Conceptual design of elliptical cavities for intensity and position sensitive beam measurements in storage rings

Position sensitive beam monitors are indispensable for the beam diagnostics in storage rings. Apart from their applications in the measurements of beam parameters, they can be used in non-destructive in-ring decay studies of radioactive ion beams as well as enhancing precision in the isochronous mass measurement technique. In this work, we introduce a novel approach based on cavities with elliptical cross-section, in order to compensate for existing limitations in ion storage rings. The design is aimed primarily for future heavy ion storage rings of the FAIR project. The conceptual design is discussed together with simulation results.Comment: Added definition of Uv and Pdiss in the introduction section. Added Mode numbering in table 1 and figure 1 for more clarity. Corrected one wrong figure reference. Other minor typo correction

Upper blepharoplasty and lateral wound dehiscence

Purpose: To report the frequency of lateral wound dehiscence (LWD) after upper blepharoplasty (UB), a technique and its outcome to prevent LWD. Materials and Methods:A retrospective review was performed for cases of LWD after UB presenting between 2003 and 2009, and then a prospective comparative study was performed between February 2009 and March 2013. For the comparison, subjects were divided into two groups based on intraoperative assessment of lateral wound tension (same technique and surgeon). Group 1 received 1-3 orbicularis/subcutaneous buried sutures (6-0 polyglactin) before interrupted 6-0 nylon skin closure. Group 2 underwent skin closure only. Subjects, who had re-operation, skin healing disorders, and incomplete follow-up (<6 months), were excluded. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: There were 14 (14/678, 2) cases with LWD with a mean age of 36.2 years in the audit (2003-2009). The prospective study included 68 subjects (68/293, 23.2) in Group 1 and 225 in Group 2. Gender and simultaneous forehead and eyebrow procedures were similar between groups (P = 0.3 and P = 0.4 respectively). Group 1 was statistically significantly younger at mean age of 41.4 years, compared to Group 2 at 56.1 years (P = 0.000). The frequency of LWD significantly (P = 0.04) decreased to 0.3 (1/293). Conclusion: In the presence of wound tension on skin closure (intraoperative assessment), tension relieving buried orbicularis/subcutaneous 6-0 polyglactin suturing of the lateral UB incision could prevent LWD. © 2015 Middle East African Journal of Ophthalmology | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow

Clinical learning environments (actual and expected): Perceptions of Iran University of Medical Sciences nursing students

Background: Educational clinical environment has an important role in nursing students' learning. Any difference between actual and expected clinical environment will decrease nursing students' interest in clinical environments and has a negative correlation with their clinical performance. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study is an attempt to compare nursing students' perception of the actual and expected status of clinical environments in medical-surgical wards. Participants of the study were 127 bachelor nursing students of Iran University of Medical Sciences in the internship period. Data gathering instruments were a demographic questionnaire (including sex, age, and grade point average), and the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI) originally developed by Professor Chan (2001), in which its modified Farsi version (Actual and Preferred forms) consisting 42 items, 6 scales and 7 items per scale was used. Descriptive and inferential statistics (t-test, paired t-test, ANOVA) were used for data analysis through SPSS version 16. Results: The results indicated that there were significant differences between the preferred and actual form in all six scales. In other word, comparing with the actual form, the mean scores of all items in the preferred form were higher. The maximum mean difference was in innovation and the highest mean difference was in involvement scale. Conclusion: It is concluded that nursing students do not have a positive perception of their actual clinical teaching environment and this perception is significantly different from their perception of their expected environment

The effect of increasing volume of exercise on activation pattern of vastus medialis and lateralis and its correlation with anterior knee pain in karate elites

Background: The effects of exercise volume on the pattern of muscle activity is one of the most important factors in training management and injury risk reduction. In the lower limb, the quadriceps muscle which plays a determining role in performing the stance and other karate techniques could be injured in intensive exercise and may induce anterior knee pain in athletes. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between training volume and muscle activity of vastus medialis and vastus lateralis and its association with anterior knee pain in karate elites. Patients and Methods: Male and female athletes from national junior and cadet karate team (14 to 18 years) were invited to participate in the study at the beginning and the end of the training camps. Studies involved measurement of electromyographic muscle activity of vastus medialis and vastus lateralis in both lower extremities with surface electromyography device and assessment of movement by electrogoniometery. Muscle activity was recorded in three tests of dachi, walking up and walking down stairs. Simultaneously, anterior knee pain was evaluated using visual analogue scale and anterior knee pain scale questionnaire. Results: Eight athletes of a total number of 23 reported increased ratings of pain in their right knees. No differences in muscle activity were observed in tests of Dachi and stairs between the groups with and without pain. Comparing Dachi task pattern at the beginning and end of training camps, there was no significant difference in pattern of biomechanical movement; however, reducing the amount of muscle activity in early and late phases of tasks was observed in electromyographic assessment. Conclusions: The results showed that performing the same task after a six-week training period, less muscle activity was required in all phases in two groups of tasks, including karate-specific movement (dachi) and activities of daily living (up or down stairs). © 2016, Sports Medicine Research Center

Nuclear Physics Experiments with Ion Storage Rings

In the last two decades a number of nuclear structure and astrophysics experiments were performed at heavy-ion storage rings employing unique experimental conditions offered by such machines. Furthermore, building on the experience gained at the two facilities presently in operation, several new storage ring projects were launched worldwide. This contribution is intended to provide a brief review of the fast growing field of nuclear structure and astrophysics research at storage rings.Comment: XVIth International Conference on Electro-Magnetic Isotope Separators and Techniques Related to their Applications, December 2--7, 2012 at Matsue, Japa

Evidence gap and knowledge map of physical activity research in diabetes in Iran: A scoping review

Context: The important role of physical activity in the prevention and management of diabetes necessitates a review of current research to shed light on gaps in national diabetes guidelines. Evidence Acquisition: This scoping review was part of the Iran Diabetes Research Roadmap (IDRR) study. A systematic search was used based on the Arksey and O�Malley method consisting of six steps. The descriptive analysis was done with SPSS software. Additionally, VOS veiwer software was used to draw the knowledge map of the included studies. Results: There were 169 articles included from the beginning of 2015 to the end of 2019 in Iran. Aerobic and resistance exercises were types of physical activity with more number of articles. Most of the included clinical studies were randomized clinical trials and had a level of evidence two. Also, there was more interest in outcomes such as glycemic control and insulin sensitivity, metabolic syndrome, metabolism, and cardiovascular health. The network of co-authorship was drawn, and "controlled study", "male", and "rat" were the most frequent keywords. Conclusions: The number of Iranian diabetes researchers on physical activity is increasing, and the majority of clinical studies had a high level of evidence. With maintaining previous interests and investigations, there should be more emphasis on research in elderly and children age groups as evidence gap in Iran. Also, longitudinal cohort studies should be highlighted and Iranian researchers should be encouraged to participate in new topics of research worldwide. Copyright © 2021, International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism

Reliability of center of pressure measures of postural stability in patients with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament injury

The aim of this study was to estimate the test-retest reliability of some commonly used center of pressure measures in postural control investigations of sport injuries under the diverse stressful postural conditions. Twelve patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury were evaluated on two separate sessions. The center of pressure was recorded from force platform and the following measures were calculated (1) standard deviation of amplitude (2) mean velocity (3) standard deviation of velocity (4) phase plane parameters and (5) area (95 confidence ellipse). Relative and absolute reliability was assessed using intra-class correlation coefficient and coefficient of variation, respectively. Mean velocity and total phase plane parameters were the most reliable measures having high to very high correlation across all postural conditions. The mean and range of intra-class correlation coefficient for mean velocity and total phase plane parameters were 0.88 (range: 0.80 to 0.96) and 0.81 (range: 0.71 to 0.88), respectively. Interestingly, pattern of the coefficient of variation values was, to a great extent, consistent with the intra-class correlation coefficients. Therefore, mean velocity and total phase plane parameters may be sensitive center of pressure measures to differentiate balance between Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injured patients and to evaluate the effect of a rehabilitation program in this population. © 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information