Random allocation software for parallel group randomized trials

BACKGROUND: Typically, randomization software should allow users to exert control over the different aspects of randomization including block design, provision of unique identifiers and control over the format and type of program output. While some of these characteristics have been addressed by available software, none of them have all of these capabilities integrated into one package. The main objective of the Random Allocation Software project was to enhance the user's control over different aspects of randomization in parallel group trials, including output type and format, structure and ordering of generated unique identifiers and enabling users to specify group names for more than two groups. RESULTS: The program has different settings for: simple and blocked randomizations; length, format and ordering of generated unique identifiers; type and format of program output; and saving sessions for future use. A formatted random list generated by this program can be used directly (without further formatting) by the coordinator of the research team to prepare and encode different drugs or instruments necessary for the parallel group trial. CONCLUSIONS: Random Allocation Software enables users to control different attributes of the random allocation sequence and produce qualified lists for parallel group trials

Articles Published in Men's Health Journal in 2022; a Brief Report

Men's Health Journal (MHJ) is a Peer-reviewed journal that started working under the chairmanship and editorship of Dr. Jalil Hosseini, (MD, Professor of Urology) since 2017. MHJ journal is one of the journals at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. MHJ's mission is to study all aspects of Men's health and illness (Research, Clinical, and Theoretical articles). 18 articles published in 2022, have been authored by more than one hundred researchers from countries, including the United States, India, and Iran such as Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, “Isfahan, Urmia, Ahvaz, Ardabil, Hamedan, Semnan, Shahrood” University. The articles submitted in 2022 have been reviewed by more than a hundred reviewers, and we appreciate the reviewer who cooperated with the journal to improve the quality of the articles

Insecta, Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eurytomidae and Torymidae in Iran

A taxonomic checklist of 43 species of Eurytomidae belonging to seven genera, and 41 species ofTorymidae belonging to 15 genera, are currently recognized as occurring in Iran. Based mostly on various faunisticsurvey reports; no eurytomid or torymid species with collection records from Iran have previously been listed.Therefore; we did not intend to confirm identifications of previous studies, except in very obvious cases. A morecomprehensive collection-based study is needed to confirm the actual Iranian occurrence of each species listed in thischecklist

Supercontinuum Source for Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing in Square Photonic Crystal Fiber via Fluidic Infiltration Approach

In this paper, a square-lattice photonic crystal fiber based on optofluidic infiltration technique is proposed for supercontinuum generation. Using this approach, without nano-scale variation in the geometry of the photonic crystal fiber, ultra-flattened near zero dispersion centered about 1500 nm will be achieved. By choosing the suitable refractive index of the liquid to infiltrate into the air-holes of the fiber, the supercontinuum will be generated for 50 fs input optical pulse of 1550 nm central wavelength with 20 kW peak power. We numerically demonstrate that this approach allows one to obtain more than two-octave spanning of supercontinuum from 800 to 2000 nm. The spectral slicing of this spectrum has also been proposed as a simple way to create multi-wavelength optical sources for dense wavelength division multiplexing

A Contribution to the Fauna of Asilidae (Diptera, Brachycera) in Fars Province, Southern Iran

A survey was conducted to study the species of Asilidae (Diptera, Brachycera) in Fars province, southern Iran during year 2012. A total of 12 species belonging to 12 genera and 6 subfamilies Apocleinae, Asilinae, Dasypogoninae, Leptogastrinae, Ommatiinae and Stenopogoninae were collected and identified. Among them, Tolmerus paganus Becker, 1923 is recorded for the first time in Iran. Additionally one subfamily, two genera and four species are recorded for the first time from Fars province. Distributional data for each species are given. An updated list of all known species of Asilidae from Fars province is also included

Identifying the period of a step change in high-yield processes

Quality control charts have proven to be very effective in detecting out-of-control states. When a signal is detected a search begins to identify and eliminate the source(s) of the signal. A critical issue that keeps the mind of the process engineer busy at this point is determining the time when the process first changed. Knowing when the process first changed can assist process engineers to focus efforts effectively on eliminating the source(s) of the signal. The time when a change in the process takes place is referred to as the change point. This paper provides an estimator for a period of time in which a step change in the process non-conformity proportion in high-yield processes occurs. In such processes, the number of items until the occurrence of the first non-conforming item can be modeled by a geometric distribution. The performance of the proposed model is investigated through several numerical examples. The results indicate that the proposed estimator provides a reasonable estimate for the period when the step change occurred at the process non-conformity level. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64306/1/1007_ftp.pd

Carbamazepine potentiates morphine analgesia on postoperative pain in morphine-dependent rats

Postoperative pain and its control remain one of the most important issues in the field of surgery and health care systems. Morphine is a potent and effective analgesic, but substance abuse patients can manifest crosstolerance to it, making it difficult to satisfy their analgesic/anesthetic requirements. As carbamazepine has shown antinociceptive properties in a variety of experimental and clinical settings, in the present study, we evaluated its potential antiallodynic effects on postoperative pain in naïve and morphine-dependent rats. Male rats were assigned to morphine-dependent and naïve groups and received intraperitoneally drug vehicles as control group, 3 mg/kg morphine, 5, 10 or 15 mg/kg carbamazepine or 5 mg/kg carbamazepine plus 3 mg/kg morphine as a combination therapy 2 and 24 h after surgery. Morphine-dependency was induced with multiple doses of morphine administered i.p. and plantar incision was made on the hind paw to simulate the postoperative pain. Paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was obtained by von Frey filaments every 30 min after drug injection for up to 180 min. Morphine at 3 mg/kg exerted antiallodynic effects in naïve rats and a decreased antinociception was observed in morphine-dependent rats. In contrast, 5 mg/kg carbamazepine did not significantly alter PWT in naives but it was effective in dependent rats. 10 and 15 mg/kg carbamazepine attenuated allodynia following surgery in both groups. Co-administration of 5 mg/kg carbamazepine with 3 mg/kg morphine produced higher analgesia in morphine-dependent incised rats and prolonged antinociception as compared to morphine alone (Pb0.05). Thus carbamazepine may potentiate the analgesic effect of chronically administered morphine on postoperative pain model in morphinedependent rats

The effectiveness of cognitive-function stress management training in glycemic control in children and in mental health of mother caring for child with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Aim: The study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a training course of cognitive-behavioral stress managementin glycaemia regulation in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus as well as in mental health status of their mothers. Materials and methods: Fifty children with type 1 diabetes mellitus and their mothers were selected and randomly assigned into two groups. A group of mothers (n = 25; as experimental one besides their children) passed a course, eight 2-h sessions, on the cognitive-behavioral and stress management, and the control group received the usual care. To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, before and after holding the course, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) test was done on both groups of children, and also some information was collected from the mothers through interview and the DASS (depression, anxiety, stress scale) and PSI (parenting stress index) questionnaires. Results: After the intervention, HbA1c level decreased in the experimental group. Feeling of depression, anxiety and stress was significantly lower than the control group. Furthermore, training for parenting stress management positively affected on the sense of demanding, reinforcement, and adaptability in child domain and also on attachment, competence, depression, relationship with spouse and family health in parent domain. Conclusion: The intervention program was significantly effective in reducing the amount of HbA1c in diabetic children, and also reduced the intensity of psychosocial problems such as depression, anxiety and stress in the mothers caring for children with type 1 diabetes