the paper presents a multi-factor decision-making approach for prioritizing failure modes as an alternative to traditional approach of failure mode and effect analysis (fmea). the approach is based on the ‘technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution’ (topsis). the priority ranking is formulated on the basis of six parameters (failure occurrence, non-detection, maintainability...

Iodine is a trace element required by the body for an increasing number of identified physiologic functions. This element belongs to the halogen family of elements, a group of highly reactive nonmetals that includes fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and astatine. Iodine is found naturally in large amounts in seafood such as kelp and saltwater fish. Most iodine intake in the United States is from iod...

In a prospective, randomized, controlled study involving adults admitted to surgical intensive care units and receiving mechanical ventilation [2], intensive insulin therapy substantially reduced mortality and morbidity. Intensive insulin treatment reduced the number of deaths from multiple organ failure with sepsis. Markers of inflammation were found to be less frequently abnormal in the inten...

Only limited data are available regarding the treatment of critically ill patients with clopidogrel. This trial investigated the effects and the drug concentrations of the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) activated prodrug clopidogrel (n = 43) and the half-life of the similarly metabolized pantoprazole (n = 16) in critically ill patients. ADP-induced aggregometry in whole blood classified 74% (95% conf...

We show that many “critically constrained” Random 3SAT knowledge bases (KBs) can be compiled into disjunctive normal form easily by using a variant of the “Davis-Putnam” proof procedure. From these compiled KBs we can answer all queries about entailment of conjunctive normal formulas, also easily compared to a “bruteforce” approach to approximate knowledge compilation into unit clauses for the ...

Disorders of sodium and water metabolism are frequently encountered in hospitalized patients. Hyponatremia in critically ill patients can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Inappropriate treatment of hyponatremia can add to the problem. The diagnosis and management of salt and water abnormalities in critically ill patients is often challenging. The increasing knowledge about aquaporins ...

Standard analytical tools employed for quality assessment such as root cause analysis are simply inadequate. Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) is a systematic and comprehensive methodology widely applied in other industries to evaluate undesirable outcomes such as risk, and PRA may be a promising tool for assessment of adverse events in the ICU.2–5 PRA entails constructing the chronology of a...

* Corresponding author: Omid Moradi Moghaddam, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Rasoul-Akram Medical Center Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Tel: +98-9391244560, Fax: +98-2166509059, E-mail: [email protected] DOI: 10.5812/kowsar.22287523.2291 Copyright c 2011, ISRAPM, Published by Kowsar Corp. Probiotics in Critically Ill Patients Omid Moradi Moghaddam 1*

Dysglycemia is common in critically ill patients. Both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia are independent risk factors for increased morbidity and mortality. Hypoglycemia severity may even have a ‘dose-response’ relationship with increased mortality(Bagshaw et al., 2009). Acute hypoglycemia induces a systemic, counter-regulatory stress response that leads to an increase in blood norepinephrine, epi...