Pregnancy outcomes following the administration of high doses of dexamethasone in early pregnancy

Ahmadabad, Hasan Namdar,Jafari, Sabah Kayvan,Firizi, Maryam Nezafat,Abbaspour, Ali Reza,Gharib, Fahime Ghafoori,Ghobadi, Yusef,Gholizadeh, Samira The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine 2016 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.43 No.1

Objective: In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of high doses of dexamethasone (DEX) in early pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes. Methods: Pregnant BALB/c mice were treated with high-dose DEX in the experimental group or saline in the control group on gestational days (GDs) 0.5 to 4.5. Pregnant mice were sacrificed on GDs 7.5, 13.5, or 18.5 and their peripheral blood, placentas, fetuses, and uterine tissue were collected. Decidual and placenta cell supernatants were examined to evaluate the effect of DEX on the proliferation of mononuclear cells, the quantity of uterine macrophages and uterine natural killer (uNK) cells, and levels of progesterone and $17{\beta}-estradiol$, as determined by an 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. We also were measured fetal and placental growth parameters on GD 18.5. Results: We found that high doses of DEX were associated with an increased abortion rate, enhancement of the immunosuppressive effect of the decidua, alterations in placental growth parameters, decreased progesterone and $17{\beta}-estradiol$ levels, and a reduced frequency of macrophages and uNK cells. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the high-dose administration of DEX during early pregnancy negatively affected pregnancy outcomes.

Comprehensive evaluation of structural geometrical nonlinear solution techniques Part I: Formulation and characteristics of the methods

Rezaiee-Pajand, M.,Ghalishooyan, M.,Salehi-Ahmadabad, M. Techno-Press 2013 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.48 No.6

This paper consists of two parts, which broadly examines solution techniques abilities for the structures with geometrical nonlinear behavior. In part I of the article, formulations of several well-known approaches will be presented. These solution strategies include different groups, such as: residual load minimization, normal plane, updated normal plane, cylindrical arc length, work control, residual displacement minimization, generalized displacement control, modified normal flow, and three-parameter ellipsoidal, hyperbolic, and polynomial schemes. For better understanding and easier application of the solution techniques, a consistent mathematical notation is employed in all formulations for correction and predictor steps. Moreover, other features of these approaches and their algorithms will be investigated. Common methods of determining the amount and sign of load factor increment in the predictor step and choosing the correct root in predictor and corrector step will be reviewed. The way that these features are determined is very important for tracing of the structural equilibrium path. In the second part of article, robustness and efficiency of the solution schemes will be comprehensively evaluated by performing numerical analyses.

Comprehensive evaluation of structural geometrical nonlinear solution techniques Part II: Comparing efficiencies of the methods

M. Rezaiee-Pajand,M. Ghalishooyan,M. Salehi-Ahmadabad 국제구조공학회 2013 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.48 No.6

In part I of the article, formulation and characteristics of the several well-known structural geometrical nonlinear solution techniques were studied. In the present paper, the efficiencies and capabilities of residual load minimization, normal plane, updated normal plane, cylindrical arc length, work control, residual displacement minimization, generalized displacement control and modified normal flow will be evaluated. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive comparison of these solution methods will be performed. Due to limit page of the article, only the findings of 17 numerical problems, including 2-D and 3-D trusses, 2-D and 3-D frames, and shells, will be presented. Performance of the solution strategies will be considered by doing more than 12500 nonlinear analyses, and conclusions will be drawn based on the outcomes. Most of the mentioned structures have complex nonlinear behavior, including load limit and snap-back points. In this investigation, criteria like number of diverged and complete analyses, the ability of passing load limit and snap-back points, the total number of steps and analysis iterations, the analysis running time and divergence points will be examined. Numerical properties of each problem, like, maximum allowed iteration, divergence tolerance, maximum and minimum size of the load factor, load increment changes and the target point will be selected in such a way that comparison result to be highly reliable. Following this, capabilities and deficiencies of each solution technique will be surveyed in comparison with the other ones, and superior solution schemes will be introduced.

Comprehensive evaluation of structural geometrical nonlinear solution techniques Part I: Formulation and characteristics of the methods

M. Rezaiee-Pajand,M. Ghalishooyan,M. Salehi-Ahmadabad 국제구조공학회 2013 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.48 No.6

This paper consists of two parts, which broadly examines solution techniques abilities for the structures with geometrical nonlinear behavior. In part I of the article, formulations of several well-known approaches will be presented. These solution strategies include different groups, such as: residual load minimization, normal plane, updated normal plane, cylindrical arc length, work control, residual displacement minimization, generalized displacement control, modified normal flow, and three-parameter ellipsoidal, hyperbolic, and polynomial schemes. For better understanding and easier application of the solution techniques, a consistent mathematical notation is employed in all formulations for correction and predictor steps. Moreover, other features of these approaches and their algorithms will be investigated. Common methods of determining the amount and sign of load factor increment in the predictor step and choosing the correct root in predictor and corrector step will be reviewed. The way that these features are determined is very important for tracing of the structural equilibrium path. In the second part of article, robustness and efficiency of the solution schemes will be comprehensively evaluated by performing numerical analyses.

Comprehensive evaluation of structural geometrical nonlinear solution techniques Part II: Comparing efficiencies of the methods

Rezaiee-Pajand, M.,Ghalishooyan, M.,Salehi-Ahmadabad, M. Techno-Press 2013 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.48 No.6

In part I of the article, formulation and characteristics of the several well-known structural geometrical nonlinear solution techniques were studied. In the present paper, the efficiencies and capabilities of residual load minimization, normal plane, updated normal plane, cylindrical arc length, work control, residual displacement minimization, generalized displacement control and modified normal flow will be evaluated. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive comparison of these solution methods will be performed. Due to limit page of the article, only the findings of 17 numerical problems, including 2-D and 3-D trusses, 2-D and 3-D frames, and shells, will be presented. Performance of the solution strategies will be considered by doing more than 12500 nonlinear analyses, and conclusions will be drawn based on the outcomes. Most of the mentioned structures have complex nonlinear behavior, including load limit and snap-back points. In this investigation, criteria like number of diverged and complete analyses, the ability of passing load limit and snap-back points, the total number of steps and analysis iterations, the analysis running time and divergence points will be examined. Numerical properties of each problem, like, maximum allowed iteration, divergence tolerance, maximum and minimum size of the load factor, load increment changes and the target point will be selected in such a way that comparison result to be highly reliable. Following this, capabilities and deficiencies of each solution technique will be surveyed in comparison with the other ones, and superior solution schemes will be introduced.