The first case of genetically confirmed monozygotic twinning in the dog

Monozygotic twinning has not previously been genetically confirmed in the dog. This case report describes the finding of two viable male monozygotic foetuses within one placental site during caesarean section. Their umbilical cords attached to a single placenta. Genetic profiling using a total of 38 microsatellite markers, as well as amelogenin and SRY for sex determination, revealed identical DNA profiles, whether derived from blood or tissue (buccal swabs) samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of monozygotic twinning in the dog confirmed using DNA profiling

Intermittent feeding with an overnight fast versus 24-h feeding in critically ill neonates, infants, and children:An open-label, single-centre, randomised controlled trial

Background &amp; aims: Critically ill children are fed day and night, assuming this improves enteral tolerance and the probability of achieving nutritional goals. It was previously shown that a fasting response, reflected by increased ketosis, at least partly explained the beneficial outcome of delayed initiation of supplemental parenteral nutrition. This study aims to investigate whether an overnight fast increases ketosis and is feasible and safe in critically ill children. Methods: The Continuous versus Intermittent Nutrition in Paediatric Intensive Care (ContInNuPIC) study is a randomised controlled trial in a tertiary referral Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in the Netherlands. Critically ill children (term newborn-18 years) with an expected PICU stay ≥48 h, dependent on artificial nutrition, were eligible. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1, stratified for age group) to intermittent feeding, with interruption of feedings during an age-dependent overnight period of eight to 12 h, or to continuous feeding, with the administration of feedings day and night. In both groups, similar daily caloric targets were pursued. For children younger than one year, mandatory minor glucose infusions were provided during fasting. The primary outcome was the feasibility, defined as two conditions (1): a significant difference in the patients’ highest daily ketone (3-β-hydroxybutyrate, BHB) levels during each overnight period, and (2): non-inferiority regarding daily caloric intake, examined using a two-part mixed-effects model with a predefined non-inferiority margin of 33%, in an intention-to-treat analysis. The study is registered in the Netherlands Trial Register (NL7877). Results: Between May 19, 2020, and July 13, 2022, 140 critically ill children, median (first quartile; third quartile) age 0.3 (0.1; 2.7) years, were randomised to intermittent (n = 67) or continuous feeding (n = 73). In the intermittent feeding group, BHB levels were significantly higher (median 0.4 (0.2; 1.0) vs. 0.3 (0.1; 0.7) mmol/L, p &lt; 0.001). The ratio of total caloric intake in the intermittent feeding group to the intake in the continuous feeding group was not consistently significantly more than 0.67, thus not proving non-inferiority. No severe, resistant hypoglycaemic events, nor severe gastrointestinal complications related to the intervention occurred, and feeding intolerance did not occur more often in the intermittent than in the continuous feeding group. Conclusion: Compared with day and night feeding, intermittent feeding with an overnight fast and mandatory glucose infusion for children younger than one year marginally increased ketosis and did not lead to more hypoglycaemic incidents in critically ill children. Because non-inferiority regarding daily caloric intake was not proven, the feasibility of an overnight fast could not be shown in the current study. However, as feeding intolerance did not increase during the condensed feeding periods, the nutritional intake was probably limited by the prescription of nutrition and interruptions. More research is needed to determine the optimal level and duration of clinically relevant ketosis and the best method to achieve this.</p

Effect of a non-dieting lifestyle randomised control trial on psychological well-being and weight management in morbidly obese pre-menopausal women.

Objective This study examined the effects of a non-dieting lifestyle intervention approach for morbidly obese women designed in the framework of the self-determination theory (SDT) and Health at Every Size on weight maintenance and psychological functioning. Participants and design Predominantly white (97%), morbidly obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg m-2 with at least one co-morbid condition or a BMI ≥ 40 kg m-2) pre-menopausal women (N = 62), aged between 24 and 55 years were initially randomly assigned to 12 weeks of lifestyle intervention (IIG) or delayed start control group (DSCG). The program consisted of 3 months intensive lifestyle intervention followed by 9 month maintenance phase. The DSCG group commenced the program after 3 months. Results and conclusions Initially, the IIG showed a significant decrease in body weight (baseline to end of the RCT phase) compared with a significant increase in the DSCG group. However, no significant changes in weight status were evident in either group at 12 months compared with baseline. The 3-month intensive intervention resulted in significantly improved psychological functioning in both groups, which were maintained at 12 months. The study provides additional support for a non-dieting, theory-based, lifestyle approach to weight management and psychological well-being among morbidly obese females

Tight-binding parameters for charge transfer along DNA

We systematically examine all the tight-binding parameters pertinent to charge transfer along DNA. The $\pi$ molecular structure of the four DNA bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) is investigated by using the linear combination of atomic orbitals method with a recently introduced parametrization. The HOMO and LUMO wavefunctions and energies of DNA bases are discussed and then used for calculating the corresponding wavefunctions of the two B-DNA base-pairs (adenine-thymine and guanine-cytosine). The obtained HOMO and LUMO energies of the bases are in good agreement with available experimental values. Our results are then used for estimating the complete set of charge transfer parameters between neighboring bases and also between successive base-pairs, considering all possible combinations between them, for both electrons and holes. The calculated microscopic quantities can be used in mesoscopic theoretical models of electron or hole transfer along the DNA double helix, as they provide the necessary parameters for a tight-binding phenomenological description based on the $\pi$ molecular overlap. We find that usually the hopping parameters for holes are higher in magnitude compared to the ones for electrons, which probably indicates that hole transport along DNA is more favorable than electron transport. Our findings are also compared with existing calculations from first principles.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, 7 table

The Sensitivity of Ligo to a Stochastic Background, and its Dependance on the Detector Orientations

We analyze the sensitivity of a network of interferometer gravitational-wave detectors to the gravitational-wave stochastic background, and derive the dependence of this sensitivity on the orientations of the detector arms. We build on and extend the recent work of Christensen, but our conclusion for the optimal choice of orientations of a pair of detectors differs from his. For a pair of detectors (such as LIGO) that subtends an angle at the center of the earth of \,\alt 70^\circ, we find that the optimal configuration is for each detector to have its arms make an angle of $45^\circ$ (modulo $90^\circ$) with the arc of the great circle that joins them. For detectors that are farther separated, each detector should instead have one arm aligned with this arc. We also describe in detail the optimal data-analysis algorithm for searching for the stochastic background with a detector network, which is implicit in earlier work of Michelson. The LIGO pair of detectors will be separated by $\sim 3000 \, {\rm km}$. The minimum detectable stochastic energy-density for these detectors with their currently planned orientations is $\sim 3\%$ greater than what it would be if the orientations were optimal.Comment: 56 pages, 10 figures, Caltech preprint GRP-347, submitted to Phys Rev D, uses revtex macro

Azimuthal anisotropy and correlations in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV

We present the first measurement of directed flow ($v_1$) at RHIC. $v_1$ is found to be consistent with zero at pseudorapidities $\eta$ from -1.2 to 1.2, then rises to the level of a couple of percent over the range $2.4 < |\eta| < 4$. The latter observation is similar to data from NA49 if the SPS rapidities are shifted by the difference in beam rapidity between RHIC and SPS. Back-to-back jets emitted out-of-plane are found to be suppressed more if compared to those emitted in-plane, which is consistent with {\it jet quenching}. Using the scalar product method, we systematically compared azimuthal correlations from p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions. Flow and non-flow from these three different collision systems are discussed.Comment: Quark Matter 2004 proceeding, 4 pages, 3 figure

Azimuthal anisotropy: the higher harmonics

We report the first observations of the fourth harmonic (v_4) in the azimuthal distribution of particles at RHIC. The measurement was done taking advantage of the large elliptic flow generated at RHIC. The integrated v_4 is about a factor of 10 smaller than v_2. For the sixth (v_6) and eighth (v_8) harmonics upper limits on the magnitudes are reported.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, contribution to the Quark Matter 2004 proceeding

Partonic flow and ϕ\phi-meson production in Au+Au collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200 GeV

We present first measurements of the $\phi$-meson elliptic flow ($v_{2}(p_{T})$) and high statistics $p_{T}$ distributions for different centralities from $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC. In minimum bias collisions the $v_{2}$ of the $\phi$ meson is consistent with the trend observed for mesons. The ratio of the yields of the $\Omega$ to those of the $\phi$ as a function of transverse momentum is consistent with a model based on the recombination of thermal $s$ quarks up to $p_{T}\sim 4$ GeV/$c$, but disagrees at higher momenta. The nuclear modification factor ($R_{CP}$) of $\phi$ follows the trend observed in the $K^{0}_{S}$ mesons rather than in $\Lambda$ baryons, supporting baryon-meson scaling. Since $\phi$-mesons are made via coalescence of seemingly thermalized $s$ quarks in central Au+Au collisions, the observations imply hot and dense matter with partonic collectivity has been formed at RHIC.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, submit to PR

Plasma Wakefield Acceleration with a Modulated Proton Bunch

The plasma wakefield amplitudes which could be achieved via the modulation of a long proton bunch are investigated. We find that in the limit of long bunches compared to the plasma wavelength, the strength of the accelerating fields is directly proportional to the number of particles in the drive bunch and inversely proportional to the square of the transverse bunch size. The scaling laws were tested and verified in detailed simulations using parameters of existing proton accelerators, and large electric fields were achieved, reaching 1 GV/m for LHC bunches. Energy gains for test electrons beyond 6 TeV were found in this case.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure