This paper is intended to clarify the relationship between airport access road hourly trafFIC and airport user trip characteristics. A mathematical model is developed in order to provide a foundation for planning airport facilities and enhancing existing services. From the results, it can be concluded that a signiFICant relationship exists between airport operation and trafFIC volume in airport access roads. It was found that the proposed model has good prediction capability for trafFIC volume on the Incheon International Airport Expressway on an hourly basis. This model can be used to predict the number of vehicles queuing at airport entrances, intersections, or toll plazas, predicting optimum toll lane staffing, and analyzing the level of congestion on the roadway for different levels of air passenger demand in the future.

In this work, the numerical simulation of the non-isothermal steady co-extrusion fiber spinning with flowinduced crystallization is explored. The model is based on the formulation originally proposed by China et al. in which Newtonian and Phan-Thien-Tanner (PTT) fluids are considered the core and the skin layer, respectively. The polymeric flow rate fraction, Deborah dimensionless number and the PTTs parameters on the temperature, the velocity and the crystallization profiles are analyzed. The numerical results show: the temperature profile is sensitive to the polymeric layer flow rate and the deformation parameters (shear thinning and extensional), the tensile stress induced crystallization parameter has a strong influence at the onset of the process, increasing drastically temperature and crystallinity.

AbstractIntroduction: Due to the increasing concern about the growing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to a variety of common antibiotics, it is vital to find and introduce new drugs to treat bacterial infections. To this end, intensive efforts need to be taken to find novel antimicrobial agents with diverse antimicrobial modes of action, preventing pathogen growth. Combination therapy using current antibiotics and other biological or chemical molecules might be efFICient as an exciting new approach.Materials and Methods: In the present study, the synergistic antibacterial activity of Dermastin B1 recombinant peptides isolated from transgenic T1 tobacco plants either alone or in combination with peppermint essential oils were evaluated against Xanthomonas translucen, Xanthomonas perforans, Xanthomonas citri, Xanthomonas gardneri and Pseudomonas syringae by measuring the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (FIC) index at different concentrations.Results: The results of this study showed that the MIC of Dermaseptin B1 peptides and the peppermint essential oils against bacteria were 50 µg/ml and 4.6 µg/ml, respectively. FIC index showed a synergistic effect of peppermint essential oils with Dermaseptin B1 recombinant peptide with FIC=0.49.Discussion and Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that Dermasptin B1 recombinant peptides can be effective either alone or in combination with the peppermint essential oils to control bacterial infections. However, it seems that there is a synergistic effect between recombinant peptides and peppermint essential oils in combat against phytopathogens.

Background and Objective: This study aimed to determine the antibacterial activity of either zinc oxide or copper oxide nanoparticles alone or combined against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study Escherichia coli (E. coli ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus ATCC 25923), Pesudomonas aueroginosa (P. aueroginosa ATCC 27853) and Staphylococcus Epidermidis (S. Epidermidis PTCC 1114) were used as test microorganisms. The Zinc and copper oxide nanoparticles were prepared commercially. The antibacterial activity of nanoparticles was studied using bacteriological tests such as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and time kill study. Time kill studies were done using MIC nanoparticle concentration in mono and combined together mood for all the test microorganisms. The fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index used to define or to describe nanoparticle interactions at combined together mood of two nanoparticles. The ANOVA test (SPSS ver. 16) was used to compare the antibacterial activity of nanoparticles alone and combined. A Pvalue of£0.05 was considered signiFICant.Results: The MIC value for E. coli and S.epidermidis against the combined nanoparticles had a lower concentration than mono metallic nanoparticles. By contrast, the MIC value for P.aeroginusa, and S. aureus against the combined mood of the nanoparticles had higher concentration. The fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index for E. coli, S.aureus, P. aueroginosa and S. epidermidis were 0.75, 9, 6, and 0.625, respectively. The results show that the Gramnegative bacteria seem to be more resistant to ZnO nanoparticles than the Gram-positive bacteria. Moreover, the antibacterial effect of nanoparticles in both mono and combined modes were time dependent (P<0.0001).Conclusion: The used commercial CuO/ZnO nanoparticles have great antibacterial potential against all of the strains, and the combination of zinc oxide and Copper oxide nanoparticles increases their bactericidal effect only for certain strains but not all.

Background and Objective: A local nerve block is used to relieve pain and improve the positioning of patients during spinal anesthesia. This study attempted to compare femoral nerve block (FNB) versus fascia iliaca compartment (FIC) block. Methods: In this clinical trial, a total of 68 patients undergoing surgery for femoral shaft fractures were divided randomly to 2 groups of FNB and FIC. The patients’ pain was recorded by the visual analogue scale (VAS) before and during administration of femoral nerve block. Satisfaction of positioning for spinal anesthesia and duration of the procedure were also recorded in the 2 groups. Results: During the nerve block, the pain score of FIC was signiFICantly lower than that of the FNB group (2. 5 0. 6, 3. 6 0. 8 and P = 0. 001). During the administration of spinal anesthesia, the mean pain in the FNB group was signiFICantly lower than that of FIC (2. 7  1. 1, 3. 4 0. 6 and P = 0. 001). The satisfaction of patients with positioning in the FNB group was reported to be excellent by 40. 7% of patients, whereas none in the FIC group reported satisfaction. The completion time of sensory block was signiFICantly lower in the FNB group than the FIC group (P = 0. 001). Conclusions: TheFNBseems to provide better analgesia during spinal anesthesia for the patient, even though the administration of FIC tends to be easier and less painful than the FNB. Shorter completion time of sensory and motor block in the FNB group could be indicative of the superiority of this method for providing the appropriate conditions for spinal anesthesia in an emergency setting.

Background and objectives It is essential to introduce new antimicrobials or to evaluate the synergistic effect of existing compounds as a therapeutic strategy against microbial strains resistant to one or more antibiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and synergistic effect of lactoferrin chimera (cLF) in interaction with some common therapeutic antibiotics. Materials and methods The antimicrobial activity of cLF and the antibiotics including gentamicin, cefazolin, and ceftazidime were determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method and subsequently, the synergistic effect of this peptide with each of the mentioned antibiotics was checked against E coli, P. aeruginosa and S. typhi were investigated and the minimum fraction inhibitory concentration (FIC) was reported. Release of cytoplasmic materials, plotting of survival curves, and activity of peptides alone and in combination with antibiotics were evaluated, and bacterial cell morphology investigating was performed using scanning electron microscopy at MIC and FIC concentrations. Results The synergistic effect was observed in the combination of cLF with all antibiotics. The results showed that at FIC concentrations, material release from the cytoplasm and the number of surviving cells were signiFICantly higher and lower than when peptides or antibiotics were used alone, respectively. The activity of peptides and antibiotics at FIC concentration was increasing and SEM images at this concentration showed severe membrane damage of bacterial cells. Conclusions The use of cLF and antibiotics at FIC concentrations reduces the dose of both substances.

Polygonum species are belonging to Polygonaceae family and they have various uses in the traditional medicine of Asian countries such as China, Japan and Iran. In this study, antioxidant activities of two methanolic extracts of root of Polygonum afghanicum, one collected in spring and the other in fall, and the one methanolic extract of root of Polygonum cuspidatum were measured and compared with each other. So, the antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated using various antioxidant tests, including total phenolic content TPC), total flavonoid content TFC), radical scavenging activity RSA), ferric ion chelating FIC), and beta-carotene bleaching. The results showed the highest values of TPC 347. 2 ±,3. 1) and TFC 165. 2 ±,1. 6) for P. cuspidatum, while the P. afghanicum, collected in spring, exhibited slightly higher antioxidant activity than the others for RSA IC50 = 14. 5 ±,1. 5 μ, g/mL), FIC 96. 7 ±,1. 7%), and BCB 50. 9 ±,3. 6%) tests. According to the obtained results, the P. afghanicum collected in spring, as a local species, showed the better activity in the some of the antioxidant tests, probably due to the presence of other active metabolites in this plant.

Background and purpose: Recently, natural antimicrobials attracted a lot of attention due to increasing preference of consumers for organic products which are free of chemical additives. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of cinnamaldehyde in combination with acetic and lactic acids against L.monocytogenes.Materials and methods: The antibacterial effects of cinnamaldehyde, acetic and lactic acids were determined using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) was also used to evaluate the combined antibacterial activity.Results: Based on our results, MIC values for cinnamaldehyde, acetic acid and lactic acid were 0.312, 2.5 and 5 ml/ml, respectively. FIC results showed that cinnamaldehyde combination with the organic acids had no interaction effects (1.0<FIC<4.0).Conclusion: Cinnamaldehyde, acetic and lactic acids were found effective in inhibiting the growth of L. monocytogenes. Meanwhile, organic acids can reduce the required amount of cinnamaldehyde.

Fentanyl-induced cough (FIC) is a known complication, and many studies have been conducted to prevent it. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Diphenhydramine as an antihistamine in suppressing of FIC during induction of anesthesia. In a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, a total of 100 patients, ASA Class I and II, scheduled for elective laparoscopy surgery were randomly assigned into two equally sized groups (n=50). Diphenhydramine diluted with distilled water as 10 mg/ml. Then, patients in Group D, received diphenhydramine 30 mg (3 ml) through peripheral IV line within 1 min and Group C received the same volume normal saline 0. 9% as placebo. Two min later, fentanyl 2 μ g/kg was administered through the peripheral IV line within 5 sec in all patients. The occurrence and intensity of cough within 2 min after the fentanyl injection were observed and recorded by a resident who was blinded to the study groups. The frequency of PONV, analgesic requirement in the recovery room and as a secondary outcome were recorded. The incidences of FIC were 47% in the control group, and there is no cough in the diphenhydramine group (P=0. 02). The frequency of PONV was also reduced in diphenhydramine group (16% vs. 40%) and less number of patients in diphenhydramine group was needed to analgesia in the recovery room (60% vs. 82%). Our study determines that diphenhydramine (30 mg, IV) bolus injection 2 min before fentanyl injection can prevent FIC and PONV and also reduce analgesic requirement inthe recovery room.

Objective: The standard of hygiene in daily life and hospitals can be increased by the use of new antimicrobial fibers, which diminish the danger of pathogenic bacteria. In this study, the antimicrobial effect of special fibers on some staphylococcus isolates was investigated.Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial effect of special type of fibers produced in Isfahan Poly Acryl Plant on three species of Staphylococcus aureus, epidermidis and lugdunensis isolated from 96 samples of hand and foot skin micro-flora was studied. The sensitivity of strains regarding resistant strains, to various antibiotics and beta-lactamase enzyme production was studied. The most resistance to antibiotics and beta-lactamase producer were chosen. Using the cup plate method, the inhibiting effect of pure antimicrobial agent on these strains was proven. Next, using shake flask method the effect of antimicrobial fiber on these strains was studied. In order to compare the effect of the antimicrobial agent of the fiber with that of penicillin G, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the fiber antimicrobial agent and of penicillin G was tested on the strains. The effect of the interaction of these two antimicrobial agents and their fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) on the chosen strains was studied using checkerboard method.Results: The results show a signiFICant effect by antimicrobial fiber with 30%, 60% and 100% antimicrobial agent on Staphylococcus species after 24 hrs. Moreover despite the high level MIC of penicillin G on these bacteria   (8-256 mg/ml), the MIC of the pure antimicrobial agent of fiber at a level of 10-4 ml/ml caused growth inhibition. The interaction of these two antibacterial agents on the chosen strains was evaluated as synergism.Conclusion: According to this study the antimicrobial effect of the fiber on growth inhibition of common, resistant skin bacterial flora is positive and therefore may be used after other successful clinical trials.