Season and Enterprise Effects on Cow Milk Production Indicators in Ciego de Ávila.

The effects of season and enterprise on cow milk production indicators between 2008 and 2012 in the province of Ciego de Ávila,  Cuba, are presented. Official information of the productive, economic, and financial indicators from the Economic and Production Departments of the enterprises evaluated was used. The mean productivity and effi-ciency indicators were calculated from the basic information collected. Descriptive statistical  analysis and variable comparisons between seasons and enterprises were made.  The bio-economic indicators in the rainy season  produced the least unfavorable results. More than one milk kg/cow was produced in the rainy season, and yields per area had a mean of 8.2 and 12.9 kg of milk/ha/month in the dry and rainy seasons, respectively.  Different results were observed in annual  efficiency and production  indicators, both primary and secondary.  Ruta  Invasora  was  the enterprise with the best productive results; whereas Orlando González Enterprise had the highest overall yields

A REDUCED TABLEOF THE ZECH´S LOGARITHM

In this work we will solve the problem of expression of the sum of two given elements of a finite field, as power of the primitive element of the field. We obtain a reduced table of the Zech's logarithm from our proposal that relate the Zech'slogarithm with the partition of the exponents of the powers of elements over finite field ð‘®ð‘­(ð’‘ð’) in p-cyclotomic cosets modulo (ð’‘ð’−ðŸ). This reduces, in a significant way, the quantity of information to store and it facilitates its use in several cryptographic algorithms, specifically in asimetric cryptography. It is illustrated the computationof the Zech'slogarithm of any element thatdoesn't appear in the obtained reduced table

Efecto de la época y la empresa en indicadores de producción de leche vacuna en Ciego de Ávila.

Se presenta el efecto de la época y la empresa en indicadores de producción  de leche vacuna en la provincia de Ciego de Ávila, Cuba,  entre los años 2008 y 2012.  Se tomó la información institucional de indicadores productivos, económicos y financieros de los Departamentos Económicos y de Producción de cada una de las empresas evaluadas. A partir de la información primaria obtenida se calcularon indicadores de productividad media  y eficiencia. Se reali-zaron análisis de estadística descriptiva y comparaciones de variables entre épocas y empresas.  Los indicadores bio-económicos tienen los resultados menos desfavorables en la época de lluvia; por ejemplo, se obtiene más de un kg de leche/vaca en época de lluvia y la producción por área tuvo una mediana de 8,2 y 12,9 kg de leche/ha/mes en seca y lluvia, respectivamente. Las empresas mostraron resultados diferentes en indicadores primarios y secundarios anuales de eficiencia y productividad: se destaca con mejores resultados productivos la Empresa Ruta Invasora.  La Em-presa Orlando González tuvo, de manera general, los menores desempeños.Season and Enterprise Effects on Cow Milk Production Indicators in Ciego de Ávila.ABSTRACTThe effects of season and enterprise on cow milk production indicators between 2008 and 2012 in  the province of Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, are presented. Official information of the productive, economic, and financial indicators from the Economic and Production Departments of the enterprises evaluated  was used. The mean productivity and effi-ciency indicators were calculated from the basic information collected . Descriptive statistics analysis and variable comparisons between seasons and enterprises were made. The bio -economic indicators showed the least unfavorable results in the rainy season. More than one milk kg/cow is produced in the rainy season, and yields per area had a mean of 8.2 and 12.9 kg of milk/ha/month in the dry and rainy seasons, respectively. Different results were observed in annual  efficiency and production  indicators, both  primary and secondary.  Ruta  Invasora was the enterprise with the best productive results; where as Orlando Gonzalez enterprise  had the highest overall yields

Automatic hand phantom map generation and detection using decomposition support vector machines

Background: There is a need for providing sensory feedback for myoelectric prosthesis users. Providing tactile feedback can improve object manipulation abilities, enhance the perceptual embodiment of myoelectric prostheses and help reduce phantom limb pain. Many amputees have referred sensation from their missing hand on their residual limbs (phantom maps). This skin area can serve as a target for providing amputees with non-invasive tactile sensory feedback. One of the challenges of providing sensory feedback on the phantom map is to define the accurate boundary of each phantom digit because the phantom map distribution varies from person to person. Methods: In this paper, automatic phantom map detection methods based on four decomposition support vector machine algorithms and three sampling methods are proposed, complemented by fuzzy logic and active learning strategies. The algorithms and methods are tested on two databases: the first one includes 400 generated phantom maps, whereby the phantom map generation algorithm was based on our observation of the phantom maps to ensure smooth phantom digit edges, variety, and representativeness. The second database includes five reported phantom map images and transformations thereof. The accuracy and training/ classification time of each algorithm using a dense stimulation array (with 100 $$\times$$ × 100 actuators) and two coarse stimulation arrays (with 3 $$\times$$ × 5 and 4 $$\times$$ × 6 actuators) are presented and compared. Results: Both generated and reported phantom map images share the same trends. Majority-pooling sampling effectively increases the training size, albeit introducing some noise, and thus produces the smallest error rates among the three proposed sampling methods. For different decomposition architectures, one-vs-one reduces unclassified regions and in general has higher classification accuracy than the other architectures. By introducing fuzzy logic to bias the penalty parameter, the influence of pooling-induced noise is reduced. Moreover, active learning with different strategies was also tested and shown to improve the accuracy by introducing more representative training samples. Overall, dense arrays employing one-vs-one fuzzy support vector machines with majority-pooling sampling have the smallest average absolute error rate (8.78% for generated phantom maps and 11.5% for reported and transformed phantom map images). The detection accuracy of coarse arrays was found to be significantly lower than for dense array. Conclusions: The results demonstrate the effectiveness of support vector machines using a dense array in detecting refined phantom map shapes, whereas coarse arrays are unsuitable for this task. We therefore propose a two-step approach, using first a non-wearable dense array to detect an accurate phantom map shape, then to apply a wearable coarse stimulation array customized according to the detection results. The proposed methodology can be used as a tool for helping haptic feedback designers and for tracking the evolvement of phantom maps

A Miniature Multimodal Actuator for Effective Tactile Feedback: Design and Characterization

We designed a miniature multimodal actuator by combining servomotors and vibrators. The actuator is mainly designed to non-invasively deliver tactile information to human skin by high-frequency vibration and low-frequency pressures simultaneously. By utilizing two modalities at the same time, the actuator stimulates different types of mechanoreceptors and thus has the potential to increase the band width to transfer tactile information. The designed actuator possess the advantage of light weight, compact size, low power consumption, short response time, large ranges of pressure and vibration, and non-back-drivable mechanism. Multimodal actuators provide new tools and possibilities to display tactile information on human skin efficiently and intuitively. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

Comprehensive, Evidence-Based, Consensus Guidelines for Prescription of Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain from the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP).

BACKGROUND: Opioid prescribing in the United States is decreasing, however, the opioid epidemic is continuing at an uncontrollable rate. Available data show a significant number of opioid deaths, primarily associated with illicit fentanyl use. It is interesting to also note that the data show no clear correlation between opioid prescribing (either number of prescriptions or morphine milligram equivalent [MME] per capita), opioid hospitalizations, and deaths. Furthermore, the data suggest that the 2016 guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have resulted in notable problems including increased hospitalizations and mental health disorders due to the lack of appropriate opioid prescribing as well as inaptly rapid tapering or weaning processes. Consequently, when examined in light of other policies and complications caused by COVID-19, a fourth wave of the opioid epidemic has been emerging. OBJECTIVES: In light of this, we herein seek to provide guidance for the prescription of opioids for the management of chronic non-cancer pain. These clinical practice guidelines are based upon a systematic review of both clinical and epidemiological evidence and have been developed by a panel of multidisciplinary experts assessing the quality of the evidence and the strength of recommendations and offer a clear explanation of logical relationships between various care options and health outcomes. METHODS: The methods utilized included the development of objectives and key questions for the various facets of opioid prescribing practice. Also utilized were employment of trustworthy standards, and appropriate disclosures of conflicts of interest(s). The literature pertaining to opioid use, abuse, effectiveness, and adverse consequences was reviewed. The recommendations were developed after the appropriate review of text and questions by a panel of multidisciplinary subject matter experts, who tabulated comments, incorporated changes, and developed focal responses to questions posed. The multidisciplinary panel finalized 20 guideline recommendations for prescription of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. Summary of the results showed over 90% agreement for the final 20 recommendations with strong consensus. The consensus guidelines included 4 sections specific to opioid therapy with 1) ten recommendations particular to initial steps of opioid therapy; 2) five recommendations for assessment of effectiveness of opioid therapy; 3) three recommendations regarding monitoring adherence and side effects; and 4) two general, final phase recommendations. LIMITATIONS: There is a continued paucity of literature of long-term opioid therapy addressing chronic non-cancer pain. Further, significant biases exist in the preparation of guidelines, which has led to highly variable rules and regulations across various states. CONCLUSION: These guidelines were developed based upon a comprehensive review of the literature, consensus among expert panelists, and in alignment with patient preferences, and shared decision-making so as to improve the long-term pain relief and function in patients with chronic non-cancer pain. Consequently, it was concluded - and herein recommended - that chronic opioid therapy should be provided in low doses with appropriate adherence monitoring and understanding of adverse events only to those patients with a proven medical necessity, and who exhibit stable improvement in both pain relief and activities of daily function, either independently or in conjunction with other modalities of treatments

Prevalence of bisphosphonate associated osteonecrosis of the jaws in multiple myeloma patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaws (BP-ONJ) is an adverse effect of bisphosphonate treatment with varying reported incidence rates.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In two neighboring German cities, prevalence and additional factors of the development of BP-ONJ in multiple myeloma patients with bisphosphonates therapy were recorded using a retrospective (RS) and cross-sectional study (CSS) design. For the RS, all patients treated from Jan. 2000 - Feb. 2006 were contacted by letter. In the CSS, all patients treated from Oct. 2006 - Mar. 2008 had a physical and dental examination. Additionally, a literature review was conducted to evaluate all articles reporting on BP-ONJ prevalence. PubMed search terms were: bisphosphonat, diphosphonate, osteonecrosis, prevalence and incidence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the RS, data from 81 of 161 patients could be obtained; four patients (4.9%) developed BP-ONJ. In the CSS, 16 of 78 patients (20.5%) developed BP-ONJ. All patients with BP-ONJ had received zoledronate; 12 of these had had additional bisphosphonates. All except one had an additional trigger factor (tooth extraction [n = 14], dental surgical procedure [n = 2], sharp mylohyoid ridge [n = 3]).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The prevalence of BP-ONJ may have been underestimated to date. The oral examination of all patients in this CSS might explain the higher prevalence, since even early asymptomatic stages of BP-ONJ and previously unnoticed symptomatic BP-ONJ were recorded. Since nearly all patients with BP-ONJ had an additional trigger factor, oral hygiene and dental care might help to reduce BP-ONJ incidence.</p