Abstract Background: The current diagnostic cornerstone for septic arthritis contains gram stains, bacterial culture, and cell count with a differential of aspirated synovial fluid. Recently, a synovial leukocyte esterase (LE) test has been used for diagnosing septic arthritis. Since this test measures the esterase activity of leukocytes, there is always a dilemma for using this test in patients with inflammatory arthritis. Methods: We collected the synovial fluid specimens as part of the general diagnostic protocol for patients suspected of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) or Septic Arthritis (SA). Each group included 34 patients. We compared the result of the synovial LE test with the result of the culture of each patient. Results: The mean ages of patients were 64.14 ± 31.27 and 50.88 ± 23.19 months in the JIA group and septic arthritis group, respectively. The LE test results were positive in 30 specimens, trace in 3 and negative in one in the first-time test and were positive in 31 specimens and trace in 3 in the second-time test, while it was negative in all patients with JIA. Hence, the sensitivity of the synovial LE test was 80.8%, the specificity, PPV, and NPV were 78.6, 70.0, 86.8% respectively based on a positive culture. Conclusion: The leukocyte esterase strip test can be used as a rapid, bedside method for diagnosing or excluding bacterial infections in different body fluids. The synovial LE test can be used as an accurate test to rapidly rule in or out an acute articular bacterial infection, even in patients with concurrent inflammatory arthritis.

ABSTRACT Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of human polyomavirus (BK and JC viruses) infection in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy blood donors. Methods: The study included 250 healthy blood donors. Five-milliliter blood was drawn into sterile EDTA tubes and PBMCs were isolated from whole blood. The isolated PBMCs were counted and stored at −70 °C for future investigation. DNA was extracted and subjected to simple, sensitive and specific semi-nested PCR as well as QPCR using both general and specific primers for different assays. Results: Of 250 blood samples, 66 (26.4%) were positive for BKV DNA (146-34,514 copies/106 cells). JC DNA was found in 45 (18%) blood samples (65-21,250 copies/106 cells). Co-infection with these viruses were found in 11 (4.4%) out of 250 blood samples. Discussion: Our study provides important data on polyomavirus infection in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes in immunocompetent individuals. These data indicate significant differences between the prevalence of BKV and JCV infection in healthy blood donors. The prevalence of BK and JC virus infection is higher in the age range 30-39 years compared to other age ranges.

Abstract This paper presents effects of shear deformation on flutter instability of cantilever beam subject to a concentrated follower force. The discrete form of equation of motion is formulated based on the Lagrange. In the presented formulation, the beam is modeled using Timoshenko beam theory, and constant shear distribution through the thickness of the beam is considered. Consistent interpolation scheme is adopted to avoid the shear locking for thin beams. Consequently, convergence of the finite element simulation is enhanced. The effect of rotary inertial term is considered in the flutter study, which has significant influence on the beam behavior as the beam thickness increases. The axial degrees of freedom are taken into account in energy expressions, to improve the accuracy of the results. Results presented for different beam geometries. The numerical results show high efficiency and good convergence characteristic. The effect of concentrated mass on the flutter instability of beam is considered and results are presented for various locations and values of concentrated masses. Furthermore, the shear effects are highlighted in this study by comparing the results obtained from the Euler-Bernoulli with those obtained from the Timoshenko beam model.

Abstract Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of Tension Leg Platform (TLP) is very crucial for preventing catastrophic and sudden collapse of the structures. One of the methods of monitoring these structures is implementing SHM sensors. Supplying energy for these sensors for a long period is a challenging problem. So, one of the new methods of supplying energy for SHM, is usage of mechanical energy. In this method, the piezoelectric material is employed to convert the mechanical energy which is resulted from vibration of structure, to electrical energy. The advantage of this method is based on not implementing the battery charging system. Therefore, in this paper, after modeling TLP structure, energy supplying of these sensors with piezoelectric converters is studied. Furthermore, fault diagnosis of these structures in the presence of different uncertainties is proposed by the features of voltage signal, produced from piezoelectric patches and fuzzy classification method. Results show that this method can diagnose faults of the structure with an acceptable success rate.

A sensitive preconcentration procedure for spectrophotometeric determination of aluminum was developed. Aluminum as aluminon complex is adsorbed on microcrystalline naphthalene. The naphthalene containing the complex is dissolved in 3 mL of acetone and its absorbance is measured at 544 nm. The effect of various factors on the preconcentration of aluminum was investigated. The calibration graph was linear in the range of 1-60 mg L-1. The limit of detection was 0.52 mg L-1 and relative standard deviation for the determination of 5 mg L-1 was 2.65%. The proposed solid phase extraction procedure was applied to determination of aluminum in food samples.

OBJETIVO: Descrever as variações anatômicas do retalho muscular com artéria epigástrica superficial. MÉTODOS: Foram realizadas uma série de 40 dissecções em cadáveres do gênero masculino, preservados ou recentes, Foram identificados o local de origem e drenagem dos vasos: calibre, comprimento e correlação entre diâmetro e comprimento do pedículo. RESULTADOS: As artérias e veias epigástricas superficiais foram identificadas no nível do ligamento inguinal respectivamente em 38 (95%) e 40 (100%) das dissecções. A artéria epigástrica superficial originava diretamente da artéria femoral em 22 (57,9%) ou de um tronco comum com outras artérias. A artéria foi encontrada em um cm do ponto médio do ligamento inguinal em 33 de 38 casos. A média do comprimento da artéria epigástrica superficial foi de 3.04 1.73 (0,5-7) cm. A média do calibre da artéria foi 1.45 0.35 (0.7-2.1). O comprimento da veia epigástrica superficial foi de 2.2 a 12 cm com média de 5.452.08 cm. O calibre da veia era de 1.6 a 4 mm com média de 2.140.45 mm. O comprimento da artéria epigástrica superficial foi correlacionado com o calibre do pedículo arterial. CONCLUSÃO: O retalho com a artéria epigástrica superficial pode ser aplicado em microcirurgia de retalhos, potencialmente em reconstrução mamária, atrofia hemifacial, faloplastia ou quando se faz necessário aplicar em perdas acentuadas de pele.

PURPOSE: To describe the anatomical variations of superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap as a muscle-sparing flap. METHODS: A series of 40 dissections were performed on 20 preserved or fresh male cadavers. The site origin and drainage of vessels, caliber, length, and correlation between diameter and length of pedicle were identified. RESULTS: The SIEA and SIEV were identified at inguinal ligament level in 38 (95%) and 40 (100%) dissections, respectively. The SIEA originated directly from a common femoral artery 22 (57.9%) or a common trunk with other arteries. The SIEA was found within 1 cm of the midpoint of the inguinal ligament in 33 of 38 cases. The meanSD length of SIEA was 3.041.73 (0.5-7) cm. The meanSD caliber of SIEA was 1.450.35 (0.7-2.1) mm. The length of SIEV ranged from 2.2 to 12 cm with a meanSD of 5.452.08 cm. The caliber of SIEV ranged from 1.6 to 4 mm with a meanSD of 2.140.45 mm. The length of SIEA correlated with caliber of arterial pedicle (p<0.001 and correlation coefficient = 0.517). CONCLUSION: The inferior epigastric artery flap can be applied to microsurgical flap transfer, potentially in breast reconstruction, hemifacial atrophy, phalloplasty, or when extremely large amounts of skin coverage are required.

A simple cloud point extraction procedure is presented for the preconcentration of copper in various samples. After complexation by 4-hydroxy-2-mercapto-6-propylpyrimidine (PTU), copper ions are quantitatively extracted into the phase rich in Triton X-114 after centrifugation. Methanol acidified with 0.5 mol L-1 HNO3 was added to the surfactant-rich phase prior to its analysis by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Analytical parameters including concentrations for PTU, Triton X-114 and HNO3, bath temperature, centrifugation rate and time were optimized. The influences of the matrix ions on the recoveries of copper ions were investigated. The detection limits (3SDb/m, n=4) of 1.6 ng mL-1 along with enrichment factors of 30 for Cu were achieved. The proposed procedure was applied to the analysis of environmental samples.