Urban expansion simulation using geospatial information system and artificial neural networks

Urban Expansion Model [UEM] was adapted to simulate urbanization which implements Geospatial Information Systems [GIS], Artificial Neural Networks [ANNs] and Remote Sensing [RS]. Two satellite imageries with specific time interval, socio-economic and environmental variables have been employed in order to simulate urban expansion. Socio-economic and environmental variables were used as inputs while construction and non-construction areas were used as outputs to train the neural network. Calibration of proposed model was performed with area under the ROC Curve [AROC] and Kappa Statistic [KS] which are non-shape performance metric. A real-life case study of Tehran Metropolitan Area [TMA] is presented to demonstrate the process. This paper presents a version of the UEM which parameterized for TMA and explores how factors such as road, building area, service centre, green space, elevation, aspect and slope can influence urbanization. Having urban expansion model with specific time interval and assuming the existence of the same rate of urbanization, new construction areas of region can be predicted. The overall accuracy of the model to predict new construction areas was 80% and 78% with AROC and KS, respectively

Oral administration of zinc sulphate in treatment of acute cutaneous leishmaniasis

Due to increasing unresponsiveness and significant side effects associated with antimonial compounds, alternative therapeutic modalities are suggested. Recently oral zinc sulphate has been reported to be effective in the treatment of CL. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of oral zinc sulphate in the treatment of CL. The present study comprised 31 patients with clinical diagnosis of dry type leishmaniasis and parasitologically proven cutaneous leishmaniasis of which 22 patients received a full course of treatment. Patients were treated with 10 mg/Kg/day of oral zinc sulphate for 45 days and were followed through 20 and 45 days of treatment as well as 45 days after cessation of therapy. Only 2 [9%] of 22 patients were cured after 45 days of treatment with zinc sulphate. The administration of zinc sulphate for the treatment of CL seemed to be of inadequate therapeutic value

[Cutaneous manifestations of patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis]

There are various kinds of cutaneous manifestations in the end stage renal disease [ESRD] which may present or associate with it. The goal of this study has evaluated cutaneous manifestations of patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. In a descriptive study from April to September of 2002 cutaneous signs and symptoms of patients with ESRD who were being dialyzed in three referral hospital in Mashhad were recorded. Serum levels of PTH, Ca, P were determined and correlation of them with pruritus were studied. Data collected by questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive statistics. Eighty-two patients with ESRD were admitted in this period of which 12 cases were excluded during the study and 70 completed it. The most common symptom was pruritus in 70% of cases. Signs include dryness of skin in 50%, skin color change in 71/5%, and half and half nail in 30%. Serum PTH level in patients with pruritus was higher than patients without pruritus [P=0.01] but there were not any significant difference in serum Calcium and phosphorus levels in two groups [P> 0.05]. Although the frequency of cutaneous manifestations in ESRD were similar but in few instance our results were not similar to the western countries. Factors such as race, climates, socioeconomic state... may have some role in these difference

Survey of culture and antibiogram in patients with impetigo

Impetigo is a common infectious skin disease and most commonly occurs in children. Etiologic agents are Staphylococcus aureus or Beta-heamolytic Streptococcus group A or combination of these organisms. Adequacy of treatment is related on sensitivity of bacteria to common prescribed antibiotics. Study of the frequency of bacterial culture results from lesions and antibiograms for four systemic antibiotics cephalexin, erythromycin, cloxacillin and penicillin were assayed. Impetigo cases admitted to the dermatology clinic of Ghaem hospital in Mashhad for one year beginning from June 2001, were studied. These patients had no history of systemic or topical antimicrobial agents application. Results of antibiograms obtained from culture of skin lesions were analyzed with Chi-Square test. Twenty two [88%] patients were younger than 20 years. Twenty one cases [84%] had non bullous impetigo. In 17 [68%] cases lesions were localized on the face. Because of secondary contamination in 3 cases, statistical analysis was performed on 22 cases. The most common bacteria [95.5%] was Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiograms of S.aureus showed complete sensitivity to cephalxin in 85.3%, erythromycin in 63.6%, cloxacillin in 40.9%, and penicillin in 13.6% of cases. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism in 95.5% of cases and cephalexin was the first choice oral antibiotic followed by erythromycin

[Comparison between intralesional glucantime injection and cryotherapy in papular cutaneous leishmaniasis]

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in Iran and there are different systemic and local treatments for this disease. There is continuous investigation for finding the most efficient and economical method with little side effects for the treatment of cutaneous leishemaniasis. For this purpose we performed a comparative study between intralesional glucantime injection and cryotherapy in the treatment of papular cutaneous leishmaniasis. In this clinical trial 47 patients with papular cutaneous leishmaniasis refered to dermatology clinic of Ghaem hospital in Mashhad were assayed. All patients had positive direct smears. They divided randomly in two groups. First group treated by weekly intralesional glucantime injection and second group treated by weekly cryotherapy. The length of therapy for two groups was 5 weeks. Two groups were followed for 1.5 months after the last week of the treatment. Thirty eight patients completed the study, 21 patients with 35 lesions and 17 patients with 36 lesions were treated by intralesional injection of glucantime and cryotherapy respectively. Clinically in intralesional glucantime group 37.1% of lesions and in cryotherapy group 22.2% of lesions completely cured. The difference between two groups was not statistically significant using chi-square test. Cryotherapy in comparison with interalesional glucantime injection is equally effective and also is cheaper with little side effect

[ comparison between systemic fluconazol and ketoconazol effectivity in the treatment of tinea versicolor]

Tinea Versicolor is a common superficial fungal skin infection. Topical drugs are often effective in limited lesions; but in extensive cases, systemic drugs are more suitable. Previous studies have shown that Ketoconazole and Fluconazole are effective in 42-97% and 74-100% of lesions respectively. Theaim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a single dose of 400mg Ketoconazole with two doses of 300mg of Fluconazole with 2 weeks interval. Sixty patients with extensive tinea versicolor [body involved area >/= 25%] were randomly assigned to treatment with either a single dose of 400mg of Ketoconazole or with two doses of 300mg of Fluconazole with 2 weeks interval. One month after the treatment, the improvement rate and side effects were evaluated by clinical examination and questionnaire. Sixty patients were participated initially in the study. Sixty cases [66.7%] completed the study. They were 51 males and 9 females, with a mean age of 30 years. At the follow up visit [one month after the end of treatment], the improvement rate for Ketoconazole [87.9%] was not significantly different from Fluconazole [81.5%]. [Fisher test: P=0.37]. Fluconazole has shown to be as effective as Ketoconazole in the treatment of extensive tinea versicolor. Due to the hepatotoxicity of Ketoconazole, Fluconazole appears to be more suitable in the treatment of extensive tinea versicolor

[Efficacy of 0.05% topical solution of tretinoin on healing of chronic ulcers and comparison of it with 1% topical cream of phenytoin]

Chronic ulcer with any kind of etiology is one of the therapeutic problems for patients and medical services. With respect to appropriate effects of retinoids on different stages of wound healing, we decided to evaluate efficacy of 0.05% topical solution of tretinoin on topical treatment of ulcers in comparison with 1% topical cream of phenytoin,that its effects on wound healing has been approved in several studies. In an interventional, clinical trial topical effect of these two drugs on healing of chronic ulcers of 30 patients with 37 ulcers was compared, with random allocation patients divided to two groups and finally 15 patients with 18 ulcers treated with l%topical cream of phenytoin and 15 patients with 19 ulcers treated with 0.05% topical solution of tretinoin. Then followed up for 6 weeks and evaluated for criteria of clinical recovery [size, depth, secretion and pain] in weekly visits. Analytic tests were done by using the chi-square test and P<0.05 was accepted as significant. 'At the end of, the treatment in phenytoin group 42.6 +/- 44.9% and in tretinoin group 44.7 +/- 43.4% of ulcers width were reduced. Also at this time ulcers' depth were diminished whereas in phenytoin group 55.6% and in tretinoin group 26.3% of those were in superficial dermis. Before treatment in phenytoin group 55.6% of ulcers were without pain though after it 100% of them had no pain. In tretinoin group ulcers without pain increased from 78.9% before to 84.2% after treatment. Percentage of ulcers with no secretion increased from 33.3% to 55.6% in phenytoin group and from 26.3% to 68.4% in tretinoin group With respect to results, tretinoin solution as phenytoin cream can be used as an appropriate topical treatment for chronic ulcer

Oral poliovirus vaccine in management of recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Back ground: The most common cause of mouth ulcers is recurrent aphthous stomatitis [RAS]. There is no effective treatment for RAS and its exact etiology is obscure. One of the postulated causes is viral or bacterial infection and the role of herpes simplex virus was mentioned and treatment with Acyclovir reported to cause reduction in severity of disease. Oral polio virus vaccine [OPV] is reported to be effective in treatment of recurrent herpes simplex [RHS] According to our observation during recent years OPV not only is effective in management of RHS but also in some patient with concomitant RAS reduced its severity and frequency

Objective: Evaluation of the efficacy of OPV in the management of RAS

Material and Method: In a longitudinal, case-controls study forty-eight patients with RAS recruited. 20 patients received OPV and 28 patients received placebo. OPV was given 4 drops in monthly Interval for 3 months and with similar manner for placebo group .The results were studied 3 months after the last doses

Result: In final Assessment, 40% of OPV group had significant reduction in the period of attacks as in placebo group was zero [p=0.048]. The frequency of attacks was reduced in 65% of OPV group, and in 21.4% of placebo group [p=0.006]. The severity of attacks was reduced in 60% of OPV group and in 14.3% of placebo group [p=0.008]

Conclusion: OPV appears to be effective in management of RAS