59,757 research outputs found
Ophthalmic complications of spina bifida and hydrocephalus
No full textThis thesis represents an attempt to further our knowledge of the ophthalmic complications of spina bifida and hydrocephalus by means of literature review and a long term clinical study, and to determine whether regular ophthalmic supervision can assist in the general management of affected children. The ophthalmic complications of spina bifida have often been reported in the literature and thought to merit regular supervision of affected children, yet few centres currently offer this service. In this study 322 children attending one regional centre were examined repeatedly over a six year period by one ophthalmologist. Ophthalmic complications were found to be very common. They frequently provided evidence of raised intracranial pressure due to shunt dysfunction even when other objective evidence was lacking. Every spina bifida and hydrocephalus clinic should have an ophthalmalogist in its medical team. Preservation of visual function and early diagnosis of raised intracranial pressure in these children should result from this arrangement
P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S
No full textSyracuse University School of Architecture Fall 2014 Lecture Series: P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S by Marcelo Spina and Georgina Huljich on September 23, 2014 at Slocum Hall
ARX Linear Model Set-Up for Fault Diagnosis of Gas Turbine Sensors
No full textThe diagnosis of gas turbine sensor faults requires models of the system to calculate estimates of the measured output system variables. The model set-up phase is of great importance since the reliability of the diagnostic tool depends on the model accuracy. In the paper two different methodologies of I/O linear model set-up are analyzed and compared to find the more simple and general one. The first methodology consists in obtaining the I/O linear models by directly linearizing the physical laws (system modeling). The second one uses statistical methods (system identification) to calculate model parameters from time series data measured on the machine. The models used are of the ARX (Auto Regressive with external input) type. The number of models and the measured variables correlated by each of them have been determined in order to obtain unambiguous fault signatures for each sensor. The system identification method proves to be more suitable to the system modeling because of its grea..
A Method for the Diagnosis of Gas Turbine Sensor Faults in Presence of Measurement Noise
No full textThis paper presents a method for the detection and isolation of single gas turbine sensor faults, in presence of model inaccuracy and measurement noise. The method uses a fault matrix with a column-canonical structure (i.e., each matrix column having the same number of zeroes, but in different positions), in order to obtain the unambiguous fault isolation. The fault matrix was obtained by using a number of ARX (Auto Regressive eXogenous) MISO (Multi-Input/Single-Output) models equal to the number of measured gas turbine outputs, each model calculating an estimate of one measurable output as a function of other inputs or outputs measured on the machine. Moreover, in order to reduce the threshold of fault detection and, therefore, the minimal detectable faults, digital filters were used, applied to the time series of data measured on the machine and computed by the models. Finally, tests were performed in order to find the minimal sensor faults that can be detected and isolated
Sexual function and qualify of life in women with spina bifida: Are the women with spina bifida satisfied with their sexual activity?
No full textAIMS: As the life expectancy of persons with spina bifida increases, sexual life in adulthood presents a considerable challenge for this population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sexual function of young women with spina bifida and its impact on their quality of life (QOL).
METHODS: To assess sexual function and QOL by using self-administered questionnaires (Female Sexual Function Index [FSFI] and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey) in young women with spina bifida, we collected data from 44 young women with spina bifida between June 2013 and October 2013 at the spina bifida clinic of our hospital.
RESULTS: Sexual dysfunction was noted in 55.5% of women with spina bifida who had sexual activity in the previous month. In sexually active women, the diagnosis, ventriculoperitoneal shunt in situ, mobility, and clean intermittent catheterization did not show a significant difference between each subdomain (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain) and the total FSFI score. However, women who did not have urinary incontinence experienced better sexual function in terms of lubrication and pain scores (P = 0.033 and P = 0.026, respectively). Both the physical and mental composites of QOL were positively weakly correlated with the arousal score of FSFI (r = 0.455, P = 0.044 and r = 0.507, P = 0.023, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: More than half of sexually active women with spina bifida experience sexual dysfunction. Therefore, health-care providers should pay attention to the symptoms and their management.restrictio
Continence advice by telehealth for young people
No full textChildren and young people operate in an advanced technological world where new, exciting opportunities exist for remote interactions. To engage with these service users, we set up a nurse-led telehealth facility that enabled young people with spina bifida to access specialist continence service from home. This article describes efforts to embed this innovation into practice and offer insight to some of the challenges we faced in the process. It offers practical guidance on setting up similar services.</p
Plasma antidiuretic hormone levels in children with spina bifida
No full textPurpose: Urological management of spina bifida patients is controversial. The goals of therapy of neurogenic bladder are continence, prevention of infections and preservation of urinary tract. Desmopressin has been recently used in a spina bifida population that is dry during the day (daytime continence was achieved with clean intermittent catheterization and anticholinergics) but wet at night. The aim of this study was to assess plasma antidiuretic hormone (ADH) levels in these children. Materials and Methods: The study included 24 patients, 11 males and 13 females (mean age 6.4 years) referred to the Spina Bifida Centre of the Catholic University of Rome, and 57 normal age-matched controls. Morning (07.30-08.00 h) plasma ADH levels were measured using a specific radioimmunoassay. Results: Plasma ADH levels (normal range 5-11 mug/l) did not differ between spina bifida population and healthy controls. Serum ADH had a mean of 6.8 mug/l in affected children and a mean of 7.4 mug/l in the controls. Conclusion:We conclude that the use of desmopressin in children with spina bifida should be reserved only in patients with decreased secretion of ADH, or may be useful in patients with persistent nocturnal incontinence to reduce night wetting. Therefore, research with a larger population is needed. Copyright (C) 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel
ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH SPINA BIFIDA: PSYCHO-PATHOLOGICAL RISKS AND QUALITY OF LIFE
No full textWe analized the quality of life as perceived by adolescents and young adults with Spina Bifida not only in relation to
their physical skills but also to their psychosocial health and well-being. The starting hypothesis is that greater physical
disability and the presence of psychopathology are associated to a lower quality of life. It results that adolescents with fewer physical problems
have a worse emotional self-concept than adolescents with severe disability.This trend does not make it possible to predict the evolution of psychic disturbance and suggests that, for
the treatment and for a good quality of life, it is important to consider each patient’s personal history and life setting in
terms of culture, education and family history, with particular attention to how the condition is perceived
Application of a neural network in gas turbine control sensor fault detection
No full textIn this paper an application of a procedure using a neural network for the detection and isolation of faults modeled by step functions in input-output control sensors of a single shaft industrial gas turbine is presented. The real process is modeled as a linear dynamic system corrupted by stochastic additive noise. The diagnosis system involves dynamic observers and utilizes the neural network in order to classify observer residuals into fault classes
Plasma concentrations of the enantiomers of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine sources of variability and preliminary observations on relations with clinical response.
No full textFactors affecting the plasma concentrations of the R- and S-enantiomers of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine were investigated in 131 adult patients receiving long-term fluoxetine, of 10 to 60 mg/d (mean, 24 +/- 10 mg/d). Plasma concentration values (geometric means, CI 95%) in these patients were 186 (156, 223) nmol/L for S-fluoxetine, 67 (58, 77) nmol/L for R-fluoxetine, 247 (212, 287) nmol/L for S-norfluoxetine, and 118 (102, 137) nmol/L for R-norfluoxetine. The difference between the concentrations of the respective R- and S-enantiomers was statistically significant ( P< 0.0001) for both the parent drug and the demethylated metabolite. A significant correlation was found between the concentrations of each enantiomer and the prescribed daily dosage (r = 0.44, P< 0.0001 for S-fluoxetine; r = 0.48, P < 0.0001 for R-fluoxetine; r = 0.36, < 0.0001 for S-norfluoxetine; r = 0.32, P = 0.0003 for R-norfluoxetine), but the variability in concentration at any given dosage was considerable. When an iterative model based on multiple polynomial regressions was applied to determine the potential contributions of dosage, age, gender, body weight, and concomitant medication to the variability in the plasma concentration of the enantiomers, dosage was consistently found to provide the greatest predictive value. The predictive value of the model could be consistently improved when concentrations of other enantiomers were included as covariates. Of 58 patients with depressive symptoms for whom evaluation of clinical response (CGI scale) was available, 33 (57%) responded favorably to treatment. The plasma levels of individual enantiomers and of the active moiety (ActM, sum of the concentrations of R-fluoxetine, S-fluoxetine, and S-norfluoxetine) in these patients did not differ significantly from those found in patients with unsatisfactory therapeutic response. Likewise, the concentrations of individual enantiomers and of the ActM were similar in patients with or without adverse effects. Overall, these results demonstrate that the pharmacokinetics of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine exhibit marked stereoselectivity and considerable interpatient variability, which could not be explained by differences in gender, age, or comedication. In addition, a considerable variability was found in the enantiomers' concentrations associated with a favorable therapeutic response
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