Myopia Induced after Systemic Chemotherapy with Docetaxel

Transient myopia is an unreported toxicity of docetaxel. We report an unexpected development of myopia following systemic chemotherapy with docetaxel. A 38-year-old woman undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer received docetaxel every two weeks. Prior to chemotherapy, she had no visual impairments, ocular disorders, or other comorbidities. After seven cycles of systemic chemotherapy, she began experiencing visual impairment. Her spherical equivalent refractive errors were -2.00 D in the right eye and -1.63 D in the left eye. Uncorrected visual acuity was 0.42 logMAR in the right eye and 0.3 logMAR in the left eye, both correctable to 0 logMAR. At a 4-week follow-up after cessation of chemotherapy, her vision gradually recovered. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of docetaxel induced myopia in a patient undergoing cancer treatment in the English literature, underscoring the need for clinicians to be aware of this potential ocular toxicity

Performance hydraulique et traitement du filtre réactif dans les systèmes de traitement des eaux usées décentralisés

RÉSUMÉ: Il y a une préoccupation importante concernant le rejet des eaux usées domestiques dans les eaux de surface et les eaux souterraines, notamment dans les zones non raccordées aux installations d'assainissement centralisées. Le phosphore et l'azote, qui sont des nutriments clés, sont de grands contributeurs à l'eutrophisation. Dans le Chapitre 2, les systèmes de traitement sur site sont évalués, soulignant l'importance du traitement tertiaire dans leurs processus. Les filtres réactifs montrent un potentiel prometteur en tant qu'unités de traitement tertiaire pour les systèmes sur site, offrant une élimination efficace des polluants. Dans chapitre 3, trois filtres réactifs à base de scories d’aciérie ont été alimentés avec des effluents domestiques secondaires contenant des bicarbonates (column 1-blank), des bicarbonates avec du carbone organique soluble (column 3-organic matter) et des bicarbonates avec des matières particulaires (column 2-TSS) sur une période de 30 jours. Les échantillons d'eau ont été analysés pour les concentrations en nutriments et en métaux, l'alcalinité et le pH, tandis que les scories d’aciérie sont été examinés par microscopie électronique à balayage. La précipitation de la calcite a épuisé les scories d’aciérie sans provoquer d'accumulation de pression. L'indice de saturation et la forme des précipités de calcite ont été influencés par la présence de carbone organique. Les principales réactions étaient la formation de calcite, la libération d'hydroxyde et la formation d'hydroxyapatite. Une élimination efficace du phosphate a été observée, avec des concentrations de sortie inférieures à 1 mg P-PO4/L. Environ 30 % de l'ammonium (NH4+) a été éliminé dans les filtres alimentés par du carbone organique biodégradable, la nitrification étant dépendante des niveaux de pH. Les filtres réactifs à base de scories d’aciérie se sont avérés adaptés au traitement tertiaire des eaux usées domestiques à forte alcalinité, soulignant l'importance du contrôle de l'alcalinité. Dans une étude parallèle à chapitre 4, deux filtres réactifs avec des scories d’aciérie de four à arc électrique (colonne 1-S et colonne 2-R) ont été utilisés pour le traitement tertiaire chez les utilisateurs domestiques de l'eau souterraine. La colonne 1-S a été alimentée avec des eaux usées secondaires synthétiques contenant de l'azote (N), du phosphore (P), de l'alcalinité, des solides en suspension totaux (TSS) et de la matière organique biodégradable. En revanche, la colonne 2-R a été alimentée avec des eaux usées secondaires réelles avec une haute alcalinité mais sans vi phosphore. Les données de pH ont mis en évidence l'impact de l'alcalinité, atteignant 9,9 dans la Colonne 1-S et 8,6 dans la Colonne 2-R. Les scories d’aciérie ont montré une grande sélectivité pour le phosphate par rapport aux carbonates, même à des niveaux de phosphate faibles. Des conditions anoxiques-faiblement oxiques ont été confirmées, avec une élimination de l'azote d'environ 24 % dans la Colonne 1-S. La concentration d'ammonium a diminué sur six mois, avec une diminution initiale des nitrates due à la dénitrification, suivie d'une augmentation. Les indices de saturation ont indiqué une précipitation partielle de l'hydroxyapatite et la formation de calcite tout au long de la Colonne 1-S, tandis que la Colonne 2-R a connu un changement dû au remplacement des bicarbonates. L'analyse EDS a confirmé une élimination majeure du phosphate et de la calcite dans les sections inférieures de la colonne. Les mesures de la pression sont restées stables, probablement en raison d'un dépôt efficace des particules. ABSTRACT: There is a significant concern about domestic wastewater being released into surface water and groundwater, particularly in areas not connected to centralized wastewater facilities. Phosphorus and nitrogen, which are key nutrients, are major contributors to eutrophication. In Chapter 2, onsite treatment systems are evaluated, highlighting the importance of tertiary treatment in their processes. Reactive filters are promising as tertiary treatment units for onsite systems, providing effective pollutant removal. In Chapter 3, three reactive filters based on steel slag were fed with secondary domestic effluents containing bicarbonates (column 1-blank), bicarbonates with soluble organic carbon (column 3-organic matter), and bicarbonates with particulate matter (column 2-TSS) over a period of 30 days. Water samples were analyzed for nutrient and metal concentrations, alkalinity, and pH, while the steel slags were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Calcite precipitation depleted the steel slags without causing pressure build-up. The saturation index and the form of calcite precipitates were influenced by the presence of organic carbon. The main reactions included calcite formation, hydroxide release, and hydroxyapatite formation. Effective phosphate removal was observed, with outlet concentrations below 1 mg P-PO4/L. Approximately 30% of ammonium (NH4+) was removed in filters fed with biodegradable organic carbon, with nitrification being dependent on pH levels. Steel slag-based reactive filters proved suitable for the tertiary treatment of domestic wastewater with high alkalinity, highlighting the importance of alkalinity control. In a parallel study to Chapter 4, two reactive filters with electric arc furnace slags (column 1-S and column 2-R) were used for tertiary treatment in domestic groundwater users. Column 1-S was fed synthetic secondary wastewater containing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), alkalinity, total suspended solids (TSS), and biodegradable organic matter. In contrast, Column 2-R was fed real secondary wastewater with high alkalinity but no phosphorus. pH data highlighted the impact of alkalinity, reaching 9.9 in Column 1-S and 8.6 in Column 2-R. Slag demonstrated high selectivity for phosphate over carbonates, even at low phosphate levels. Anoxic-low oxic conditions were confirmed, with nitrogen removal around 24% in Column 1-S. Ammonium concentration decreased over six months, with initial nitrate decrease due to denitrification, followed by an increase. Saturation indices indicated partial hydroxyapatite precipitation and calcite formation throughout Column 1-S, while Column 2-R experienced a shift due to bicarbonate replacement. viii EDS analysis confirmed major phosphate and calcite removal in lower column sections. Pressure head measurements remained stable, likely due to effective particle settlement

Fault diagnosis of main engine journal bearing based on vibration analysis using Fisher linear discriminant, K-nearest neighbor and support vector machine

Vibration technique in a machine condition monitoring provides useful reliable information, bringing significant cost benefits to industry. By comparing the signals of a machine running in normal and faulty conditions, detection of defected journal bearings is possible. This paper presents fault diagnosis of a journal bearing based on vibration analysis using three classifiers: Fisher Linear Discriminant (FLD), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). The frequency-domain vibration signals of an internal combustion engine with intact and defective main journal bearings were obtained. 30 features were extracted by using statistical and vibration parameters. These features were used as inputs to the classifiers. Two different solution methods - variable K value and RBF kernel width (σ) were applied for FLD, KNN and SVM, respectively, in order to achieve the best accuracy. Finally, performance of the three classifiers was calculated in journal bearing fault diagnosis. The results demonstrated that the performance of SVM was significantly better in comparison to FLD and KNN. Also the results confirmed the potential of this procedure in fault diagnosis of journal bearings

Refractive Errors, Corneal Power, and Far and Near Visual Acuity in Cancer Patients

Purpose: To determine visual acuity, central and peripheral corneal power, and the prevalence of refractive errors in cancer patients from Imam Hossein Medical Center, Tehran, Iran.Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional, population-based study, cancer patients were examined for far and near visual acuity (VA), refractive errors, central and peripheral corneal power, and near addition. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22 software.Results: Data were collected from 330 eyes of 165 patients. The mean age was 54.26 ± 13.39 years (range: 18-86 years). The prevalence of hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism was 30.3 % (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 25.5-35.5 %), 27 % (95 % CI: 22.1-31.8 %), and 80.3 % (95 % CI: 76.1-84.5 %), respectively. The mean uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (VA) was 0.29 ± 0.36 logMAR (95 % CI: 0.25-0.33) and 0.07 ± 0.21 logMAR (95 % CI: 0.05-0.09), respectively. The mean uncorrected and corrected near VA was 0.51 ± 0.32 logMAR (95 % CI: 0.47-0.54) and 0.04 ± 0.19 logMAR (95 % CI: 0.017-0.06), respectively. The mean near addition was 1.73 ± 0.93 D (95 % CI: 1.63-1.84). The mean central and peripheral keratometry values were 44.20 ± 1.54 D (95 % CI: 44.03-44.37) and 44.17 ± 1.50 D (95 % CI: 44.00–44.34). Conclusion: The prevalence of refractive errors in this study was higher than in most previous reports and increased significantly with age. Based on our results astigmatism was the most common refractive error in cancer patients, followed by hyperopia and myopia

Effects of Systemic Chemotherapy on Tear Volume in Cancer Patients

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate changes in tear volume and dry eye symptoms in cancer patients following first time systemic chemotherapy.Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy for the first time with different drug regimens were evaluated before and after treatment. Assessments included the Schirmer’s test, the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire, and a comprehensive eye examination for all patients. Results: A total of 60 patients (120 eyes) with a mean age of 52.07 ± 13.047(range: 18-80 years) were examined. Of these patients 53.3% (n = 32) were female. The mean Schirmer’s test score was 9.17 ± 8.65 mm before chemotherapy and 10.02 ± 9.82 mm after chemotherapy; showing no statistically significant difference (P = 0.865). The only group showing a significant increase in mean Schirmer’s test score was patients older than 40 years old (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Although changes in mean tear volume following systemic chemotherapy were not significant - except among patients over 40 years old - further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are warranted

Some Physical Properties of Apple cv. ‘Golab’

Apple is among the popular fruits and of a high economic value. Sorting and grading of apple is needed for the fruit to be presented to local and foreign markets. A study of apple physical properties therefore is imperative. Some physical properties of apples were determined. These properties include: dimensions, mass, volume, surface area, porosity, packaging coefficient and coefficient of static friction. The maximum, average and minimum diameters of apple were 65.04, 53.50 and 35.14 mm respectively. Average volume and mass were 104.5 cm3 and 74.87 g respectively. As for an apple pile, the density and apparent density were respectively calculated as 0.7427 and 0.2401 g/cm3. Maximum, average and minimum porosity of apples were 57.24, 54.13 and 50.17 percent with their sphericity being 1.0028, 0.93 and 0.84 respectively. Average static friction angle of apple on galvanized, glass and plywood surfaces were 20, 26.3 and 26.8 degrees respectively. Average packaging coefficient for the apples studied was 0.45

Mathematical Modeling of Kinetics of Thin-layer Drying of Apple (var. Golab)

Mathematical models of thin-layer drying of apple were studied and verified with experimental data. Fourteen different mathematical drying models were compared according to three statistical parameters, i.e. root mean square error (RMSE), chi-square (X2) and modeling efficiency (EF). The thin-layer drying kinetics of apple slices was experimentally investigated in a laboratory convective dryer and the mathematical modeling, using thin-layer drying models present in the literature, was performed. The main objective of the study was the verification of models already developed. Experiments were performed at air temperature between 40 and 80 °C, velocity of 0.5, 1 and 2 m/s, and thickness of thin layer of 2, 4, 6 mm. Besides the effects of drying air temperature and velocity, effects of slice thickness on the drying characteristics and drying time were also determined. Drying curves obtained from the experimental data were fitted to the-thin layer drying models. The results have shown that, model introduced by Midilli et al. (2002) obtained the highest value of EF = 0.99972, the lowest value of RMSE = 0.00292 and X2 = 10-5. Therefore this model was the best for describing the drying curves of apples. The effects of drying air temperature, velocity and thickness on the drying constant and coefficient were shown to compare the circumstances of drying

The effect of hearing Quran verses on reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients referring to Imam Hossein Hospital

For downloading the full-text of this article please click here.Background and Objective: Nausea and vomiting are two common and disturbing adverse effect of chemotherapy. There are studies which have used methods or psychological aid such as music therapy to prevent or treat these events. We have evaluated the effect of hearing Quranic verses on decreasing the incidence and grade of these effects.Method: This was a single group study which evaluated 31 patients who received outpatient chemotherapy in Imam Hossein hospital. The patients received usual premedication for nausea and vomiting during two cycles of chemotherapy and they also listened to Quranic verses in one of these cycles. We filled a questionnaire using international grading system for nausea and vomiting and each case was compared with himself in the two cycles. All ethical issues were observed in this study and the researchers reported no conflicts of interest.Results: The results showed the about 35% of the patients experienced vomiting during chemotherapy, which decreased to 22% after listening to Quran (p=0.125), which was not statistically significant. Also, there was a 64% decline in the incidence of vomiting (OR=0.36, p=0.03). Listening to Quran significantly decreased the probability of higher grade of nausea in 89% of cases (OR=0.12, p<0.001). About 35.5% of the patients did not have nausea, which increased to 67.7 % after intervention. Also, half of the cases experienced lower grade of nausea in the next cycle after listening to Quran. The grade of nausea did not increase to higher grade after intervention.Conclusion: Listening to Quran could significantly decrease the incidence of nausea and vomiting. Whether these effects are due to the spiritual effect of Quran or distraction of thought during chemotherapy is not known and should be evaluated in a larger and two-grouped study. Previous studies have shown that listening to Quranic verses has positive effect, including the time when anesthesia is induced. Thus, this technique can be used for controlling the adverse effects of cancer treatment too.For downloading the full-text of this article please click here.Please cite this article as: Kamian Sh, Tabatabaeefar M. The effect of hearing Quran verses on reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients referring to Imam Hossein Hospital. J Res Relig Health. 2019; 5(3):45- 58.doi:https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v5i3.1859

Bending and Shearing Characteristics of Alfalfa Stems

Bending stress, young’s modulus, shearing stress and shearing energy were determined for Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) stem. The bending forces were measured at different moisture contents and the bending stress and the young’s modulus were calculated from these data. For measuring the shearing forces, the stem specimens were severed by using a computer aided cutting apparatus. The shearing energy was calculated by using the area under the shearing force versus displacement curve. The experiments were conducted at a moisture content of 10%, 20%, 40% and 80% w.b. The bending stress decreased as the moisture content increased. The value of the bending stress at low moisture content was obtained approximately 3 times higher than at high moisture content. The average bending stress value varied from 9.71 to 47.49 MPa. The young’s modulus in bending also decreased as the moisture content and diameter of stalks increased. The average young’s modulus ranged from 0.79 to 3.99GPa. The results showed that the shearing stress and the shearing energy increased as the moisture content increased. The maximum shear strength and shearing energy were found to be 28.16 MPa and 345.80 mJ, respectively. Both the shearing stress and the specific shearing energy were found to be higher in the lower region of the stalk due to structural heterogeneity