286 research outputs found

    Perbandingan Lintasan Pemboran Berarah dengan Berbagai Metode Perhitungan pada Sumur G-12 Lapangan G

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    Sumur G-12 merupakan salah satu sumur pengembangan Perusahaan CNOOC SES Ltd yangterletak di lapangan “G” dan didesain dengan lintasan pemboran berarah. Dalam pengukuranlintasan pemboran berarah dibutuhkan metode perhitungan survey yang akurat sehingga tepatdalam penggambaran lintasan pemboran. Karena itu berbagai metode perhitungan hasil surveyakan dibandingkan untuk menentukan metode perhitungan hasil survey mana yang paling akurat,paling mendekati lintasan aktual pemboran. Berbagai metode perhitungan hasil survey pemboranberarah yang digunakan pada sumur G-12 di lapangan G antara lain metode Minimum Curvature,metode Radius of Curvature, metode Balanced Tangential dan metode Tangential. Dalampenggambaran lintasan pemboran berarah digunakan dua grafik yaitu penggambaran secaravertical view dan horizontal view. Dilakukan perbandingan antara lintasan aktual dengan lintasanpemboran berbagai metode berdasarkan bentuk lintasan dengan Vertical Section dua dimensi, danVertical Section tiga dimensi. Dapat terlihat seberapa besar deviasi dari masing-masing VerticalSection serta pengaruhnya terhadap tercapainya target sesuai dengan toleransi dari radius target50 ft

    Post partum anxiety and depression in peri-urban communities of Karachi, Pakistan: a quasi-experimental study

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Postpartum anxiety and depression is a major public health concern because of its adverse effects on the cognitive and social development of the infant. Globally postpartum depression has been widely investigated but as anxiety is a more prominent feature of postpartum depression we assessed the prevalence of anxiety and depression and their associated factors in post partum women.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A quasi-experimental study investigating the impact of postpartum anxiety and depression on child growth and development was conducted in two peri-urban, multiethnic, communities of Karachi, a mega city of Pakistan. A house to house questionnaire based survey was done by trained field workers; 420 consenting pregnant women were identified and data for socio-demographic, home environment and family relationship variables was collected between 36 weeks of pregnancy and within 10 days of childbirth. Mother's levels of anxiety and depression were assessed after one month, two months, six months and twelve months of childbirth; this was two step process: initially an indigenous, validated screening instrument Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression Scale was used and diagnostic confirmation was done through a psychologist's interview based on DSM IV criteria. Women found to be anxious and depressed at least once out of four assessments were considered for the computation of overall prevalence of postpartum anxiety and depression as well as its risk factors. However, point prevalence's of postpartum anxiety and depression were also reported at each assessment time. Two sixty seven women could be followed for one year. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Chi-square test, simple and multiple logistic regression were used to see the association of different factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The overall prevalence of postpartum anxiety and depression was found to be 28.8 percent. Domestic violence, difficulty in breast feeding at birth and unplanned current pregnancy were found to be significantly associated with postpartum anxiety and depression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Domestic violence and not having the right to plan pregnancy are related to the patriarchal culture and lack of empowerment of women. The association with difficulties in breast feeding needs to be further explored in future studies</p

    Edaphic, structural and physiological contrasts across Amazon Basin forest-savanna ecotones suggest a role for potassium as a key modulator of tropical woody vegetation structure and function

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    Sampling along a precipitation gradient in tropical South America extending from ca. 0.8 to 2.0 m ag-1, savanna soils had consistently lower exchangeable cation concentrations and higher C/N ratios than nearby forest plots. These soil differences were also reflected in canopy averaged leaf traits with savanna trees typically having higher leaf mass per unit area but lower mass-based nitrogen (Nm) and potassium (Km). Both Nm and Km also increased with declining mean annual precipitation (PA), but most area-based leaf traits such as leaf photosynthetic capacity showed no systematic variation with PA or vegetation type. Despite this invariance, when taken in conjunction with other measures such as mean canopy height, area-based soil exchangeable potassium content, [K]sa , proved to be an excellent predictor of several photosynthetic properties (including 13C isotope discrimination). Moreover, when considered in a multivariate context with PA and soil plant available water storage capacity (ξP) as covariates, [K]sa also proved to be an excellent predictor of stand-level canopy area, providing drastically improved fits as compared to models considering just PA and/or ξP. Neither calcium, nor magnesium, nor soil pH could substitute for potassium when tested as alternative model predictors (ΔAIC > 10). Nor for any model could simple soil texture metrics such as sand or clay content substitute for either [K]sa or ξP. Taken in conjunction with recent work in Africa and the forests of the Amazon Basin, this suggests-in combination with some newly conceptualised interacting effects of PA and ξP also presented here-a critical role for potassium as a modulator of tropical vegetation structure and function.Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) TROBIT Consortium projectCNPqRoyal Society of London - Wolfson Research Merit Awar

    A Novel Tool for Predicting Major Complications After Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

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    ABSTRACT Background. Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) has an emerging role in the treatment of peritoneal malignancies. The CRS-HIPEC approach has known treatment-related toxicities. This study sought to determine the predictors of major postoperative complications after CRS-HIPEC in a high-volume center. Methods. From a single-institution database, this study investigated complications experienced by patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC. Multiple preoperative and operative factors were analyzed for their ability to predict 60-day Clavien grade 3 and greater (major) complications by logistic regression. A predictive model was created from preoperative factors using multivariate logistic regression. The model was tested by Akaike&apos;s information criterion, the Hosmer and Lemeshow Goodness-of-Fit Test, the receiver operating characteristic, and the Youden Index. Results. The study evaluated 247 patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC. The primary tumor site was the appendix in 166 cases (67.2 %), the colorectal area in 51 cases (20.6 %), the peritoneum (mesothelioma) in 22 cases (8.9 %), the ovary in 5 cases (2 %), and the small bowel in 3 cases Patients with peritoneal metastases have historically been considered as having incurable disease. In select patients, the peritoneum may represent the sole site of metastatic disease, prompting the use of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and regional chemotherapy in the form of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Mounting evidence points to the efficacy of CRS-HIPEC in the treatment of select patients with peritoneal metastases from cancers of the appendix, 1-3 colon and rectum, 4-6 small bowel, 7,8 ovary, 9 and peritoneum (mesothelioma). 10,11 Whereas the magnitude of the benefit from CRS-HIPEC for peritoneal metastases is being better defined, treatmentrelated toxicities are well-known. Large series in the modern era have found a major morbidity rate of 24-34 % and a mortality rate of 2-4 % after CRS-HIPEC

    A tryptophan-rich peptide acts as a transcription activation domain

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Eukaryotic transcription activators normally consist of a sequence-specific DNA-binding domain (DBD) and a transcription activation domain (AD). While many sequence patterns and motifs have been defined for DBDs, ADs do not share easily recognizable motifs or structures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We report herein that the N-terminal domain of yeast valyl-tRNA synthetase can function as an AD when fused to a DNA-binding protein, LexA, and turn on reporter genes with distinct LexA-responsive promoters. The transcriptional activity was mainly attributed to a five-residue peptide, WYDWW, near the C-terminus of the N domain. Remarkably, the pentapeptide <it>per se </it>retained much of the transcriptional activity. Mutations which substituted tryptophan residues for both of the non-tryptophan residues in the pentapeptide (resulting in W<sub>5</sub>) significantly enhanced its activity (~1.8-fold), while mutations which substituted aromatic residues with alanine residues severely impaired its activity. Accordingly, a much more active peptide, pentatryptophan (W<sub>7</sub>), was produced, which elicited ~3-fold higher activity than that of the native pentapeptide and the N domain. Further study indicated that W<sub>7 </sub>mediates transcription activation through interacting with the general transcription factor, TFIIB.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Since W<sub>7 </sub>shares no sequence homology or features with any known transcription activators, it may represent a novel class of AD.</p

    Multiple micronutrient supplementation improves vitamin B12 and folate concentrations of HIV infected children in Uganda: a randomized controlled trial

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The effect of multiple micronutrient supplementation on vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>and folate has hither to not been reported in African HIV infected children. This paper describes vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>and folate status of Ugandan HIV infected children aged 1-5 years and reports the effect of multiple micronutrient supplementation on serum vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>and folate concentrations.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Of 847 children who participated in a multiple micronutrient supplementation trial, 214 were assessed for vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>and folate concentrations pre and post supplementation. One hundred and four children were randomised to two times the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of a 14 multiple micronutrient supplement (MMS) and 114 to a 'standard of care' supplement of 6 multivitamins (MV). Serum vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>was measured by an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and folate by a competitive protein-binding assay using Modular E (Roche) automatic analyzer. Vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>concentrations were considered low if less than 221picomoles per litre (pmol/L) and folate if < 13.4 nanomoles per litre (nmol/L). The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was used to measure the difference between pre and post supplementation concentrations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>was low in 60/214 (28%) and folate in 62/214 (29.0%) children. In the MMS group, the median concentration (IQR) of vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>at 6 months was 401.5 (264.3 - 518.8) pmol/L compared to the baseline of 285.5 (216.5 - 371.8) pmol/L, p < 0.001. The median (IQR) folate concentrations increased from 17.3 (13.5 - 26.6) nmol/L to 27.7 (21.1 - 33.4) nmol/L, p < 0.001. In the 'standard of care' MV supplemented group, the median concentration (IQR) of vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>at 6 months was 288.5 (198.8 - 391.0) pmol/L compared to the baseline of 280.0 (211.5 - 386.3) pmol/L while the median (IQR) folate concentrations at 6 months were 16.5 (11.7 - 22.1) nmol/L compared to 15.7 (11.9 - 22.1) nmol/L at baseline. There was a significant difference in the MMS group in both vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>and folate concentrations but no difference in the MV group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Almost a third of the HIV infected Ugandan children aged 1-5 years had low serum concentrations of vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>and folate. Multiple micronutrient supplementation compared to the 'standard of care' supplement of 6 multivitamins improved the vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>and folate status of HIV infected children in Uganda.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p><url>http://ClinicalTrials.gov</url><a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00122941">NCT00122941</a>)</p

    Effect of a multi-faceted quality improvement intervention on inappropriate antibiotic use in children with non-bloody diarrhoea admitted to district hospitals in Kenya

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    BACKGROUND: There are few reports of interventions to reduce the common but irrational use of antibiotics for acute non-bloody diarrhoea amongst hospitalised children in low-income settings. We undertook a secondary analysis of data from an intervention comprising training of health workers, facilitation, supervision and face-to-face feedback, to assess whether it reduced inappropriate use of antibiotics in children with non-bloody diarrhoea and no co-morbidities requiring antibiotics, compared to a partial intervention comprising didactic training and written feedback only. This outcome was not a pre-specified end-point of the main trial. METHODS: Repeated cross-sectional survey data from a cluster-randomised controlled trial of an intervention to improve management of common childhood illnesses in Kenya were used to describe the prevalence of inappropriate antibiotic use in a 7-day period in children aged 2-59 months with acute non-bloody diarrhoea. Logistic regression models with random effects for hospital were then used to identify patient and clinician level factors associated with inappropriate antibiotic use and to assess the effect of the intervention. RESULTS: 9, 459 admission records of children were reviewed for this outcome. Of these, 4, 232 (44.7%) were diagnosed with diarrhoea, with 130 of these being bloody (dysentery) therefore requiring antibiotics. 1, 160 children had non-bloody diarrhoea and no co-morbidities requiring antibiotics-these were the focus of the analysis. 750 (64.7%) of them received antibiotics inappropriately, 313 of these being in the intervention hospitals vs. 437 in the controls. The adjusted logistic regression model showed the baseline-adjusted odds of inappropriate antibiotic prescription to children admitted to the intervention hospitals was 0.30 times that in the control hospitals (95%CI 0.09-1.02). CONCLUSION: We found some evidence that the multi-faceted, sustained intervention described in this paper led to a reduction in the inappropriate use of antibiotics in treating children with non-bloody diarrhoea. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register ISRCTN42996612

    Using visual methods to understand physical activity maintenance following cardiac rehabilitation

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    © 2015 Hardcastle et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Few studies have explored the factors associated with long-term maintenance of exercise following cardiac rehabilitation. The present study used auto-photography and interviews to explore the factors that influence motivation and continued participation in physical activity among post cardiac rehabilitation patients. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted alongside participant-selected photographs or drawings with participants that had continued participation in physical activity for at least two years following the cardiac rehabilitation programme. Participants were recruited from circuit training classes in East Sussex in the UK. Thematic content analysis revealed seven main themes: fear of death and ill health avoidance, critical incidents, overcoming aging, social influences, being able to enjoy life, provision of routine and structure, enjoyment and psychological well-being. Fear of death, illness avoidance, overcoming aging, and being able to enjoy life were powerful motives for continued participation in exercise. The social nature of the exercise class was also identified as a key facilitator of continued participation. Group-based exercise suited those that continued exercise participation post cardiac rehabilitation and fostered adherence

    Structural, physiognomic and above-ground biomass variation in savanna-forest transition zones on three continents - How different are co-occurring savanna and forest formations?

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    Through interpretations of remote-sensing data and/or theoretical propositions, the idea that forest and savanna represent "alternative stable states" is gaining increasing acceptance. Filling an observational gap, we present detailed stratified floristic and structural analyses for forest and savanna stands located mostly within zones of transition (where both vegetation types occur in close proximity) in Africa, South America and Australia. Woody plant leaf area index variation was related to tree canopy cover in a similar way for both savanna and forest with substantial overlap between the two vegetation types. As total woody plant canopy cover increased, so did the relative contribution of middle and lower strata of woody vegetation. Herbaceous layer cover declined as woody cover increased. This pattern of understorey grasses and herbs progressively replaced by shrubs as the canopy closes over was found for both savanna and forests and on all continents. Thus, once subordinate woody canopy layers are taken into account, a less marked transition in woody plant cover across the savanna-forest-species discontinuum is observed compared to that inferred when trees of a basal diameter > 0.1 m are considered in isolation. This is especially the case for shrub-dominated savannas and in taller savannas approaching canopy closure. An increased contribution of forest species to the total subordinate cover is also observed as savanna stand canopy closure occurs. Despite similarities in canopy-cover characteristics, woody vegetation in Africa and Australia attained greater heights and stored a greater amount of above-ground biomass than in South America. Up to three times as much above-ground biomass is stored in forests compared to savannas under equivalent climatic conditions. Savanna-forest transition zones were also found to typically occur at higher precipitation regimes for South America than for Africa. Nevertheless, consistent across all three continents coexistence was found to be confined to a well-defined edaphic-climate envelope with soil and climate the key determinants of the relative location of forest and savanna stands. Moreover, when considered in conjunction with the appropriate water availability metrics, it emerges that soil exchangeable cations exert considerable control on woody canopy-cover extent as measured in our pan-continental (forest + savanna) data set. Taken together these observations do not lend support to the notion of alternate stable states mediated through fire feedbacks as the prime force shaping the distribution of the two dominant vegetation types of the tropical lands
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