Additive decomposability of functions over abelian groups

Abelian groups are classified by the existence of certain additive decompositions of group-valued functions of several variables with arity gap 2.Comment: 17 page

Massive ovarian oedema

The patient presented with low stabbing abdominal pain of one week's duration. Pertinent findings were tenderness over the left lower abdomen and a left adnexal mass on pelvic examination

On the effect of variable identification on the essential arity of functions

We show that every function of several variables on a finite set of k elements with n>k essential variables has a variable identification minor with at least n-k essential variables. This is a generalization of a theorem of Salomaa on the essential variables of Boolean functions. We also strengthen Salomaa's theorem by characterizing all the Boolean functions f having a variable identification minor that has just one essential variable less than f.Comment: 10 page

Mucinous cystadenoma of the appendix

A cystic mass in the right iliac fossa of an asymptomatic patient

Increased lung inflammation with oxygen supplementation in tracheotomized spontaneously breathing rabbits: an experimental prospective randomized study

BACKGROUND: Mechanical ventilation is a well-known trigger for lung inflammation. Research focuses on tidal volume reduction to prevent ventilator-induced lung injury. Mechanical ventilation is usually applied with higher than physiological oxygen fractions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the after effect of oxygen supplementation during a spontaneous ventilation set up, in order to avoid the inflammatory response linked to mechanical ventilation. METHODS: A prospective randomised study using New Zealand rabbits in a university research laboratory was carried out. Rabbits (n = 20) were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 5 each group). Groups 1 and 2 were submitted to 0.5 L/min oxygen supplementation, for 20 or 75 minutes, respectively; groups 3 and 4 were left at room air for 20 or 75 minutes. Ketamine/xylazine was administered for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia. Lungs were obtained for histological examination in light microscopy. RESULTS: All animals survived the complete experiment. Procedure duration did not influence the degree of inflammatory response. The hyperoxic environment was confirmed by blood gas analyses in animals that were subjected to oxygen supplementation, and was accompanied with lower mean respiratory rates. The non-oxygen supplemented group had lower mean oxygen arterial partial pressures and higher mean respiratory rates during the procedure. All animals showed some inflammatory lung response. However, rabbits submitted to oxygen supplementation showed significant more lung inflammation (Odds ratio = 16), characterized by more infiltrates and with higher cell counts; the acute inflammatory response cells was mainly constituted by eosinophils and neutrophils, with a relative proportion of 80 to 20% respectively. This cellular observation in lung tissue did not correlate with a similar increase in peripheral blood analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Oxygen supplementation in spontaneous breathing is associated with an increased inflammatory response when compared to breathing normal room air. This inflammatory response was mainly constituted with polymorphonuclear cells (eosinophils and neutrophils). As confirmed in all animals by peripheral blood analyses, the eosinophilic inflammatory response was a local organ event.The authors would like to thank Centro Hospitalar do Porto for funding regarding the purchase of animals, animal food, and other husbandry expenses. No funding was used to reimburse any of the authors, nor any of the persons who helped and are herein thanked. Funding for open access publication was supported by the Anesthesia Department at Centro Hospitalar do Port

Hybrid adaptive control of a dragonfly model

Dragonflies show unique and superior flight performances than most of other insect species and birds. They are equipped with two pairs of independently controlled wings granting an unmatchable flying performance and robustness. In this paper, it is presented an adaptive scheme controlling a nonlinear model inspired in a dragonfly-like robot. It is proposed a hybrid adaptive (HA) law for adjusting the parameters analyzing the tracking error. At the current stage of the project it is considered essential the development of computational simulation models based in the dynamics to test whether strategies or algorithms of control, parts of the system (such as different wing configurations, tail) as well as the complete system. The performance analysis proves the superiority of the HA law over the direct adaptive (DA) method in terms of faster and improved tracking and parameter convergence

Application of fractional algorithms in the control of a robotic bird

In this paper, it is studied the dynamics of the robotic bird in terms of time response and robustness. It is analyzed the wing angle of attack and the velocity of the bird, the tail influence, the gliding flight and the flapping flight. The results are positive for the construction of flying robots. The development of computational simulation based on the dynamic of the robotic bird should allow testing strategies and different algorithms of control such as integer and fractional controllers

Oxygen Increases Lung Inflammatory Response in Spontaneous One-Lung Ventilation in Rabbits: A Prospective Randomized Experimental Study

Study objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate if oxygen supplementation would increase lung inflammatory response in a spontaneous one-lung ventilation animal model, when compared to room-air oxygen fraction. Design: In vivo prospective randomized animal study Setting: University research laboratory Subjects: New Zealand rabbits Interventions: Rabbits (n=20) were randomly assigned to 2 groups (n=10 each group). Groups (OS – Oxygen Supplemented, and NOS – Non-Oxygen Supplemented) were submitted to spontaneous One-Lung Ventilation (OLV) during 60 minutes; OS group had a 2-liter/minute oxygen supplement, and NOS group was kept on roomair. Ketamine/xylazine was administered for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. One-lung ventilation was achieved by administration of air into interpleural space, and left lung collapse was visually confirmed through the center of diaphragm. Clinical monitoring and arterial blood gas analyses were performed in all rabbits. Measurements: Lung histology plates were observed under light microscopy for quantification of inflammatory response (light, moderate and severe). Main results: All subjects had at least light inflammatory response. However, rabbits submitted to oxygen supplementation had a statistically significant value for the occurrence of moderate inflammation (p<0.001). The inflammatory cells found were mainly eosinophils and neutrophils in an average proportion of 80/20. Oxygen partial pressure increased in both groups with a higher proportion in OS group (p<0.001). Conclusion: In this spontaneous OLV model, the use of oxygen supplementation was associated with a greater inflammatory response.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio