considerable importance. Studies in the field of maternal adjustment have mainly focused on the importance of this factor in maternal postpartum experience, whereas less attention has been paid to the identification of predictors of this adjustment in pregnant women. The aim of this study was to explain the role of pregnant women’s attachment relationships in predicting maternal adjustment during pregnancy. The methodology was correlational, and the statistical population consisted of pregnant women in the six-to-nine-month gestation period of their first pregnancy. 317 Iranian pregnant women who met the inclusion criteria were selected by convenient sampling. Before giving birth, these participants filled out the online Self-Evaluation Questionnaires (SEQ) and the form Experiencing Close Relationships (ECR-RS). The methods of the Pearson correlation analysis and linear regression were used for data analysis. The results show that higher anxiety and avoidance in attachment relationships are significant predictors of pregnant women’s low maternal adjustment during pregnancy. Likewise, a strongest linear relationship was established between maternal adjustment and anxious and avoidant attachment to a partner. All in all, the findings reveal that in the situation of the stressful transition to parenthood and the presence of an insecure attachment schema (especially to a partner), participants experienced depression and anxiety, the formation of negative attitudes toward maternity, and the development of negative conditions for the fetuses

Bacteriophage as a Novel Antibacterial Agent in Industry and Medicine

Bacteriophage is a kind of virus that infect bacteria, and is distinct from the animal and plant viruses that could have either lytic or lysogenic cycle. Lytic phages known as candidates for phage therapy, since they rapidly replicate into their host and lyse them. Theoretically, phages have more than a few benefits over routine antibiotics. They are extremely specific and for their targeted hosts and also are safe for human, because they have no activity against eukaryote cells. Over this time, phages were used to treat various infections. Although, phages have a lot of advantages against antibiotics, their industrial production as a commercial production have been ceased in most of the western European countries.These days, by raising of antibiotics resistance and inefficiency of antibiotic to overcome bacteria biofilm,  there is renewed global attention in phage applications as a potentially powerful antibacterial agents. Different published paper through the world indicates bacteriophage could be recruited as suitable agent for therapeutic purposes in medicine and food industry. Therefore, here we tried to review most of these ideas about phage application as a rapid review

Tips and Pearls in Spinal Osteotomy

Background and Aim: Spinal osteotomy is a general term for techniques applied to correct spinal deformity. The aims of osteotomy are to create a normal range of spine curvature, pain relief, and to improve quality of life. In the cases where spinal deformities cannot be corrected using instrumentation alone or by facet or ligament release, osteotomy is indicated. In spinal osteotomies, spinal alignment is corrected by removing part of the spinal bone. Osteotomies can be performed as anteroposterior or posterior-only procedures with a greater predilection for posterior-only procedures. Different types of osteotomy are available, including the Smith-Petersen osteotomy (SPO), Ponte osteotomy (PO), pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO), corner osteotomy (CO), or bone-disc-bone osteotomy (BDBO), vertebral column decancellation (VCD) and vertebral column resection (VCR). Methods and Materials/Patients: In this narrative study, to provide up-to-date information, we precisely reviewed articles in the osteotomies context. Using the keywords spinal osteotomy, spinal deformity, Smith-Petersen osteotomy (SPO), pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO), vertebral column resection (VCR), vertebral column decancellation (VCD), Ponte osteotomy (PO), corner osteotomy (CO), all the relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, and critically reviewed and analyzed. Results: In the spine surgery, osteotomy is performed to correct the deformity in uncorrectable spinal deformity. The suitable type of osteotomy is selected based on the etiology, type, and apex of deformity, surgeon's experience, availability of blood and bleeding control agents, and availability of intensive care. A wider acceptance of posterior-only procedures exists in osteotomy. Conclusion: In spinal deformity surgery, more degrees of correction are needed for better cosmetic results, and for this purpose, spinal osteotomy has a central role. For this reason, all spine surgeons should be familiar with these osteotomy techniques