ABSTRACT
Objectives: Migraine is one of the common diseases of children, which can disrupt their quality of life. Some studies have shown the effect of melatonin in reducing migraine headaches. This study aims to investigate the effect of melatonin administration in reducing headaches in children with migraine without sleep disorders. Materials & Methods: In this clinical trial study, fifty-five children aged five to 15 years with migraines who had no sleep disorder were enrolled. The control group (twenty-seven patients) was treated with propranolol tablets, and the intervention group (thirty patients) was treated with propranolol tablets plus melatonin tablets for three months. Patients were visited before, one month, and three months after the start of treatment, and their data was collected and recorded. Results: The number of headache attacks decreased significantly in the intervention group compared to the control group three months after the treatment (P=0.006). The number of patients with a good response to treatment in the intervention group was significantly more than the control group (p=0.023). Parents' satisfaction with the treatment in the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group (P=0.026). There was no significant difference in the intensity of disability caused by headaches after treatment in the two groups. No significant drug side effects were seen in any of the two groups. Conclusion: Adding melatonin to the treatment of children with migraine without sleep disorders significantly reduces the frequency of headache attacks and increases satisfaction with the treatment.
ABSTRACT
In the current research, the efficiency of a solar flat plate collector (SFPC) was examined experimentally, while the system was modeled with an artificial neural network (ANN) under semi-arid weather conditions of Rafsanjan, Iran. Based on the backpropagation algorithm, a feedforward neural network was established to estimate and forecast the outlet flow temperature of SFPC. To identify the most appropriate model, the ANN topology hidden layer, the number of hidden neurons, iteration, and statistical indicators were analyzed. In the first ANN modeling (CASE I), five parameters, including solar radiation, inlet flow temperature, flow rate, ambient temperature, and wind speed, were applied in the input layer of the network, while the output flow temperature (subsequently efficiency) was in the output layer. In the second artificial neural network modeling (CASE II), the wind speed was omitted from the input of the ANN model. Results showed that the ANN with four inputs yields more accurate results for both estimation and prediction of outlet flow temperature.
Subject(s)
Environmental Monitoring , Neural Networks, Computer , Algorithms , Iran , TemperatureABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Leisure time is one of the most important aspects of life, especially for people with chronic diseases. The concept and types of leisure have frequently been evaluated in different socio-cultural populations. The aim of this study was to identify the nature of leisure activities among a sample of Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and classify the identified types of activities in the context of Iranian culture. METHODS: In this qualitative study, semi-structured interview was applied to gather data from 34 MS patients that were selected through purposive sampling. The interviews were continued up to the point of saturation. Content analysis was used to explore experiences of the interviewees regarding their leisure activities. RESULTS: Six categories of leisure activities were extracted for the studied patients with MS i.e.physical, social, individual, art/cultural, educational and spiritual/religious. CONCLUSION: The results represented the range and heterogeneity of leisure activities amongst the MS patients. Considering participation in spiritual/religious and social activities as leisure time undertaking might reflect cultural diversity in the perception and use of time for recreation. For mental health promotion purposes, paying special attention to the types of activities that people of different socio-cultural background choose for their refreshment could help health care providers in giving tailored advice for patients with MS and other chronic debilitating disease.
