A single meal has the potential to alter brain oxylipin content.

Our objective was to determine whether consumption of a single meal has the potential to alter brain oxylipin content. We examined the cerebrum of mice fed a single high-fat/high-sucrose Western meal or a low-fat/low-sucrose control meal, as well as fasted mice. We found no changes in fatty acid composition of cerebrum across the groups. The cerebral oxylipin profile of mice fed a Western meal is distinct from the profile of mice fed a low-fat/low-sucrose meal. Cerebral gene expression of cyclooxygenase 1, cyclooxygenase 2, and epoxide hydrolase 1 were elevated in Western meal-fed mice compared to low-fat/low-sucrose meal-fed mice. Mice that consumed either meal had lower gene expression of cytochrome P450, family 2, subfamily j, polypeptide 12 than fasted mice. Our data in this hypothesis-generating study indicates that the composition of a single meal has the potential to alter brain oxylipins and the gene expression of the enzymes responsible for their production

Augmented Reality Based Reaching Exercise for shoulder Rehabilitation

Stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) causes disability and affected the personâs quality of life. The rehabilitation therapies are normally conducted for post stroke patients to promote their quality of life and daily living standard. Among rehabilitation exercises, shoulder range of motion (ROM) exercise and muscle strengthening exercise are the most important rehabilitation therapies for post stroke patients as this can improve their activities of daily life. Among the shoulder ROM exercises, the reaching exercise is normally conducted with checkerboard in rehabilitation centre as a traditional therapy which becomes boring after trained for few times. To overcome this problem, same exercise with augmented reality (AR) based game like style incorporate with motivated visual and audio feedbacks has developed and details of the system is presented in this paper. The AR based reaching exercise has developed within the normal average range of motion. The system includes personal computer or laptop, webcam, marker and BioGraph Infiniti system. Thus, it can be used at home without modifying anything and patient can use easily by himself without extra help. The developed system has integrated with biofeedback system to become more effective in rehabilitation. The integrated system has already tested with healthy subject and worked perfectly with positive feedbacks

Review on Thermo-mechanical Approach in the Modelling of Geo-materials Incorporating Non-associated Flow Rules

© 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Recently, there has been a burgeoning interest in developing constitutive soil models from the laws of thermodynamics, mainly due to the benefits that these models automatically obey them and the approach provides a well-established structure and reduces the need for 'ad hoc' postulates. A thermodynamic framework, also known as thermo-mechanical framework, has the capability to predict the behaviour of geotechnical materials, which requires the anticipated incorporation of non-associated flow rules. As it is very challenging to achieve acceptable accuracy in plasticity modelling of granular materials, this paper aims to review this framework not only to discuss the details of the major components but also to highlight the capability of generating non-associated flow rules in a natural way from thermo-mechanical principles. This approach introduces the use of internal variables to develop the two thermodynamic potentials (the free energy and the rate of dissipation functions), sufficient to derive the corresponding yield function, flow rule, isotropic and kinematic hardening rules as well as the basic elasticity law. It is shown that the non-associated flow rule can be derived naturally from the postulated stress-dependent dissipation increment function. Comparison has been made with stress-independent dissipation to demonstrate that the approach can also successfully explain the behaviour of standard materials with associated flow rules. The basic steps for the thermo-mechanical formulation for developing a constitutive model are also reviewed and summarised. Furthermore, the power of conventional mathematical technique, Legendre transformation, in the derivation of constitutive equations has been highlighted

Senti-Lexicon and Analysis for Restaurant Reviews of Myanmar Text

Social media has just become as an influential with the rapidly growing popularity of online customers reviews available in social sites by using informal languages and emoticons. These reviews are very helpful for new customers and for decision making process. Sentiment analysis is to state the feelings, opinions about people\u27s reviews together with sentiment. Most of researchers applied sentiment analysis for English Language. There is no research efforts have sought to provide sentiment analysis of Myanmar text. To tackle this problem, we propose the resource of Myanmar Language for mining food and restaurants\u27 reviews. This paper aims to build language resource to overcome the language specific problem and opinion word extraction for Myanmar text reviews of consumers. We address dictionary based approach of lexicon-based sentiment analysis for analysis of opinion word extraction in food and restaurants domain. This research assesses the challenges and problem faced in sentiment analysis of Myanmar Language area for future

Factors Affecting the Compliance of Myanmar Nurses in Performing Standard Precaution

Introduction: Exposure to pathogens is a serious issue for nurses. The literature explains that standard precaution have not consistently done in nursing. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors affecting the compliance of nurses in Myanmar in performing standard precautions. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. Samples included 34 nurses in Waibagi Specialist Hospital (SHW), Myanmar. The independent variables were the characteristics of nurses, knowledge of standard precaution, and exposure to blood / body fluids and needle puncture wounds. The dependent variable was the performance of standard prevention. Data analyzed using descriptive analysis and logistic regression. Results: The result showed that almost respondents (91.18%) had a good knowledge about prevention standards and 73.5% of respondents had good adherence in performing standard precaution. However, in practice nurses have not been consistent in closing the needles that have been used correctly. The results showed that nurse characteristics did not significantly affect adherence to standard precaution with statistical test results as follows: age (p = 0.97), gender (p = 1.00), religion (p = 0.72), education (p = 0.85), work experience at SHW (p = 0, 84), education training program (p = 0.71), knowledge (p = 0.76), and needle stick injury (p = 0,17). But, there was a significant influence between adherence to standard precaution on the incidence of injury due to puncture needle with p value = 0.01. Discussion: The barriers to applying standard precautions by Myanmar nurses can be reduced by providing basic training, supervision and improvement of operational standard procedures

In vitro microtuberization of Black Zira (Bunium persicum Boiss.)

Bunium persicum or Black Zira is one of the endangered species in the land of Persia. The main purpose of this study was to investigate microtuberization of B persicumin in order to use in germplasm storage and commercial production. Seeds of B. persicum were used as explant. Different culture media (MS, ½MS and B5) along with different concentrations of jasmonic acid (JA) (0, 2 and 5) were used individually as basal media and also in combination with two different temperatures (15 and 20°C) to develop appropriate media for microtuberization. Moreover, propagated microtubers were then vernalized and acclimatized in order to transfer to greenhouse. The results revealed that by increasing in concentration of JA, weight and length of microtubers increased significantly. MS medium seemed to be the most effective basal medium for this plant. In contrary, this study indicated that MS medium and 5 mM JA were the most suitable combination for in vitro culture establishment and short-term maintenance of tested B. persicum. Also, 15°C showed significant effect on increasing the weight of microtubers.Keywords: Microtuberization, Bunium persicum, jasmonic acid, temperature, medium

Anatomical Changes and Predictors of Angle Widening After Laser Peripheral Iridotomy: The Zhongshan Angle Closure Prevention Trial

PURPOSE: To assess anatomical changes after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) and predictors of angle widening based on anterior segment OCT (AS-OCT) and angle opening based on gonioscopy in mainland Chinese primary angle closure suspects (PACS). DESIGN: Prospective observational study. PARTICIPANTS: 454 subjects aged 50 to 70 years with PACS. METHODS: Subjects received clinical examinations including gonioscopy and AS-OCT imaging at baseline and 2 weeks after LPI as part of the Zhongshan Angle Closure Prevention (ZAP) Trial. PACS was defined as inability to visualize pigmented trabecular meshwork in two or more quadrants on static gonioscopy. LPI was performed on one eye per subject in a superior (between 11 to 1 o'clock) or temporal or nasal (at or below 10:30 or 1:30 o'clock) location. Biometric parameters in horizontal and vertical AS-OCT scans were measured and averaged. Multivariable linear and logistic regression modeling were performed to determine predictors of angle widening, defined as change in continuous measurements of mean angle opening distance (AOD750), poor angle widening, defined as the lowest quintile of change in mean AOD750, and poor angle opening, defined as residual PACS after LPI based on gonioscopy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anatomical changes and predictors of angle widening and opening after LPI. RESULTS: 454 subjects were included in the analysis. 219 received superior LPIs and 235 received temporal or nasal LPIs. There were significant changes among most biometric parameters (p<0.006) after LPI, including greater AOD750 (p<0.001). 120 eyes (26.4%) had residual PACS after LPI. In multivariable regression analysis, several baseline parameters, including superior LPI location (p=0.004), smaller AOD750 (p<0.001), and greater iris curvature (p<0.001), were predictive of greater angle widening. Temporal or nasal LPI locations (OR=2.60, p<0.0001) and greater baseline AOD750 (OR=2.58, 0.1 mm increment, p<0.001) were most predictive of poor angle widening based on AS-OCT. Smaller mean gonioscopy grade (OR=0.34, 1 grade increment) was most predictive of poor angle opening based on gonioscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Superior LPI location results in significantly greater angle widening based on AS-OCT compared to temporal or nasal locations in a Chinese population with PACS. This supports consideration of superior LPI locations to optimize anatomical changes after LPI

Ocular Biometric Risk Factors for Progression of Primary Angle Closure Disease: The Zhongshan Angle Closure Prevention Trial

PURPOSE: To assess baseline ocular biometric risk factors for progression from primary angle closure suspect (PACS) to primary angle closure (PAC) or acute angle closure (AAC). DESIGN: Prospective observational study. PARTICIPANTS: 643 mainland Chinese aged 50 to 70 years with untreated PACS. METHODS: Participants received baseline clinical examinations including gonioscopy, anterior segment OCT (AS-OCT) imaging (Visante OCT, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA), and A-scan ultrasound biometry as part of the Zhongshan Angle Closure Prevention (ZAP) Trial. PACS was defined as inability to visualize pigmented trabecular meshwork in two or more quadrants based on static gonioscopy. PAC was defined as development of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) > 24 mmHg or peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS). Progression was defined as development of PAC or an acute angle closure (AAC) attack. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed to assess biometric risk factors for progression. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Progression from PACS to PAC or AAC over 6 years. RESULTS: 643 untreated eyes (609 non-progressors, 34 progressors) of 643 ZAP participants were included in the primary analysis. In a multivariable model with continuous parameters, narrower horizontal angle opening distance 500 μm from the scleral spur (AOD500; OR=1.10 per 0.01 mm decrease, p=0.03), flatter horizontal iris curvature (IC; OR=1.96 per 0.1 mm decrease, p=0.01), and older age (OR=1.11 per year increase, p=0.01) at baseline were significantly associated with progression (AUC=0.73). Smaller cumulative gonioscopy score was not associated with progression (OR=1.03 per 1 modified Shaffer grade decrease; p=0.85) when replacing horizontal AOD500 in the multivariable model. In a separate multivariable model with categorical parameters, participants in the lowest quartile of horizontal AOD500 (OR=3.10, p=0.002) and IC (OR=2.48, p=0.014) measurements and aged 59 years and older (OR=2.68, p=0.01) at baseline had higher odds of progression (AUC=0.72). CONCLUSIONS: Ocular biometric measurements can help risk stratify patients with early angle closure for more severe disease. AS-OCT measurements of biometric parameters describing the angle and iris are predictive of progression from PACS to PAC or AAC, whereas gonioscopy grades are not

The effects of test-enhanced learning on long-term retention in AAN annual meeting courses.

OBJECTIVE: We measured the long-term retention of knowledge gained through selected American Academy of Neurology annual meeting courses and compared the effects of repeated quizzing (known as test-enhanced learning) and repeated studying on that retention. METHODS: Participants were recruited from 4 annual meeting courses. All participants took a pretest. This randomized, controlled trial utilized a within-subjects design in which each participant experienced 3 different postcourse activities with each activity performed on different material. Each key information point from the course was randomized in a counterbalanced fashion among participants to one of the 3 activities: repeated short-answer quizzing, repeated studying, and no further exposure to the materials. A final test covering all information points from the course was taken 5.5 months after the course. RESULTS: Thirty-five participants across the 4 courses completed the study. Average score on the pretest was 36%. Performance on the final test showed that repeated quizzing led to significantly greater long-term retention relative to both repeated studying (55% vs 46%; t[34] = 3.28, SEM = 0.03, p = 0.01, d = 0.49) and no further exposure (55% vs 44%; t[34] = 3.16, SEM = 0.03, p = 0.01, d = 0.58). Relative to the pretest baseline, repeated quizzing helped participants to retain almost twice as much of the knowledge acquired from the course compared to repeated studying or no further exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas annual meeting continuing medical education (CME) courses lead to long-term gains in knowledge, when repeated quizzing is added, retention is significantly increased. CME planners may consider adding repeated quizzing to increase the impact of their courses