964 research outputs found
The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus and its related risk factors in Gorgan, north of Iran. Selective or universal screening test is cost-effective?
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most prevalent metabolic disorder in pregnancy. GDM is defined in <1 % to 28 % of pregnancies, depending on the diagnostic criteria, the ethnic and racial characteristics. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of GDM and related risk factors among pregnant women in Gorgan, north of Iran. In a cross sectional study, 1276 pregnant women were recruited. All of women screened with glucose challenge test (GCT) in 24–28th wks of gestational age. Women with positive GCT underwent 100 g glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Diagnosis of GDM was according to Carpenter and Coustan’s criteria. GCT was positive in 200 women (15.8 % with CI: 13.8 %–17.8 %) and GDM was diagnosed in 62 case (4.9 % with CI:3.7 %–6.8 %). In a multiple logistic regression, risk factors such as age, BMI, history of macrosomia, familial history of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) were identified as independent risk factors for GDM (p < 0.05). Among GDM cases, 3.2 %(2 women) had no risk factor. These results show moderate prevalence of GDM in north of Iran. It seems that a selective GDM screening method for women with some risk factors is more appropriate than general screening. © 2015, Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India
Depression and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes
Background: Frequency of mood disorders in patients with chronic diseases, especially diabetes and its effects on life quality are dramatically increasing. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relation between depression and quality of life in patients with diabetes. Patients and Methods: This is a cross sectional survey. Subjects were selected from 330 eligible people referred to the only diabetes clinic in Gorgan City during 6 months, using systematic random sampling. Beak Depression questionnaire and the brief questioner with 26 questions recommended by the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-BREF) were used to measure depression and quality of life, respectively. Data were analyzed through descriptive methods, Chi-square, Independent t test and linear regression model using SPSS16; moreover, P value < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: In total, 330 patients with diabetes (35.5% male and 64.5% women) were studied. The mean and standard deviation of their age and years involved with diabetes were 50.6 ± 9.0 and 5.4 ± 4.5 years, respectively. Range of age was 25 - 75 years, as well. The prevalence of depression in all patients with diabetes was 58.2% (124 mild, 56 medium, and 12 with severe depression). Hypertension was 13.9% more in diabetic patients with depression (P value < 0.001) and physical activity in 24.7% of the cases was less with a meaningful difference (P value = 0.01). The mean and standard deviation of quality of life in diabetic patients with and without depression was 50.7 ± 14 and 60.5 ± 13.3, respectively that was significant in two groups (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The prevalence of depression is high in patients with diabetes and has a considerable impact on the consequences of diabetes and quality of life too. © 2015, Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal
Cosmology with minimal length uncertainty relations
We study the effects of the existence of a minimal observable length in the
phase space of classical and quantum de Sitter (dS) and Anti de Sitter (AdS)
cosmology. Since this length has been suggested in quantum gravity and string
theory, its effects in the early universe might be expected. Adopting the
existence of such a minimum length results in the Generalized Uncertainty
Principle (GUP), which is a deformed Heisenberg algebra between minisuperspace
variables and their momenta operators. We extend these deformed commutating
relations to the corresponding deformed Poisson algebra in the classical limit.
Using the resulting Poisson and Heisenberg relations, we then construct the
classical and quantum cosmology of dS and Ads models in a canonical framework.
We show that in classical dS cosmology this effect yields an inflationary
universe in which the rate of expansion is larger than the usual dS universe.
Also, for the AdS model it is shown that GUP might change the oscillatory
nature of the corresponding cosmology. We also study the effects of GUP in
quantized models through approximate analytical solutions of the Wheeler-DeWitt
(WD) equation, in the limit of small scale factor for the universe, and compare
the results with the ordinary quantum cosmology in each case.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, to appear in IJMP
Direct imaging with highly diluted apertures. II. Properties of the point spread function of a hypertelescope
In the future, optical stellar interferometers will provide true images
thanks to larger number of telescopes and to advanced cophasing subsystems.
These conditions are required to have sufficient resolution elements (resel) in
the image and to provide direct images in the hypertelescope mode. It has
already been shown that hypertelescopes provide snapshot images with a
significant gain in sensitivity without inducing any loss of the useful field
of view for direct imaging applications. This paper aims at studying the
properties of the point spread functions of future large arrays using the
hypertelescope mode. Numerical simulations have been performed and criteria
have been defined to study the image properties. It is shown that the choice of
the configuration of the array is a trade-off between the resolution, the halo
level and the field of view. A regular pattern of the array of telescopes
optimizes the image quality (low halo level and maximum encircled energy in the
central peak), but decreases the useful field of view. Moreover, a
non-redundant array is less sensitive to the space aliasing effect than a
redundant array.Comment: 10 pages paper with referee in A&
Study of the scientific potential of a three 40 cm Telescopes Interferometer at Dome C
Recent site testing (see:
http://www-luan.unice.fr/Concordiastro/indexantartic.html) has shown that Dome
C in Antarctica might have a high potential for stellar interferometry if some
solutions related to the surface atmospheric layer are found. A demonstrator
interferometer could be envisioned in order to fully qualify the site and
prepare the future development of a large array.
We analyse the performances of a prototype interferometer for Dome C made
with 3 telescopes of 40 cm diameter. It assumes classical Michelson
recombination. The most recent atmospheric and environmental conditions
measured at Dome C are considered (see K. Agabi "First whole atmosphere
night-time seeing measurements at Dome C, Antarctica"). We also study the
possible science reachable with such a demonstrator. Especially we evaluate
that even such small aperture interferometer could allow the detection and low
resolution spectroscopy of the most favourable pegaside planets.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, conferences SPIE, 0rlando, 200
Dilaton Cosmology, Noncommutativity and Generalized Uncertainty Principle
The effects of noncommutativity and of the existence of a minimal length on
the phase space of a dilatonic cosmological model are investigated. The
existence of a minimum length, results in the Generalized Uncertainty Principle
(GUP), which is a deformed Heisenberg algebra between the minisuperspace
variables and their momenta operators. We extend these deformed commutating
relations to the corresponding deformed Poisson algebra. For an exponential
dilaton potential, the exact classical and quantum solutions in the commutative
and noncommutative cases, and some approximate analytical solutions in the case
of GUP, are presented and compared.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, typos correcte
Atmospheric effects of stellar cosmic rays on Earth-like exoplanets orbiting M-dwarfs
M-dwarf stars are generally considered favourable for rocky planet detection.
However, such planets may be subject to extreme conditions due to possible high
stellar activity. The goal of this work is to determine the potential effect of
stellar cosmic rays on key atmospheric species of Earth-like planets orbiting
in the habitable zone of M-dwarf stars and show corresponding changes in the
planetary spectra. We build upon the cosmic rays model scheme of Grenfell et
al. (2012), who considered cosmic ray induced NOx production, by adding further
cosmic ray induced production mechanisms (e.g. for HOx) and introducing primary
protons of a wider energy range (16 MeV - 0.5 TeV). Previous studies suggested
that planets in the habitable zone that are subject to strong flaring
conditions have high atmospheric methane concentrations, while their ozone
biosignature is completely destroyed. Our current study shows, however, that
adding cosmic ray induced HOx production can cause a decrease in atmospheric
methane abundance of up to 80\%. Furthermore, the cosmic ray induced HOx
molecules react with NOx to produce HNO, which produces strong HNO
signals in the theoretical spectra and reduces NOx-induced catalytic
destruction of ozone so that more than 25\% of the ozone column remains. Hence,
an ozone signal remains visible in the theoretical spectrum (albeit with a
weaker intensity) when incorporating the new cosmic ray induced NOx and HOx
schemes, even for a constantly flaring M-star case. We also find that HNO
levels may be high enough to be potentially detectable. Since ozone
concentrations, which act as the key shield against harmful UV radiation, are
affected by cosmic rays via NOx-induced catalytic destruction of ozone, the
impact of stellar cosmic rays on surface UV fluxes is also studied.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figure
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