GENESIS: Co-location of Geodetic Techniques in Space

Improving and homogenizing time and space reference systems on Earth and, more directly, realizing the Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF) with an accuracy of 1mm and a long-term stability of 0.1mm/year are relevant for many scientific and societal endeavors. The knowledge of the TRF is fundamental for Earth and navigation sciences. For instance, quantifying sea level change strongly depends on an accurate determination of the geocenter motion but also of the positions of continental and island reference stations, as well as the ground stations of tracking networks. Also, numerous applications in geophysics require absolute millimeter precision from the reference frame, as for example monitoring tectonic motion or crustal deformation for predicting natural hazards. The TRF accuracy to be achieved represents the consensus of various authorities which has enunciated geodesy requirements for Earth sciences. Today we are still far from these ambitious accuracy and stability goals for the realization of the TRF. However, a combination and co-location of all four space geodetic techniques on one satellite platform can significantly contribute to achieving these goals. This is the purpose of the GENESIS mission, proposed as a component of the FutureNAV program of the European Space Agency. The GENESIS platform will be a dynamic space geodetic observatory carrying all the geodetic instruments referenced to one another through carefully calibrated space ties. The co-location of the techniques in space will solve the inconsistencies and biases between the different geodetic techniques in order to reach the TRF accuracy and stability goals endorsed by the various international authorities and the scientific community. The purpose of this white paper is to review the state-of-the-art and explain the benefits of the GENESIS mission in Earth sciences, navigation sciences and metrology.Comment: 31 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Earth, Planets and Space (EPS

The decrease in erythrocyte sedimentation rate related to general anesthesia

WOS: 000242381600004PubMed: 17148844The aim of this study was to investigate whether general anesthetic agents change erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) affecting erythrocytes' shape and membrane structure in routine clinical dose manner. Forty patients (23 female and 17 male) undergoing elective surgery were included to the study. Blood samples were obtained just before induction of the anesthesia and 10 minutes after endotracheal intubation. The ESR was measured using Test-1 ESR analyzer. ESR values of the second blood samples were significantly lower than the first values (p < 0.001). At the beginning, the ESR was 18.1 +/- 11.5 mm/h, and then it decreased to 13.1 +/- 9.3 at 10th minutes. Our results indicated that anesthetic agents affected the ESR. No increase was observed in the second ESR values which were equal to, or less than the first values. General anesthesia may lead to this decrease changing electrolyte balance of erythrocyte, affecting ligands of agglomerins in membrane directly and indirectly, or changing discoid shape of erythrocyte

The effects of the non-volatile anaesthetic agents, propofol and thiopental, on erythrocyte sedimentation rate

WOS: 000253452100006PubMed: 18484074Objectives. The reduction of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) induced by general anaesthesia was demonstrated in our previous study. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the type of induction agent (propofol or thiopental) used for general anaesthesia had any effects on ESR. Methods. Sixty-four patients (ASA Physical Status Classification, I-II) scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia were randomly assigned into two groups. In Group I, propofol and in Group II, thiopental were used as induction agents. Two blood samples were obtained before induction and 10 minutes after endotracheal intubation for ESR measurements. Results. The ESR values of the second samples from both groups were significantly lower than the values of the first samples, but there were no statistically significant differences in ESR values between the values of the two groups. Conclusion. The results showed that general anaesthesia decreased ESR values regardless of the type of agents being used for induction of anaesthesia. The reason might be related to other drugs used in both groups, or to a common effector mechanism of the two induction agents. The underlying mechanism needs to be investigated

Prospective Randomized Trial to Determine Whether Inhalational Anesthetics Have Any Effects on Hearing Function

WOS: 000273634500012PubMed: 19755091Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of inhalation anesthetics (sevoflurane and isoflurane) on hearing function by using an audiometric test battery. Design: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, clinical trial. Setting: University hospital. Patients: Fifty-three adult patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists I-II) scheduled for sinonasal surgery with intratracheal general anesthesia were enrolled in the study. The patients were premedicated with diazepam intramuscularly. Propofol 2 mg/kg (Diprivan, AstraZeneca, Wilmington, DE) was given intravenously (IV) for induction of general anesthesia. After endotracheal intubation with vecuronium IV (1 mg/kg), in group 1 (n = 27) sevoflurane 2% and in group 2 (n = 26) isoflurane 1.2% were used to maintain general anesthesia. All patients received nitrous oxide during maintenance. Main Outcome Measures: The patients' hearing function was measured before anesthesia and 24 hours after surgery by means of pure-tone audiometry, high-frequency pure-tone audiometry, and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) by the same clinician. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the demographic data and the hemodynamic and respiratory parameters of the groups. No significant differences were found between groups in hearing thresholds of conventional pure-tone audiometry and extended high frequency (p > .05). For TEOAE responses, no statistically significant differences were determined between pre- and postoperative measurements (p > .05). Conclusion: It was audiometrically demonstrated that general anesthesia did not affect the hearing function in any of the patients undergoing sinonasal surgery. These findings encourage the use of sevoflurane or isoflurane as a safe agent without any ototoxic effects in otorhinolaryngologic surgery with general anesthesia

The effects of preanesthetic, single-dose dexmedetomidine on induction, hemodynamic, and cardiovascular parameters

WOS: 000260134200006PubMed: 18929283Study Objectives: To investigate the hemodynamic, cardiovascular, and recovery effects of dexmedetomidine used as a single preanesthetic dose. Design: Randomized, prospective, double-blind study. Setting: University Hospital of Kirikkale, Kirikkale, Turkey. Patients: 40 ASA physical status I and II patients, aged 20 to 60 years, who were scheduled for elective cholecystectomy. Interventions: Patients were randomly divided into two groups to receive 0.5 mu g kg(-1) dexmedetomidine (group D, n = 20) or saline solution (group C, n = 20). Anesthesia was induced with thiopental sodium and vecuronium, and anesthesia was maintained with 4% to 6% desflurane. Measurements: Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), (ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic index (EDI), cardiac index (CI), and stroke volume index (SVI) were recorded at 10-minute intervals. The times for patients to "open eyes on verbal command" and postoperative Aldrete recovery scores were also recorded. Main Results: In group C, an increase in HR and MAP occurred after endotracheal intubation. In group D, HR significantly decreased after dexmedetomidine was given. The EDI, Cl, SVI, and EF values were similar in groups D and C. The modified Aldrete recovery scores of patients in the recovery room were similar in groups C and D at the 15th minute. Conclusions: A single dose of dexmedetomidine given before induction of anesthesia decreased thiopental requirements without serious hemodynamic effects or any effect on recovery time. Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Application of nanofiltration for reuse of wastewater

WOS: 000344364800016The present research is a part of efforts to reuse wastewater by applying nanofiltration (NF) method for the secondary treatment of bio-treated wastewater and to check the quality of product water as irrigation water by using various analytical methods. For this, the performances of three different NF membranes (CK, GE-Osmonics; NF-270 and NF-90, Dow-FilmTech) were investigated using a cross-flow flat-sheet membrane test unit (SEPA CF-II, GE). The bio-treated wastewater obtained from ITOB-OSB Wastewater Treatment Plant, Izmir where membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology is employed as a treatment process has a high salinity and a high conductivity which make the treated water unsuitable for irrigation purposes. After applying NF separation for the three membranes at 10 bar as operating pressure, it was concluded that NF-90 gave the best quality of product water for almost all analysed parameters such as salinity calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, chloride, sulphate, phosphate-phosphorous, nitrate-nitrogen, and conductivity

Removal of boron from geothermal water by RO system-I-Effect of membrane configuration and applied pressure

WOS: 000316040000020In this study, a mini pilot scale reverse osmosis (RO) system containing two spiral wound FilmTech BW30-2540 membranes was installed at a geothermal area in Izmir, Turkey. The desalination and boron removal performances of this system were investigated. The effect of such parameters as operating pressure and the number of membranes employed during the operation on desalination performance of the system was investigated. The system performance was evaluated at 12 and 15 bar of operating pressures as a function of the number of membranes used. Desalination performance of brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) system was determined by the quality and quantity analyses of the product water. When the operating pressure was increased, a high permeate recovery, permeate flux and salt rejection were obtained with both single and double membrane configurations. The maximum boron rejection was 47% at 12 bar of applied pressure while it increased to 49% at 15 bar of applied pressure using a single membrane mode of operation. The lowest average boron concentration in the product water was 4.7 mg/L at 15 bar of applied pressure for a single membrane configuration. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.National Boron Research Institute, Turkey (BOREN)Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources - Turkey [2008-G-0192]; Ege UniversityEge University [EU-2009-FEN-040, EU-2010-BIL-010]This study was financially supported by the National Boron Research Institute, Turkey (BOREN) through a grant (Project No. 2008-G-0192) and partly by Ege University (Project Nos.: EU-2009-FEN-040 and EU-2010-BIL-010). We are grateful to the Izmir Geothermal Energy Co. for the permission and the great support to perform our tests in the geothermal field. We thank M.Akcay, I.Ipek, S.Solak and P.Koseoglu for their kind help for some analyses

Photobiomodulation with polychromatic light increases zone 4 survival of transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of relatively novel approach of application of polychromatic light waves on flap survival of experimental musculocutaneous flap model and to investigate efficacy of this modality as a delay procedure to increase vascularization of zone 4 of transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap. Methods Twenty-one Wistar rats were randomized and divided into 3 experimental groups (n = 7 each). In group 1 (control group), after being raised, the TRAM flap was sutured back to its bed without any further intervention. In group 2 (delay group), photobiomodulation (PBM) was applied for 7 days as a delay procedure, before elevation of the flap. In group 3 (PBM group), the TRAM flap was elevated, and PBM was administered immediately after the flap was sutured back to its bed for therapeutic purpose. PBM was applied in 48 hours interval from 10 cm. distance to the whole abdominal wall both in groups 2 and 3 for one week. After 7 days of postoperative follow-up, as the demarcation of necrosis of the skin paddle was obvious, skin flap survival was further evaluated by macroscopic, histological and microangiographic analysis. Results The mean percentage of skin flap necrosis was 56.17 +/- 23.68 for group 1, 30.92 +/- 17.46 for group 2 and 22.73 +/- 12.98 for group 3 PBM receiving groups 2 and 3 revealed less necrosis when compared to control group and this difference was statistically significant. Vascularization in zone 4 of PBM applied groups 2 and 3 was higher compared to group 1 (P = 0.001). Acute inflammation in zone 4 of group 1 was significantly higher compared to groups 2 and 3 (P = 0.025). Similarly, evaluation of zone 1 of the flaps reveled more inflammation and less vascularization among the samples of the control group (P = 0.006 and P = 0.007, respectively). Comparison of PBM receiving two groups did not demonstrate further difference in means of vascularization and inflammation density (P = 0.259). Conclusion Application of PBM in polychromatic fashion enhances skin flap survival in experimental TRAM flap model both on preoperative basis as a delay procedure or as a therapeutic approach. Lasers Surg. 51:538-549, 2019. (c) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc