State of the Art in the Optimisation of Wind Turbine Performance Using CFD

Wind energy has received increasing attention in recent years due to its sustainability and geographically wide availability. The efficiency of wind energy utilisation highly depends on the performance of wind turbines, which convert the kinetic energy in wind into electrical energy. In order to optimise wind turbine performance and reduce the cost of next-generation wind turbines, it is crucial to have a view of the state of the art in the key aspects on the performance optimisation of wind turbines using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), which has attracted enormous interest in the development of next-generation wind turbines in recent years. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art progress on optimisation of wind turbine performance using CFD, reviewing the objective functions to judge the performance of wind turbine, CFD approaches applied in the simulation of wind turbines and optimisation algorithms for wind turbine performance. This paper has been written for both researchers new to this research area by summarising underlying theory whilst presenting a comprehensive review on the up-to-date studies, and experts in the field of study by collecting a comprehensive list of related references where the details of computational methods that have been employed lately can be obtained

Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate Buccal Infiltration on the Success of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block in Mandibular First Molars with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: A Prospective, Randomized Double-blind Study

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this prospective, randomized, double-blind study was to evaluate the effect of a buccal infiltration of sodium bicarbonate on the anesthetic success of the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) for mandibular first molars in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. METHODS: One hundred patients diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis of a mandibular first molar were selected. The patients randomly received a buccal infiltration injection of either 0.7 mL 8.4% sodium bicarbonate with 0.3 mL 2% lidocaine containing 1:80,000 epinephrine or 0.7 mL sterile distilled water with 0.3 mL 2% lidocaine containing 1:80,000 epinephrine in a double-blind manner. After 15 minutes, all the patients received conventional IANB injection using 3.6 mL 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine. Access cavity preparation was initiated 15 minutes after the IANB injection. Lip numbness was a requisite for all the patients. Success was determined as no or mild pain on the basis of Heft-Parker visual analog scale recordings upon access cavity preparation or initial instrumentation. Data were analyzed using the t, chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: The success rate after the buccal infiltration of sodium bicarbonate was 78%, whereas without the buccal infiltration of sodium bicarbonate it was 44% (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: A buccal infiltration of 0.7 mL 8.4% sodium bicarbonate increased the success rate of IANBs in mandibular first molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis

Missense mutation outside the forkhead domain of FOXL2 causes a severe form of BPES type II

Purpose: Blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES) is a developmental disease characterized by a complex eyelid malformation associated or not with premature ovarian failure (POF). BPES is essentially an autosomal dominant disease, due to mutations in the forkhead box L2 (FOXL2) gene, encoding a forkhead transcription factor. More than one hundred unique FOXL2 mutations have been described in BPES in different populations, many of which are missense mutations in the forkhead domain. Here, we report on a very severe form of BPES resulting from a missense mutation outside the forkhead domain. Methods: A clinical and molecular genetic investigation was performed in affected and unaffected members of an Iranian family with BPES. The FOXL2 coding region was sequenced in an index case. Targeted mutation testing was performed in 8 family members. Results: We have identified a heterozygous FOXL2 missense mutation c.650C -> G (p.Ser217Cys) co-segregating with disease in members of a three-generation family with BPES type II. Only few missense mutations have been reported outside the forkhead domain so far. They were all found in mild BPES, in line with in vitro studies demonstrating mostly normal localization and normal or increased transactivation properties of the mutant proteins. Unlike previous studies, affected members of the family studied here showed a severe BPES phenotype, with bilateral amblyopia due to uncorrected ptosis. Conclusions: This is the first study demonstrating a severe BPES phenotype resulting from a FOXL2 missense mutation outside the forkhead domain, expanding our knowledge about the phenotypic consequences of missense mutations outside the forkhead domain in BPES

Identification of a SLC19A2 nonsense mutation in Persian families with thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia

This is an Open Access article. A definitive version was published in Gene, Vol.519, issue 2, (2013) doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.02.008.Thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia (TRMA) is an autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by early-onset anemia, diabetes, and hearing loss caused by mutations in the SLC19A2 gene. We studied the genetic cause and clinical features of this condition in patients from the Persian population. A clinical and molecular investigation was performed in four patients from three families and their healthy family members. All had the typical diagnostic criteria. The onset of hearing loss in three patients was at birth and one patient also had a stroke and seizure disorder. Thiamine treatment effectively corrected the anemia in all of our patients but did not prevent hearing loss. Diabetes was improved in one patient who presented at the age of 8months with anemia and diabetes after 2months of starting thiamine. The coding regions of SLC19A2 were sequenced in all patients. The identified mutation was tested in all members of the families. Molecular analyses identified a homozygous nonsense mutation c.697C>T (p.Gln233*) as the cause of the disease in all families. This mutation was previously reported in a Turkish patient with TRMA and is likely to be a founder mutation in the Persian population

پیشگیری از تشنج ناشی از تروما در بیماران مراجعه کننده به بخش اورژانس

Head trauma is a known cause of seizure and about 10% of patients with severe or moderate head trauma are affected with seizure. Preventing and controlling seizure after head trauma is of great importance for minimizing secondary brain injuries. Depending on their time of occurrence, post-trauma seizures are divided into 3 types, namely immediate seizures, early seizures, and late seizures. Immediate seizures occur within less than 24 hours after the trauma, while early seizures happen in less than a week and late seizures happen more than a week after trauma. Phenytoin is an antiepileptic drug that is widely prescribed for preventing seizure in trauma patients. This drug has nonlinear pharmacokinetics even in therapeutic doses and its prescription requires cardiac monitoring, continuous monitoring of the drug’s plasma levels and dose adjustment. Studies have shown that phenytoin prevents early seizures but is not effective in decreasing late seizures. On the other hand, in most cases, due to pharmacokinetic changes in patients with head trauma, blood concentration of phenytoin is outside the therapeutic range and determining its serum levels cannot always be done. Therefore, finding replacement treatments for preventing seizure in these patients is necessary. Sodium valproate is an antiepileptic drug that is usually used along with other drugs for treating different types of epilepsy. This drug decreases electric discharges in the brain. Sodium valproate is also used for prevention of seizure attacks. The side effects of this drug are rare and mostly unimportant. The authors of this letter randomly divided 70 patients presenting to emergency department with severe head trauma (consciousness level of 8 or less on Glasgow coma scale) with the mean age of 36.41 ± 14.81 years (18 – 64) into 2 groups of 35 and prescribed phenytoin for 1 group and sodium valproate for the other as antiepileptic drugs and monitored them for 6 hours (91.4% male). The 2 groups were not significantly different regarding baseline characteristics. The results of this study showed that out of the 5 patients who had seizure during the first 6 hours, all 5 were in the group receiving phenytoin. It seems that before reaching a conclusion in this regard, studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are required for comparing the efficiency and side effects of the mentioned drugs in prevention of seizure due to trauma. ترومای سر يكي از علل شناخته شده تشنج است و حدود 10% بيماران با تروماي شديد و متوسط سر دچار تشنج مي شوند. پیشگیری و كنترل تشنج پس از ضربه به سر جهت محدود كردن آسيب هاي ثانويه مغزي بسیار حائز اهمیت است. تشنج هاي پس از تروما برحسب زمان وقوع آسيب به انواع تشنج هاي اوليه، تشنج هاي زودرس و تشنج هاي ديررس تقسيم مي شوند .تشنج هاي اوليه در كم تر از 24 ساعت پس از ضربه اتفاق مي افتند در حالي كه تشنج هاي زودرس در كم تر از يك هفته و تشنج هاي ديررس در بيش از يك هفته بعد از تروما روي مي دهند. فني توئين يك داروي ضد تشنج است كه به طور گسترده براي پيشگيري از تشنج در بيماران ترومايي تجويز مي گردد. اين دارو حتي در غلظت هاي درماني نيز داراي فارموكينيتيك غير خطی  بوده و تجويز آن نيازمند مانیتورینگ قلبی، پايش مداوم سطح پلاسمايي دارو و تنظيم دوز است. بررسي ها نشان داده اند كه فني توئين از تشنج هاي اوليه جلوگيري می کند اما در كاهش تشنج هاي ديررس مؤثر نمي باشد. از طرفی در اكثر موارد به دليل تغييرات فارماكوكينتيكي در بيماران با تروماي سر، غلظت خوني فني توئين خارج از محدوده درماني بوده و تعیین سطح سرمی فنی توئین همیشه مقدور نمی باشد. لذا یافتن درمان های جایگزین جهت پیشگیری از بروز تشنج در این بیماران ضروری است. سدیم والپروات یک داروی ضد تشنج است که اغلب همراه با داروهای دیگر برای درمان انواع مختلف صرع به کار می رود. این دارو تخلیه های الکتریکی را در مغز کاهش می دهد. از سدیم والپروات در پیشگیری از حملات تشنج نیز استفاده می شود. عوارض جانبی سدیم والپرات نادر و معمولا کم اهمیت هستند. نویسندگان این نامه 70 بیمار مراجعه کننده به بخش اورژانس با ترومای شدید سر (سطح هوشیاری کمتر یا مساوی 8 در مقیاس کمای گلاسکو) و با میانگین سنی 81/14 ± 41/36 سال (64 – 18) را به صورت تصادفی به دو گروه 35 نفری تقسیم کردند و به یک گروه فنی تویین و به گروه دیگر سدیم والپروات به عنوان داروی پیشگیری از تشنج دادند و آنها را به مدت 6 ساعت تحت نظر قرار گرفتند (4/91 درصد مرد). دو گروه از نظر ویژگی های زمینه ای با یکدیگر تفاوت معنی داری نداشتند. نتایج این مطالعه نشان داد که از پنج نفری که در طی شش ساعت اول دچار تشنج شدند هر 5 نفر در گروه دریافت کننده فنی تویین قرار داشتند. به نظر می رسد قبل از اظهار نظر نهایی در خصوص مذکور، نیاز به انجام مطالعاتی با حجم نمونه و دوره پیگیری مناسب برای مقایسه اثرات و عوارض دو داروی مذکور در پیشگیری از تشنج ناشی از تروما داریم

Optimization of Water-Energy-Food Nexus considering CO2 emissions from cropland: A case study in northwest Iran

Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus and CO2 emissions for a farm in northwest Iran were analyzed to provide data support for decision-makers formulating national strategies in response to climate change. In the analysis, input–output energy in the production of seven crop species (alfalfa, barley, silage corn, potato, rapeseed, sugar beet, and wheat) was determined using six indicators, water, and energy consumption, mass productivity, and economic productivity. WEF Nexus index (WEFNI), calculated based on these indicators, showed the highest (best) value for silage corn and the lowest for potato. Nitrogen fertilizer and diesel fuel with an average of 36.8% and 30.6% of total input energy were the greatest contributors to energy demand. Because of the direct relationship between energy consumption and CO2 emissions, potato cropping, with the highest energy consumption, had the highest CO2 emissions with a value of 5166 kg CO2eq ha−1. A comparison of energy inputs and CO2 emissions revealed a direct relationship between input energy and global warming potential. A 1 MJ increase in input energy increased CO2 emissions by 0.047, 0.049, 0.047, 0.054, 0.046, 0.046, and 0.047 kg ha−1 for alfalfa, barley, silage corn, potato, rapeseed, sugar beet, and wheat, respectively. Optimization assessments to identify the optimal cultivation pattern, with emphasis on maximized WEFNI and minimized CO2 emissions, showed that barley, rapeseed, silage corn, and wheat performed best under the conditions studied.publishedVersio

A Novel Missense Mutation in Oncostatin M Receptor Beta Causing Primary Localized Cutaneous Amyloidosis

Primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis (PLCA) is a chronic skin disorder, caused by amyloid material deposition in the upper dermis. Autosomal dominant PLCA has been mapped earlier to pathogenic missense mutations in the OSMR gene, which encodes the oncostatin M receptor ß subunit (OSMRß). OSMRß is interleukin-6 family cytokine receptors and possesses two ligands, oncostatin M and interleukin-31, which both have biologic roles in inflammation and keratinocyte cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Here, we identified a new OSMR mutation in a Kurdish family for the first time. Blood samples were taken from all the affected individuals in the family. DNA extraction was performed using salting out technique. Primers were designed for intron flanking individual exons of OSMR gene which were subjected to direct sequencing after PCR amplification for each sample. Sequencing showed a C/T substitution at position 613 in the proband. This mutation results in an L613S (leucine 613 to serine) amino acid change. The identified mutation was observed in all affected family members but not in 100 ethnically matched healthy controls. Elucidating the molecular basis of familial PLCA provides new insight into mechanisms of itch in human skin and may lead to new therapeutic targets for pruritus

Vacuolating encephalopathy and retinopathy associated with a nodavirus-like agent: a probable cause of mass mortality of wild Golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) and Sharpnose grey mullet (Liza saliens) in Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea

Mullets are dominant fishes in the catch composition in the southern coasts of the Caspian Sea and after (Rutilus frisii kutum Kamensky, 1901) have a worthy role in production of marine proteins and incomings of north provinces of Iran. Mullets stocks decreased dramatically in recent decades in the Caspian Sea and catch amount reached from 6446 MT on 2002 to 2151 MT in 2012. Mysterious mortalities occurred in wild mullet (Liza auratu) and (Liza saliens) in Iranian waters of Caspian Sea in recent years. Regarding to investigation of causative agent of mentioned outbreak about 322 suspected samples were collected from coastal capture sites of Iranian north provinces in 2008 till 2011. Moribund fish revealed skin darkening, erratic swimming, belly-up at rest and high distension of swim bladder. Target tissues such as brain and eye were removed and then fixed for histopathology and TEM assay. Widespread and massive vacuolation were observed in brain, spinal cord, retina and optical nerve and intracytoplasmic vacuoles and virus particles in retina. So concerning to clinical signs, histopathological and TEM findings, it could be concluded that nodavirus-like agent could be probable cause of mass mortality of wild mullet in Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea