Stochastically Finite Element Buckling and Post Buckling Analysis of Laminated Composite Plates with Foundation in Thermal Environment using Micromechanical Model

This Paper presents the effect of random system properties on thermal buckling response of laminated composite plate using micromechanical approach. The system properties such as thermo-material properties, fiber volume fractions of respective fiber and matrix constituents and foundation parameters are modeled as independent random variables. The temperature field considered to be uniform temperature distributions over the plate surface and through the plate thickness. The material properties of the composite are affected by the variation of temperatures and based on micromechanical model. The basic formulation is based on higher order shear deformation plate theory and general von-Karman types of nonlinearity. A direct iterative based C0 nonlinear finite element method in conjunction mean centered first order perturbation technique is out lined and solved the stochastic linear generalized Eigen value problem. The developed stochastic procedure is usefully used for thermally induced problem based on micromechanical approach with a reasonable accuracy. Parametric studies are carried out to see the effect of volume fractions, amplitude ratios, temperature increments, temperature distributions geometric parameters, lay-ups, boundary conditions and foundation parameters on the mean and variance of plate frequency. The present outlined approach has been validated with those available results in literatures

Effectiveness of percutaneous nephrostomy in reversing obstructive renal failure

A retrospective analysis of 34 patients of obstructive renal failure, initially managed by percutaneous nephrostomy was performed. Pre procedure blood biochemical profile was compared with upto one week follow-up of blood chemistry. There was a decline of 71.1% and 56.08% (P-values 0.0001 and 0.0028) in the mean values of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen respectively at 7 days after the procedure. Improvement in blood biochemical profile was solely dependent on performance of percutaneous nephrostomy

Maternal risk factors associated with low birth weight in Karachi: A case-control study

To evaluate maternal risk factors associated with low birth weight (LBW) among women aged 15-35 years, we carried out a hospital-based, case-control study on 262 cases (mothers of neonates weighing \u3c or = 2.5 kg) and 262 controls (mothers of neonates weighing \u3e 2.5 kg). Odds of delivering a low-birth-weight baby decreased with increase in maternal haemoglobin [odds ratio (OR): 0.701; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62-0.79]. Odds were greater among mothers not using iron supplements during pregnancy (OR: 2.88; 95% CI: 1.83-4.54). Mothers of LBW babies had lower haemoglobin levels before delivery

Clinical features and management of malignant ascites

Retrospective analysis of 45 patients (33 females, 12 males) with cytologically-proven malignant ascites is presented. Abdominal pain was the most frequent symptom (69%). Fiftythree percent cases had low serum albumin. Ascitic fluid was haemorrhagic or serosanguinous in 48% cases, in the rest it was clear or straw-coloured. Peritoneal effusion was exudative in 84% cases. Mean glucose content of ascitic fluid was 95 mg/dl and the mean white cell count of 919 cells/cmm. Vast majority (82%) of the cases had metastatic adenocarcinomas. Primary malignancy was mostly ovarian (47%) followed by non-Hodgkin\u27s lymphoma (11%) and gall bladder carcinoma (9%). Primary site could not be identified in 13% cases. Sixty-two percent patients received systemic chemotherapy for the underlying malignancy, of these 43% had complete or partial resolution of the ascites. Of the patients whose long-term follow-up is available, 54% were alive with a median follow-up of 9 months