Is oral lornoxicam effective in the treatment of acute migraine attacks? : a randomized-controlled study

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of lornoxicam (LNX) in the treatment of acute migraine attacks. Material and Methods: This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted administering either LNX or placebo to patients who were diagnosed with migraine without aura according to the International Headache Society (the year 2004) criteria between 2010 and 2012 Results: Of 44 patients with 120 migraine attacks, 38 were female and rest were males. Mean age was 37.75 ± 9.28 years. Patients recorded using LNX in 87 migraine attacks and placebo in 33 migraine attacks, respectively. Pain intensity scores of the patients were found similar between LNX and placebo groups, statistically. Conclusion: Although oral LNX was found to have efficacy similar to placebo statistically in the treatment of acute migraine attacks, further studies are needed to evaluate appropriately the efficacy of LNX for treatment of acute migraine attacks

Tek ve İki Aşamalı Tulyum Katkılı Fiber Yükselteçlerin S-Bandındaki Kazanç ve Gürültü Analizi

Bu çalışmada S bandında çalışan tek ve iki aşamalı Tulyum Katkılı Fiber Yükselteçler (TKFY) optimize edilerek kazanç ve gürültü spektrumuna etkileri iki farklı durum için karşılaştırılmıştır. İlk durumda Tulyum Katkılı Fiber (TKF) uzunlukları 2.5 m’den 30 m’ye kadar her seferinde 2.5 m arttırılarak değiştirilmiştir. İkinci durumda ise pompa gücü 200 mW’tan 3000 mW’a kadar her seferinde 200 mW arttırılarak değiştirilmiştir. Her iki durum için kazanç ve gürültü spektrumları incelenmiştir. Ayrıca, sırayla -20 dBm ve -30 dBm giriş güçleri ile beslenen 1451-1520 nm bant aralığındaki 24 sinyal, 1050 nm pompa lazeri ile ileri yönlü pompalanmıştır. En yüksek kazancı veren 1469 nm dalgaboyundaki sinyal referans alınarak her iki parametre değişimi karşılaştırılmıştır. Sonuçta -30 dBm giriş gücü ile beslenen sinyalin daha geç doyuma ulaştığı ve daha yüksek kazanç sağladığı görülmüştür. Her iki giriş gücü için de iki aşamalı TKFY kullanmanın; 17.5 m TKF uzunluğunun kazancı %20-25 oranında arttırdığı, 800 mW- 2000 mW aralığındaki pompa gücünde ise kazancı %18-24 oranında arttırdığını göstermiştir. Devreler Optiwave 16.0 yazılımı kullanılarak simüle edilmiştir

Evaluation of nutritional status in pediatric intensive care unit patients: the results of a multicenter, prospective study in Turkey

IntroductionMalnutrition is defined as a pathological condition arising from deficient or imbalanced intake of nutritional elements. Factors such as increasing metabolic demands during the disease course in the hospitalized patients and inadequate calorie intake increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to evaluate nutritional status of patients admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in Turkey, examine the effect of nutrition on the treatment process and draw attention to the need for regulating nutritional support of patients while continuing existing therapies.Material and MethodIn this prospective multicenter study, the data was collected over a period of one month from PICUs participating in the PICU Nutrition Study Group in Turkey. Anthropometric data of the patients, calorie intake, 90-day mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay and length of stay in intensive care unit were recorded and the relationship between these parameters was examined.ResultsOf the 614 patients included in the study, malnutrition was detected in 45.4% of the patients. Enteral feeding was initiated in 40.6% (n = 249) of the patients at day one upon admission to the intensive care unit. In the first 48 h, 86.82% (n = 533) of the patients achieved the target calorie intake, and 81.65% (n = 307) of the 376 patients remaining in the intensive care unit achieved the target calorie intake at the end of one week. The risk of mortality decreased with increasing upper mid-arm circumference and triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.871/0.894; p = 0.027/0.024). The risk of mortality was 2.723 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h (p = 0.006) and the risk was 3.829 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at the end of one week (p = 0.001). The risk of mortality decreased with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.894; p = 0.024).ConclusionTimely and appropriate nutritional support in critically ill patients favorably affects the clinical course. The results of the present study suggest that mortality rate is higher in patients who fail to achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h and day seven of admission to the intensive care unit. The risk of mortality decreases with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reel Effective Exchange Rate Volatilities Impact On Tourism Sector In Turkey: An Empirical Analysis Of 2003-2014

There have been positive changes in the macro indicators of the economy in Turkey over the last decade. The foreign trade volume increased remarkably whereas serious progress has also been observed in many sectors. The volatility in the Turkish currency was relatively reduced in the aftermath to the regulations in the finance sector. Tourism is one of the sectors in Turkey that is open to international markets and attracts foreign currency. The contribution and added value of the tourism sector to the national economy has been growing in recent years. The stability in the domestic currency also positively affected tourism sector. To this end, the revenues in this sector have also increased. This study analyses the dynamics of the macro performance in Turkish economy over the last decade and empirically reviews the developments in tourism sector as well as the reflections in the monetary policies and the real effective exchange rate (REER) volatility. Additionally, empirically tests the relationship between the tourism sector revenues and the REER in the period between 2002 and 2014. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V

Investigation of hydrogen production from boron compounds for PEM fuel cells

WOS: 000238587900012This paper presents a comprehensive study of hydrogen production from sodium borohydride (NaBH4), which is synthesized from sodium tetraborate (Na2B4O7) decomposition, for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. For this purpose, Na2B4O7 decomposition reaction at 450-500 degrees C under hydrogen atmosphere and NaBH4 decomposition reaction at 25-40 degrees C under atmospheric pressure are selected as a common temperature range in practice, and the inlet molar quantities of Na2B4O7 are chosen from 1 to 6 mol with 0.5 mol interval as well. In order to form NaBH4 solution with 7.5 wt.% NaBH4, 1 wt.% NaOH, 91.5 wt.% H2O, the molar quantities of NaBH4 are determined. For a PEM fuel cell operation, the required hydrogen production rates are estimated depending on 60, 65, 70 and 75 g of catalyst used in the NaBH4 solution at 25, 32.5 and 40 degrees C, respectively. It is concluded that the highest rate of hydrogen production per unit area from NaBH4 solution at 40 degrees C is found to be 3.834 x 10(-5) g H-2 s(-1) cm(-2) for 75 g catalyst. Utilizing 80% of this hydrogen production, the maximum amounts of power generation from a PEM fuel cell per unit area at 80 degrees C under 5 atm are estimated as 1.121 W cm(-2) for 0.016 cm by utilizing hydrogen from 75 g catalyst assisted NaBH4 solution at 40 degrees C. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Green energy strategies for sustainable development

WOS: 000242033900025In this study we propose some green energy strategies for sustainable development. In this regard, seven green energy strategies are taken into consideration to determine the sectoral, technological, and application impact ratios. Based on these ratios, we derive a new parameter as the green energy impact ratio. In addition, the green energy-based sustainability ratio is obtained by depending upon the green energy impact ratio, and the green energy utilization ratio that is calculated using actual energy data taken from literature. In order to verify these parameters, three cases are considered. Consequently, it can be considered that the sectoral impact ratio is more important and should be kept constant as much as possible in a green energy policy implementation. Moreover, the green energy-based sustainability ratio increases with an increase of technological, sectoral, and application impact ratios. This means that all negative effects on the industrial, technological, sectoral and social developments partially and/or completely decrease throughout the transition and utilization to and of green energy and technologies when possible sustainable energy strategies are preferred and applied. Thus., the sustainable energy strategies can make an important contribution to the economies of the countries where green energy (e.g., wind, solar, tidal, biomass) is abundantly produced. Therefore, the investment in green energy supply and progress should be encouraged by governments and other authorities for a green energy replacement of fossil fuels for more environmentally benign and sustainable future. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved