10,839 research outputs found
The Radon Monitoring System in Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment
We developed a highly sensitive, reliable and portable automatic system
(H) to monitor the radon concentration of the underground experimental
halls of the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment. H is able to measure
radon concentration with a statistical error less than 10\% in a 1-hour
measurement of dehumidified air (R.H. 5\% at 25C) with radon
concentration as low as 50 Bq/m. This is achieved by using a large radon
progeny collection chamber, semiconductor -particle detector with high
energy resolution, improved electronics and software. The integrated radon
monitoring system is highly customizable to operate in different run modes at
scheduled times and can be controlled remotely to sample radon in ambient air
or in water from the water pools where the antineutrino detectors are being
housed. The radon monitoring system has been running in the three experimental
halls of the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment since November 2013
Postnatal maturation of the spinal-bulbo-spinal loop: brainstem control of spinal nociception is independent of sensory input in neonatal rats
The rostroventral medial medulla (RVM) is part of a rapidly acting spino-bulbo-spinal loop that is activated by ascending nociceptive inputs and drives descending feedback modulation of spinal nociception. In the adult rat, the RVM can facilitate or inhibit dorsal horn neuron inputs but in young animals descending facilitation dominates. It is not known whether this early life facilitation is part of a feedback loop. We hypothesized that the newborn RVM functions independently of sensory input, before the maturation of feedback control. We show here that noxious hind paw pinch evokes no fos activation in the RVM or the periaqueductal gray at postnatal day (P) 4 or P8, indicating a lack of nociceptive input at these ages. Significant fos activation was evident at P12, P21, and in adults. Furthermore, direct excitation of RVM neurons with microinjection of DL-homocysteic acid did not alter the net activity of dorsal horn neurons at P10, suggesting an absence of glutamatergic drive, whereas the same injections caused significant facilitation at P21. In contrast, silencing RVM neurons at P8 with microinjection of lidocaine inhibited dorsal horn neuron activity, indicating a tonic descending spinal facilitation from the RVM at this age. The results support the hypothesis that early life descending facilitation of spinal nociception is independent of sensory input. Since it is not altered by RVM glutamatergic receptor activation, it is likely generated by spontaneous brainstem activity. Only later in postnatal life can this descending activity be modulated by ascending nociceptive inputs in a functional spinal-bulbo-spinal loop
Prognostic value of troponins in acute coronary syndrome depends upon patient age
Peer reviewedPostprin
The Submillimeter Array
The Submillimeter Array (SMA), a collaborative project of the Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy
and Astrophysics (ASIAA), has begun operation on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. A total
of eight 6-m telescopes comprise the array, which will cover the frequency
range of 180-900 GHz. All eight telescopes have been deployed and are
operational. First scientific results utilizing the three receiver bands at
230, 345, and 690 GHz have been obtained and are presented in the accompanying
papers.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
Hand dysfunction after transradial artery catheterization for coronary procedures
AIM
To sythesize the available literature on hand dysfunction after transradial catheterization.
METHODS
We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE. The search results were reviewed by two independent judicators for studies that met the inclusion criteria and relevant reviews. We included studies that evaluated any transradial procedure and evaluated hand function outcomes post transradial procedure. There were no restrictions based on sample size. There was no restriction on method of assessing hand function which included disability, nerve damage, motor or sensory loss. There was no restriction based on language of study. Data was extracted, these results were narratively synthesized.
RESULTS
Out of 555 total studies 13 studies were finally included in review. A total of 3815 participants with mean age of 62.5 years were included in this review. A variety of methods were used to assess sensory and motor dysfunction of hand. Out of 13 studies included, only 3 studies reported nerve damage with a combined incidence of 0.16%, 5 studies reported sensory loss, tingling and numbness with a pooled incidence of 1.52%. Pain after transradial access was the most common form of hand dysfunction (6.67%) reported in 3 studies. The incidence of hand dysfunction defined as disability, grip strength change, power loss or any other hand complication was incredibly low at 0.26%. Although radial artery occlusion was not our primary end point for this review, it was observed in 2.41% of the participants in total of five studies included.
CONCLUSION
Hand dysfunction may occur post transradial catheterisation and majority of symptoms resolve without any clinical sequel
Development of a GIS Based Water Management Tool for a Large Scale Rice Irrigation Scheme
A GIS based model was developed to integrate the vast amounts of spatially distributed information from the Kerian Irrigation Scheme comprising eight
compartments which are further subdivided into 28 blocks. The model consists of three modules. The "Scheduling" program computes irrigation deliveries
based on spatial and temporal demand of the paddy field by each compartment, block or secondary canal. The "Monitoring" program gives information by
compartment and by block on the uniformity of water distribution and the shortfall or excess. Relative Water Supply (RWS), Water Use Efficiency (WUE),
Cumulative Relative Water Supply (CRWS), and Water Productivity Index (WPI) were computed by the "Evaluation" module. The post-season analysis uses weekly information on hydro-climatic parameters, irrigation delivery and
irrigation indices by block within each compartment. On a weekly basis, RWS and WUE were found to range from 1.01 to 2.24 and 45% to 99% respectively in the main season and 1.01 to 1.87 and 53.57% to 96.15% respectively in the
off season. The average values of RWS and WUE were found to be 1.53 and 68.15% in the main season and 1.33 and 78.47% in the off season respectively.
The average values of WPI were also found to be 0.13 and 0.22 kg/m3 in the main season and off seasons respectively. Color-eoded thematic maps were
produced for the monitoring of Seasonal Yields and Cropping Intensity (CI) by block and compartment of the scheme. The results are displayed allowing the
manager to view maps, tables and graphs in a comprehensible form to ease decision making as the season progresses. This study would be useful to
improve the irrigation system management based on feedback of field
information
Fokker-Planck equation with variable diffusion coefficient in the Stratonovich approach
We consider the Langevin equation with multiplicative noise term which
depends on time and space. The corresponding Fokker-Planck equation in
Stratonovich approach is investigated. Its formal solution is obtained for an
arbitrary multiplicative noise term given by , and the
behaviors of probability distributions, for some specific functions of %
, are analyzed. In particular, for , the physical
solutions for the probability distribution in the Ito, Stratonovich and
postpoint discretization approaches can be obtained and analyzed.Comment: 6 pages in LATEX cod
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