851 research outputs found
Identification of Heterorhabditis (Nematoda : Heterorhabditidae) from California with a new species isolated from the larvae of the ghost moth Hepialis californicus (Lepidoptera : Hepialidae) from the Bodega Bay Natural Reserve
Les méthodes de taxonomie classique de même que des essais de croisement et l'amplification au hasard de l'ADN polymorphique (RAPD) ont été utilisés pour détecter les différences morphologiques et génétiques entre populations d'#Heterorhabditis Pointar, 1975 provenant de Californie. Une nouvelle espèce, #Heterorhabditis hepialius sp. n., présente dans des chenilles d'#Hepialis californicus provenant de la baie de Bodega (Californie, Etats-Unis d'Amérique) est décrite et illustrée. Représentant la huitième espèce du genre, #H. hepialius sp. n. est caractérisé par la morphologie des spicules, du gubernaculum, et de la queue de la femelle ainsi que les rapports E et F chez les juvéniles infestants. Des données sur sa biologie sont également fournies. (Résumé d'auteur
Ultrasonographic-based predictive factors influencing successful return to racing after superficial digital flexor tendon injuries in flat racehorses: a retrospective cohort study in 469 Thoroughbred racehorses in Hong Kong
Background: Superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injury is an important health and welfare concern in racehorses. It is generally diagnosed with ultrasonography, predictive ultrasonographic features have not been reported.
Objectives: To determine ultrasonographic features of forelimb SDFT injury at initial presentation in Thoroughbred racehorses, that could predict a successful return to racing (completing > or = 5 races).
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.
Methods: Digitised ultrasonographic images of 469 horses with forelimb SDFT injuries from the Hong Kong Jockey Club (2003-2014) were evaluated, using a previously validated ultrasonographic scoring system. Six ultrasonographic parameters were evaluated (type and extent of the injury, location, echogenicity, cross-sectional area and longitudinal fiber pattern of the maximal injury zone (MIZ)), as well as horse signalment, retirement date and number of races before and after injury. Data was analysed by generalized linear regression with significance at P<0.05.
Results: Cases were divided in two groups: 1) For cases of SDFT tendonitis with core lesions, cross-sectional area at the MIZ was the most significant factor determining a successful return to racing (p=0.03). If the lesion was or > or = 50% this decreased to 11-16%. 2) For cases of SDFT tendonitis without a core lesion, longitudinal fiber pattern at the MIZ best predicted a successful return to racing (P=0.002); if the affected longitudinal fiber pattern was or = 75% this decreased to 14%.
Main Limitations: Prognostic information may not be applicable to other breeds/disciplines.
Conclusions: This is the first study to describe ultrasonographic features of forelimb SDFT injuries at initial presentation that were predictive of successful return to racing. The outcomes will assist with early, evidence-based decisions on prognosis in Thoroughbred racehorses
Ultrasonographic scoring system for superficial digital flexor tendon injuries in horses: intra- and inter-rater variability
Superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) tendinopathy is an important musculoskeletal problem in horses. The study objective was to validate an ultrasonographic scoring system for SDFT injuries. Ultrasonographic images from 14 Thoroughbred racehorses with SDFT lesions (seven core; seven diffuse) and two controls were blindly assessed by five clinicians on two occasions. Ultrasonographic parameters evaluated were: type and extent of the injury, location, echogenicity, cross-sectional area and longitudinal fibre pattern of the maximal injury zone (MIZ). Inter-rater variability and intra-rater reliability were assessed using Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (KC) and Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (LC), respectively. Type of injury (core vs. diffuse) had perfect inter/intra-rater agreement. Cases with core lesions had very strong inter-rater agreement (KC ≥0.74, P<0.001) and intra-rater reliability (LC ≥0.73) for all parameters apart from echogenicity. Cases with diffuse lesions had strong inter-rater agreement (KC ≥0.62) for all parameters, but weak agreement for echogenicity (KC=0.22); intra-rater reliability was excellent for MIZ location and fibre pattern (LC ≥0.82), and moderate (LC ≥0.58) for cross-sectional area and number of zones affected. This scoring system was reliable and repeatable for all parameters, except for echogenicity. A validated scoring system will facilitate reliable recording of SDFT injuries and inter-study meta-analyses
Ultrasonographic-based predictive factors influencing successful return to racing after superficial digital flexor tendon injuries in flat racehorses: a retrospective cohort study in 469 Thoroughbred racehorses in Hong Kong
Background: Superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injury is an important health and welfare concern in racehorses. It is generally diagnosed with ultrasonography, predictive ultrasonographic features have not been reported.
Objectives: To determine ultrasonographic features of forelimb SDFT injury at initial presentation in Thoroughbred racehorses, that could predict a successful return to racing (completing > or = 5 races).
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.
Methods: Digitised ultrasonographic images of 469 horses with forelimb SDFT injuries from the Hong Kong Jockey Club (2003-2014) were evaluated, using a previously validated ultrasonographic scoring system. Six ultrasonographic parameters were evaluated (type and extent of the injury, location, echogenicity, cross-sectional area and longitudinal fiber pattern of the maximal injury zone (MIZ)), as well as horse signalment, retirement date and number of races before and after injury. Data was analysed by generalized linear regression with significance at P<0.05.
Results: Cases were divided in two groups: 1) For cases of SDFT tendonitis with core lesions, cross-sectional area at the MIZ was the most significant factor determining a successful return to racing (p=0.03). If the lesion was or > or = 50% this decreased to 11-16%. 2) For cases of SDFT tendonitis without a core lesion, longitudinal fiber pattern at the MIZ best predicted a successful return to racing (P=0.002); if the affected longitudinal fiber pattern was or = 75% this decreased to 14%.
Main Limitations: Prognostic information may not be applicable to other breeds/disciplines.
Conclusions: This is the first study to describe ultrasonographic features of forelimb SDFT injuries at initial presentation that were predictive of successful return to racing. The outcomes will assist with early, evidence-based decisions on prognosis in Thoroughbred racehorses
Transference Principles for Log-Sobolev and Spectral-Gap with Applications to Conservative Spin Systems
We obtain new principles for transferring log-Sobolev and Spectral-Gap
inequalities from a source metric-measure space to a target one, when the
curvature of the target space is bounded from below. As our main application,
we obtain explicit estimates for the log-Sobolev and Spectral-Gap constants of
various conservative spin system models, consisting of non-interacting and
weakly-interacting particles, constrained to conserve the mean-spin. When the
self-interaction is a perturbation of a strongly convex potential, this
partially recovers and partially extends previous results of Caputo,
Chafa\"{\i}, Grunewald, Landim, Lu, Menz, Otto, Panizo, Villani, Westdickenberg
and Yau. When the self-interaction is only assumed to be (non-strongly) convex,
as in the case of the two-sided exponential measure, we obtain sharp estimates
on the system's spectral-gap as a function of the mean-spin, independently of
the size of the system.Comment: 57 page
Improving the Safety and Continuity Of Medicines management at Transitions of care (ISCOMAT): protocol for a process evaluation of a cluster randomised control trial
Introduction A key priority for the UK National Health Service and patients is to ensure that medicines are used safely and effectively. However, medication changes are not always optimally communicated and implemented when patients transfer from hospital into community settings. Heart failure is a common reason for admission to hospital. Patients with heart failure have a high burden of morbidity, mortality and complex pharmacotherapeutic regimens. The Improving the Safety and Continuity Of Medicines management at Transitions of care programme comprises a cluster randomised controlled trial which will test the effectiveness of a complex behavioural intervention aimed at improving medications management at the interface between hospitals discharge and community care. We will conduct a rigorous process evaluation to inform interpretation of the trial findings, inform implementation of the intervention on a wider scale and aid dissemination of the intervention.
Methods and analysis The process evaluation will be conducted in six purposively selected intervention sites (ie, hospital trusts and associated community pharmacies) using a mixed-methods design. Fidelity and barriers/enablers of implementation of the Medicines at Transitions Intervention (MaTI) will be explored using observation, interviews (20 patients, 40 healthcare professionals), surveys and routine trial data collection on adherence to MaTI. A parallel mixed analysis will be applied. Qualitative data will be thematically analysed using Framework analysis and survey data will be analysed descriptively. Data will be synthesised, triangulated and mapped to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research where appropriate. The process evaluation commenced on June 2018 and is due to end on February 2021.
Ethics and dissemination Approved by Research Ethics Committee and the UK Health Research Authority REC: 18/YH/0017/IRAS: 231 431. Findings will be disseminated via academic and policy conferences, peer-reviewed publications and social media
Tri-meson-mixing of -- and -- in the light-cone quark model
The radiative transition form factors of the pseudoscalar mesons {,
, } and the vector mesons {, , } are restudied
with -- and -- in tri-meson-mixing
pattern, which is described by tri-mixing matrices in the light-cone
constituent quark model. The experimental transition decay widths are better
reproduced with tri-meson-mixing than previous results in a two-mixing-angle
scenario of only two-meson - mixing and - mixing.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, final version to appear in EPJ
Nucleus gracilis responses to knee joint motion: A frequency response study
1. (1) A systems analysis approach was used to study the dynamic responses of sensory cells in thenucleus gracilis of anesthetized cats. Sinusoidal changes in knee angle were used as inputs and the average firing rate of single gracile cells was recorded as the output. Frequency response functions were derived from data displayed as Bode plots.2. (2) Fifty-nine cells were studied. The majority of these cells exhibited an acceleration sensitivity but 5 cells exhibited a velocity sensitivity. No position sensitivity was evident and no slowly adapting or tonic responses were recorded.3. (3) The acceleration sensitive cells demonstrated significant non-linear responses. The gain associated with their frequency response function depended upon both static knee angle and input excursion amplitude. These cells also exhibited a bi-directional response to sinusoidal and square wave inputs.4. (4) These data are taken as evidence that the dorsal columns may carry acceleration and velocity information from receptors in the knee joint, but that positional information may travel by other pathways to cells located in other areas. If such is the case, lesion experiments involving the dorsal columns should reveal loss of velocity and acceleration sense but no decrement in position sense.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/33751/1/0000003.pd
The Milky Way Bulge: Observed properties and a comparison to external galaxies
The Milky Way bulge offers a unique opportunity to investigate in detail the
role that different processes such as dynamical instabilities, hierarchical
merging, and dissipational collapse may have played in the history of the
Galaxy formation and evolution based on its resolved stellar population
properties. Large observation programmes and surveys of the bulge are providing
for the first time a look into the global view of the Milky Way bulge that can
be compared with the bulges of other galaxies, and be used as a template for
detailed comparison with models. The Milky Way has been shown to have a
box/peanut (B/P) bulge and recent evidence seems to suggest the presence of an
additional spheroidal component. In this review we summarise the global
chemical abundances, kinematics and structural properties that allow us to
disentangle these multiple components and provide constraints to understand
their origin. The investigation of both detailed and global properties of the
bulge now provide us with the opportunity to characterise the bulge as observed
in models, and to place the mixed component bulge scenario in the general
context of external galaxies. When writing this review, we considered the
perspectives of researchers working with the Milky Way and researchers working
with external galaxies. It is an attempt to approach both communities for a
fruitful exchange of ideas.Comment: Review article to appear in "Galactic Bulges", Editors: Laurikainen
E., Peletier R., Gadotti D., Springer Publishing. 36 pages, 10 figure
The Kinetics of Primary Alpha Plate Growth in Titanium Alloys
The kinetics of primary alpha-Ti colony/Widmanstatten plate growth from the
beta are examined, comparing model to experiment. The plate growth velocity
depends sensitively both on the diffusivity D(T) of the rate-limiting species
and on the supersaturation around the growing plate. These result in a maxima
in growth velocity around 40 K below the transus, once sufficient
supersaturation is available to drive plate growth. In Ti-6246, the plate
growth velocity was found to be around 0.32 um min-1 at 850 oC, which was in
good agreement with the model prediction of 0.36 um min-1 . The solute field
around the growing plates, and the plate thickness, was found to be quite
variable, due to the intergrowth of plates and soft impingement. This solute
field was found to extend to up to 30 nm, and the interface concentration in
the beta was found to be around 6.4 at.% Mo. It was found that increasing O
content will have minimal effect on the plate lengths expected during
continuous cooling; in contrast, Mo approximately doubles the plate lengths
obtained for every 2 wt.% Mo reduction. Alloys using V as the beta stabiliser
instead of Mo are expected to have much faster plate growth kinetics at
nominally equivalent V contents. These findings will provide a useful tool for
the integrated design of alloys and process routes to achieve tailored
microstructures.Comment: Revised version resubmitted to journa
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