Analysing stillbirth data using dynamic self organizing maps

Even with the presence of modern obstetric care, stillbirth rate seems to stay stagnant or has even risen slightly in countries such as England and has become a significant public health concern [1]. In the light of current medical research, maternal risk factors such as diabetes and hypertensive disease were identified as possible risk factors and are taken into consideration in antenatal care. However, medical practitioners and researchers suspect possible relationships between trends in maternal demographics, antenatal care and pregnancy information of current stillbirth in consideration [2]. Although medical data and knowledge is available appropriate computing techniques to analyze the data may lead to identification of high risk groups. In this paper we use an unsupervised clustering technique called Growing Self organizing Map (GSOM) to analyse the stillbirth data and present patterns which can be important to medical researchers

Fuel Saving with a Hybrid Power System for an Electric Ferry

Fuel efficiency improvements and integration of low or zero emission sources into shipboard power systems have recently become a global trend in the maritime industry.In this context, hybrid ship power system architectures with diesel-electric generators and battery energy storage systems have drawn attention as an attractive solution to increase fuel efficiency and thereby reduce emissions. In this arrangement, the battery energy storage system is used as a buffer to decouple the load dynamics and thereby allow the engine to operate at its optimal operating range. The aim of this study is to assess thefuel saving that can be achieved with this arrangement in an electric ferry. Load profile of an actual ferry, operating between two terminals, is used to estimate the fuel-saving. Results of this study showed that 4.65 L of fuel can be saved in a round-trip by avoiding low efficiency operating regions of the diesel engine

A case of generalised myasthenia gravis with membranous nephropathy

We report a 40-year old woman with bilateral partial ptosis, complete external ophthalmoplegia, and weakness and fatiguability of upper limbs. She was on treatment for hypertension for 5 months at the time of admission. She was found to have generalised myasthenia gravis and membranous nephropathy with end-stage renal disease. Her symptoms and signs improved within 2 months on treatment with neostigmine and prednisolone. It is postulated that either thymic hyperplasia or the subclinical stage of a thymoma may be the underlying aetiological factor in this patient

p Oxidative Stability of Vacuum-Packed Chicken Wings Marinated with Fruit Juices during Frozen Storage

Antioxidants present in fruits and vegetables have a potential to reduce disease risk, and increase the shelf life of food products by reducing lipid oxidation. The effect of marination with antioxidants-rich fruit juices on quality characteristics of vacuum-packed chicken wings were examined during frozen storage. Chicken wings were mixed separately with marinades containing pineapple juice, June plum juice, and mango juice and kept for 12 h and 24 h. Three best marination conditions were selected based on a sensory evaluation. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of fruit juices, and marinade uptake, and marinade loss of marinated chicken wings were determined. In addition, vacuum packed marinated chicken wings were tested for pH, water holding capacity (WHC), 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value and antioxidant activity over a 4-wk frozen storage. The best sensory properties were reported from chicken wings marinated with pineapple juice for 24 h, mango juice for 24 h, and June plum juice for 12 h (p<0.05) compared to other marinade-time combinations. Mango juice showed the highest antioxidant activity (92.2%) and total phenolic content (38.45 mu g/mL; p<0.05) compared to other fruit juices. The pH and WHC of vacuumpacked chicken wings were slightly decreased over the frozen storage (p<0.05). Moreover, chicken wings marinated with mango juice had the lowest TBARS values and the highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate free radical scavenging activity. In conclusion, mango juice was selected among tested as the most effective marinade for enhancing the oxidative stability of lipid while maintaining the other meat quality traits of vacuum-packed chicken wings.N

Bioactive and Taste-related Compounds in Defatted Freeze-dried Chicken Soup Made from Two Different Chicken Breeds Obtained at Retail

The aim of this study was to compare the bioactive and taste-related compounds in defatted freeze-dried chicken soup (DFDS) made from Korean native chickens (WoorimatdagTM, KNC) and commercial broilers (CB) available at retail. The betaine, carnitine, histidine dipeptide, creatine, nucleotide, free amino acid content, and fatty acid composition were analyzed in six DFDS samples from each breed. Histidine dipeptides were not detected in any DFDS samples. DFDS made with KNC had significantly higher betaine, carnitine, inosine-5′-monophosphate, inosine, and cysteine content compared to that prepared from CB. Furthermore, lipid layer separated from soup made with KNC showed a significantly higher linoleic, α-linolenic, arachidonic, and docosahexaenoic acid content, and lower saturated fatty acid content. In addition, DFDS from CB possessed a higher valine, isoleucine, leucine, phenyalanine, methionine, creatine, and hypoxanthine content than that from KNC. Our findings suggest that DFDS from KNC was qualitatively superior due to enhanced nutritional and taste-related factors compared to that made with CB