Comparison of the efficacy of manual treatment according to fascial distortion model versus joint mobilization in patients with shoulder impingement: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) is a relatively new manual therapy approach in the field of musculoskeletal physical therapy, but to date no study has been conducted to compare its' effect in comparison with joint mobilization on patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to compare the efficacy of the FDM versus joint mobilization in pain intensity, pain-free abduction range of motion and function of patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. DESIGN: single-blind, parallel-arm randomized controlled trial. METHODS: 26 patients diagnosed with shoulder impingement syndrome were equally randomized into 2 groups: manual treatment according to the FDM, and joint mobilization of the shoulder complex. All patients received 3 intervention sessions every other day. Pain intensity (by visual analogue scale), pain-free abduction range of motion (by goniometry) and function (by Persian version of shoulder pain and disability index) were measured before and after every session and at follow-up 2 weeks later. Patients' satisfaction with treatment was also measured (by a 4-point Likert scale) at follow-up. RESULTS: FDM therapy group showed statistically significant greater pain reduction (P = 0.014) and range of motion increment (P = 0.044) than joint mobilization group after intervention, while only range of motion maintained the difference at follow-up (P = 0.034). Function improvement was not statistically different after the intervention (P = 0.582) and at follow-up (P = 0.094). There was no difference in patients' satisfaction with treatment between groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The FDM is a safe and effective treatment approach with comparable results to joint mobilization in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.

A conceptual model for empowering faculty members of third-generation universities of medical sciences.

Background and objectives: Despite the crucial role of university staff and especially faculty members in moving towards third-generation universities, as well as the necessity of staff empowerment, only a handful of studies have been carried out on staff (especially faculty member) empowerment. This study designed a conceptual model for empowering faculty members of universities of medical sciences and facilitating transition to third-generation universities. Methods: The grounded theory approach was adopted to conduct this qualitative study. A total of 11 faculty members with entrepreneurial experience were selected as the sample using purposive sampling. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews, and the obtained data were entered into qualitative software (MAXQDA 10) for analysis. Results: The concepts identified in the coding process were summarized and classified into five groups and seven main categories. Then the conceptual model was designed with a set of causal factors (including structure of the education system, recruitment, training, and investment), structure and context factors (including structure and relationship), intervening factors (including promotion and ranking systems in universities and lack of mutual trust between industry and university), a core category (characteristics of capable faculty members), and an outcome (third-generation university). Finally, the conceptual model was developed to empower faculty members of third-generation universities of medical sciences. Conclusions: Based on the designed conceptual model, the most important issue in moving towards third-generation universities is "characteristics of capable faculty members." The present findings will help policy makers better understand the major factors affecting faculty member empowerment.

Electronic and optical properties of Te-doped GaN monolayer before and after adsorption of dimethylmercury - DFT+U/TDDFT & DFT-D2 methods.

Electronic, magnetic and optical properties of Te doped g-GaN monolayer, before and after adsorbing the dimethylmercury molecule, (CH3)2Hg, were studied by DFT approach. Our calculations show that, unlike pure g-GaN monolayer, the g-GaN + Te is n-type, in which the previous gap (2.16 eV) changes to the spin gaps of 1.53 and 1.65 eV. This monolayer is a III-V ferromagnetic, that it can be used in the spin field effect transistors (FET). We showed that the adsorption of (CH3)2Hg by g-GaN + Te monolayer is possible. The g-GaN + Te+(CH3)2Hg layer is n-type, and its band gap is 2.23 eV. Both g-GaN + Te and g-GaN + Te+(CH3)2Hg layers, beside the g-GaN monolayer, can be used in the GaN-based p-n junction betavoltaic cells and GaN p-i-n diodes. Also, in the g-GaN + Te+(CH3)2Hg case there are two terahertz gaps with values of 0.02 and 0.11 eV. After calculating the optical properties of both g-GaN + Te and g-GaN + Te+(CH3)2Hg layers by TDDFT, we found that the refractive index has values of 1.15 and 1.25, respectively. Also, the g-GaN + Te and g-GaN + Te+(CH3)2Hg layers, each have one visible absorption peak at 2.89 and 1.83 eV, respectively.

Confinement of aqueous mixtures of ionic liquids between amorphous TiO2 slit nanopores: electrostatic field induction.

Electrostatic potential in the vicinity of the surface is induced when aqueous mixtures of hydrophobic and hydrophilic ionic liquids (ILs) are confined between a slit nanopore of amorphous but not crystalline TiO2 semiconductors. According to our molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the extent of ion-pairing lifetime under such nanoscale confinement is substantially lower than its value in the bulk. It becomes still lower when aqueous mixtures of ionic liquid electrolytes are used. Ion-ion correlation is broken completely in the confined dilute aqueous electrolyte systems. The anions and cations of the ILs migrate and accumulate at the opposite amorphous TiO2 electrodes that are separated by 10 nm to arrange a nanosize pore. In contrast, we have shown that the electrostatic interactions between the IL ions are dominant when the electrolyte is confined between anatase (101) TiO2. A similar trend is observed for the inorganic electrolyte system. These findings shed light on the design of new cells for electrochemical applications.

Comparison of the risk factors and HPV types in males with anogenital warts with and without involvement of the urethral meatus in western Iran.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced lesions rarely develop in the urethral meatus (UM); however, their eradication can be problematic. METHODS: A total of 22 patients with anogenital warts (AGWs) in the UM region and 22 patients with AGWs located at other anatomical sites were included in this cross-sectional study. The presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) types in biopsy samples was determined using the HPV Easy typing kit (GenID GmbH, Germany). RESULTS: Although the patients in the AGW group with involvement of the UM had a higher incidence of reported multiple sexual partners (63.6% vs. 40.9%), larger meatus size (81.8% vs. 36.4%), and more frequent anal (36.4% vs. 18.2%) or unprotected sexual contact (68.2% vs. 36.4%) than those in the AGW group without UM involvement, only the duration of lesions (p = 0.04) and meatus size (p = 0.004) were significantly different in both groups. Low-risk HPV types were found in 75.0% and 69.2% of patients in the AGW groups with and without UM involvement, respectively. CONCLUSION: We found that a larger UM size was more prone to the development of meatus AGWs; however, being married, delaying sexual debut, and avoidance of multiple sexual partners seemed to be associated with a decreased risk of development of AGWs, especially within the UM region.

Tracking three-phase coexistences in binary mixtures of hard plates and spheres.

The stability of demixing phase transition in binary mixtures of hard plates (with thickness L and diameter D) and hard spheres (with diameter σ) is studied by means of Parsons-Lee theory. The isotropic-isotropic demixing, which is found in mixtures of large spheres and small plates, is very likely to be pre-empted by crystallization. In contrast, the nematic-nematic demixing, which is obtained in mixtures of large plates and small spheres, can be stabilized at low diameter ratios (σ/D) and aspect ratios (L/D). At intermediate values of σ/D, where the sizes of the components are similar, neither the isotropic-isotropic nor the nematic-nematic demixing can be stabilized, but a very strong fractionation takes place between a plate rich nematic and a sphere rich isotropic phases. Our results show that the excluded volume interactions are capable alone to explain the experimental observation of the nematic-nematic demixing, but they fail in the description of isotropic-isotropic one [M. Chen et al., Soft Matter 11, 5775 (2015)].

A periodic density functional theory study of tetrazole adsorption on anatase surfaces: potential application of tetrazole rings in dye-sensitized solar cells.

A density functional theory (DFT) method (periodic DMol(3)) with full geometry optimization was used to study the adsorption of tautomeric forms of tetrazole on anatase TiO2 (101), (100), and (001) surfaces. It was found that the adsorption of tetrazole on the TiO2 surfaces does not proceed via a dissociative process, and negative shifts in the Fermi level of TiO2 were noted upon N-containing heterocycle adsorption. The configuration of the tetrazole during adsorption and the corresponding adsorption energies on different surfaces and sites were estimated. In addition, it was found that tetrazole may be adsorbed on TiO2 surfaces through an interaction between a cation on the surface and a lone pair on the N1 or N2 atom of the tetrazole molecule. The results indicate that the adsorption of tetrazole through the N2 position (leading to the 1H tautomer) on an anatase TiO2 surface is favored over adsorption through the N1 position. In addition, it was observed that the photocatalytic activity of tetrazole-doped TiO2 is higher than that of a pure anatase TiO2 surface.

Symphysiotomy: a viable approach for delayed management of posterior urethral injuries in children.

PURPOSE: The outcome of symphysiotomy for accessing pelvic fracture related, obliterative urethral strictures is described. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In 7 boys and 3 girls 4 to 13 years old (mean age 6) surgical correction of a pelvic fracture related, obliterative urethral stricture was achieved through symphysiotomy. The stricture involved a prostatomembranous location in boys and complete vesicourethral distraction in girls. Patients were followed an average of 2.5 years (range 6 months to 4 years) by physical examination, urethrography and endoscopy. RESULTS: The stricture was successfully corrected in all patients and all void with a normal flow. All boys are continent but 2 of the 3 girls had early incontinence, which resolved with time in 1. In 2 of the 10 cases a previous attempt at perineal repair had already failed. No patient required urethrotomy or dilation and none had significant hemorrhage, fistulization, bladder hernia, chronic pain or secondary gait disturbance. CONCLUSIONS: Symphysiotomy is hereby revisited as a simple and effective approach for repairing traumatic posterior urethral injuries in the pediatric population. It can be performed instead of transpubic urethroplasty to manage long or otherwise complicated strictures.