Reproducibility of parameters of postocclusive reactive hyperemia measured by diffuse optical tomography

The application of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to assess microvascular function has shown promising results. An important limitation when using a single source-detector pair, however, is the lack of depth sensitivity. Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) overcomes this limitation using an array of sources and detectors that allow the reconstruction of volumetric hemodynamic changes. This study compares the key parameters of postocclusive reactive hyperemia measured in the forearm using standard NIRS and DOT. We show that while the mean parameter values are similar for the two techniques, DOT achieves much better reproducibility, as measured by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). We show that DOT achieves high reproducibility for muscle oxygen consumption (ICC: 0.99), time to maximal HbO2HbO2 (ICC: 0.94), maximal HbO2HbO2 (ICC: 0.99), and time to maximal HbT (ICC: 0.99). Absolute reproducibility as measured by the standard error of measurement is consistently smaller and close to zero (ideal value) across all parameters measured by DOT compared to NIRS. We conclude that DOT provides a more robust characterization of the reactive hyperemic response and show how the availability of volumetric hemodynamic changes allows the identification of areas of temporal consistency, which could help characterize more precisely the microvasculature

Does calcium diffusional global feedback leads to slow light adaptation in Drosophila photoreceptors? - A 3D biophysical modelling approach

RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are

Marrow adipose tissue expansion coincides with insulin resistance in MAGP1-deficient mice

Marrow adipose tissue (MAT) is an endocrine organ with the potential to influence skeletal remodeling and hematopoiesis. Pathologic MAT expansion has been studied in the context of severe metabolic challenge, including caloric restriction, high fat diet feeding, and leptin deficiency. However, the rapid change in peripheral fat and glucose metabolism associated with these models impedes our ability to examine which metabolic parameters precede or coincide with MAT expansion. Microfibril-associated glycoprotein-1 (MAGP1) is a matricellular protein that influences cellular processes by tethering signaling molecules to extracellular matrix structures. MAGP1-deficient (Mfap2(−/−)) mice display a progressive excess adiposity phenotype, which precedes insulin resistance and occurs without changes in caloric intake or ambulation. Mfap2(−/−) mice were, therefore, used as a model to associate parameters of metabolic disease, bone remodeling, and hematopoiesis with MAT expansion. Marrow adiposity was normal in Mfap2(−/−) mice until 6 months of age; however, by 10 months, marrow fat volume had increased fivefold relative to wild-type control at the same age. Increased gonadal fat pad mass and hyperglycemia were detectable in Mfap2(−/−) mice by 2 months, but peaked by 6 months. The development of insulin resistance coincided with MAT expansion. Longitudinal characterization of bone mass demonstrated a disconnection in MAT volume and bone volume. Specifically, Mfap2(−/−) mice had reduced trabecular bone volume by 2 months, but this phenotype did not progress with age or MAT expansion. Interestingly, MAT expansion in the 10-month-old Mfap2(−/−) mice was associated with modest alterations in basal hematopoiesis, including a shift from granulopoiesis to B lymphopoiesis. Together, these findings indicate MAT expansion is coincident with insulin resistance, but not excess peripheral adiposity or hyperglycemia in Mfap2(−/−) mice; and substantial MAT accumulation does not necessitate a proportional decrease in either bone mass or bone marrow cellularity

INFLUENCE FACTORS AND MANIFESTATIONS OF PRODUCTIVITY

Notion almost unknown before 1950, labor productivity is now commonly used by economists, engineers, sociologists and politicians alike, influencing all the important issues of the time. Under these circumstances, if it is accepted that labor productivity is the driving variable that generates economic progress, it is justified that people need to increase their efforts to enhance, its value through various means. This article presents the findings of a theoretical research literature regarding landmarks in the evolution of labor productivity. Arguments justifying such an approach have been given by the fact that the labor issue presents an interest not only at the micro level, individual (the consequences it has on the individual work), but also at the macro level, societal (employment relations on the market labor, insurance systems and the offer educational services on the market today).

The decisional process of proper selection of managers from railway transport

The current economic context as led to a significant drop of open positions on the workforce market at the same time with the reorganization that many organisations had to accomplish. The consequences haven’t stopped appearing in the way in which, today there are many candidates with working experience who have occupied management positions in other companies and are now in search of new jobs. Some organizations have stopped hiring, as it happened in the case of The National Company CFR S.S., and those that still have open positions for recruitment are focusing on skills, multiple competences and proven expertise in a certain field. On the workforce market this thing means that those candidates who have skills and proven expertise are the most demanded ones. The purpose of this paper has been the identification of an adequate methodology of selection regarding railway staff, needed in the main activities of human resources management. The study is based on using the method of global utility and ranking individuals based on the order of skills in order to choose the most suitable manager so that he can take part in  a training course organized by the European organism with responsibilities in the field of professional development. The research hypothesis has been as it follows: A proper assessment of human resources in order to choose, following MRU new demands regarding railway transport, causes the growth in efficiency in railway management

Open source culture in companies

RESUMEN: En la sociedad actual, el internet y las nuevas tecnologías tienen una importancia muy elevada y son utilizadas por una inmensa cantidad de personas para el desarrollo de multitud de funciones. Ahora podemos ver como en un teléfono móvil, concretamente en un Smartphone o teléfono inteligente, podemos tener información de todo tipo que nos ayude en nuestra vida diaria. Es común, que en él, tengamos diferentes aplicaciones que utilicemos a diario, como por ejemplo las que se basan en la mensajería instantánea, para poder estar comunicados en todo momento, las desarrolladas por una entidad bancaria, que nos permitan conocer el saldo de nuestra cuenta y realizar diferentes transacciones, o mismamente, aquellas aplicaciones de correo electrónico para poder recibir y enviar mensajes. Por otro lado, en el mundo empresarial, podemos ver como la gran mayoría de las empresas e instituciones públicas están en contacto con las nuevas tecnologías, desde un pequeño estanco, que utiliza un ordenador para algunas de sus tareas hasta una gran empresa que tiene toda su información en equipos informáticos y depende de ellos para poder llevar a cabo su actividad. En relación a esta era tecnológica, empiezan a surgir nuevos conceptos de los cuáles no se tiene mucha información como puede ser el caso de la Cultura Open Source. En este documento, se explicará el significado de este movimiento, se indagará acerca del uso que hacen las empresas públicas y privadas de ello, para así conocer algunas de las variables que afectan su elección y poder llevar a cabo un pequeño análisis sobre ellasABSTRACT: Nowadays, on the society, the internet and new technologies have a very high importance and are used by an immense number of people for the development of many functions. Now, we can see how in a mobile phone, specifically in a Smartphone, we can have information of all kinds to help us in our daily lives. It is common that on the Smartphone, we have different applications that we use daily, such as, those based on instant messaging, to be able to be communicated at all times, those developed by a bank that allow us to know the balance of our account and perform different transactions, or even, those email applications to receive and send e-mails. On the other hand, on the business world, we can see how the majority of companies and public institutions are in contact with new technologies, from a small tobacconist, that uses a computer for your activity to a large company that has all your information in computer equipment and depends on them to carry out their activity. In relation to this technological era, new concepts are emerging and we have not much information, such as the case of Open Source Culture. In this document, the meaning of this movement will be explained; it will be inquired about the use made by public and private companies, in order to know some of the variables that affect their choice and to be able to carry out a small analysis about them.Grado en Administración y Dirección de Empresa

Identification of linear and nonlinear sensory processing circuits from spiking neuron data

Inferring mathematical models of sensory processing systems directly from input-output observations, while making the fewest assumptions about the model equations and the types of measurements available, is still a major issue in computational neuroscience. This letter introduces two new approaches for identifying sensory circuit models consisting of linear and nonlinear filters in series with spiking neuron models, based only on the sampled analog input to the filter and the recorded spike train output of the spiking neuron. For an ideal integrate-and-fire neuron model, the first algorithm can identify the spiking neuron parameters as well as the structure and parameters of an arbitrary nonlinear filter connected to it. The second algorithm can identify the parameters of the more general leaky integrate-and-fire spiking neuron model, as well as the parameters of an arbitrary linear filter connected to it. Numerical studies involving simulated and real experimental recordings are used to demonstrate the applicability and evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms

Large magnetic anisotropy in mononuclear metal complexes

This review examines mononuclear metal complexes with high magnetic anisotropy and the theoretical approaches used to rationalize their magnetic properties. Electronic structure calculations based on CASSCF (or CASPT2/NEVPT2) methods provide a quantitative agreement of the zero- field splitting parameters either for mononuclear transition metal complexes or for equivalent lanthanide systems. To produce a more qualitative tool for predicting the magnetic anisotropy of metal complexes, we have developed a set of simple models. For transition metal systems, a simple model based on the splitting of the d orbitals, considering the coordination mode of the metal and its electronic configuration, is enough to qualitatively predict the system's magnetic anisotropy. A similar approach does not work with the f orbitals of the lanthanide complexes. As an alternative, we studied the electrostatic field generated by the ligands and found that this magnitude controls the shape and the orientation of the anisotropic electron density. This procedure allows us to rationalize and to predict whether the system will have a strong axial character, and also to determine the direction of the magnetic moment