Effect of Early Post Cesarean Feeding on Gastrointestinal Complications

Background: Gastrointestinal complications are the main complication in patients after cesarean section. Previous studies have reported different results about the effect of early post cesarean feeding on vomiting, nausea, flatulence and illus. Objectives: To identify the effect of early post cesarean feeding on gastrointestinal complications. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 82 women who underwent cesarean section in Mashhad Omolbanin hospital. They were randomly assigned to two equal experimental and control groups. The experimental group started oral fluids four hours after surgery, followed by a regular diet after bowel sounds returned. Mothers in the control group received fluid intravenously during the initial 12 hours, and then if bowel sounds were heard, they were permitted to receive oral fluids and they could start a solid diet if they had defecation. Vomiting and flatulence were assessed with a visual analog scale. Nausea was assessed with an observation questionnaire and illus was assessed via bowel sounds, gas passing and defecation 4, 12, 24, 36 and 48, hours post surgery in the two groups. Also, they were studied for the time of gas passing, bowel sound return, defecation, sitting, walking and breast-feeding. Data were analyzed using the chi-square, Fisher's exact test, t-test and Man-Whitney U test. Results: No mother experienced nausea, vomiting and illus. Flatulence severity 4 and 12 hours after surgery was similar in both groups (P = 0.856, P = 0.392). However, flatulence severity 24, 36 and 48 hours after surgery, was less in the experimental group (P = 0.030, P = 0.016, P = 0.001). Also, bowel sound return, time of gas passing, defecation, sitting and walking were less in the experimental group (P = 0.001). Conclusion: This study showed that early feeding decreased post cesarean gastrointestinal complications

A SWOT analysis for offshore wind energy assessment using remote-sensing potential

The elaboration of a methodology for accurately assessing the potentialities of blue renewable energy sources is a key challenge among the current energy sustainability strategies all over the world. Consequentially, many researchers are currently working to improve the accuracy of marine renewable assessment methods. Nowadays, remote sensing (RSs) satellites are used to observe the environment in many fields and applications. These could also be used to identify regions of interest for future energy converter installations and to accurately identify areas with interesting potentials. Therefore, researchers can dramatically reduce the possibility of significant error. In this paper, a comprehensive SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis is elaborated to assess RS satellite potentialities for offshore wind (OW) estimation. Sicily and Sardinia-the two biggest Italian islands with the highest potential for offshore wind energy generation-were selected as pilot areas. Since there is a lack of measuring instruments, such as cup anemometers and buoys in these areas (mainly due to their high economic costs), an accurate analysis was carried out to assess the marine energy potential from offshore wind. Since there are only limited options for further expanding the measurement over large areas, the use of satellites makes it easier to overcome this limitation. Undoubtedly, with the advent of new technologies for measuring renewable energy sources (RESs), there could be a significant energy transition in this area that requires a proper orientation of plans to examine the factors influencing these new technologies that can negatively affect most of the available potential. Satellite technology for identifying suitable areas of wind power plants could be a powerful tool that is constantly increasing in its applications but requires good planning to apply it in various projects. Proper planning is only possible with a better understanding of satellite capabilities and different methods for measuring available wind resources. To this end, a better understanding in interdisciplinary fields with the exchange of updated information between different sectors of development, such as universities and companies, will be most effective. In this context, by reviewing the available satellite technologies, the ability of this tool to measure the marine renewable energies (MREs) sector in large and small areas is considered. Secondly, an attempt is made to identify the strengths and weaknesses of using these types of tools and techniques that can help in various projects. Lastly, specific scenarios related to the application of such systems in existing and new developments are reviewed and discussed

Angular sensitivity of blowfly photoreceptors: intracellular measurements and wave-optical predictions

The angular sensitivity of blowfly photoreceptors was measured in detail at wavelengths λ = 355, 494 and 588 nm. The measured curves often showed numerous sidebands, indicating the importance of diffraction by the facet lens. The shape of the angular sensitivity profile is dependent on wavelength. The main peak of the angular sensitivities at the shorter wavelengths was flattened. This phenomenon as well as the overall shape of the main peak can be quantitatively described by a wave-optical theory using realistic values for the optical parameters of the lens-photoreceptor system. At a constant response level of 6 mV (almost dark adapted), the visual acuity of the peripheral cells R1-6 is at longer wavelengths mainly diffraction limited, while at shorter wavelengths the visual acuity is limited by the waveguide properties of the rhabdomere. Closure of the pupil narrows the angular sensitivity profile at the shorter wavelengths. This effect can be fully described by assuming that the intracellular pupil progressively absorbs light from the higher order modes. In light-adapted cells R1-6 the visual acuity is mainly diffraction limited at all wavelengths.

Metarhodopsin control by arrestin, light-filtering screening pigments, and visual pigment turnover in invertebrate microvillar photoreceptors

The visual pigments of most invertebrate photoreceptors have two thermostable photo-interconvertible states, the ground state rhodopsin and photo-activated metarhodopsin, which triggers the phototransduction cascade until it binds arrestin. The ratio of the two states in photoequilibrium is determined by their absorbance spectra and the effective spectral distribution of illumination. Calculations indicate that metarhodopsin levels in fly photoreceptors are maintained below ~35% in normal diurnal environments, due to the combination of a blue-green rhodopsin, an orange-absorbing metarhodopsin and red transparent screening pigments. Slow metarhodopsin degradation and rhodopsin regeneration processes further subserve visual pigment maintenance. In most insect eyes, where the majority of photoreceptors have green-absorbing rhodopsins and blue-absorbing metarhodopsins, natural illuminants are predicted to create metarhodopsin levels greater than 60% at high intensities. However, fast metarhodopsin decay and rhodopsin regeneration also play an important role in controlling metarhodopsin in green receptors, resulting in a high rhodopsin content at low light intensities and a reduced overall visual pigment content in bright light. A simple model for the visual pigment–arrestin cycle is used to illustrate the dependence of the visual pigment population states on light intensity, arrestin levels and pigment turnover

Evaluation the correlation between Ki67 and 5 years disease free survival of breast cancer patients

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed life-threatening cancer among women worldwide. Ki67 as a nuclear proliferation marker is used as a predictive marker for response to chemotherapy. In this study we retrospectively evaluated the association between Ki67 and 5 years disease free survival (5yDFS) in breast cancer patients. In addition, the correlation between ER, PR, HER2, and P53 and 5yDFS was studied. Total of 365 patients with breast cancer previously treated with surgery and/or chemoradiotherapy during 2001 to 2008 in department of were included in the study. All patients had invasive ductal carcinoma in the pathology. Age, Ki67, ER, PR, HER2, and P53 were studied. Her2/Neu expression level was assessed by reaction with antibodies against HER2/neu. Proliferation level was determined by reaction with antibodies against Ki-67: the level e"14% considered high and the level <14% considered low. The frequency and percentage were used for qualification data and mean and Standard Deviation (SD) for the quantitative data. The mean level of ki67 was 16.85±16.63 and the frequency of high ki67 was 203 (55.6%). The mean age of breast cancer patients was 47.2±10.53. ER status was positive in 242 patients (66.3%). One hundred and fifty four breast cancer patients had PR negative (42.2%). The HER2 overexpression was identified in 96 tumors (26.3%). The P53 status in tumors was positive in 166 (45.5%). The 55.6% of the patients had 5yDFS. The 67.5% and 40.7% of breast cancer patients respectively with low level of Ki67 and high level of Ki67 showed significant correlation with 5yDFS. Our findings showed increased level of 5yDFS in ER positive breast cancer patients. In addition, the chance of high Ki67 is increased in the ER negative, HER2 negative, and P53 positive breast cancer patients

Fatigue behaviour of welded high strength components under combined multiaxial variable amplitude loading

Flange-tube joints from fine grained steel Fe E 460 with as-welded and machined welds were investigated under biaxial constant and variable amplitude loading (bending and torsion) in the range of 10&quot;3 to 5 . 10&quot;6 cycles to crack initiation and break-through, respectively. In order not to interfere with residual stresses they were relieved by a heat treatment. In-phase loading can be treated fairly well using the conventional hypotheses (von Mises or Tresca) on basis of nominal, structural or local strains or stresses. But the influence of out-of-phase loading on fatigue life is severely overestimated if conventional hypotheses are used. However, the introduced hypothesis of the effective equivalent stress (EESH) leads to fairly well predictions. For this, the knowledge of local strains or stresses is necessary. They are determined by boundary-element analyses in dependency of weld geometry. This hypothesis considers the fatigue-life reducing influence of out-of-phase loading by taking into account the interaction of local shear stresses acting in different surface planes of the material. Further, size effects resulting from weld geometry and loading mode were included. Damage accumulation under a Gaussian spectrum can be assessed for in- and out-of-phase combined bending and torsion using an allowable damage sum of 0.35 for weldments in the as-welded state and 0.16 for joints with machined weldments with a lower notch factor of the critical area. As an interim design approach, the present and relevant published results indicate that Eurocode 3/IIW S-N curve FAT80/3 (negative inverse slope of 3) is suitable for combined nominal normal and nominal shear stresses acting in-phase, and possibly out-of-phase bending and shear. However, lower curve FAT56/5 is necessary for out-of-phase torsion and bending or tension. Both curves are used in conjunction with the nominal maximum principal stress range occurring during the loading cycle. (orig.)43 refs.Available from TIB Hannover: RA 732(218,1999) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEEuropean Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), Brussels (Belgium)DEGerman

Analytical consideration of surface dose and kerma for megavoltage photon beams in clinical radiation therapy

Background: In radiation therapy, estimation of surface doses is clinically important. This study aimed to obtain an analytical relationship to determine the skin surface dose, kerma and the depth of maximum dose, with energies of 6 and 18 megavoltage (MV). Materials and Methods: To obtain the dose on the surface of skin, using the relationship between dose and kerma and solving differential equations governing the two quantities, a general relationship of dose changes relative to the depth was obtained. By dosimetry all the standard square fields of 5cm×5cm to 40cm×40cm, an equation similar to response to differential equations of the dose and kerma were fitted on the measurements for any field size and energy. Applying two conditions: a) equality of the area under dose distribution and kerma changes in versus depth in 6 and 18 MV, b) equality of the kerma and dose at x=dmax and using these results, coefficients of the obtained analytical relationship were determined. By putting the depth of zero in the relation, amount of PDD and kerma on the surface of the skin, could be obtained. Results: Using the MATLAB software, an exponential binomial function with R-Square >0.9953 was determined for any field size and depth in two energy modes 6 and 18MV, the surface PDD and kerma was obtained and both of them increase due to the increase of the field, but they reduce due to increased energy and from the obtained relation, depth of maximum dose can be determined. Conclusions: Using this analytical formula, one can find the skin surface dose, kerma and thickness of the buildup region