Fever and pyrexia with verification of thermisters in dogs

"May 2008"The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2008.An elevated body temperature (pyrexia) often accompanies disease. Body temperature measurement is one of the vital parameters in medicine. This thesis contains a literature review of the pathophysiology of temperature regulation, hyperthermia, fever, and treatments for hyperthermia and fever. Additionally, the thesis describes studies conducted to compare accuracy and precision of several methods of body temperature measurement in dogs. The core body temperature can be difficult to measure and invasive techniques are required to make this measurement. In our original studies an auricular, subcutaneous, and rectal method of temperature measurement were compared to true core body temperature as measured by a thermister-tipped pulmonary artery catheter. Our results indicate that within the range of clinical application, predictive rectal thermometers in healthy dogs approximated core body temperature very well. At this time there is no other method of temperature measurement in routine use in veterinary medicine that approximates the core body temperature as well as rectal thermometers.Includes bibliographical reference

Overdue Investigations Into Popular Beliefs

Panel Chair: Susan Grimland Papers Presented: Megan Greer: “The True Case of Amelia Earhart’s Disappearance” Trace Hughes: “Is Chinua Achebe Right about Conrad’s Heart of Darkness?” Rebecca Netherton: “Pharmageddon or Pharmaheaven” Jordan La Grenad

Combined Superbase Ionic Liquid Approach to Separate CO2 from Flue Gas

[Image: see text] Superbase ionic liquids (ILs) with a trihexyltetradecylphosphonium cation and a benzimidazolide ([P(66614)][Benzim]) or tetrazolide ([P(66614)][Tetz]) anion were investigated in a dual-IL system allowing the selective capture and separation of CO(2) and SO(2), respectively, under realistic gas concentrations. The results show that [P(66614)][Tetz] is capable of efficiently capturing SO(2) in preference to CO(2) and thus, in a stepwise separation process, protects [P(66614)][Benzim] from the negative effects of the highly acidic contaminant. This results in [P(66614)][Benzim] maintaining >53% of its original CO(2) uptake capacity after 30 absorption/desorption cycles in comparison to the 89% decrease observed after 11 cycles when [P(66614)][Tetz] was not present. Characterization of the ILs post exposure revealed that small amounts of SO(2) were irreversibly absorbed to the [Benzim](−) anion responsible for the decrease in CO(2) capacity. While optimization of this dual-IL system is required, this feasibility study demonstrates that [P(66614)][Tetz] is a suitable sorbent for reversibly capturing SO(2) and significantly extending the lifetime of [P(66614)][Benzim] for CO(2) uptake

Light-emitting nanolattices with enhanced brightness

Three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystals have potential in solid state lighting applications due to their advantages over conventional planar thin film devices. Periodicity in a photonic crystal structure enables engineering of the density of states to improve spontaneous light emission according to Fermi’s golden rule. Unlike planar thin films, which suffer significantly from total internal reflection, a 3D architectured structure is distributed in space with many non-flat interfaces, which facilitates a substantial enhancement in light extraction. We demonstrate the fabrication of 3D nano-architectures with octahedron geometry that utilize luminescing silicon nanocrystals as active media with an aluminum cathode and indium tin oxide anode towards the realization of a 3D light emitting device. The developed fabrication procedure allows charge to pass through the nanolattice between two contacts for electroluminescence. These initial fabrication efforts suggest that 3D nano-architected devices are realizable and can reach greater efficiencies than planar devices

Myc-Dependent Genome Instability and Lifespan in Drosophila

The Myc family of transcription factors are key regulators of cell growth and proliferation that are dysregulated in a large number of human cancers. When overexpressed, Myc family proteins also cause genomic instability, a hallmark of both transformed and aging cells. Using an in vivo lacZ mutation reporter, we show that overexpression of Myc in Drosophila increases the frequency of large genome rearrangements associated with erroneous repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In addition, we find that overexpression of Myc shortens adult lifespan and, conversely, that Myc haploinsufficiency reduces mutation load and extends lifespan. Our data provide the first evidence that Myc may act as a pro-aging factor, possibly through its ability to greatly increase genome instability

Recoverable electrical breakdown strength and dielectric constant in ultra-low k nanolattice capacitors

The dielectric reliability of low-k materials during mechanical deformation attracts tremendous attention, owing to the increasing demand for thin electronics to meet the ever-shrinking form factor of consumer products. However, the strong coupling between dielectric/electric and mechanical properties limits the use of low-k dielectrics in industrial applications. We report the leakage current and dielectric properties of a nanolattice capacitor during compressive stress cycling. Electrical breakdown measurements during the stress cycling, combined with a theoretical model and in situ mechanical experiments, provide insights to key breakdown mechanisms. Electrical breakdown occurs at nearly 50% strain, featuring a switch-like binary character, correlated with a transition from beam bending and buckling to collapse. Breakdown strength appears to recover after each cycle, concomitant with nanolattice’s shape recovery. The compressive displacement at breakdown decreases with cycling due to permanently buckled beams, transforming the conduction mechanism from Schottky to Poole–Frankel emission. Remarkably, our capacitor with 99% porosity, k ∼ 1.09, is operative up to 200 V, whereas devices with 17% porous alumina films breakdown upon biasing based on a percolation model. Similarly with electrical breakdown, the dielectric constant of the capacitor is recoverable with five strain cycles and is stable under 25% compression. These outstanding capabilities of the nanolattice are essential for revolutionizing future flexible electronics

Techno–ecological synergies of solar energy for global sustainability

The strategic engineering of solar energy technologies—from individual rooftop modules to large solar energy power plants—can confer significant synergistic outcomes across industrial and ecological boundaries. Here, we propose techno–ecological synergy (TES), a framework for engineering mutually beneficial relationships between technological and ecological systems, as an approach to augment the sustainability of solar energy across a diverse suite of recipient environments, including land, food, water, and built-up systems. We provide a conceptual model and framework to describe 16 TESs of solar energy and characterize 20 potential techno–ecological synergistic outcomes of their use. For each solar energy TES, we also introduce metrics and illustrative assessments to demonstrate techno–ecological potential across multiple dimensions. The numerous applications of TES to solar energy technologies are unique among energy systems and represent a powerful frontier in sustainable engineering to minimize unintended consequences on nature associated with a rapid energy transition

Interrogating intervention delivery and participants’ emotional states to improve engagement and implementation: A realist informed multiple case study evaluation of Engager

BACKGROUND: 'Engager' is an innovative 'through-the-gate' complex care intervention for male prison-leavers with common mental health problems. In parallel to the randomised-controlled trial of Engager (Trial registration number: ISRCTN11707331), a set of process evaluation analyses were undertaken. This paper reports on the depth multiple case study analysis part of the process evaluation, exploring how a sub-sample of prison-leavers engaged and responded to the intervention offer of one-to-one support during their re-integration into the community. METHODS: To understand intervention delivery and what response it elicited in individuals, we used a realist-informed qualitative multiple 'case' studies approach. We scrutinised how intervention component delivery lead to outcomes by examining underlying causal pathways or 'mechanisms' that promoted or hindered progress towards personal outcomes. 'Cases' (n = 24) were prison-leavers from the intervention arm of the trial. We collected practitioner activity logs and conducted semi-structured interviews with prison-leavers and Engager/other service practitioners. We mapped data for each case against the intervention logic model and then used Bhaskar's (2016) 'DREIC' analytic process to categorise cases according to extent of intervention delivery, outcomes evidenced, and contributing factors behind engagement or disengagement and progress achieved. RESULTS: There were variations in the dose and session focus of the intervention delivery, and how different participants responded. Participants sustaining long-term engagement and sustained change reached a state of 'crises but coping'. We found evidence that several components of the intervention were key to achieving this: trusting relationships, therapeutic work delivered well and over time; and an in-depth shared understanding of needs, concerns, and goals between the practitioner and participants. Those who disengaged were in one of the following states: 'Crises and chaos', 'Resigned acceptance', 'Honeymoon' or 'Wilful withdrawal'. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that the 'implementability' of an intervention can be explained by examining the delivery of core intervention components in relation to the responses elicited in the participants. Core delivery mechanisms often had to be 'triggered' numerous times to produce sustained change. The improvements achieved, sustained, and valued by participants were not always reflected in the quantitative measures recorded in the RCT. The compatibility between the practitioner, participant and setting were continually at risk of being undermined by implementation failure as well as changing external circumstances and participants' own weaknesses. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN11707331, Wales Research Ethics Committee, Registered 02-04-2016-Retrospectively registered https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN11707331