TRANSMIGRANCY EXPERIENCES OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPEAN AU PAIRS IN THE WASHINGTON D.C., METROPOLITAN AREA

This dissertation explores transmigrancy experiences of au pairs by examining the processes of building and maintaining transnational mobilities among this population. These processes involve these women's motivations for becoming au pairs in the United States, settlement plans and strategies prior and subsequent to migration, and long-term incorporation patterns in the home and host countries. I employ intersectionality and transnational feminist frameworks of analysis in order to contextualize and scrutinize multidimensionality of women's transmigrancy experiences at multiple levels. At the individual level, I look at the extent of transmigrant women's agency in seeking their initial and long-term settlement plans. At the intermediate level, I examine the extent of their social networks in shaping their settlement and incorporation goals by analyzing formation, types, and sustenance of these networks at the local and transnational levels. At the structural level, I investigate the structural contexts their agency is embedded in, and how their transmigrancy experiences and practices relate to structural power relations of gender, social class, marital status, nationality, and immigration status. The findings of this research draw on a three-year-long feminist ethnographic study of transmigrant women who originated from Eastern and Central European post-communist countries, entered the United States through au pair programs and were residing in the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area. I show that these women were primarily motivated to partake in au pair programs for non-economic goals such as cultural exchange, and planned short-term settlement. However, in the long-term, they sought to sustain double affiliation in their home countries and the United States for negotiating oppressive economic, cultural, and social structures intensified with post-communist transition in their home countries. In doing so, they managed to maintain a legal immigration status and ultimately planned to obtain permanent residency rights in the United States. The empirical findings of the dissertation challenge overgeneralized assumptions on transmigrants' agency, social networks, settlement, and incorporation patterns in transnationalism scholarships. It also contributes a nuanced understanding of the dynamics and complexities of building and maintaining transnational mobilities among an under-researched population; namely, au pair transmigrants

Can platelet count/spleen diameter ratio be used for cirrhotic children to predict esophageal varices?

AIM To determine the laboratory and radiologic parameters, including the platelet count (PC)-to-spleen diameter (SD) ratio as a non-invasive marker that may predict the presence of esophageal varices (EV) in children with cirrhosis. METHODS Eighty-nine patients with cirrhosis, but without a history of variceal bleeding were prospectively included. The children were grouped into 6-12 and 12-18 years of age groups. These groups were also divided into 2 subgroups (presence and absence of EV). All of the patients underwent a complete biochemical and radiologic evaluation. The PC (n/mm(3))-to-SD (mm) ratio was calculated for each patient. RESULTS Sixty-nine of 98 (70.4%) patients had EV. The presence of ascites in all age groups was significantly associated with the presence of EV. There were no differences in serum albumin levels, PC, SD and the PC-to-SD ratio between the presence and absence of EV groups in both age groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Laboratory and radiologic parameters, including the PC-to-SD ratio as a non-invasive marker (except for the presence of ascites), was inappropriate for detecting EV in children with cirrhosis

Optimum design-parameters of a heat exchanger having hexagonal fins

In the present study, the effects of the heights and widths of the hexagonal fins, streamwise and spanwise distances between fins, and flow velocity on the heat and pressure-drop characteristics were investigated using the Taguchi experimental-design method. Nusselt number and friction factor were considered as performance statistics. An L18(21*37) orthogonal array was selected as the experimental plan for the five parameters mentioned above. While the optimum parameters were determined, the trade-off among goals was considered. First of all, each goal was optimized, separately. Then, all the goals were optimized together, considering the priority of the goals, and the optimum results were found to be a fin width of 14 mm, a fin height of 150 mm, spanwise distance between fins of 20 mm, and streamwise distance between fins of 20 mm for a flow velocity of 4 m/s.Heat-transfer enhancement Taguchi methods Cooling of electronics Hexagonal fins

ALCALIGENES XYLOSOXIDANS BACTEREMIA IN A PATIENT WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

Alcaligenes xylosoxidans which is an aerobic, non-fermentative gram-negative bacillus found in aqueous environments and human flora, can lead to opportunistic infections. It causes infections in elderly, immunocompromised patients, patients with chronic disorders or premature infants. In this report, a case of A.xylosoxidans bacteremia that developed in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was presented. Four years old male patient under ALL induction therapy was admitted with symptoms of lethargy, headache, somnolence, and fever (39 degrees C). Cerebrospinal fluid, blood, throat and urine cultures were taken from the patient and empirical treatment with sulbactam cefoperazon and amikacin was initiated. Blood cultures in BacT Alert 3D (Bio Merieux, France) revealed the growth of a gram-negative coccobacillus. The agent which was non-fermentative, indol and H(2)S negative, was identified as A.xylosoxidans by AN 20 NE (Bio Merieux, France). Since fever continued under the current antibiotic treatment, the therapy was switched to imipenem (90 mg/kg 3x/day) and the patient's condition improved markedly after 24 hours. Disc diffusion susceptibility testing of the isolate revealed that it was resistant to ampicillin, cephalothin, cefuroxime, cefoxitin, cefotaxime, amikacin, netilmicin and gentamicin; susceptible to amoxicillin clavulanate, piperacillin tazobactam, seftazidime, cefepime, imipenem and ciprofloxacin. Following 14 days of imipenem therapy, the patient recovered and discharged from the hospital on routine follow-up. It is important to consider A.xylosoxidans as a possible causative agent particularly in the infections that develop in high risk patients at oncology, dialysis and neonatal intensive care units

Effects of tapes with double-sided delta-winglets on heat and vortex characteristics

An experimental study was carried out for tapes with double-sided delta-winglets under different geometrical and flow parameters, including angles of attack (90°, 60° and 30°), winglet heights (8, 12 and 16 mm), pitch arrangements (25, 50 and 75 mm) and Reynolds numbers (3690, 10493 and 16906). By using the Taguchi experimental-design method, the optimum parameters of the turbulator were determined by obtaining the Nusselt number, friction factor, amplitude of fluctuation pressure of the vortices and the vortex-shedding frequency. First of all, each goal was optimized, separately. Then, all the goals were optimized together, considering the priority of the goals, and the optimum results were obtained at a Reynolds number of 16906, 25 mm pitch, 8 mm height of winglet and 30° angle of attack, so that vortex-shedding frequencies are maximised. For lower frequencies, optimum conditions occurred at a Reynolds number of 16906 for 75 mm pitch, 8 mm height of winglet and 60° angle of attack.Heat-transfer enhancement Delta-winglet Taguchi method Flow-induced vibration

A Previously Healthy Premature Infant Treated With Thrombolytic Therapy for Life-threatening Pulmonary Artery Thrombosis

Pulmonary artery thrombosis is rarely reported in preterm neonates. Although treatment of neonatal thrombosis remains controversial, thrombolytic agents must be considered when the thrombosis is life threatening. We herein present a case of a preterm newborn with pulmonary artery thrombosis accompanied by acute-onset respiratory failure and cyanotic congenital heart disease. The thrombosis was successfully treated using tissue plasminogen activator. In conclusion, the thrombolytic therapy should be considered in treatment of patients in whom the thrombosis completely occludes the pulmonary arteries

Characteristics, Treatment, and Long-Term Outcome of Gastrointestinal Involvement in Behcet's Syndrome A Strobe-Compliant Observational Study From a Dedicated Multidisciplinary Center

Gastrointestinal involvement is rare in Behcet's syndrome (BS) patients from the Mediterranean basin. We report the demographic and disease characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcome of patients with gastrointestinal involvement in BS (GIBS)

Circumcision in children with bleeding diathesis

Aim: Circumcision is one of the most commonly performed procedures in children, however there are few reports which describe circumcision in patients with bleeding disorders. The aim of this study is to present our experience in circumcision of children with BD