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Introduction: Intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOERT) is one of the most recently popular therapeutic methods for breast cancer. This study aimed to measure the skin dose near the applicator during IOERT of breast cancer patients, as well as, the incidence of acute toxicity after surgery. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six female patients participated in the current study with the prescribed dose of 21 and 12 Gy for IOERT as full and boost, respectively. The skin dose was investigated based on different applicator sizes, tumor bed thicknesses, and monitor units (MUs). The energy was chosen 8 MeV, and EBT3 film was used for the dosimetric process. In addition, the acute toxicity included healing time for the surgical wound, scaling of the skin, itching, necrosis, redness as well as seroma formation for 1 week and 1 month were recorded. The results were compared to those of 22 patients who underwent the surgery without IOERT. Results: The highest skin dose for the patients was obtained 2.09 Gy, which is lower than the threshold dose (6 Gy). Furthermore, the findings showed that the average skin dose was higher in bigger applicator sizes and MU and lower tumor bed thicknesses. The average of wound healing for the patient underwent IOERT and without the use of IOERT (as the control group) was 19.32 and 11.67 days, respectively. One month after surgery, the volume of aspirated seroma was higher in the patients who performed IOERT compared to the control group (250 ml vs. 200 ml). It is notable that there were not observed any redness, itching, scaling, and necrosis in both investigated groups. Conclusion: Owing to the results, the skin dose during IOERT was lower than the recommended level. The dose of IOERT as a full was higher than boost which can be related to the lower number of the patients in full method; however, there was a well-tolerated without severe acute complication, especially seroma formation and wound healing time in both full and boost methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a two-step vibration-based strategy for damage identification of framed structures using ensemble bagged trees known as a well-known supervised machine learning (ML) paradigm in conjunction with evolutionary optimization algorithms. The proposed model incorporates the actual response, wavelet coefficients, and wavelet energy to extract damage-sensitive features from the time-domain of the measured and simulated signals. Unlike available studies in this scope, the key objective of this research is to identify damage with a localization precision down to a single structural member, rather than limiting the evaluation to the group of elements. In order to increase the training performance in contributing to extremely large datasets with numerous class labels, the proposed strategy involves the artificial generation of features. Additionally, a modified genetic algorithm is proposed for fast damage localization. It is deduced that the damage locations are confidently detected within a fast computational time. Subsequently, damage identification is followed by the application of evolutionary optimization algorithms. For comparison purpose, the employment of the water cycle optimization algorithm (WCA) is comparatively investigated with the other three state-of-the-art optimizers, i.e., particle swarm optimization (PSO), imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA), and differential evolution algorithm (DE). The numerical and experimental validation studies evidence satisfactorily reliable identification results with no false detection in dealing with multiple damage scenarios in large-scale and real-world applications. It is concluded that developing the most damage-sensitive features and using the proposed data fusion strategy lead to informative features with a reasonably small size and significantly improve the ML performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A methanol poisoning outbreak occurred in Iran during the initial months of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of the outbreak in terms of hospitalizations and deaths. A cross-sectional linkage study was conducted based on the hospitalization data collected from thirteen referral toxicology centers throughout Iran as well as mortality data obtained from the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization (LMO). Patient data were extracted for all cases aged > 19 years with toxic alcohol poisoning during the study period from February until June 2020. A total of 795 patients were hospitalized due to methanol poisoning, of whom 84 died. Median [interquartile ratio; IQR] age was 32 [26, 40] years (range 19–91 years). Patients had generally ingested alcohol for recreational motives (653, 82.1%) while 3.1% (n = 25) had consumed alcohol-based hand sanitizers to prevent or cure COVID-19 infection. Age was significantly lower in survivors than in non-survivors (P < 0.001) and in patients without sequelae vs. with sequelae (P = 0.026). Twenty non-survivors presented with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score > 8, six of whom were completely alert on presentation to the emergency departments. The time from alcohol ingestion to hospital admission was not significantly different between provinces. In East Azerbaijan province, where hemodialysis was started within on average 60 min of admission, the rate of sequelae was 11.4% (compared to 19.6% average of other provinces)—equivalent to a reduction of the odds of sequelae by 2.1 times [95% CI 1.2, 3.7; p = 0.009]. Older patients were more prone to fatal outcome and sequelae, including visual disturbances. Early arrival at the hospital can facilitate timely diagnosis and treatment and may reduce long-term morbidity from methanol poisoning. Our data thus suggest the importance of raising public awareness of the risks and early symptoms of methanol intoxication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fear memories are influenced by psychological and environmental variables. We evaluated the effect of 2.45 GHz microwave radiation on rats' fear learning and memory ability to determine the potential risks. The present study aimed to assess the impacts of corticosterone (CORT) levels on the consolidation and reconsolidation of fear conditioning memories. Methods: The rats were evaluated in contextual fear conditioning using foot shocks in both shortterm (7 days) exposure and long-term (30 days) exposure. Young male Wistar rats were continually exposed to radio frequency electromagnetic field radiation for 5-6 weeks (1 h/day) with a frequency, power density, and pulse width of 2.45 GHz, 6.0 mW/cm2, and 2 ms, respectively. Several animals housed in identical conditions without exposure to radiation were monitored. Results: Based on the results, a significant increase and decrease in body weight and percentage of the freezing time were observed after the short-term group respectively. However, in the long term, we observed no significant difference in body weight, and the freezing time decreased substantially. Conclusion: As CORT levels were analyzed, long-term radiation might increase stress, which was associated with significant weight loss in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In everyday life, electrical devices are the primary sources of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF), and the human body may be a great conductor of these fields. We chose alpha band power, especially at 10 Hz frequency, due to its prior beneficial role in memory. The purpose was to clarify whether there is a relationship between ELF-EMF exposure and cognitive deficits in rats, clinical signs, behavioral analysis, and the impact of ELF-EMF during different times of exposure on neuroplasticity via the expression of BDNF. Methods: Forty adult male rats were selected randomly. The rats were exposed to ELF-EMF (10 Hz, 4 mT) for 7 days and 30 days, one hour daily. The expression of BDNF proteins in the hippocampus was evaluated after sacrificing animals to assess learning and memory function. The body weight of rats in the long-term exposed group differed significantly (P < 0.05). The level of BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus was found by the RT-PCR method. Results: Our findings indicate that exposure to ELF-EMF affects spatial learning and memory and can improve memory, especially with long-term exposure. In addition, we discovered a significant difference in the long-term exposed group (P < 0.05), where radiation for 30 days resulted in a substantial rise in BDNF levels. Conclusion: After prolonged exposure, male rats spent more time and traveled a greater percentage of their distance in the target quadrant, demonstrating that long-term exposure improves spatial memory and that 10 Hz might be safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Back pain is reported to be the fifth most common reason for referral a patient to a physician and the most common disability in modern society. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of calcitonin addition on epidural injection in patients with degenerative spinal canal stenosis in comparison with epidural triamcinolone injection. Methods: This clinical trial study was performed on 40 patients with degenerative spinal stenosis, referred to pain clinic of Rasoul Akram Hospital in 2018, who were randomly divided into two groups, intervention and control groups, including 20 individuals in each group. In the intervention group, 50 units of calcitonin were injected with 8 cc of ropivacaine 0.2%, whilst 80 mg of triamcinolone with 8 cc of ropivacaine 0.2% was injected in the control group. Functional disability was evaluated based on the Oswestry Disability Index and pain ratings were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale. Results: Pain at 4 and 8 weeks after the procedure was significantly different between the two groups. A significant difference in the patient disability index was observed between the two groups at 8 and 12 weeks after the procedure. On the other hand, the rate of analgesic consumption at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the procedure was significantly decreased in the calcitonin group (P < .001). Conclusions: Based on our results, injection of calcitonin into the epidural space can reduce the pain of the patients and their analgesic consumption compared to the group receiving steroids through the epidural space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the wide applications of three-dimensional graphene (3DG) foam in bio-sensors, stretchable electronics, and conductive polymer composites, predicting its mechanical behavior is of paramount importance. In this paper, a novel multiscale finite element model is proposed to predict the compressive modulus of 3DG foams with various densities. It considers the effects of pore size and structure and the thickness of graphene walls on 3DG foams' overall behavior. According to the scanning electron microscope images, a unit cell is selected in the microscale step to represent the incidental arrangement of graphene sheets in 3DG foams. After derivation of equivalent elastic constants of the unit cell by six individual load cases, the whole unit cell is considered an equivalent element. The macroscale model is prepared by defining a representative volume element (RVE), containing a sufficient number of the equivalent elements. Assigning a stochastic local coordinate system for each equivalent element in the macro RVE provides a model that could be utilized for elastic modulus estimation of 3DG foams in macroscale. To investigate the correspondence between the theoretical results and experimental data, 3DG foams were synthesized with four densities, and their compressive behavior were evaluated. The mass densities of the prepared foams were 5.36, 8.50, 9.37, and 11.5 mg cm−3, and the corresponding measured elastic modulus for each were 6.4, 10.7, 16.9, and 29.1 kPa, respectively. The predicted modulus by the proposed model for the synthesized foams were 6.1, 13.1, 15.6 and 21.7 kPa, respectively. The results show that the maximum divergence between estimated values and experimental data is less than 25%, confirming the high capability of the model in the estimation of 3DG foams' properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the first wave of COVID‐19, many Iranians were poisoned by ingesting hand sanitizers and/or alcoholic beverages to avoid viral infection. To assess whether the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in an increased prevalence of accidental hand sanitizer/alcoholic beverage exposure in children and adolescents, we compared pediatric hospitalization rates during COVID‐19 and the previous year. For poisoning admissions during COVID‐19, we also evaluated the cause by age and clinical outcomes. Methods: This retrospective data linkage study evaluated data from the Legal Medicine Organization (reporting mortalities) and hospitalization data from nine toxicology referral centers for alcohol‐poisoned patients (age 0 to 18 years) for the study period (February 23 to June 22, 2020) and the pre‐COVID‐19 reference period (same dates in 2019). Results: Hospitalization rates due to ethanol and methanol exposure were significantly higher in 2020 (n = 375) than 2019 (n = 202; OR [95% CI] 1.9 [1.6, 2.2], p < 0.001). During COVID‐19, in patients ≤15 years, the odds of intoxication from hand sanitizers were significantly higher than from alcoholic beverages, while in 15‐ to 18‐year‐olds, alcoholic beverage exposure was 6.7 times more common (95% CI 2.8, 16.1, p < 0.001). Of 375 children/adolescents hospitalized for alcoholic beverage and hand sanitizer exposure in 2020, six did not survive. The odds of fatal outcome were seven times higher in 15‐ to 18‐year‐olds (OR (95% CI) 7.0 (2.4, 20.1); p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Iranian methanol poisoning outbreak during the first wave of COVID‐19 was associated with significantly increased hospitalization rates among children and adolescents—including at least six pediatric in‐hospital deaths from poisoning. Public awareness needs to be raised of the risks associated with ingesting alcoholic hand sanitizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suicide rate among the Iranian population has increased over the past few decades. Descriptive information about this public health challenge could inform health policymakers to prioritize prevention strategies. We described the last updated data from the Iranian forensic medicine between 2016 and 2018. We obtained the data on the fatal suicide cases from the national suicide registry of the Iranian Forensic Medicine Organization (FMO), validated by death certificates and harmonized for epidemiologic studies. This study included 9,021 nationally registered suicide deaths from March 21, 2016, to March 20, 2018. A descriptive statistical approach was used to present the findings. Of 9,021 registered suicide deaths with age range between 10 to 94 years [median=31], 44.6% [n=4,015] was in the category of = 29, 48.0% [n=4,328] between 30 to 59, and 7.4% (n=666) in the category of = 60 years old. The percentage of fatal suicide was obviously higher in men (71.2%, n=6,424). Hanging was the most common method of suicide, both among men (57.7%, n=3706) and women (37.6%, n=976). The frequency of fatal suicide was significantly higher in married than single cases (52.6% vs. 42.9%). Overall, at the national level, the most common suicide method was hanging (51.9%), followed by self-poisoning (25.8%) and self-immolation (6.8%). We found evidence of age- and gender differences in suicide mortality across the country. Men, people in younger age groups, and married couples could be considered as the target population for preventive interventions in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, infrared sensors or depth sensors are widely used to control applications, games, information acquisition, dynamic and static 3D scenes. Despite the widespread use of these images, their quality is limited to low-quality images, as the infrared sensor does not have high resolution and the images produced by it have noise. Therefore, given the problems and the importance of using 3-D images, the quality of these images should be improved in order to provide accurate images from depth cameras. In this paper, the noise reduction of depth images using convolutional neural networks is considered. A convolutional neural network with a depth of 20 and three layers and a pre-trained neural network is used. We developed the system and tested its performance for two datasets of depth and color images, Middlebury and EURECOM Kinect Face. Results show that for EURECOM Kinect Face images, PSNR improvement is approximately 8 to 15 dB and for Middlebury images the PSNR improvement is about 5 to 14 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Unsafe abortion is one of the most important causes of death and disability among mothers in countries where abortion is illegal. These conditions have changed since then. The present study has investigated the cases who were referred to the legal medicine organization to receive abortion permission. This country level secondary patient data analysis, investigated all the cases who were referred to the legal medicine centers of Iran for abortion permission during 2015 to 2017. Results: From 21,477 applicants, 15,617 (72.71%) received permission including 14,367 (91.99%) for fetal abnormalities and 1250 (8.01%) for maternal diseases. The most common fetal abnormalities/disorders were nervous system malformations (26.4%), chromosomal abnormalities (18.4%) and of maternal diseases were circulatory system diseases (43.9%), neoplasms (13.4%) and genitourinary system diseases (9.9%). The most common reasons for not permission were lack of supplementary documents to prove (38.8%), not competency with the criteria (33.9%), and gestational age of more than 19 weeks (25.8%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the survival time of patients with bony metastases has noticeably improved in recent years, these patients are at high risk of complications associated with this metastasis. Hence, the appropriate choice of treatment modality or combination of therapeutic approaches can lead to increasing bone pain relief, improving quality of life, etc. This study is aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia for the treatment response of patients with painful bony metastases. In a single-arm clinical trial, 23 eligible patients (14 female and 9 male) with the mean age of 67 years old and suffering from bony metastases were enrolled in the study. Two hours after radiotherapy, the patients underwent hyperthermia for 1 h in the supine position. All the patients completed the brief pain inventory (BPI) assessment tool and quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) at the baseline, end of the treatment and 1, 2 and 3 months thereafter. The response to the treatment was assessed as the zero score (complete response) or two or more than two-point drop of the worst pain within the preceding 24 h (partial response) during the 3-month posttreatment. All the pain intensity and interference scores, except the pain interference with the enjoyment of life score, significantly decreased. A total of 18 out of 23 patients (78%) achieved complete or partial response. The number of patients using pain relief medications decreased from 74% (n=17) at the baseline to 48% (n=11) 3 months later. Moreover, except for nausea and vomiting, appetite loss, diarrhea and financial impact problems, the patients' quality of life improved significantly in all the functional scales and symptoms within 3 months. This study showed that using hyperthermia in combination with radiotherapy significantly ameliorated bone pain among the patients suffering from cancer with painful bony metastases. • Hyperthermia in combination with radiotherapy significantly ameliorated bone pain. • 35% and 43% of the patients experienced complete and partial responses, respectively. • Significant improvement was observed in the patients' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper presents a synthesis strategy for impact force localization and identification of framed structures in time-domain using a two-step wavelet-based fitness evaluation scheme in conjunction with genetic and water cycle algorithms. For this purpose, a straightforward approach is developed for sensitivity analysis of accelerations and spatial signal connecting the peak values. The proposed scheme is capable of using diverse scales of wavelet functions at considerably small sampling rates. A decimal genetic algorithm (GA) coding system and a recently developed water cycle algorithm (WCA) are improved to be used for impact localization and identification, respectively. The fitness evaluation is then modified for using the obtained results from sensitivity analysis rather than the acceleration itself. Numerical study is first conducted for a large space frame to evaluate the precision, convergence, and efficiency of the identified results using the proposed GA-WCA strategy to different measurement scenarios and initial estimates of the structural model. For comparison purposes, the robustness of WCA in identification step is thoroughly compared with other three state-of-the-art optimization algorithms i.e., particle swarm optimization (PSO), imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA), and differential evolution (DE). Afterwards, an experimental validation study is carried out on a laboratory scale truss bridge. It is concluded that the computational performance of the proposed method is significantly better than the existing methods with respect to fitness evaluation. Results show that, even for the cases with a rough knowledge on structural parameters, the impact force is successfully identified with an excellent precision. This demonstrates the superiority of WCA strategy in handling the global search over large design space with large number of design variables. It is also concluded that the impact localization step is accomplished very fast, thus providing a near real-time strategy in dealing with large-scaled frame and bridge structures. Highlights • A near real-time method is achieved for impact localization of large systems. • A wavelet-based and multi-species decimal genetic algorithm (DGA) is improved. • Impact identification step is satisfactorily achieved using a water cycle strategy. • An efficient wavelet-based sensitivity approach is proposed for fitness evaluation. • Impact identification of a large-scaled space frame is examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid and semi-arid regions because of water access and soil salinity problems extending of agriculture to a new area has been faced with restriction. Knowledge of the transport process of moisture and energy in subsurface soil is vital to understanding the environmental and economic impact of agricultural practices in these areas. This study was conducted to: (a) assess the relative importance of water vapour movement under moisture, temperature and osmotic gradients on moisture and energy budget in the presence of salts, (b) evaluate the temperature differential method to estimate evaporation in 30 minute interval. The experiment was conducted in a sandy soil column that was buried in the field and irrigated with a pore volume of 50 g/L NaCl solution. Three reference air-dried sandy soil cylinders were buried beside the column. Water content, temperature and electrical conductivity of soil water in depths of 1, 5 and 10 cm of the column as well as surface temperature of soil column and air-dried soil cylinders; and temperature of 5 cm depth in air-dried cylinders were monitored. The result showed that nearly 96% of vapour transfer was due to temperature gradient. Although the osmotic effect on vapour movement was less than 3%, nevertheless still was more than moisture gradient effect in current work. The contribution of the water vapour flux to the total moisture flux was 5%. The heat transported by vapour flux was significant and accounted for 45% of total heat flux in 1–5 cm depth and up to 30% at 5–10 cm depth. The observed difference between estimated cumulative evaporations using the differential method and energy balance equation was less than 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Improving the image-based, full-field measurement of structures using template matching and camera calibration methods. • Using the proposed improvement in assembling the virtual marker through utilizing stable features such as brightness changes, translation and rotation of the selected pattern instead of artificial markers. • The performance of the proposed procedures is experimentally evaluated using different structural models and a railway bridge as a realistic application of the introduced methods. • In structures with low displacement amplitudes, curve fitting methods on the square matrix do not perform acceptably while using the curve fitting methods on the non-square matrix leads to better results. Although the use of artificial-markers improves the performance of the image-based procedures, there is a problem with the access to their installation place. Moreover, increasing the accuracy and efficiency of the available methods for structural-health-monitoring (SHM) is an important issue in recent years. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to enhance the image-based, full-field displacement measurement using new template-matching and camera-calibration methods. Furthermore, considering practical methods to increase the number of pixels in the images, the possibility of using free markers and improving the camera-calibration methods are investigated. The suitability of the proposed procedures was experimentally evaluated using single-degree-of-freedom and multi-degrees-of-freedom structural models and a railway bridge as a realistic application of the introduced methods. The proposed techniques are independent of employing artificial-markers or checkerboards with marker-less calibration abilities. Also, the effectiveness of the proposed schemes lies in the acceptable accuracy, computational efficiency, and sufficient applicability for SHM problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving water efficiency in arid and semi-arid regions is an ongoing goal in agricultural production. Straw mulching is one cultural practice which can be used to this point. Mulch layers associated with the atmospheric condition can create a variety of water and heat flux conditions at the soil surface. This study was conducted to (a) analyses the effect of a straw mulch layer on coupled heat and moisture transfer in shallow depths compared to bare soil, and (b) to develop and evaluate a method to estimate soil evaporation. Experiments were conducted in a field with grass clipping mulch and sandy soil that was moistened with natural shower and included a weighing lysimeter to measure actual evaporation. Average albedo over the mulching plot was defined as 0.49 by using lysimeter data during experiment. Near 93% and 97% of vapour flux in mulching plot and bare soil plot was under effect of temperature gradient, respectively. On average, the contribution of water vapour flux to the total moisture flux was 2% for mulching plot and 7% for bare soil plot. The heat transported by latent heat flux was 15% for mulching plot and up to 22% for bare soil plot. Observed differences between cumulative evaporation estimations and lysimeter data was about 8%. The simplicity of proposed method reduced required incoming solar radiation information, R s , to estimate evaporation. Mulch layer could reduce significantly evaporation amount 40%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation of heat transfer in soil under steady and unsteady situations requires reliable estimate of soil thermal conductivity (λ) at varying environmental conditions. In the current work several soil thermal conductivity predicting models including I) de Vries, II) Campbell, III) combined de Vries and Campbell and IV) de Vries-Nobre were evaluated for the four soils of coarse sand, sandy loam, loam and clay loam textured at varying in temperature and bulk density at low moisture range. Thermal conductivities measured by the cylindrical probe method served as the reference for models assessment. Results showed that approximately same thermal conductivities obtained by the five methods at low moisture range (θ ≤ 0.05 m/m). Also the de Vries and de Vries-Campbell models produced accurate than Campbell and de vries-Nobre models. The accuracy of the two models increased with soil compaction but decreased with temperature rise. Campbell model showed more reliability at higher (311.16 and 321.16 K) temperatures; but its accuracy declined with soil compaction in current work. It seems that assuming needle shape for the soil particles is far away from the reality whereas assuming spherical shapes may be more realistic and produced more satisfactory prediction of thermal conductivity. The compaction would alter particle arrangement and may increase the contact area of particles; and then make them behave more or less spherical shape.it seems thermal conductivity in solid particles increase via increasing in temperature. Since a modified mineral shape factor, g , was developed as a combination between sphere and needle according to geometric mean particle diameter as well as bulk density and temperature as modifying factors. This factor increased the accuracy of de Vries-Nobre model up to 10.37%. Regarding nonlinear regression model, moisture content, bulk density, temperature and quartz content demonstrated significant effect on soil thermal conductivity in our investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally, the presence of electromagnetic waves in our living environment affects all components of organisms, particularly humans and animals, as the large part of their body consists of water. In the present study, we tried to investigate the relation between exposure to the extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) and common behaviors such as body weight, food and water intake, anorexia (poor appetite), plasma glucose concentration, movement, rearing and sniffing in rats. For this purpose, rats were exposed to 40  Hz ELF-EMF once a day for 21 days, then at days 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 after exposure, any changes in the above-mentioned items were assessed in the exposed rats and compared to the non-exposed group as control. Body weight of irradiated rats significantly increased only a week after exposure and decreased after that. No significant change was observed in food and water intake of irradiated rats compared to the control, and the anorexia parameter in the group exposed to ELF-EMF was significantly decreased at one and two weeks after irradiation. A week after exposure, the level of glucose was significantly increased but at other days these changes were not significant. Movements, rearing and sniffing of rats at day 1 after exposure were significantly decreased and other days these changes did not follow any particular pattern. However, the result of this study demonstrated that exposure to ELF-EMF can alter the normal condition of animals and may represent a harmful impact on behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a procedure where the free-scaled Legendre wavelets are improved for dynamic analysis of spatial trusses. The operational matrices of integration for free scales of Legendre wavelets are presented and applied for time history analysis. For this aim, a clear-cut formulation is derived from decomposition of the only transitional responses of structures. The free-scaled operational matrices of Legendre wavelets accurately transfer the second-ordered differential equations of motion into the corresponding algebraic equations. Accordingly, a simple procedure is developed to compute dynamic responses of large-scaled spatial trusses. The applicability and effectiveness of the proposed procedure using Legendre wavelets are demonstrated with two numerical applications. Subsequently, results were compared with those from common time integration schemes such as Wilson-θ, Newmark-β, central difference and Duhamel integration methods. It is deduced that because of the inherent shape functions of Legendre wavelets the dynamic analysis is optimally achieved with the highest accuracy, best computational competency and with the lowest storage capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, colloidal tungsten oxide nanoparticles were fabricated by pulsed laser ablation of tungsten target using the first harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) in deionized water. After ablation, a 0.33 g/lit HAuCl 4 aqueous solution was added into as-prepared colloidal nanoparticles. In this process, Au 3+ ions were reduced to decorate gold metallic state (Au 0 ) onto colloidal tungsten oxide nanoparticles surface. The morphology and chemical composition of the synthesized nanoparticles were studied by AFM, XRD, TEM and XPS techniques. UV–Vis analysis reveals a distinct absorption peak at ∼530 nm. This peak can be attributed to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Au and confirms formation of gold state. Moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that Au ions’ reduction happens after adding HAuCl 4 solution into as-prepared colloidal tungsten oxide nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscope shows that an Au shell has been decorated onto colloidal WO 3 nanoparticles. Noble metal decorated tungsten oxide nanostructure could be an excellent candidate for photocatalysis, gas sensing and gasochromic applications. Finally, the gasochromic behavior of the synthesized samples was investigated by H 2 and O 2 gases bubbling into the produced colloidal Au/WO 3 nanoparticles. Synthesized colloidal nanoparticles show excellent coloration contrast (∼80%) through NIR spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effectiveness of the modified Chebyshev and cubic spline׳s iterative methods is comparatively evaluated on geometrically non-linear analysis of truss structures. For the purpose of a comprehensive comparison, we have also proposed an iterative method free from second derivative originated from modified Chebyshev and cubic spline׳s schemes. The method involves a set of predictor–corrector schemes constructed by Chebyshev as the predictor for spline correctors to improve the approximation of the tangential stiffness matrix. The numerical assessment of the proposed method lies on three-step algorithm with satisfactory convergence of results. The analysis of convergence is carried out and is shown that the proposed method is at least third-order convergent. A simple step-by-step algorithm is developed capable of tracing the non-linear equilibrium curve until the first limit point through an incremental approach. The robustness and efficiency of the proposed schemes are comparatively investigated against classical Newton–Raphson׳s method for solving practical non-linear problems. It is concluded that for the large structural systems, where a large-scaled stiffness matrix is being iteratively updated, the best computational time, thus the optimum cost of analysis is accomplished by the proposed algorithm using reasonably less number of incremental loads. Finally, it is demonstrated that the proposed procedure and spline׳s method require considerably less number of iterations to reach the sufficient accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an efficient iterative method originated from the family of Chebyshev’s operations for the solution of nonlinear problems. For this aim, the product operation matrix of integration is presented, and therefore the operation of derivative is developed by using Chebyshev wavelet functions of the first and second kind, initially. Later, Chebyshev’s iterative method is improved by approximation of the first and second derivatives. The analysis of convergence demonstrates that the method is at least fourth-order convergent. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is numerically and practically evaluated. It is concluded that it requires the less number of iterations and lies on the best performance of the proposed method, especially for highly varying nonlinear problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wavelet solution techniques have become the focus of interest among researchers in different disciplines of science and technology. In this paper, implementation of two different wavelet basis functions has been comparatively considered for dynamic analysis of structures. For this aim, computational technique is developed by using free scale of simple Haar wavelet, initially. Later, complex and continuous Chebyshev wavelet basis functions are presented to improve the time history analysis of structures. Free-scaled Chebyshev coefficient matrix and operation of integration are derived to directly approximate displacements of the corresponding system. In addition, stability of responses has been investigated for the proposed algorithm of discrete Haar wavelet compared against continuous Chebyshev wavelet. To demonstrate the validity of the wavelet-based algorithms, aforesaid schemes have been extended to the linear and nonlinear structural dynamics. The effectiveness of free-scaled Chebyshev wavelet has been compared with simple Haar wavelet and two common integration methods. It is deduced that either indirect method proposed for discrete Haar wavelet or direct approach for continuous Chebyshev wavelet is unconditionally stable. Finally, it is concluded that numerical solution is highly benefited by the least computation time involved and high accuracy of response, particularly using low scale of complex Chebyshev wavelet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The first medical intervention for many breast cancer patients is breast conserving surgery (BCS) and/or modified radical mastectomy (MRM). Most of these patients undergo radiation therapy, following surgery. The most common side-effect of breast radiotherapy is skin damage. In the present study, the severity of acute skin changes and the underlying causes were investigated in patients undergoing BCS and radiotherapy. Materials and Methods This prospective, cohort study was performed on 31 female patients, undergoing breast surgery therapy at Shahid Rajaie Babolsar Radiotherapy Center from September 2011 to July 2012. A questionnaire was designed, including the patient's characteristics, details of radiotherapy technique, and skin damage; the questionnaire was completed for each patient. The obtained results were analysed by performing ANOVA and Fisher's exact tests. Complications were graded using the radiation therapy oncology group (RTOG) scale. Results Grade 0 or 4 of skin damage was observed in none of the patients. Among the evaluated patients, 58%, 35.5%, and 6.5% of the patients had grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 of skin damage, respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between regional skin burns and factors such as average tangential field size, internal mammary field, chemotherapy, prior history of diseases, tamoxifen use, previous radiotherapy in breast area, or skin type (p>0.05). However, there was a significant relationship between skin burns and presence of supraclavicular field (p=0.05). Conclusion Considering the significant relationship between skin burn and supraclavicular field, special attention needs to be paid to factors affecting the treatment planning of supraclavicular field such as field size and photon energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction In this study, we aimed to calculate dose enhancement factor (DEF) for gold (Au) and iron (Fe) nanoparticles (NPs) in brachytherapy and teletherapy, using Monte Carlo (MC) method. Materials and Methods In this study, a new algorithm was introduced to calculate dose enhancement by AuNPs and FeNPs for Iridium-192 (Ir-192) brachytherapy and Cobalt-60 (Co-60) teletherapy sources, using the MC method. In this algorithm, the semi-random distribution of NPs was used instead of the regular distribution. Diameters were assumed to be 15, 30, and 100 nm in brachytherapy and 15 and 30 nm in teletherapy. Monte Carlo MCNP4C code was used for simulations, and NP density values were 0.107 mg/ml and 0.112 mg/ml in brachytherapy and teletherapy, respectively. Results AuNPs significantly enhanced the radiation dose in brachytherapy (approximately 60%), and 100 nm diameter NPs showed the most uniform dose distribution. AuNPs had an insignificant effect on teletherapy radiation field, with a dose enhancement ratio of 3% (about the calculation uncertainty) or less. In addition, FeNPs had an insignificant effect on both brachytherapy and teletherapy radiation fields. FeNPs dose enhancement was 3% in brachytherapy and 6% (about the calculation uncertainty) or less in teletherapy. Conclusion It can be concluded that AuNPs can significantly increase the absorbed dose in brachytherapy; however, FeNPs do not have a noticeable effect on the absorbed dose. Overall, AuNPs and FeNPs cannot increase the absorbed dose for the Co-60 teletherapy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: It has been proposed that emission spectrum of random lasers with magnetically active semiconductor constituents can be made tunable by external magnetic fields. By employing the FDTD method, the spectral intensity and spatial distribution of electric field are calculated in the presence of an external magnetic field. It is numerically shown that due to the magneto-optical Voigt effect, the emission spectrum of a semiconductor-based random laser can be made tunable by adjusting the external magnetic field. The effect of magnetic field on the localization length of the laser modes is investigated. It is also shown that the spatial distribution of electric field exhibited remarkable modification with variation of magnetic field. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study the commissioning of a dose calculation algorithm in a currently used treatment planning system was performed and the calculation accuracy of two available methods in the treatment planning system i.e., collapsed cone convolution (CCC) and equivalent tissue air ratio (ETAR) was verified in tissue heterogeneities. For this purpose an inhomogeneous phantom (IMRT thorax phantom) was used and dose curves obtained by the TPS (treatment planning system) were compared with experimental measurements and Monte Carlo (MCNP code) simulation. Dose measurements were performed by using EDR2 radiographic films within the phantom. Dose difference (DD) between experimental results and two calculation methods was obtained. Results indicate maximum difference of 12% in the lung and 3% in the bone tissue of the phantom between two methods and the CCC algorithm shows more accurate depth dose curves in tissue heterogeneities. Simulation results show the accurate dose estimation by MCNP4C in soft tissue region of the phantom and also better results than ETAR method in bone and lung tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erectile disorder (ED) is the continuous or repeated inability to achieve an erection or maintain its firmness for an adequate amount of time during sexual intercourse. Given the importance of utilizing quality clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the diagnosis of ED, the research team conducted a scoping review of erectile disorder CPGs to address the questions based on the clinical guideline of the best quality. This scoping review was conducted in five steps: 1 - identification of the research question, 2 - identification of relevant studies, 3 - selection of studies, 4 - data extraction, 5 - summarizing and reporting the results. The initial search yielded 1,888 articles, CPGs and books but after primary and secondary screening by two appraisers, 9 CPGs were extracted. After that, the two appraisers examined the quality of these guidelines using the AGREE II tool. Eventually, 5 CPGs extracted. After reviewing 5 guidelines, 5 questions were answered. Overall, the CPGs had desirable overlap in response to the marked questions; nevertheless, there were some differences in details too. This review shows that the first and foremost principle in examining the affected individuals is taking a complete detailed history, followed by a physical examination and use of relevant questionnaires to complete the information necessary to diagnose the problem. The next step is to perform routine lab tests; hormonal profiles may also be checked, and if necessary, special tests should be performed based on an individual's conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the authors discuss the impact of the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and 5+1 group countries to Iran's cancer patients. Also cited are the disruption of the patients' radiation treatment program due to restrictions on radiotherapy equipment supply, and the worsening conditions on brachytherapy centers due to the U.S. sanctions.

This is an extremely rare case of scapular winging following posterior spinal fusion for correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in an 18‐year‐old boy due to iatrogenic injury to a long thoracic nerve. Scapular winging manifested 5 days after the operation and spontaneously improved after 7 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this letter a simple procedure to synthesize sodium tungsten oxide nano-thick plates from WO3 films has been reported. WO3 films were grown by pulsed-laser deposition method and then heat treated at temperatures up to 560°C and times up to 120min. Slide glass was used as both substrate and sodium source simultaneously. XRD analysis revealed presence of an amorphous structure for as-deposited WO3 films. On the other hand, XRD showed formation of a monoclinic WO3 structure with annealing in lower temperatures and a triclinic Na0.5WO3.25 structure with annealing at higher temperatures. Intensity of the triclinic phase peaks enhanced drastically by rising annealing temperature and time. SEM results depicted presence of Na0.5WO3.25 nano-thick plates with thickness of about 160nm and width of about 3μm. Finally, XPS analysis revealed that heat treatment temperature does not affect tungsten valence state. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The morphological characteristics and electronic structure of the BaTiO3 films grown by pulsed-laser deposition technique have been investigated. AFM and FE-SEM images reveal columnar growth characteristic of these films. Utilizing spectrophotometer, optical band gap of the films were reckoned to be about 3.76eV. Both dα/dE and PL vs. E plots reveal numerous luminance states in the gap. Despite the presence of many luminance faults in the gap, cations manage to preserve their electronic states. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: The effects of short-term and long-term exposures to 2.45 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) on anxiety-like behavior, corticosterone level, and gene expression were investigated. The goal of this study was to explore the effect of electromagnetic fields of 2.45 GHz on clinical signs such as body weight and anxiety-like behavior, including the elevated plus maze test and open-field test, and also on messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Bax (Bcl2-associated x) and Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2) genes on the cognitive memory functions in an animal model of rats. Methods: The animals were classified into eight groups, sham groups and exposed groups for shortterm and long-term exposures to the same dose of RF-EMR for one hour daily. The Wi-Fi equipment in the sham control group was not turned on during the experiment. Both genes were further confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The semi-quantitative PCR method of electromagnetic fields in the 2.45 GHz range impacted the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 genes in the rat's memory. Results: The present study exhibited that short-term radiation could decrease the percentage of entry into the open arm and the percentage of time spent, while there were no substantial impacts on the long-term radiation effect. Our data support the hypothesis that short-term exposure worked as a systemic stressor, raising plasma corticosterone and changing glucocorticoid receptor expression in the hippocampus. Conclusion: Additional research on this specific frequency and amount of radiation is required to discover strategies for protecting the nervous system from the detrimental effects of RF-EMR radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the common causes of injuries, claims, and decisions related to laser therapy medical malpractice during a nine-year survey. Methods: The legal documents in the Coroner's Office of Forensic Medicine were investigated in a national database from 2012 to 2020 in Tehran, Iran. The frequency and nature of the cases, including the year of litigation, the location and certificate of the provider, the injury sustained, and the cause of legal action and judgment were collected. Results: Three hundred and eighty-three cases related to injury from laser therapy were registered in the coroner's Office of Forensic Medicine during the study period. The incidence of litigation related to laser surgery showed an increasing trend, with a peak occurrence in 2020. Laser hair removal was the most common (51.2%) litigated procedure. General practice operators (48%) recorded the highest rate of laser-related medical complaints. Lack of skill was the most common reason for failure. Among 383 cases with public decisions, 62.4% of them were fault liability in paid judgment. Conclusion: Medical claims related to laser application are increasing. However, as it is clear, the growth of laser technology and the increasing demand for lasers in medical science require more surveillance to avoid probable injuries and improve patient safety, especially surveillance of the physicians who work outside the scope of their specialty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu 2 SnS 3 thin films were deposited using the spray pyrolysis deposition. • Stable basic molecular solution is used as spray precursor using ethylenediamine as capping agent. • The effect of the most important parameters including the substrate temperature and copper concentration was investigated. • Qualified thin films with suitable microstructure and composition could be deposited at 370℃. • Carrier concentration of the samples rise as the Cu/Sn ratio is enhanced and Cu/Sn = 1 show a semiconductor behavior. This work focused on the spray pyrolysis deposition of Cu 2 SnS 3 (CTS) thin films using a stable basic solution. The effect of the most important parameters including the substrate temperature and copper concentration on the structural, optical and electrical properties of as-deposited thin films was investigated. Qualified thin films with suitable microstructure and composition could be deposited at 370℃. XRD and Raman analysis while confirming the pure CTS film formation, show that as the Cu/Sn decreases, the crystal structure layers are changed from the tetragonal phase to the cubic phase mixed with Sn-rich phases. The optical study shows its band gap between 1.08 and 1.2 eV for different Cu/Sn ratios with the absorption coefficient being more than 10 4 cm - 1 . The Hall and Mott-Schottky measurements reveal that all samples show a p-type behavior and carrier concentration of the samples rise as the Cu/Sn ratio is enhanced. A full spray superstrate solar cell based on CTS (Cu/Sn = 1 with a semiconductor behavior) resulted in an efficiency of 0.63%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral mucositis (OM) is a common adverse effect of radiation to the head and neck. Recent research has shown that extra oral photobiomodulation (EO-PBM) reduces the severity of OM. However, appropriate EO-PBM therapy parameters for OM severity reduction have not been documented. Objective: This work aims to optimize EO-PBM radiation parameters for lowering the severity of radiationinduced OM in rats by establishing a photobiomodulation (PBM) treatment system based on light-emitting diode arrays with top-hat beam profile. Methods: The 36 rats are separated into 2 control groups and 4 groups receiving PBM treatment. The PBM groups are exposed to irradiance between 4 and 24 J/cm² at 660 nm. The cheek pouch mucosa is removed after scarification for biochemical and histological examination. Student's t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's Multiple were applied to compare the statistical significance of differences between control groups and PBM treatment groups. Results: Statistical analysis reveals that PBM irradiation at 12 J/cm² (200 sec) with a flatness of 0.8 and a diameter of 3 cm substantially decreased the level of inflammatory cytokines compared with the positive control group. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the designed treatment PBM system is capable of delivering the optical parameters necessary for therapeutic treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Neuropsychiatric Consequences of Deep Brain Stimulation in Patients with Chronic Movement Disorder" by Seyed Kazem Malakouti, Seyed Reza Mahdavi, and colleagues that was published in the previous issue.

Background. Olea europaea (known as olive fruit) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities and many potential health benefits including gastric inflammation reduction has been shown previously. This study aimed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of O. europaea extract on the early histological changes in indomethacin-induced small intestinal injury model with the plasma D-lactate concentration being measured as a tool for determination of intestinal permeability. Methods. In this experimental study, two separate protective and therapeutic protocols were designed. In both experiments, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and either pretreated with 0, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg/day of O. europaea extract or received the treatment after administration of indomethacin. Their small intestines were examined to compare the histological changes. The intestinal injury severity was evaluated according to the presence of eosinophils, plasma cell infiltration, edema, congestion, and hyperplasia of the crypt using a histological scoring system. Also, measured were the presence of neutrophils, decreased villus length-to-crypt depth ratio, and destructed villus architecture. The plasma concentration of D-lactate was measured as well. Results. The therapeutic use of O. europaea decreased the eosinophil, edema, congestion, and crypt hyperplasia scores compared to the control group. Although no significant difference was seen between groups of the preventive experiment in plasma cell infiltration score, villus length-to-crypt depth ratio, neutrophil infiltration, and percentage of destructed villus architecture, treatment with O. europaea caused a reduction in edema, eosinophil, congestion, and crypt hyperplasia score. In both experiments, no significant difference was seen between groups for villus length-to-crypt depth ratio, neutrophil infiltration, and percentage of destructed villus architecture. Plasma D-lactate concentration was decreased in all O. europaea-treated groups compared to the control group in the therapeutic and preventive experiments (p < 0.01 , one-way ANOVA followed by the Dunnett test). Conclusion. O. europaea extract can be used to decrease some side effects of indomethacin on intestinal tissue and enhances the gastrointestinal function. O. europaea extract could be considered as a potential herbal supplement in the treatment of intestinal morphological injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Tin sulfide (SnS 2) has recently attracted considerable attention due to its layered structure that may form two dimensional morphologies. It is an n-type semiconductor with band gap and electron affinity similar to CdS and In 2 S 3 ; therefore can be regarded as an alternative for these materials in thin film solar cells. Here, we synthesis of SnS 2 nanoparticles with different morphology in different ratio of water-ethanol mixed solution by solvothermal method, and observe that more ethanol leads to large sheet like morphologies, while water based synthesis results in very small nanosheets. A challenge in wet deposition of device-quality thin films of SnS 2 is the requirement for highly dispersed particles/sheets. We found highly polar dimethylformamide (DMF) as the right dispersing medium, yielding highly stable dispersions. Very uniform nanocrystalline thin films with [001] preferred orientation and good adhesion to substrate are simply deposited by drop casting and spin coating a 0.5 wt% DMF sol of SnS 2 at 2000 rpm for 1 min. Electron affinity and band gap of the films are 4.33 eV and 2.27 eV, which is well aligned for copper indium gallium sulfo-selenide (CIGS) solar cells. Highlights • Synthesis of SnS 2 nanoparticles with different morphology by solvothermal method. • Dimethylformamide as the right dispersing medium, yielding highly stable SnS 2 dispersions. • Uniform nanocrystalline SnS 2 films with good adhesion to substrate. • Electron affinity and band gap are 4.33 eV and 2.27 eV, well aligned for thin film solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Environmental and occupational human exposure from neutron source can lead to the serious biologic effects. The aim of this study is to evaluate the cancer incidence risk for various human organs at different neutron dose levels due to exposure from an Americium-241/Beryllium (Am-241/Be), a standard neutron source for calibration purposes. Material and Methods: We measured ambient dose equivalent H*(10) at different distances from Am-241/Be mixed neutron source by Berthold LB 6411 detector and determined cancer incidence risk for different organs of both male and female subjects at different neutron exposure levels by BEIR VII model. Results: Exposure age had a reverse impact on cancer incidence risk of different organs. We found that as H*(10) increases, cancer incidence risk increments as well. Colon (for men) and bladder (for women) had the highest sensitivity to neutron exposure, while prostate and uterus showed the lowest risk of cancer incidence among male and female subjects, respectively. Conclusion: Older exposed persons are at a lower risk of cancer incidence. The risk of cancer incidence for various organs is considerably associated with gender, such that radiation sensitivity of female organs was higher at all the measured neutron dose levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The accurate dose delivery in intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) tightly depends on the precision of measured dose by the ion chamber. Output factor (OF) measurement of dedicated intraoperative electron radiotherapy (IOERT) accelerators using ion chamber faces some technical challenges including determination of Ksat. Objectives: The goal was to evaluate the performance of ethanol chlorobenzene (ECB) dosimeter in measuring the OF of intraoperative electron beam and to compare the results to those of ionometric dosimetry and Monte Carlo simulation. Consequemtly we determined the Ksat of employed ion chamber through comparison of the ECB response to ion chamber. Materials and Methods: LIAC dedicated accelerator (LIAC Sordina SpA, Italy) was used for irradiation. To calculate the Ksat, ECB and Advanced Markus chamber were placed at the depth of maximum dose for different energies of LIAC accelerator. Then, Ksat was calculated through comparison of the obtained results. To measure the OF of electron beam, ECB was placed at the depth of maximum dose for each combination of energy/applicator size, and the absorbed dose was determined. Obtained results were compared to those of Advanced Markus chamber and Monte Carlo simulation. Results: The results of Ksat measurement showed that there is a very good agreement between the practically obtained Ksat and theoretical values determined by Laitano formalism at different energies (the maximum difference between the results was lower than 1%). The results of ECB OF measurement were in accordance to the results of ionometric dosimetry and Monte Carlo simulation (the maximum difference between the results was about 1.5% and 1.7%, respectively). Conclusion: Based on the results, it may be concluded that the ECB dosimeter could be considered as an accurate tool for both OF measurement of intraoperative electron beam and cross calibration of employed ion chambers for absolute dosimetry (determination of the Ksat). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser shock peening (LSP) is known as a post processing surface treatment which can improve the mechanical properties of some materials. Shock waves are generated by confining the laser-induced plasma to cause a large pressure shock wave over a significant surface area. In the present study, effects of LSP on the electrochemical corrosion and micro hardness properties of 316L stainless steel alloy were investigated by changing the laser parameters such as the laser spot size, the average number of impacts, and the laser intensity. Since laser parameters do not cover the desired region of LSP, we have to use the proper design of experiment method, in which the D-optimal design of MATLAB was selected. Results revealed that by increase in irradiance, number of impacts and spot size of laser beam, improvement in the surface micro hardness, and corrosion resistance is achieved. Also, due to unexpected drop into the outcome of our experiments, it was found that the contamination of the transparent overlay and reduction of the absorption coefficient of the absorbent layer play a key role to reduce the efficiency of the mechanical impacts. So, by changing the experimental conditions, even better results are expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Dosimetric properties of a CCD camera-based Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) for clinical dosimetric application have been evaluated. Characteristics obtained by EPID also compared with commercial 2D array of ion chambers.Materials and Methods: Portal images acquired in dosimetry mode then exported raw fluence or uncorrected images were investigated. Integration time of image acquisition mode has adjusted on 1 s per frame.Results: As saturation of camera of the EPID, dose response does not have linear behavior. The slight nonlinearity of the camera response can be corrected by a logarithmic expression. A fourth order polynomial regression model with coefficient of determination of 0.998 predicts a response to absolute dose values at less than 50 cGy. A field size dependent response of up to 7% (0.99-1.06) relative OCTAVIUS detector measurement was found. The EPID response can be fitted by a cubic regression for field size changes, yielded coefficient of determination of 0.999.Conclusions: These results indicate that the EPID is well suited for accurate dosimetric purposes, the major limitation currently being due to integration time and dead-time in frame acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barium strontium titanate (BST) (BaSrTiO) thin films have been extensively used in many dielectric devices such as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs). To optimize its characteristics, a microstructural control is essential. In this paper, BaSrTiO thin film has been deposited on the SiO/Si substrate by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique at three different oxygen working pressures of 100, 220 and 350 mTorr. Then the deposited thin films at 100 mTorr oxygen pressure were annealed for 50 min in oxygen ambient at three different temperatures: 650, 720 and 800°C. The effect of oxygen working pressure during laser ablation and thermal treatment on the films was investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis methods. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis was used to determine the surface chemical composition of the samples. The results indicate that the deposited BST film at low working pressure (100 mTorr) in PLD chamber shows a lower surface roughness than other working pressures (220 and 350 mTorr). The as-deposited films show an amorphous structure and would turn into polycrystalline structure at annealing temperature above 650°C. Increase of temperature would cause the formation of cubic and perovskite phases, improvement in crystalline peaks and also result in the decomposition of BST at high temperature (above 800°C). In addition, rising of temperature leads to the increase in size of grains and clusters. Therefore more roughness was found at higher temperatures as a result of a more heterogeneous growth and less tensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Angiogenesis is one of the hallmarks of cancers that is involved in tumor progression. Angiogenic factors induce the formation of new blood vessels and tumor extension, and finally reduce the survival of patients. Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT), in which radiation is delivered to the tumor bed can kill cells and change tumor microenvironment. Here, we compared the impact of IORT on the levels of angiogenic factors in the blood and surgical wound fluids (SWF) of the breast cancer patients. Patients and methods: Three hundred sixty patients, who had undergone breast-conserving surgery between 2013 and 2018, were enrolled in IORT and non-IORT groups non-randomly. Blood and drained wound fluid (WF) samples were collected from the patients before and after surgery, followed by quantification of the amounts of TGF-β, EGF, FGF, VEGF, and DLL4 in the patients using ELISA. Results: Our results were indicative of significant differences between the pre-surgery and post-surgery serum levels of EGF, DLL4, and VEGF. Furthermore, ROC analyses showed that TGF-β and DLL4 can differentiate of the early-stage from late-stage of the disease. Interestingly, the rate of the death and recurrence was reduced in IORT group. Conclusions: In summary, IORT is a safe and effective treatment that can affect angiogenic factors and improve the overall- and recurrence-free survival of breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the cumulative genotoxic damage to glioblastoma (GBM) cells, grown as multicellular spheroids, following exposure to 6 MV X-rays (2 Gy, 22 Gy) with or without, 2- methoxy estradiol (2ME2), iododeoxyuridine (IUDR) or topotecan (TPT), using the Picogreen assay. Materials and Methods: The U87MG cells cultured as spheroids were treated with 6 MV X-ray using linear accelerator. Specimens were divided intofive groups and irradiated using X-ray giving the dose of 2 Gy after sequentially incubated with one of the following three drug combinations: TPT, 2-ME2/TPT, IUDR/TPT or 2ME2/IUDR/ TPT. One specimen was used as the irradiated only sample (R). The last group was also irradiated with total dose of 22 Gy (each time 2 Gy) of 6 MV X-ray in 11 fractions and treated for three times. DNA damage was evaluated using the Picogreen method in the experimental study. Results: R/TPT treated group had more DNA damage [double strand break (DSB)/single strand break (SSB)] compared with the untreated group (P<0.05). Moreover the R/ TPT group treated with 2ME2 followed by IUDR had maximum DNA damage in spheroid GBM indicating an augmented genotoxicity in the cells. The DNA damage was induced after seven fractionated irradiation and two sequential treatments with 2ME2/IUDR/TPT. To ensure accuracy of the slope of dose response curve the fractionated radiation was calculated as 7.36 Gy with respect to α/β ratio based on biologically effective dose (BED) formulae. Conclusion: Cells treated with 2ME2/IUDR showed more sensitivity to radiation and accumulative DNA damage. DNA damage was significantly increased when GBM cells treated with TPT ceased at S phase due to the inhibition of topoisomerase enzyme and phosphorylation of Chk1 enzyme. These results suggest that R/TPTtreated cells increase sensitivity to 2ME2 and IUDR especially when they are used together. Therefore, due to an increase in the level of DNA damage (SSB vs. DSB) and impairment of DNA repair machinery, more cell death will occur. This in turn may improve the treatment of GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), one of the most common and aggressive malignant brain tumors, is highly resistant to radiotherapy. Numerous approaches have been pursued to find new radiosensitizers. We used a picogreen and colonogenic assay to appraise the DNA damage and cell death in a spheroid culture of GBM cells caused by iodine-131 (I-131) beta radiation in the presence of topotecan (TPT). Materials and Methods: U87MG cells were cultured as spheroids with approximate diameters of 300 μm. Cells were treated with beta radiation of I-131 (at a dose of 2 Gy) and/ or TPT (1 μg/ml for 2 hours). The numbers of cells that survived were compared with untreated cells using a colonogenic assay. In addition, we evaluated possible DNA damages by the picogreen method. The relation between DNA damage and cell death was assessed in the experimental study of groups. Results: The findings showed that survival fraction (SF) in the I-131+TPT group (39%) was considerably less than the I-131 group (58.92%; p<0.05). The number of single strand breaks (SSB) and double strand breaks (DSB), in the DNA of U87MG cells treated with beta radiation of I-131 and TPT (I-131+TPT) significantly increased compared to cells treated with only I-131 or TPT (p<0.05). The amount of SSB repair was more than DSB repair (p<0.05). The relationship between cell death and DNA damage was close (r=0.6) and significant (p<0.05) in the irradiated and treated groups. Also the maximum rate of DNA repair occurred 24 hours after the treatments. A significant difference was not observed on other days of the restoration. Conclusion: The findings in the present study indicated that TPT can sensitize U87MG cells to radiation and increase DNA damages. Potentially, TPT can cause an increase in damage from DSB and SSB by its inhibitory effects on topoisomerase enzyme and the cell cycle. The increased complex damages following the use of a genotoxic agent and beta I-131 radiation, causes a significant increase the cell death because of the difficult repair process. By assessing the relationship between DNA damage and cell death, the picogreen method can be useful in predicting colonogenic assay. Consequently, it is suggested that co-treatment with I-131 beta radiation and TPT can improve GBM treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Estimating dosimetric parameters for small fields at non-reference conditions lead to significant errors if they are done based on the conventional protocols used for large fields and reference conditions. The aim of this study was to determine and compare small fields correction factors (KNR and KNCSF) based on a novel protocol by using different types of detectors. Materials and methods: Specific circular cones were constructed and attached to a medical linac head to produce small field sizes down to 30 and 5mm diameters. Then, the KNR and KNCSF correction factors based on a recent protocol (TG155), proposed for small field dosimetry formalism, were determined for different active detectors (a pinpoint chamber, EDP20 and EDP10 diodes) in a homogeneous and a nonhomogeneous phantom at the above fields when irradiated to 6 and 18 MV beams of a Varian linac. Results: The KNR correction factors for the circle field of 30mm estimated for the pinpoint chamber, EDP20 and EDP10 diodes were 0.993, 1.020 and 1.054 at 6 MV; and 0.992, 1.054 and 1.005 at 18 MV, respectively. The KNCSF correction factor for the 5mm circle field estimated for the pinpoint chamber, EDP20 and EDP10 diodes were 0.994, 1.023 and 1.040 at 6MV; and 1.000, 1.014 and 1.022 at 18MV, respectively. Conclusion: Our results indicated that implementing the correction factors estimated for the small fields based on the new proposed dosimetry protocol increases the dosimetric precision and accuracy of such fields in radiotherapy practices. Also, considering the perturbations happening between the boundaries of non-homogeneous area could increase the accuracy of the dosimetry procedures in such conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a set of novel synthesized Diarylanilines derivatives was investigated by quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis using density functional theory (DFT) based descriptors. The best molecular descriptors identified were Polarisability, Charge O17 and Entropy that contributed to the anti-HIV activity of the Diarylanilines as independent factors. The correlation of these descriptors with their anti-HIV activity increases indicating their importance in studying biological activity. Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) analysis was applied to 23 of the above mentioned derivatives using physicochemical and structural molecular descriptors obtained by the DFT method by employing Becke's threeparameter hybrid functional (B3LYP) and 6-31G basis set. By using the multiple linear regression (MLR) technique several QSAR models have been drown up with the help these calculated descriptors and the anti-HIV activity of Diarylanilines derivatives. The stepwise regression method was used to derive the most significant models as a calibration model for predicting the LogEC50 of this class of compounds. Among the obtained QSAR models presented in the study from the MLR method, statistically the most significant one is the last model with the squared correlation coefficient 0.946 and F= 3.856 that could be useful to predict the biological activity of Diarylanilines derivatives as Potent HIV-1 Drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: With regard to blood pressure responses to plyometric exercise and decreasing blood pressure after exercise (post-exercise hypotension), the influence of different workloads of plyometric exercise on blood pressure is not clear. Aim: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a low, moderate and high workload of plyometric exercise on the post-exercise systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR) and rate-pressure product (RPP) responses in athletes. Material and methods: Ten male athletes (age: 22.6 ±0.5 years; height: 178.2 ±3.3 cm; and body mass: 75.2 ±2.8 kg) underwent PE protocols involving 5 × 10 reps (Low Workload - LW), 10 × 10 reps (Moderate Workload - MW), and 15 × 10 reps (High Workload - HW) depth jump exercise from a 50-cm box in 3 non-consecutive days. After each exercise session, SBP, DBP and HR were measured every 10 min for a period of 70 min. Results: No significant differences were observed among post-exercise SBP and DBP when the protocols (LW, MW and HW) were compared. The MW and HW protocols showed greater increases in HR compared with LW. Also the HW indicated greater increases than LW in RPP at post-exercise (p < 0.05). Conclusions: All protocols increased SBP, HR and RPP responses at the 10th and 20th min of post-exercise. With regard to different workloads of plyometric exercise, HW condition indicated greater increases in HR and RPP and strength and conditioning professionals and athletes must keep in their mind that HW of plyometric exercise induces greater cardiovascular responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]