Patient doses in radiographic examinations in Western and Eastern Azerbyjan provinces of Iran

     This study was a part of national project to establish and optimize local and national diagnostic guidance levels. This work intends to evaluate image quality and entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) for patients' radiographic examinations in two north western provinces of country. Two hospitals got involved in the present study. The rate of the rejected images and image quality grades were determined. The ESAK were calculated by X-ray tube output measurements and X-ray exposure parameters (kVp, mAS, FFD, as well as patients thicknesses) for common radiographic examinations including: chest, skull, thoracic, lumbar in two projections and also abdomen and pelvis in one projection. The rate of images categorized as poor was 40%. Patients' dose in radiographic examination varied by a factor of up to 6.9, 13.84, 9.76, 11.33, 6.15, 8.69, 2.85, 3.05, 12.41, and 5.51 in chest (PA), chest (LAT), lumbar (AP), lumbar (LAT), thoracic (AP), thoracic (LAT), skull (PA), skull (LAT), abdomen and pelvis, respectively. The mean ESAK values for above mentioned techniques were 0.3, 0.7, 2.85, 6.87, 2.3, 4.9, 1.32, 1.05, 2.9 and 2.2 mGy, respectively. Poor image quality plays a major role in unnecessary radiation dose to the patients but in compare with other studies stated that patient dose levels in radiographic examinations in our study aren't higher than those in developed countries.

Patient doses of CT examinations in Western and Eastern Azerbyjan provinces of Iran

Medical X-rays are the largest man-made source of public exposure to ionizing radiation. While the benefits of computed tomography (CT) are well known in accurate diagnosis, those benefits are not risk free. CT is a device with higher patient dose in comparison with other conventional radiation procedures. So it is important to avoid conditions where the amount of radiation used is more than that needed for the procedure. Since that there is not any report on the radiation doses received by patients in CT scan wards in hospitals under control of Eastern and Western Azerbyjan medical sciences university, in the North West of Iran; this study was a part of national project to establish and optimize local and national diagnostic guidance levels. This work intends to calculate CT Dose Index (CTDI) and Dose Length Product (DLP) in common CT procedures in two north western provinces of country. Two hospitals got involved in the present study. CTDI and DLP measurements were done according to AAPM report no. 96 for head, chest and abdomen CT procedures. The mean CTDIw for head (base), sinus, chest and abdomen were 12.22, 13.13, 13.3 and 7.6 mGy, respectively.Patient dose levels in CTDI and DLP in our study aren't higher than those in developed countries

Promoters and Deterrents of Developing Mechanization of Peanut Cultivation in North of Iran

The increasing cost of peanut production is a major concern in Iran. Therefore, developing the mechanization of peanut production is a necessity. In this regard, a three-phase Delphi study was conducted to identify the promoting and deterring factors affecting peanut cultivation mechanization in Guilan Province, the main peanut-producing region in Iran. After preliminary studies, 26 experts were selected as respondents for the study. Based on the final results, ‘allocating provincial and national funds to develop mechanization’ (with the agreement of 98.07% of respondents), ‘Organizing training programs to increase farmers’ technical knowledge’ (97.12%), and ‘conducting the pilot and model projects’(95.19%) were found to be the most important promoting factors in developing peanut cultivation mechanization in north of Iran. Moreover, ‘the small size and fragmentation of peanut farms’ (with 96.15% of respondents agreeing), ‘problems with the national and provincial programs of peanut mechanization’ (95.19%), and ‘low technical knowledge of farmers and craftsmen about peanut farming mechanization’ (94.23%) were identified as the most important deterring factors in developing peanut cultivation mechanization in north of Iran. Given the small area dedicated to peanut cultivation and the low income levels of peanut farmers in north of Iran, it seems that provincial and national funding allocation and peer-planned programming to import appropriate farm machinery are the most urgent plans to improve the status of mechanization of peanut cultivation in north of Iran

Hysteresis Nonlinearity Identification Using New Preisach Model-Based Artificial Neural Network Approach

Preisach model is a well-known hysteresis identification method in which the hysteresis is modeled by linear combination of hysteresis operators. Although Preisach model describes the main features of system with hysteresis behavior, due to its rigorous numerical nature, it is not convenient to use in real-time control applications. Here a novel neural network approach based on the Preisach model is addressed, provides accurate hysteresis nonlinearity modeling in comparison with the classical Preisach model and can be used for many applications such as hysteresis nonlinearity control and identification in SMA and Piezo actuators and performance evaluation in some physical systems such as magnetic materials. To evaluate the proposed approach, an experimental apparatus consisting one-dimensional flexible aluminum beam actuated with an SMA wire is used. It is shown that the proposed ANN-based Preisach model can identify hysteresis nonlinearity more accurately than the classical one. It also has powerful ability to precisely predict the higher-order hysteresis minor loops behavior even though only the first-order reversal data are in use. It is also shown that to get the same precise results in the classical Preisach model, many more data should be used, and this directly increases the experimental cost

Comparing the Pattern of Primary Dysmenorrhea Before and After Childbirth

Background & aim: Dysmenorrhea also known as menstrual cramp or painful period is one of the most prevalent health issues among women. There are contradictory evidence regarding the impact of childbirth on the occurrence of dysmenorrhea. Also, only pain severity has been examined, as one of the clinical features of dysmenorrea in most related literature and the other characteristics of pain including duration, quality, location, as well as the associated symptoms have been overlooked. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the patterns of primary dysmenorrhea before and after childbirth in primiparous women. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 124 primiparous women with only one delivery were examined. The multistage sampling method was used to select the subjects who referred to the healthcare centers of Mashhad, Iran in 2010. The research tools included a demographic questionnaire, a form to record menstrual pattern, and verbal multidimensional scoring system for assessment of severity of dysmenorrhea. Data were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Cohen’s kappa coefficient using SPSS. Results: The findings showed statistical significant differences in all pain characteristics before and three cycles after childbirth including pain severity (P

Relationship between Distribution of Coronary Artery Lesions and Renal Artery Stenosis in Patients Undergoing Simultaneous Coronary and Renal Angiography

Aims We evaluated the relationship between distribution of lesions in coronary tree and atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (RAS). Methods and Results Data collected prospectively on 500 consecutive patients who underwent simultaneous renal angiography following coronary angiography. Overall prevalence of RAS was 26.2% (131 patients). Significant (≥ 50% luminal diameter stenosis) RAS was present in 70 patients (14%). In 346 individuals of the study population, significant CAD was present (69.2%). Significant RAS was more common (18.4%) in this group. Older age, higher intra-arterial systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse pressure (PP) at the time of catheterization, and 3-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) were associated with significant RAS in univariate analysis. Relationship between involved locations of coronary arteries [Left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCX), Right Coronary Artery (RCA), and their ostioproximal portions] and RAS were significant except for left main (LM) disease. In multivariate model, age more than 62 years, SBP greater than 150 mmHg, PP in excess of 60 mmHg and RCA involvement were independent predictors of significant RAS. Conclusion Simultaneous renal angiography following coronary angiography might be justified in patients with significant RCA disease who are older with increased levels of intra-arterial SBP and PP

Immediate Results of Percutaneous Trans-Luminal Mitral Commissurotomy in Pregnant Women with Severe Mitral Stenosis

Background Valvular heart diseases and mainly rheumatic heart diseases complicate about 1% of pregnancies. During pregnancy physiological hemodynamic changes of the circulation are the main cause of mitral stenosis (MS) decompensation. Prior to introduction of percutaneous mitral balloon commissuroplasty (PTMC), surgical comissurotomy was the preferred method of treatment in patients with refractory symptoms. PTMC is an established non-surgical treatment of rheumatic mitral stenosis. The study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of PTMC in pregnant women with severs mitral stenosis. Material and Method Thirty three consecutive patients undergoing PTMC during pregnancy enrolled in this prospective study. Mitral valve area (MVA), transmitral valve gradient (MVG), and severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) were assessed before and 24 hour after the procedure by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Mitral valve morphology was evaluated before the procedure using Wilkin's criteria. Patient followed for one month and neonates monitored for weight and height and adverse effect of radiation. Result Mitral valve area increased from 0.83 ± 0.13 cm 2 to 1.38 ± 0.29 cm 2 ( P = 0.007). Mean gradient of mitral valve decreased from 15.5 ± 7.4 mmHg to 2.3 ± 2.3 mmHg ( P = <0.001). Pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 65.24 ± 17.9 to 50.45 ± 15.33 ( P = 0.012). No maternal death, abortion, intrauterine growth restriction was observed and only one stillbirth occurred. Conclusion PTMC in pregnant women has favorable outcome and no harmful effect on children noted

Harnessing the Power of Smart and Connected Health to Tackle COVID-19:IoT, AI, Robotics, and Blockchain for a Better World

As COVID-19 hounds the world, the common cause of finding a swift solution to manage the pandemic has brought together researchers, institutions, governments, and society at large. The Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) &#x2014; including Machine Learning (ML) and Big Data analytics &#x2014; as well as Robotics and Blockchain, are the four decisive areas of technological innovation that have been ingenuity harnessed to fight this pandemic and future ones. While these highly interrelated smart and connected health technologies cannot resolve the pandemic overnight and may not be the only answer to the crisis, they can provide greater insight into the disease and support frontline efforts to prevent and control the pandemic. This paper provides a blend of discussions on the contribution of these digital technologies, propose several complementary and multidisciplinary techniques to combat COVID-19, offer opportunities for more holistic studies, and accelerate knowledge acquisition and scientific discoveries in pandemic research. First, four areas where IoT can contribute are discussed, namely, i) tracking and tracing, ii) Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) by Wearable IoT (WIoT), iii) Personal Digital Twins (PDT), and iv) real-life use case: ICT/IoT solution in Korea. Second, the role and novel applications of AI are explained, namely: i) diagnosis and prognosis, ii) risk prediction, iii) vaccine and drug development, iv) research dataset, v) early warnings and alerts, vi) social control and fake news detection, and vii) communication and chatbot. Third, the main uses of robotics and drone technology are analyzed, including i) crowd surveillance, ii) public announcements, iii) screening and diagnosis, and iv) essential supply delivery. Finally, we discuss how Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs), of which blockchain is a common example, can be combined with other technologies for tackling COVID-19