Cumulative Stressors in Preterm Infants Hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Background: Infants’ exposure to stressors in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and its outcomes is a new issue since previous studies have only focused on painful stimuli. Taking into account frequency and severity of the stressors on each infant, short and long-term outcome of these stressors can be improved. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the cumulative stressors in premature infants hospitalized in a NICU. Methods: In this descriptive study, 197 hospitalized preterm infants between 28 to 30 weeks of gestation were studied in terms of cumulative stressors during 10 days at the NICU of Tabriz Alzahra hospital. Consecutive sampling method was used. Demographic questionnaire and neonatal infant stressor scale were used. Descriptive statistics, repeated measures analysis and Pearson’s correlation coefficient tests were used to analyze the data. Results: The total mean of stress scores during 10 days was 99.44 ± 17.37. “Multiple attempts to insert intravenous and intra-arterial catheters and “intubation” were the most frequent procedures in the “extremely stressful” category among four categories of stressors. The highest scores of acute and chronic stress were related to the tenth and third day of hospitalization, respectively. There was no significant difference between infants’ characteristics and total mean stress scores. Repeated measures analysis showed that the mean acute stress scores were significantly different among the 10 subsequent days (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated the frequent occurrence of various procedures in preterm infants hospitalized at the NICU. Although these procedures were done with the purpose of improving infants’ health, they can lead to problems and complications, which might postpone the infants’ recovery process

Extending the solid step fixed-charge transportation problem to consider two-stage networks and multi-item shipments

This paper develops a new mathematical model for a capacitated solid step fixed-charge transportation problem. The problem is formulated as a two-stage transportation network and considers the option of shipping multiple items from the plants to the distribution centers (DC) and afterwards from DCs to customers. In order to tackle such an NP-hard problem, we propose two meta-heuristic algorithms; namely, Simulated Annealing (SA) and Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA). Contrary to the previous studies, new neighborhood strategies maintaining the feasibility of the problem are developed. Additionally, the Taguchi method is used to tune the parameters of the algorithms. In order to validate and evaluate the performances of the model and algorithms, the results of the proposed SA and ICA are compared. The computational results show that the proposed algorithms provide relatively good solutions in a reasonable amount of time. Furthermore, the related comparison reveals that the ICA generates superior solutions compared to the ones obtained by the SA algorithm

Investigation of two crop culture of western white shrimp

Two crop culture of western white shrimp with 2 treatments and 2 replicates in each treatments in earthen ponds with area 0.4 hectares at a density of 20 pl 18 in each square meter were done. For the culture of shrimp in the second stage, the post larvae cultured in nursery pond with area of 0.25 hectare, and density of 96 post larvae in each square meter, and then transfer to the rearing ponds. In each pond, 2 aerators with potency of 3 horsepower fixed. Every day horsepower clarified at 21p.m. to 23 p.m and out at 6 a.m to 7 a.m. The first stage of culture begun in 19 April with pl 18. The yield pick-up after 96 days. The stocking of pl in the nursery ponds was done in 25 July with pl16 and after 38 days hunted and transferred to second stage culture. The second culture was done in 1 September and pick-up after 65 days. For feeding of shrimps we used commercial food numbers 4001 until 4006. In the first mount the feeding of shrimps were done as blind feed and then with the shrimps biomass and with research of feeding trays. Water temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH daily in 2 times at the morning (6 a.m) and evening (at 15 p.m) and the salinity, transparency and water depth 1 time daily measured. In the first culture period (96 days), the mean weight, length, daily weight gain, FCR, survival percent shrimp production were 14.03 gr, 12.08 cm, 0.15 gr, 1.02 gr, 92 percent and 2132 kilograms and in the second culture period (65 days) 14.55 gr, 12.48 cm, 0.22 gr, 0.84, 73 percent and 2675 kilogarms measuered respectively. Totally, in the second period culture the initial weight of shrimps was higher than the first period culture 1.95 gr and 0.008 gr respectively, therefore growth indexes in the second period were better than the first culture period. Coefficient of determination of weight and lenth of shrimps with increase of cultue days, in the first and second culture periods, in the total cases the number were higher than 0.97. This shown that the role of increase of days on the increase of weight and lenth is higher than 97 percent. Also, determination of product moment, showed that there is very strong correlation between increase of days and increase of weight and lenth and between weight and lenth (0.97 to 0.99)

Disaster relief operations: past, present and future

The aim of the preface is to introduce the scope of this special issue (SI). We explain our editorial approach and summarise our findings based on articles included in this SI. Finally, we outline future research questions which stemmed out of the discussions of this SI

Production and Trade Situation in Iran and USA and Impact of Exchange rate Volatility on the Exports

In the present study, pistachio production and trade and influential factors on its exports in Iran and the USA are compared the the .Using the annual data from 1970 to 2011; this study aimed to analyze the effects of pistachio price and the effects of food security. Moreover, the relationship between exchange rate and pistachio export in the Iranian economy was analyzed through examining a non linear relation between the two factors. Therefore, the hypothesis validation upon nonlinearity relationship between exchange rate and pistachio export was analyzed using smooth transition autoregressive model (STAR). The results of smooth transition model (STAR) show that there is a nonlinear Granger causality between exchange rate and pistachio export and vice versa. It is therefore recommended ,in order to determine the threshold level of potential benefits of pistachio exports, the existence of the nonlinear relationship between the dynamic exchange rate and pistachio exports should be considered. Furthermore, in order to maintain market share in the international level, understanding target markets of export and achieving complete information upon the position of the major competitors in the production and trade of Pistachio is essential

Application of Two-Stagesmulti-Objective Fuzzy linear Programming Model to develop Optimal Cropping pattern (Case study: Central District of Mashhad)

Optimal allocation of water resources is an essential service in agriculture that must be considered by farmers. One of the most significant factors in optimal allocation of water resources in agriculture is to define optimal farm cropping pattern. In this study, in order to determine optimal cropping pattern and water resources allocation in central district of Mashhad city (Toos village), the two-stages multi-objective fuzzy linear programming was used. The required data was collected through interviews with farmers of the study area and filling in 116 questionnaire using simple random sampling during the years 2012-2013.The results indicated that, optimal values in the two-stage multi-objective fuzzy linear programming model for maximizing gross margin is 239420100 Rials, for utilizing organic fertilizers is 3867.19 Kg, and for minimizing the consumption of irrigation water is 53645.62 square meters, which were modified in the second phase. The objective amount of chemical fertilizer was 817.80 kg., having no change in the second phase. The cropping pattern will be optimized, if the most area under cultivation being allocated to potato, then to barley, wheat, t, onion and sugar beet, while tomato and corn cultivation being removed. Results illustrate that, two-stage multi-objective fuzzy linear programming model in comparison with multi-objective fuzzy linear model yield better results in defining optimal cropping pattern and allocation of irrigation water to the study area

Determining Cropping Pattern Corresponding Sustainable Agriculture by Using Multi-objective Fuzzy Fractional programming: a Case of Piranshahar City

In this study the optimal cropping pattern for Piranshahr- one of western Azarbaijan’s cities- was determined using Multi-objective Fuzzy Fractional Programming with the aim of moving toward sustainable agriculture.  The cross section data of 2007-2008 were used for our analysis. Data were gathered through filling out 600 questionnaires from 60 villages of Piranshahr city by using two-stage random sampling method. The results showed that the optimal cropping pattern using the Multi-objective Fuzzy Fractional Programming to achieve sustainability is different with the current cropping pattern. Moreover, the results of the stability indices (ratio of gross income to the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides) showed the significance of this goal was built for sustainability. Sustainability indices determined for chemical pesticides fungicides, herbicides, insecticide, nitrogen, phosphate and fertilizer.  Results indicate that elimination or minimization of chemical pesticides and fungicides is more important than other inputs

Determining the Optimal Crop Pattern with Emphasis on Budget Constraints: De-Novo Programming Evaluation in Zarghan P lain of Fars

Optimization of production plan is one of the main problems of decision makers. De-Novo programming is a method that determines the optimal solution with given budget constraints. Using a combination of multi objective programming and De-Novo programming can establish a model for cost minimization and obtaining optimal solution. In this study, De-Novo programming has been used to design and create optimal agricultural crop pattern in Zarghan plain of Fars. Results showed that before constructing a production unit, using input costs and their quantity in similar farms, optimal planning has been found for budget minimization. Also because second De-Novo programming separate costs has a better solution

Helmand River Flow Modeling Using Copula and Seasonal Auto Regressive Moving Average

River flow modeling has special importance in water resources management. Since the actual river flow data are often low and they correlate and depend yearly and monthly, making the data similar to historical data is so difficult and complex. In this study, 50 year data and Seasonal Auto Regressive Moving Average (SARMA) and Clayton and Frank Copulas which are the prediction and simulation methods of the river flow molding, were used to generate random flow data of Helmand River. Results show, SARMA model forecasts minimum river flow data very good, but the generated data hasn’t correlation of historical data and usually the maximum river flow is greater than real data. Otherwise, Copula preserved concordance of real data and make the data that are similar to real river flow. Therefore it is proposed that Copula is used for Helmand river flow modeling. Also this method use for simulating other river flows and also using other Copulas for river flow modeling could have the subject of future researches