Fetoscopic laser photocoagulation for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome treatment: initial experience in tertiary reference center in Brazil

Maurício Mendes Barbosa,Eduardo Félix Martins Santana,Hérbene José Figuinha Milani1,Julio Elito Júnior,Edward Araujo Júnior,Antônio Fernandes Moron,Luciano Marcondes Machado Nardozza 대한산부인과학회 2018 Obstetrics & Gynecology Science Vol.61 No.4

ObjectiveTo evaluate the initial maternal and perinatal outcomes of fetoscopic laser photocoagulation for the treatment oftwin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) in a referral center in Brazil. MethodsThis prospective observational study analyzed 24 fetoscopic laser photocoagulation procedures at 18.26 weeks ofgestation. TTTS severity was determined using the Quintero classification. Blood vessels that crossed the interamnioticmembrane were nonselectively photocoagulated. The χ2 test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for the statisticalanalysis. ResultsThe mean (±standard deviation) age of pregnant women, gestational age at surgery, surgical time, gestational age atbirth, and newborn weight were 32.2±4.1 years, 20.7±2.9 weeks, 51.8±16.7 minutes, 30.5±4.1 weeks, and 1,531.0±773.1g, respectively. Using the Quintero classification, there was a higher percentage of cases in stage III (54.2%), followedby stages IV (20.8%), II (16.7%), and I (8.3%). Ten (41.7%) donor fetuses died and 14 (58.3%) donor fetuses surviveduntil the end of gestation. Placental insertion location (anterior vs. posterior) did not affect the incidence of iatrogenicseptostomy, surface bleeding, and premature rupture of membranes until the end of gestation. The death rate ofdonor and recipient fetuses before 24th gestational week increased with severity of TTTS. ConclusionThe maternal and perinatal outcomes resulting from the implementation of a new minimally invasive surgicaltechnique are in line with those obtained in major centers worldwide, considering the learning curves andinfrastructures.

DEVALUATION AND THE BALANCE OF TRADE : A SYNTHESIS OF MONETARY AND ELASTICITY APPROACHES

MILANI, HAMID 한국국제경제학회 1989 International Economic Journal Vol.3 No.3

The elasticities and monetary approaches to valance of trade and balance of payments give different predictions about the effects of changes in exchange rates on the trade balance and balance of payments. Thins paper, using a theoretical model, supports the arguments that elasticities and monetary approaches to balance of payments are complementary theories since each is merely a fragment of a larger system. It was shown that the short run effects of devaluation are those produced by the elasticities approach and the long run effects are those implies by the monetary approach.

Homogenized limit analysis of masonry structures with random input properties: polynomial Response Surface approximation and Monte Carlo simulations

Milani, G.,Benasciutti, D. Techno-Press 2010 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.34 No.4

The uncertainty often observed in experimental strengths of masonry constituents makes critical the selection of the appropriate inputs in finite element analysis of complex masonry buildings, as well as requires modelling the building ultimate load as a random variable. On the other hand, the utilization of expensive Monte Carlo simulations to estimate collapse load probability distributions may become computationally impractical when a single analysis of a complex building requires hours of computer calculations. To reduce the computational cost of Monte Carlo simulations, direct computer calculations can be replaced with inexpensive Response Surface (RS) models. This work investigates the use of RS models in Monte Carlo analysis of complex masonry buildings with random input parameters. The accuracy of the estimated RS models, as well as the good estimations of the collapse load cumulative distributions obtained via polynomial RS models, show how the proposed approach could be a useful tool in problems of technical interest.

The Effects of Globalization on Macroeconomic Dynamics in a Trade-Dependent Economy: the Case of Korea

( Fabio Milani ),( Sung Ho Park ) 한국국제경제학회 2014 한국국제경제학회 동계학술대회 Vol.2014 No.1

본고에서는 세계화가 한국의 거시경제동학에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 세계화의 정도는 무역의존도로 나타냈으며, 거시경제동학은 소규모 개방경제 DSGE모형을 이용하여 구현하였다. 모형의 현실적합도를 높이기 위하여 무역의존도는 시변(time-varying)하고, 미래에 대한 기대는 적응적 학습(adaptive learning)을 통하여 형성되도록 하였으며, 불완전 국제금융시장, 가격의 정직성,습관적 소비 등의 마찰적 요소도 모형에 포함하였다.실증분석 결과, 세계화 정도의 진전으로 상승한 것으로 나타났다. 즉,1990년대 초반에는 국내 경제변수의 변동성이 대부분 국내요인에 의해 설명될 수 있었느나, 최근에는 글로벌 요인이 동 변동성의 약 70%를 설명하였다. 특히, 글로벌 산출이 국내생산과 국내물가에 미치는 영향력이 두드러지게 커진 것으로 나타났다.본고의 기여는 최근 논쟁의 대상인 "세계화 가설", 즉 세계화가 진전되면서 글로벌 요인이 국내경제에 미치는 영향이 커진다는 가설을 실증적으로 확인한 점과 세계화의 영향이 경제주체의 미래에 대한 기대형성에 점진적으로 반영되고 이에따라 경제동학도 변화한다는 것을 밝힌 점 등이다.

Consolidation deformation of Baghmisheh marls of Tabriz, Iran

Jalali-Milani, Shahrokh,Asghari-Kaljahi, Ebrahim,Barzegari, Ghodrat,Hajialilue-Bonab, Masoud Techno-Press 2017 Geomechanics & engineering Vol.12 No.4

Vast parts of the east of Tabriz city have been covered by Baghmisheh formation marls. These marls can be classified into three types based on their color as identified in yellow, green, and gray marls. Many high-rise buildings and other projects were founded and now is constructing on these marls. Baghmisheh formation marls are classified as stiff soil to very weak rock, therefore they undergo considerable consolidation settlement under foundation loads. This study presents the physical properties and consolidation behavior of these marls. According to the XRD tests, major clay minerals of marls are Illite, Kaolinite, Montmorillonite and Chloride. Uniaxial compressive strength are 100-250, 300-480 and 500-560 kPa for yellow, green and gray marls, respectively. Consolidation and creep behavior of Baghmisheh marls investigated by using of one dimensional consolidation apparatus under stress level up to 5 MPa. The results indicate that yellow marls have high compressibility, settlement and deformation modules. Green marls have an intermediate compressibility and settlement and while gray marls have low compressibility and settlement and from the foundation point of view have high stability. According to the creep test results, all types of marls have not been entered to progressive creep phase up to pressure 5 MPa.

Use of membrane separation in enzymatic hydrolysis of waste paper

Narges Milani Rad,Seyed Mahmoud Mousavi,Masoumeh Bahreini,Ehsan Saljoughi 한국화학공학회 2017 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.34 No.3

A three-stage process containing phosphoric acid pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and membrane filtration was performed on waste paper as a lignocellulosic material. In the first two stages, the effect of phosphoric acid concentration, enzyme loading, hydrolysis time, and substrate concentration on the amount of products was investigated. At the third stage using a proper membrane, the effect of substrate concentration and transmembrane pressure (TMP) on yield of the reducing sugars was studied. The novelty of the present study was to demonstrate the application of ultrafiltration membrane on the enzymatic hydrolysis process of waste paper. The reducing sugars concentration was determined by using the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) reagent method. According to the results, a value of 0.5% was determined as the optimum concentration for phosphoric acid in the pretreatment stage. The reducing sugars yield was obtained as 67.4% in this concentration. Moreover, for the enzymatic hydrolysis of waste paper, the suitable amounts of cellulase enzyme loading and hydrolysis time were determined as 50 mg/g substrate and 48 h, respectively. In the filtration stage, increase of substrate concentration and decrease of TMP resulted in higher rejection of the reducing sugars. The experimental results revealed that the highest rejection was 19.2% at TMP of 3 bar and substrate concentration of 100 g/L.

Homogenized limit analysis of masonry structures with random input properties: polynomial Response Surface approximation and Monte Carlo simulations

G. Milani,D. Benasciutti 국제구조공학회 2010 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.34 No.4

The uncertainty often observed in experimental strengths of masonry constituents makes critical the selection of the appropriate inputs in finite element analysis of complex masonry buildings, as well as requires modelling the building ultimate load as a random variable. On the other hand, the utilization of expensive Monte Carlo simulations to estimate collapse load probability distributions may become computationally impractical when a single analysis of a complex building requires hours of computer calculations. To reduce the computational cost of Monte Carlo simulations, direct computer calculations can be replaced with inexpensive Response Surface (RS) models. This work investigates the use of RS models in Monte Carlo analysis of complex masonry buildings with random input parameters. The accuracy of the estimated RS models, as well as the good estimations of the collapse load cumulative distributions obtained via polynomial RS models, show how the proposed approach could be a useful tool in problems of technical interest.

Isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic studies for Th(IV) sorption by amino group-functionalized titanosilicate from aqueous solutions

Saeid Alamdar Milani,Mohammad Karimi 한국화학공학회 2017 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.34 No.4

The 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane-modified titanosilicate was prepared as an alternative for developing efficient adsorbents of heavy metals. The obtained material was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, infrared spectroscopy, textural analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Adsorption of thorium from aqueous solutions was investigated by adsorption isotherms, kinetic and thermodynamic studies. The isothermal data were found to be correlated with the Langmuir model. The maximum sorption capacity of Th(IV) was 83.4mg g−1. The experimental data show that the external diffusion and intra-particular diffusion are significant in the sorption of thorium. The thermodynamic parameters indicated that the sorption process was physisorption, endothermic and spontaneous.

Real-Time PCR Detection of 16S rRNA Novel Mutations Associated with Helicobacter pylori Tetracycline Resistance in Iran

Dadashzadeh, Kianoosh,Milani, Morteza,Rahmati, Mohammad,Akbarzadeh, Abolfazl Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.20

Background: Tetracycline is an antibiotic widely used for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection, but its effectiveness is decreasing due to increasing bacterial resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of 16S rRNA mutations associated with resistance or reduced susceptibility to tetracycline ofHelicobacter pylori by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) assays from culture. Materials and Methods: Tetracycline susceptibility and minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) was determined by the Epsilometer test (Etest) method. A LightCycler assay developed to detect these mutations was applied to DNA extracted from culture. The 16S rRNA of these isolates was sequenced and resistance-associated mutations were identified. From 104 isolates of H. pylori examined, 11 showed resistance to tetracycline. Results: LightCycler assay was applied to DNA extracted from 11 tetracycline-susceptible and 11 tetracycline resistance H. pylori isolates. In our study the sequencing of the H. pylori wild types in 16 s rRNA gene were AGA 926-928 with MIC (0.016 to $0.5{\mu}g/ml$), while the sequencing and MIC for resistant were GGA and AGC, (0.75 to $1.5{\mu}g/ml$), respectively. Also we found a novel mutation in 2 strains with $84^{\circ}C$ as their melting temperatures and exhibition of an A939C mutation. Conclusions: We conclude that real-time PCR is an excellent method for determination of H. pylori tetracycline resistance related mutations that could be used directly on biopsy specimens.

Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of two brands of metformin 500 mg tablets in Iranian healthy volunteers

Hadi Valizadeh,Parvin Zakeri-Milani,Peyman Nayyeri-Maleki,Saeed Ghanbarzadeh,Ahad Sheikhloo,Hossein Servat,Mahboob Nemati 한국약제학회 2014 Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation Vol.44 No.1

The aim of this study was to evaluate thepharmacokinetics (PK) and bioequivalence (BE) of twometformin tablets. For in vitro evaluation, weight variation,assay and dissolution tests were performed. A randomized,single dose, two-period, cross over study in healthy malefasting volunteers was designed. A 2-week washout periodseparated the two periods. For analysis of PK parametersblood sampling was performed before and after drugadministration in various time points up to 12 h. Metforminconcentration in plasma was determined using a developedhigh performance liquid chromatography method. Bothformulations passed the assay, content uniformity, and dissolutiontests acceptance value. PK parameters, representingthe rate and the extent of metformin absorption were calculatedand analyzed for two formulations. The 90 % CIobtained by analysis of variance for the ratios of Cmax,AUC0–t, and AUC0–? were 92.14–110.95, 92.72–107.37and 89.42–110.23 % respectively, meeting the criteria forBE (80–125 %). Administration of a single dose of test andreference formulations did not result in statistically significantdifferences between in vitro and in vivo BE parametersin healthy Iranian male volunteers. Thus in the case of rateand extent of absorption the test and reference formulationswere considered bioequivalent.