Pr3+-doped GeSx-based glasses for fiber amplifiers at 1.3 mm

The luminescence of Pr3+-doped GeSx-based glasses were studied and compared with those of other sulfide and fluoride glasses. The possibility of highly pump-power-efficient fiber amplifiers based on these GeSx-contg. glasses in the telecommunications window at 1.3 mm is discussed. [on SciFinder (R)

Pr3+-doped GeSx-based glasses for fiber amplifiers at 1.3 mm

The luminescence of Pr3+-doped GeSx-based glasses were studied and compared with those of other sulfide and fluoride glasses. The possibility of highly pump-power-efficient fiber amplifiers based on these GeSx-contg. glasses in the telecommunications window at 1.3 mm is discussed. [on SciFinder (R)

Repetitive neonatal procedural pain affects stress-induced plasma corticosterone increase in young adult females but not in male rats

Exposure to repetitive painful procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit results in long-lasting effects, especially visible after a “second hit” in adulthood. As the nociceptive system and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis interact and are vulnerable in early life, repetitive painful procedures in neonates may affect later-life HPA axis reactivity. The first aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of repetitive neonatal procedural pain on plasma corticosterone levels after mild acute stress (MAS) in young adult rats. Second, the study examined if MAS acts as a “second hit” and affects mechanical sensitivity. Fifty-two rats were either needle pricked four times a day, disturbed, or left undisturbed during the first neonatal week. At 8 weeks, the animals were subjected to MAS, and plasma was collected before (t0), after MAS (t20), and at recovery (t60). Corticosterone levels were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and mechanical sensitivity was assessed with von Frey filaments. Results demonstrate that repetitive neonatal procedural pain reduces stress-induced plasma corticosterone increase after MAS only in young adult females and not in males. Furthermore, MAS does not affect mechanical sensitivity in young adult rats. Altogether, the results suggest an age- and sex-dependent effect of repetitive neonatal procedural pain on HPA axis reprogramming.</p

Repetitive neonatal procedural pain affects stress-induced plasma corticosterone increase in young adult females but not in male rats

Exposure to repetitive painful procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit results in long-lasting effects, especially visible after a “second hit” in adulthood. As the nociceptive system and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis interact and are vulnerable in early life, repetitive painful procedures in neonates may affect later-life HPA axis reactivity. The first aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of repetitive neonatal procedural pain on plasma corticosterone levels after mild acute stress (MAS) in young adult rats. Second, the study examined if MAS acts as a “second hit” and affects mechanical sensitivity. Fifty-two rats were either needle pricked four times a day, disturbed, or left undisturbed during the first neonatal week. At 8 weeks, the animals were subjected to MAS, and plasma was collected before (t0), after MAS (t20), and at recovery (t60). Corticosterone levels were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and mechanical sensitivity was assessed with von Frey filaments. Results demonstrate that repetitive neonatal procedural pain reduces stress-induced plasma corticosterone increase after MAS only in young adult females and not in males. Furthermore, MAS does not affect mechanical sensitivity in young adult rats. Altogether, the results suggest an age- and sex-dependent effect of repetitive neonatal procedural pain on HPA axis reprogramming.</p

System and method for commissioning lighting using sound

A system and methods for automatically commissioning electrical fixtures using sound are disclosed. Electrical fixtures (140-149) detect sounds produced by a sound generator moved along a path (300) through installed fixtures according to a building plan (100). Each electrical fixture may be associated with a mapped fixture location in the building plan by correlating the detected sound with the location of the sound generator along the path

Pre- and Postnatal Maturation are Important for Fentanyl Exposure in Preterm and Term Newborns : A Pooled Population Pharmacokinetic Study

Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).Background and Objective Fentanyl is an opioid commonly used to prevent and treat severe pain in neonates; however, its use is off label and mostly based on bodyweight. Given the limited pharmacokinetic information across the entire neonatal age range, we characterized the pharmacokinetics of fentanyl across preterm and term neonates to individualize dosing. Methods We pooled data from two previous studies on 164 newborns with a median gestational age of 29.0 weeks (range 23.9-42.3), birthweight of 1055 g (range 390-4245), and postnatal age (PNA) of 1 day (range 0-68). In total, 673 plasma samples upon bolus dosing (69 patients; median dose 2.1 mu g/kg, median 2 boluses per patient) or continuous infusions (95 patients; median dose 1.1 mu g/kg/h for 30 h) with and without boluses were used for population pharmacokinetic modeling in NONMEM(R) 7.4. Results Clearance in neonates with birthweight of 2000 and 3000 g was 2.8- and 5.0-fold the clearance in a neonate with birthweight of 1000 g, respectively. Fentanyl clearance at PNA of 7, 14, and 21 days was 2.7-fold, 3.8-fold, and 4.6-fold the clearance at 1 day, respectively. Bodyweight-based dosing resulted in large differences in fentanyl concentrations. Depending on PNA and birthweight, fentanyl concentrations increased slowly after the start of therapy for both intermittent boluses and continuous infusion and reached a maximum concentration at 12-48 h. Conclusions As both prenatal and postnatal maturation are important for fentanyl exposure, we propose a birthweight- and PNA-based dosage regimen. To provide rapid analgesia in the first 24 h of treatment, additional loading doses need to be considered.Peer reviewe

Electronic and thermal sequential transport in metallic and superconducting two-junction arrays

The description of transport phenomena in devices consisting of arrays of tunnel junctions, and the experimental confirmation of these predictions is one of the great successes of mesoscopic physics. The aim of this paper is to give a self-consistent review of sequential transport processes in such devices, based on the so-called "orthodox" model. We calculate numerically the current-voltage (I-V) curves, the conductance versus bias voltage (G-V) curves, and the associated thermal transport in symmetric and asymmetric two-junction arrays such as Coulomb-blockade thermometers (CBTs), superconducting-insulator-normal-insulator-superconducting (SINIS) structures, and superconducting single-electron transistors (SETs). We investigate the behavior of these systems at the singularity-matching bias points, the dependence of microrefrigeration effects on the charging energy of the island, and the effect of a finite superconducting gap on Coulomb-blockade thermometry.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figures; Berlin (ISBN: 978-3-642-12069-5

Dutch cooperation programmes to strengthen post-secondary education and training in Africa (1996-2013)

The Dutch government has been supporting higher education in developing countries through cooperation between Dutch higher education and training institutes and partner organizations in the developing countries since the late 1960s.Various programmes have been implemented but the aim in all of them has been to build and strengthen the education and training capacity of organizations/institutes.The map depicts Dutch cooperation programmes to strenghten post-secondary education and training in Africa (1996-2013).ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

Kennisbasisthema: Ketens en Agrologistiek

Wageningen UR voert een meerjarig onderzoeksprogramma uit, getiteld Ketens en Agrologistiek. Deze projectbundel geeft informatie over projecten in dit thema en van elk project is een flyer opgenome