Biomechanical Computed Tomography analysis (BCT) for clinical assessment of osteoporosis.

The surgeon general of the USA defines osteoporosis as "a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength, predisposing to an increased risk of fracture." Measuring bone strength, Biomechanical Computed Tomography analysis (BCT), namely, finite element analysis of a patient's clinical-resolution computed tomography (CT) scan, is now available in the USA as a Medicare screening benefit for osteoporosis diagnostic testing. Helping to address under-diagnosis of osteoporosis, BCT can be applied "opportunistically" to most existing CT scans that include the spine or hip regions and were previously obtained for an unrelated medical indication. For the BCT test, no modifications are required to standard clinical CT imaging protocols. The analysis provides measurements of bone strength as well as a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-equivalent bone mineral density (BMD) T-score at the hip and a volumetric BMD of trabecular bone at the spine. Based on both the bone strength and BMD measurements, a physician can identify osteoporosis and assess fracture risk (high, increased, not increased), without needing confirmation by DXA. To help introduce BCT to clinicians and health care professionals, we describe in this review the currently available clinical implementation of the test (VirtuOst), its application for managing patients, and the underlying supporting evidence; we also discuss its main limitations and how its results can be interpreted clinically. Together, this body of evidence supports BCT as an accurate and convenient diagnostic test for osteoporosis in both sexes, particularly when used opportunistically for patients already with CT. Biomechanical Computed Tomography analysis (BCT) uses a patient's CT scan to measure both bone strength and bone mineral density at the hip or spine. Performing at least as well as DXA for both diagnosing osteoporosis and assessing fracture risk, BCT is particularly well-suited to "opportunistic" use for the patient without a recent DXA who is undergoing or has previously undergone CT testing (including hip or spine regions) for an unrelated medical condition

The Influence of oral environment on diet choices in goats: a focus on saliva protein composition

There is ample evidence that ruminants are capable of making choices between different foods that provide a more balanced diet that would be obtained by eating at random. In the particular case of goats, they occupy a diversity of habitats and different breeds present variability of feeding behaviors resultant from adaptations to the existent plant species. In their food search activity, individuals are faced with variable amounts of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), which may present some toxic and anti-nutritional effects depending on the individual’s ability to deal with it. The oral cavity has a key role in the recognition and decision processes of ingestion or rejection. In this chapter we will first consider how goats identify foods and behave according to the food items available. Focus will be done on the importance of taste sense in this process and the information available on the main structures involved in taste detection and perception in goats will be reviewed. In a second section we will focus on the characteristics of goat’s saliva, particularly in terms of their protein composition, presenting results obtained by our research team

Estimates for the ergodic measure and polynomial stability of plane stochastic curve shortening flow

We establish moment estimates for the invariant measure of a stochastic partial differential equation describing motion by mean curvature flow in (1+1) dimension, leading to polynomial stability of the associated Markov semigroup. We also prove maximal dissipativity for the related Kolmogorov operator

Phylogeny, biogeography and diversification patterns of side-necked turtles (Testudines: Pleurodira)

Pleurodires or side-necked turtles are today restricted to freshwater environments of South America, Africa– Madagascar and Australia, but in the past they were distributed much more broadly, being found also on Eurasia, India and North America, and marine environments. Two hypotheses were proposed to explain this distribution; in the first, vicariance would have shaped the current geographical distribution and, in the second, extinctions constrained a previously widespread distribution. Here, we aim to reconstruct pleurodiran biogeographic history and diversification patterns based on a new phylogenetic hypothesis recovered from the analysis of the largest morphological dataset yet compiled for the lineage, testing which biogeographical process prevailed during its evolutionary history. The resulting topology generally agrees with previous hypotheses of the group and shows that most diversification shifts were related to the exploration of new niches, e.g. littoral or marine radiations. In addition, as other turtles, pleurodires do not seem to have been much affected by either the Cretaceous– Palaeogene or the Eocene–Oligocene mass extinctions. The biogeographic analyses highlight the predominance of both anagenetic and cladogenetic dispersal events and support the importance of transoceanic dispersals as a more common driver of area changes than previously thought, agreeing with previous studies with other non-turtle lineages.Fil: Ferreira, Gabriel S.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil. Senckenberg Centre For Human Evolution And Palaeoenvironment; Alemania. Universität Tübingen; AlemaniaFil: Bronzati Filho, Mario. Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie; AlemaniaFil: Langer, Max C.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Sterli, Juliana. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Zusammenhang zwischen körpergewichtsentwicklung und alkalischer phosphatase-aktivitat im blutplasma bei der maus, unter dem einfluß der selektion auf proteinansatz

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Noticing for Equity to Sustain Multilingual Literacies

This department explores how teachers can sustain students’ multilingual literacies and reimagine literacy learning across multiple contexts in conversation with researchers, practitioners, and communities

A case for incorporating standby generators into the South African electricity system

This paper examines how existing standby generators may benefit the South African electricity system. Eskom, the national electricity utility, supplies 92% of South Africa’s electricity needs at a price to consumers that is the lowest in the world, making it virtually impossible for alternative generation to compete. Installed electricity generation capacity is 38 154MW with a reserve margin of 8-10%. Eskom would prefer a margin closer to 15% but demand growth for the next year will reduce the margin further, to 3.75%. One response has been to introduce a demand management programme The country has begun to suffer more frequent outages, particularly during winter when demand is highest. One aspect of the management programme is to shift the two daily peaks to the ‘valleys’. Eskom estimates a possible 3 000MW capacity available from standby generators. The research should deliver a more accurate figure, as well as the location of these generators, particularly with respect to network constraints. Also considered are issues of synchronisation with the grid, emissions, noise and other environmental impacts associated with the operation of distributed generation, as well as the contractual conditions under which such an arrangement may be possible

Collected Observations Pertaining to Hog Cholera

This bulletin reports on the following: (1) the possible role of Salmonella suipestifer in failed vaccinations (vaccination breaks); (2) excessive serum dosages as a cause of vaccination breaks; (3) experiments with crystal-violet hog cholera vaccine and (4) hog cholera vaccine of tissue origin, and (5) phenolized hog cholera virus as a possible vehicle for pathogenic contaminants

A diagnostic procedure for improving the structure of approximated kinetic models

Kinetic models of chemical and biochemical phenomena are frequently built from simplifying assumptions. Whenever a model is falsified by data, its mathematical structure should be modified embracing the available experimental evidence. A framework based on maximum likelihood inference is illustrated in this work for diagnosing model misspecification and improving the structure of approximated models. In the proposed framework, statistical evidence provides a measure to justify a modification of the model structure, namely a reduction of complexity through the removal of irrelevant parameters and/or an increase of complexity through the replacement of relevant parameters with more complex state-dependent expressions. A tailored Lagrange multipliers test is proposed to support the scientist in the improvement of parametric models when an increase in model complexity is required

Effects of husbandry parameters on the life-history traits of the apple snail, Marisa cornuarietis: effects of temperature, photoperiod, and population density

These experiments are part of a larger study designed to investigate the influence of husbandry parameters on the life history of the apple snail, Marisa cornuarietis. The overall objective of the program is to identify suitable husbandry conditions for maintaining multi-generation populations of this species in the laboratory for use in ecotoxicological testing. In this article, we focus on the effects of photoperiod, temperature, and population density on adult fecundity and juvenile growth. Increasing photoperiod from 12 to 16 h of light per day had no effect on adult fecundity or egg hatching and relatively minor effects on juvenile growth and development. Rearing snails at temperatures between 22°C and 28°C did not influence the rates of egg production or egg clutch size. However, the rates of growth and development (of eggs and juveniles) increased with increasing temperature in this range, and when temperatures were reduced to 22°C egg-hatching success was impaired. Juvenile growth and development were more sensitive to rearing density than adult fecundity traits. On the basis of the present results, we conclude that rearing individuals of M. cornuarietis at a temperature of 25°C, a photoperiod of 12L:12D, and a density of <0.8 snails L−1 (with lower densities for juvenile snails) should provide favorable husbandry conditions for maintaining multi-generation populations of this species