Towards a Reconfigurable Sense-and-Stimulate Neural Interface Generating Biphasic Interleaved Stimulus

Published versio

Towards a bionic neural link for implantable prosthetics

Published versio

Play dough as an educational tool for visualization of complicated cerebral aneurysm anatomy

BACKGROUND: Imagination of the three-dimensional (3D) structure of cerebral vascular lesions using two-dimensional (2D) angiograms is one of the skills that neurosurgical residents should achieve during their training. Although ongoing progress in computer software and digital imaging systems has facilitated viewing and interpretation of cerebral angiograms enormously, these facilities are not always available. METHODS: We have presented the use of play dough as an adjunct to the teaching armamentarium for training in visualization of cerebral aneurysms in some cases. RESULTS: The advantages of play dough are low cost, availability and simplicity of use, being more efficient and realistic in training the less experienced resident in comparison with the simple drawings and even angiographic views from different angles without the need for computers and similar equipment. The disadvantages include the psychological resistance of residents to the use of something in surgical training that usually is considered to be a toy, and not being as clean as drawings or computerized images. CONCLUSION: Although technology and computerized software using the patients' own imaging data seems likely to become more advanced in the future, use of play dough in some complicated cerebral aneurysm cases may be helpful in 3D reconstruction of the real situation

A Programmable Neural Interface for Investigating Arbitrary Stimulation Strategies

Accepted versio

Prophylactic antibiotic for prevention of posttraumatic meningitis after traumatic pneumocephalus: design and rationale of a placebo-controlled randomized multicenter trial [ISRCTN71132784]

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotic for prevention of meningitis in acute traumatic pneumocephalus patients. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial, 200 selected head injury patients with traumatic pneumocephalus are randomly assigned to receive intravenous antibiotics (2 grams Ceftriaxone twice a day), oral antibiotics (Azithromycin) or placebo for at least 7 days after trauma. The patients will be followed for one month posttrauma. CONCLUSION: The authors hope that this study helps clarifying the effectiveness and indications of antibiotics in prevention of meningitis in traumatic pneumocephalus after head injury and in specific subgroup of these patients

Sexual functioning among the elderly population in Tehran, Iran

This study aims to demonstrate the sexual functioning of elderly Iranian retirees who reside in Tehran, Iran. The participants sexual interests are also reviewed in association with their physical and mental health status. The authors recruited 390 elders (199 men, 191 women) by convenient sampling from 4 retirement organizations in Tehran from April 2007 to October 2008. Tools for evaluation included use of a demographic questionnaire, modified Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women, Brief Sexual Function Inventory for Men, and the General Health Questionnaire. Sexual activity was "important/very important" in 56.6 and 17.0 of men and women, respectively (p <.005), but their satisfaction from sexual life was similar. Sexual desire and activities were more common among men than among women (p <.05). Impotency and ejaculatory problems were 40 and 33, respectively, among the male study participants. This study indicated that having a sexual partner was the most important variable for sexual activities. This study provides a profile of sexual behaviors among elderly people in Iran and shows that although sexual decline and dysfunction are seen in both genders, both groups express satisfaction with their sexual affairs when they have a partner available. Copyright © Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

Effects of melatonin administration on mental health parameters, metabolic and genetic profiles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of melatonin supplementation on mental health parameters, metabolic and genetic parameters in women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed on 58 subjects, aged 18�40 years old. Subjects were randomly allocated to take either 10 mg melatonin (2 melatonin capsules, 5 mg each) (n = 29) or placebo (n = 29) once a day 1 h before bedtime for 12 weeks. Glycemic control and lipid profiles were measured at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. Using RT-PCR method, gene expression related to insulin and lipid metabolism was conducted on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of PCOS women. Results: Melatonin supplementation significantly decreased Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (β �2.15; 95 CI, �3.62, �0.68; P = 0.005), Beck Depression Inventory index (β �3.62; 95 CI, �5.53, �1.78; P<0.001) and Beck Anxiety Inventory index (β �1.95; 95 CI, �3.41, �0.48; P = 0.01) compared with the placebo. In addition, melatonin administration, compared with the placebo, significantly reduced serum insulin (β �1.20 µIU/mL; 95 CI, �2.14, �0.26; P = 0.01), homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (β �0.28; 95 CI, �0.50, �0.05; P = 0.01), serum total- (β �7.96 mg/dL; 95 CI, �13.75, �2.17; P = 0.008) and LDL-cholesterol levels (β �5.88 mg/dL; 95 CI, �11.42, �0.33; P = 0.03), and significantly increased the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (β 0.008; 95 CI, 0.002, 0.014; P = 0.007). Moreover, melatonin supplementation upregulated gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) (P = 0.004) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) (P = 0.01) compared with the placebo. Conclusions: Overall, melatonin administration for 12 weeks had beneficial effects on mental health parameters, insulin levels, HOMA-IR, QUICKI, total- and LDL-cholesterol levels, and gene expression of PPAR-γ and LDLR among women with PCOS. © 2019 Elsevier B.V

Confession Session: Learning from Others Mistakes

Accepted versio

Comparison of artificial neural network and logistic regression models for prediction of mortality in head trauma based on initial clinical data

BACKGROUND: In recent years, outcome prediction models using artificial neural network and multivariable logistic regression analysis have been developed in many areas of health care research. Both these methods have advantages and disadvantages. In this study we have compared the performance of artificial neural network and multivariable logistic regression models, in prediction of outcomes in head trauma and studied the reproducibility of the findings. METHODS: 1000 Logistic regression and ANN models based on initial clinical data related to the GCS, tracheal intubation status, age, systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, pulse rate, injury severity score and the outcome of 1271 mainly head injured patients were compared in this study. For each of one thousand pairs of ANN and logistic models, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) statistics and accuracy rate were calculated and compared using paired T-tests. RESULTS: ANN significantly outperformed logistic models in both fields of discrimination and calibration but under performed in accuracy. In 77.8% of cases the area under the ROC curves and in 56.4% of cases the HL statistics for the neural network model were superior to that for the logistic model. In 68% of cases the accuracy of the logistic model was superior to the neural network model. CONCLUSIONS: ANN significantly outperformed the logistic models in both fields of discrimination and calibration but lagged behind in accuracy. This study clearly showed that any single comparison between these two models might not reliably represent the true end results. External validation of the designed models, using larger databases with different rates of outcomes is necessary to get an accurate measure of performance outside the development population

Effect of melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) on sexual dysfunction in women: A double- blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is the most prevalent female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and its bio-psychosocial multifactorial etiology justifies its multifaceted treatment. In Persian Medicine (PM), the weakness of the main organs (heart, brain and liver) is one of the important causes of lack of sexual desire; hence, their strengthening is a priority during treatment. Melissa officinalis is one of the medicinal plants with tonic characteristics for the main organs in PM and was used for treatment in this study. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of M. officinalis in the improvement of HSDD in women. Eighty nine (89) eligible women suffering from decreased sexual desire were randomly assigned to groups. The participants received medication (500 mg of aqueous extract of M. officinalis) or placebo 2 times a day for 4 weeks. Changes in scores of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain were evaluated at the end of 4 weeks of treatment using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire in the two groups. Forty three participants completed the study. The increase in desire (P < 0.001), arousal (P < 0.001), lubrication (P < 0.005), orgasm (P < 0.001), satisfaction (P < 0.001), pain (P < 0.002) and FSFI total score (P < 0.001) in the M. officinalis group was significantly more than that of the placebo group. The willingness to continue treatment was significantly higher in the M. officinalis as compared to the placebo group (P < 0.001). M. officinalis may be a safe and effective herbal medicine for the improvement of HSDD in women. © 2018 by School of Pharmacy Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services