The relationship between ABO/rhesus blood groups and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Maghnia, western Algeria

Background: To determine the relationship between ABO/rhesus (Rh) blood groups and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a western Algerian population.Method: This case-control study was conducted at the Regional Hospital Centre of Maghnia, Tlemcen, from July 2008 to May 2009, involving 280 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 271 healthy controls. Blood samples were collected from the patients after consent had been obtained. The samples were tested for ABO and Rh blood groups, using the Beth-Vincent and Simonin-Michon methods. The allele frequencies were calculated according to the Bernstein formulas. Results: The χ2 test results showed that there was no association between the ABO blood group and type 2 diabetes mellitus. It was also noted that the O blood group was distributed with the highest frequency among diabetic subjects (52.85%). For the Rh system, d allele frequency presence was higher in diabetics than in nondiabetics (0.3778 and 0.3644 respectively). The difference between phenotype frequencies was not significant (p = 0.733). The distribution of ABO/Rh blood groups between gender and ethnic group showed no significant difference (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our study confirms that there is no association between ABO/Rh blood group and diabetes mellitus in this Algerian population.Keywords: ABO, rhesus, type 2 diabetes, Algeri

The benefit of preventing exposure keratopathy in icu patient: a case report

We report the case of 55 year old man hospitalized in intensive care unit following a complication of his surgery for acoustic neuroma, for which he was intubated. During his hospitalization, he presented a bilateral exposure keratitis complicated by an abscess and corneal perforation. The ocular surface is protected by the tear film, the blinking of eyelids and the lid closure. The tear film provides lubrication of the cornea and also contains antimicrobial substances. Use of muscle relaxants and sedation in patients on ventilator contributes to inadequate lid closure by decreasing the tonic contraction of ocular muscles. The constant exposure of the ocular surface put the ICU patients at high risk of developing exposure keratopathy. This condition predisposes to microbial keratitis, which may lead to corneal perforation and visual loss. Previous studies have reported that about 40% of patients develop exposure keratopathy during their stay in the ICU. The use of ocular lubricants and securing tape over the eyelids in intubated patients can prevented it. Also, the use of swimming goggles and regular moistening of eyelids providing a moisture chamber could be more effective.Pan African Medical Journal 2016; 2

Modular Machining Line Design and Reconfiguration: Some Optimization Methods

http://www.intechopen.com/articles/show/title/modular_machining_line_design_and_reconfiguration__some_optimization_methodsInternational audienc

A Maximum Power Point Tracking Control Algorithms for a PMSG‐based WECS for Isolated Applications: Critical Review

This chapter deals with a comprehensive overview study of the direct‐driven (DD) permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) for wind‐energy generation system for stand‐alone applications. The dynamic model of PMSG is presented, and different maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms have been realized in the aim to compare their performance. A comparison of performances of the conventional P&O MPPT and the fuzzy logic P&O (FLC P&O) MPPT is presented. Control technique for the presented system is presented and analyzed for the generator side converter. The simulation results carried out using Matlab/Simulink software show the effectiveness of the wind turbine control system

Effect of a partial saturation on the hydromechanical response of a clay rock

The behaviour of claystones and shales ispresently investigated in details in link with their potential use as host rock for radioactive waste disposal at great depth. Claystones are very sensitive to changes in water content, with an increase of their mechanical properties with desaturation under increased suction. Claystones have standard water retention properties but some effect of hydric damage is observed after a drying-wetting cycle that results in enhanced swelling. The microstructure of the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone tested here is characterized by a clay matrix (50% clay fraction) made up of clay platelets that can be assimilated to bricks. The pore size distribution is well organized around a mean diameter of 32nm that provides an idea of the mean thickness of the platelets. A stress release at constant water content results in a swelling and desaturation due to an internal transfer from free inter-platelets water to linked intra-platelets water

New poly(o-phenylenediamine)/modified-clay nanocomposites: A study on spectral, thermal, morphological and electrochemical characteristics

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of new poly(o-phenylenediamine (PoPD)/modified-clay nanocomposite materials. For the synthesis, the raw clay (named as Mag) used in this study was from Maghnia (west Algeria), (Mag) clay was ion-exchanged with cobalt(II) sulfate hydrate and copper sulfate. The modified-clays were then dispersed in a oPD monomer-containing acidic solution to carry out in-situ intercalative oxidative polymerization by ammonium persulfate. XRF and XRD characterization reveal the success of ion-exchange to form highly intercalated Mag-Co and Mag-Cu clays. After polymerization, the disappearance of the interlayer-spacing diffraction peak for the PoPD-Mag-Cu and PoPD-Mag-Co nanocomposites points out fully exfoliation of the clay structure. The formation of intercalated PoPD into modified-clay nanocomposites was confirmed by XRD, TEM, TG analysis, FTIR spectroscopy and UV–vis studies. The nanocomposites show optical properties and the redox processes observed by cyclic voltammetry indicate that the reported polymerization into modified-clays leads to electroactive hybrid materials. All these properties make these polymer/clay nanocomposites attractive materials for multiple applications.The authors wish to acknowledge the Directorate General for Scientific Research and Technological Development Algeria. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and FEDER is acknowledged for financial support (MAT2016-76595-R)

Power Flow Management Algorithm for a Remote Microgrid Based on Artificial Intelligence Techniques

This paper presents a novel power flow management algorithm for remote microgrids based on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. The objectives of this power management system are enhancing microgrid reliability, improving renewable energy source (RES) integration, and performing active/reactive power control for remote microgrids using the fuzzy logic. This paper evaluates the performance of the proposed algorithm, which consists of both sharing diesel genset active power and regulating reactive power by using stepped and variable profiles of the load, wind speed and solar irradiation. According to the simulation results, better performance is achieved regardless of the rapid variation of different profiles. Thus, both stability and reliability of remote microgrids are demonstrated with the proposed algorithm. Indeed, the active/reactive power control algorithm responds quickly to different events on the remote microgrid, especially to rapid voltage/frequency variations on the AC-link system