ShiHuan (Virtual-Real) Painting Technique Introduction

This introduction is scripted in Chinese. (Jerry Wu\u2723).https://digital.kenyon.edu/zhoudocs/1088/thumbnail.jp

Carbon flow pattern in the forest zones of Nigeria as influenced by land use change

Forest in Nigeria plays a much wider role in the overall balance of issues affecting the country than those of climate change alone. Nigeria’s tropical forest is depleting fast, due largely to uncontrolled human activities. Poverty, urbanization, population growth and insecurity are the major causes of this trend. Tracking carbon flow in these forest life zones will help account for the effect of these activities on the environment. COPATH, an acronym for Total Carbon Flow from Conversion to Agriculture, Pasture, Harvest and OTHER land-uses including construction of dams, roads, forest fires and human settlement, etc., was used for tracking carbon flow in the forest zones. From the five forest life zones, total carbon stored was estimated to be 2.55 TgC. The four activities of agriculture, harvest, pasture and bush burning were pronounced in contributions to land use changes, particularly to forest depletion. In this paper it is shown that carbon emission was highest from harvesting activity in year 2000, principally from clear-cutting activity in the lowland rainforest as against that of 1990 study, which showed agricultural activity as the major anthropogenic activity leading to carbon release into the atmosphere. Further, it is shown that the value of carbon emission is on the increase as compared to the earlier study with 1990 as the base year. During the two periods of study, it was however, observed that the relative contribution of each of the activities that are responsible for deforestation and affects carbon flow pattern in the forest zones and invariably causes carbon emission had not changed. Though a look at the fractional contribution of each of these activities in 2000 as against that of 1990 estimates shows a marked change. The study also concludes that if there is no change in the estimated deforestation rate of 2.23% per annum of the forest formations, lowland rainforest and riparian forests are likely to disappear by 2040.Key words: Carbon flow pattern, forest life zone, land use, human activities, deforestation

Feline head trauma: a CT analysis of skull fractures and their management in 75 cats

The aim of this study was to describe and evaluate the configurations and management of feline skull fractures and concurrent injuries following head trauma

Can we early diagnose metabolic syndrome using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in community population

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) increased recently and there was still not a screening index to predict MetS. The aim of this study was to estimate whether brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a novel marker for systemic arterial stiffness, could predict MetS in Chinese community population. METHODS: A total of 2 191 participants were recruited and underwent medical examination including 1 455 men and 756 women from June 2011 to January 2012. MetS was diagnosed according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Multiple Logistic regressions were conducted to explore the risk factors of MetS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to estimate the ideal diagnostic cutoff point of baPWV to predict MetS. RESULTS: The mean age was (45.35+/-8.27) years old. In multiple Logistic regression analysis, the gender, baPWV and smoking status were risk factors to MetS after adjusting age, gender, baPWV, walk time and sleeping time. The prevalence of MetS was 17.48% in 30-year age population in Shanghai. There were significant differences (chi(2) = 96.46, P \u3c 0.05) between male and female participants on MetS prevalence. According to the ROC analyses, the ideal cutoff point of baPWV was 1 358.50 cm/s (AUC = 60.20%) to predict MetS among male group and 1 350.00 cm/s (AUC = 70.90%) among female group. CONCLUSION: BaPWV may be considered as a screening marker to predict MetS in community Chinese population and the diagnostic value of 1 350.00 cm/s was more significant for the female group

Estimating total body water content in suckling and lactating llamas (Lama glama) by isotope dilution

Total body water (TBW) in 17 suckling and six lactating llamas was estimated from isotope dilution at three different post natum and lactation stages using both 18O and deuterium oxide (D2O). In total, 69 TBW measurements were undertaken. While TBW in lactating dams, expressed in kilogram, remained stable during the three measurement periods (91.8 ± 15.0 kg), the body water fraction (TBW expressed in percent of body mass) increased slightly (P = 0.042) from 62.9% to 65.8%. In contrast, TBW (kilogram) in suckling llamas increased significantly (P < 0.001) with age and decreased slightly when expressed as a percentage of body mass (P = 0.016). Relating TBW to body mass across all animals yielded a highly significant regression equation (TBW in kilogram = 2.633 + 0.623 body mass in kilogram, P < 0.001, n = 69) explaining 99.5% of the variation. The water fraction instead decreased in a curve linear fashion with increasing body mass (TBW in percent of body mass = 88.23 body mass in kilogram−0.064, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.460). The present results on TBW can serve as reference values for suckling and lactating llamas, e.g., for the evaluation of fluid losses during disease. Additionally, the established regression equations can be used to predict TBW from body mass, providing that the body masses fall inside the range of masses used to derive the equations

Selective inhibition of tropomyosin-receptor-kinase A (TrkA) reduces pain and joint damage in two rat models of inflammatory arthritis

Background: Inflammation is an essential component of arthritis pain. Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a key role in acute and chronic pain states especially those associated with inflammation. NGF acts through tropomyosin-receptor-kinase A (TrkA). NGF blockade has reduced arthritis pain in clinical trials. We explored the mechanisms within the joint which may contribute to the analgesic effects of NGF by selectively inhibiting TrkA in carrageenan-induced or collagen-induced joint pain behaviour. The goal of the current study was to elucidate whether inflammation is central to the efficacy for NGF blockade. Methods: Rats were injected in their left knees with 2 % carrageenan or saline. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was induced by intradermal injections of a mixture of bovine type II collagen (0.2 mg) and incomplete Freund’s adjuvant (0.2 mg). Oral doses (30 mg/kg) of AR786 or vehicle control were given twice daily after arthritis induction. Ibuprofen-treated (35 mg/kg, orally, once daily) rats with CIA were used as positive analgesic controls. Pain behaviour was measured as hind-limb weight-bearing asymmetry and hind-paw withdrawal thresholds to von Frey hair stimulation (carrageenan synovitis), or withdrawal to joint compression using a Randall Selitto device (CIA). Inflammation was measured as increased knee joint diameter and by histopathological analysis. Results: Intra-articular injections of carrageenan or induction of CIA was each associated with pain behaviour and synovial inflammation. Systemic administration of the TrkA inhibitor AR786 reduced carrageenan-induced or CIA-induced pain behaviour to control values, and inhibited joint swelling and histological evidence of synovial inflammation and joint damage. Conclusions: By using two models of varying inflammation we demonstrate for the first time that selective inhibition of TrkA may reduce carrageenan-induced or CIA-induced pain behaviour in rats, in part through potentially inhibiting synovial inflammation, although direct effects on sensory nerves are also likely. Our observations suggest that inflammatory arthritis causes pain and the presence of inflammation is fundamental to the beneficial effects (reduction in pain and pathology) of NGF blockade. Further research should determine whether TrkA inhibition may ameliorate human inflammatory arthritis

Small bowel involvement is a prognostic factor in colorectal carcinomatosis treated with complete cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a promising treatment for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). Our objective was to identify new prognostic factors in patients with PC from colorectal cancer treated with this procedure.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>All patients with PC from colorectal cancer treated by HIPEC from January 2000 to December 2007 were prospectively included. The tumor extension was assessed by the Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) and the residual disease was recorded using the completeness cytoreductive score (CCs). All clinical and treatment data were computed in univariate and multivariable analyses using survival as primary end point.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We carried out 51 complete procedures in 49 consecutive patients. The mean PCI was 10. The allocation of CCs was: CC-0 = 37, CC-1 = 14. The five-year overall and progression-free survival rate were 40% and 20%, respectively. Several prognostic factors for survival were identified by univariate analysis: PCI < 9 (<it>P </it>< 0.001), CC-0 vs. CC-1 (<it>P </it>< 0.01) and involvement of area 4 (<it>P </it>= 0.06), area 5 (<it>P </it>= 0.031), area 7 (<it>P </it>= 0.014), area 8 (<it>P </it>= 0.022), area 10 (<it>P </it>< 0.0001), and area 11 (<it>P </it>= 0.02). Only the involvement of the distal jejunum (area 10) was significant in the multivariable analysis (<it>P </it>= 0.027).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We demonstrated that the involvement of area 10 (distal jejunum of the PCI score) was an independent factor associated with poor prognosis.</p

Optical Dissection of Neural Circuits Responsible for Drosophila Larval Locomotion with Halorhodopsin

Halorhodopsin (NpHR), a light-driven microbial chloride pump, enables silencing of neuronal function with superb temporal and spatial resolution. Here, we generated a transgenic line of Drosophila that drives expression of NpHR under control of the Gal4/UAS system. Then, we used it to dissect the functional properties of neural circuits that regulate larval peristalsis, a continuous wave of muscular contraction from posterior to anterior segments. We first demonstrate the effectiveness of NpHR by showing that global and continuous NpHR-mediated optical inhibition of motor neurons or sensory feedback neurons induce the same behavioral responses in crawling larvae to those elicited when the function of these neurons are inhibited by Shibirets, namely complete paralyses or slowed locomotion, respectively. We then applied transient and/or focused light stimuli to inhibit the activity of motor neurons in a more temporally and spatially restricted manner and studied the effects of the optical inhibition on peristalsis. When a brief light stimulus (1–10 sec) was applied to a crawling larva, the wave of muscular contraction stopped transiently but resumed from the halted position when the light was turned off. Similarly, when a focused light stimulus was applied to inhibit motor neurons in one or a few segments which were about to be activated in a dissected larva undergoing fictive locomotion, the propagation of muscular constriction paused during the light stimulus but resumed from the halted position when the inhibition (>5 sec) was removed. These results suggest that (1) Firing of motor neurons at the forefront of the wave is required for the wave to proceed to more anterior segments, and (2) The information about the phase of the wave, namely which segment is active at a given time, can be memorized in the neural circuits for several seconds

Chronic non-specific low back pain - sub-groups or a single mechanism?

Copyright 2008 Wand and O'Connell; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background: Low back pain is a substantial health problem and has subsequently attracted a considerable amount of research. Clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of a variety of interventions for chronic non-specific low back pain indicate limited effectiveness for most commonly applied interventions and approaches. Discussion: Many clinicians challenge the results of clinical trials as they feel that this lack of effectiveness is at odds with their clinical experience of managing patients with back pain. A common explanation for this discrepancy is the perceived heterogeneity of patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. It is felt that the effects of treatment may be diluted by the application of a single intervention to a complex, heterogeneous group with diverse treatment needs. This argument presupposes that current treatment is effective when applied to the correct patient. An alternative perspective is that the clinical trials are correct and current treatments have limited efficacy. Preoccupation with sub-grouping may stifle engagement with this view and it is important that the sub-grouping paradigm is closely examined. This paper argues that there are numerous problems with the sub-grouping approach and that it may not be an important reason for the disappointing results of clinical trials. We propose instead that current treatment may be ineffective because it has been misdirected. Recent evidence that demonstrates changes within the brain in chronic low back pain sufferers raises the possibility that persistent back pain may be a problem of cortical reorganisation and degeneration. This perspective offers interesting insights into the chronic low back pain experience and suggests alternative models of intervention. Summary: The disappointing results of clinical research are commonly explained by the failure of researchers to adequately attend to sub-grouping of the chronic non-specific low back pain population. Alternatively, current approaches may be ineffective and clinicians and researchers may need to radically rethink the nature of the problem and how it should best be managed