A systematic review of non-invasive modalities used to identify women with anal incontinence symptoms after childbirth

© 2018, The International Urogynecological Association. Introduction and hypothesis: Anal incontinence following childbirth is prevalent and has a significant impact upon quality of life (QoL). Currently, there is no standard assessment for women after childbirth to identify these symptoms. This systematic review aimed to identify non-invasive modalities used to identify women with anal incontinence following childbirth and assess response and reporting rates of anal incontinence for these modalities. Methods: Ovid Medline, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Collaboration, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched for studies using non-invasive modalities published from January 1966 to May 2018 to identify women with anal incontinence following childbirth. Study data including type of modality, response rates and reported prevalence of anal incontinence were extracted and critically appraised. Results: One hundred and nine studies were included from 1602 screened articles. Three types of non-invasive modalities were identified: validated questionnaires/symptom scales (n = 36 studies using 15 different instruments), non-validated questionnaires (n = 50 studies) and patient interviews (n = 23 studies). Mean response rates were 92% up to 6 weeks after childbirth. Non-personalised assessment modalities (validated and non-validated questionnaires) were associated with reporting of higher rates of anal incontinence compared with patient interview at all periods of follow-up after childbirth, which was statistically significant between 6 weeks and 1 year after childbirth (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This systematic review confirms that questionnaires can be used effectively after childbirth to identify women with anal incontinence. Given the methodological limitations associated with non-validated questionnaires, assessing all women following childbirth for pelvic-floor symptomatology, including anal incontinence, using validated questionnaires should be considered

Corrosion behaviour of sinter forged aluminium composites during hot deformation

A galvanostatic pulse technique was used to determine corrosion behavior of sinter-forged aluminium composites. Specimens were prepared using powder metallurgy (P/M) manufacturing techniques, with two different initial relative density and various carbide reinforcements such as titanium carbide (TiC), molybdenum carbide (Mo2C), iron carbide (Fe3C) and tungsten carbide (WC). The specimens were machined and molded in a thermo-plastic material so that a surface area of 1 cm2 is exposed in a solution of 3.5wt% water solution of NaCl during the corrosion test. The corrosion behavior of the sinter-forged aluminium composites were studied alongside microstructure studies to expose corrosion dynamics and presented in this report

Psychiatric manifestations of HIV disease

Background: The appearance of AIDS on the medical and social scene in the early 1980 has been followed by worldwide spread of the disease and escalating numbers of persons affected. the first case was detected in 1984. For the first time in a worldwide epidemic, it has been necessary to try to change fundamental aspects of the human behavior by education and the dissemination of knowledge about psychiatric manifestations. Aim: To find out the psychiatric manifestations of HIV disease. Methods &amp; Materials: 37 patients and 20 controls were taken up for evaluation of psychopathology. It’s a prospective study. Sociodemographic proforma, Socioeconomic Scale, Trail making A &amp; B tests, color cancellation test, Raven's progressive matrices, Wechsler scale for memory, Linguistic fluency test were used. Results: Persons with HIV were having psychiatric manifestations like, Adjustment disorders, Depression, suicide, schizophrenia, Mild cognitive impairment to Dementia were noted among HIV and associated illnesses. Conclusion: Proper treatment adherence, counselling, follow up will improve the patient’s wellbeing

Study of Pore Closure Mechanism of Aluminium Composite Processed through Powder Metallurgy Route

Hot swaging experiments were carried out on as-sintered Al composite preforms in order to evaluate its pore closure characteristics. The effect of tungsten carbide and iron carbide in plain aluminium has been investigated under triaxial stress state condition. Cylindrical preforms with 0.5 aspect ratio and 88% fractional theoretical density have been produced for pure Al, Al-2WC and Al-2WC-4Fe3C through classical powder metallurgy route. Then, the as-sintered preforms are hot swaged to various height strains to further enclose the residual porosities; thereby to enhance density and mechanical properties. It is observed that induced strain substantially helped to close the porosities; however this largely depends on the reinforcing carbide particles in the Al-matrix

Packed bed column studies for the removal of dyes using novel sorbent

A continuous fixed bed study was carried out by using tamarind seed as a sorbent for the removal of malachite green (MG) and acid blue 9(AB9) from aqueous solution. The effect of factors, such as flow rate and bed depth was studied. Data confirmed that the breakthrough curves were dependent on flow rate and bed depth. Thomas, Adams-Bohart, and Yoon-Nelson models were applied to experimental data to predict the breakthrough curves using non-linear regression and to determine the characteristic parameters of the packed bed column. Bed depth/service time analysis (BDST) model was used to express the effect of bed depth on breakthrough curves. The results showed that Thomas model was found suitable for the normal description of breakthrough curve at the experimental condition, while Adams-Bohart and Yoon-Nelson model were able to explain only the initial part of dynamic behaviour of the tamarind seed column. The data were in good agreement with BDST model. It was concluded that the tamarind seed can be effectively used as a sorbent for the removal of dyes

Influence of process parameters on the workability characteristics of sintered Al and Al – Cu composites during cold deformation

An experimental investigation on the process parameters affecting the workability characteristics of sintered aluminium (Al) and aluminium–copper (Al–Cu) composites during cold forging has been carried out. Cylindrical billets of Al, Al–3%Cu and Al–6%Cu with height to diameter ratio (aspect ratio) of 0.45 and 0.9 were cold deformed under three different frictional conditions (nil/no lubricant, graphite lubricant and zinc stearate lubricant). As such, some important process parameters influencing the workability of these composites such as the initial preform geometry and different volume percent of Cu addition to the Al composite preforms on the relative density, R and physical parameters such as stresses affecting the workability stress index, β have been investigated. Also, the effects of the different frictional conditions on the same are presented. It was established that the nil/no lubricant condition and preforms of the lower aspect ratio yielded improved densification, higher values of stresses and better workability. Furthermore, Al–Cu composites were developed to yield better combined properties such as improved densification and workability than monolithic Al. However, the addition of Cu reduced the axial strain to fracture. As such, a decrease in the densification and the workability characteristics was noted with an increase in the volume percent of Cu

Workability of sintered Aluminium composite preforms of varying Cu and TiC contents during cold deformation

The present research investigates the workability behaviour of sintered Aluminium (Al) composites under cold deformation. Workability measures the level of deformation that materials can sustain prior to failure in the forming process. The effects of different weight percent of Copper (Cu) and Titanium carbide (TiC) addition to the Al composite preforms were experimentally determined. Al, Al-3%Cu, Al-3%Cu-2%TiC and Al-3%Cu-4%TiC were cold upset under different frictional conditions (nil/no lubricant, graphite lubricant and zinc stearate lubricant) and aspect ratios (0.45 and 0.9) to determine the workability behaviour. The curves were plotted and analysed for different preforms. The effects of the reinforcement addition to the Al composite and initial preform geometry on the relative density (R), and other influencing physical parameter such as axial stress and the formability stress index, β is presented