530 research outputs found
Epidemiology and strain characterization of rotavirus diarrhea in Malaysia
SummaryObjectivesThe objectives of the study were to describe the epidemiology and strain characterization of rotavirus (RV), to determine the proportion of hospitalizations for diarrhea attributable to RV among children under 5 years of age, and to estimate the disease burden of RV diarrhea in Malaysia.MethodsAll children 0â59 months of age admitted for acute gastroenteritis to Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH) or Hospital Umum Sarawak (HUS) were surveyed. The periods of surveillance were from February 1, 2001 to April 30, 2003 in KLH and April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2003 for HUS.ResultsThe highest rate of RV-associated diarrhea was among children aged 6â17 months, accounting for 55% of RV-associated diarrhea. There was no seasonality observed in either hospital. P[8]G9 strains were predominant, accounting for 73% of all strains in both hospitals, 80% from KLH and 61% from HUS. There was no mortality.ConclusionsRV was responsible for 38% of hospitalizations for diarrhea. It was most common in the 6â17 months age group. There was no seasonality observed for RV-associated diarrhea. The most prevalent strain of RV was P[8]G9. The estimated incidence of RV-associated diarrhea was 27 per 10000 population under the age of 5 years per year
Surface preparation of powder metallurgical tool steels by means of wire electrical discharge machining
The surface of two types of powder metallurgical (PM) tool steels (i.e., with and without nitrogen) was prepared using wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM). From each grade of tool steel, seven surfaces corresponding to one to seven passes of WEDM were prepared. The WEDM process was carried out using a brass wire as electrode and deionized water as dielectric. After eachWEDM pass the surface of the tool steels was thoroughly examined. Surface residual stresses were measured by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The measured stresses were found to be of tensile nature. The surface roughness of the WEDM specimens was measured using interference microscopy. The surface roughness as well as the residual stress measurements indicated an insignificant improvement of these parameters after four passes of WEDM. In addition, the formed recast layer was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), XRD, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The characterization investigation clearly shows diffusion of copper and zinc from the wire electrode into the work material, even after the final WEDM step. Finally, the importance of eliminating excessive WEDM steps is thoroughly discussed
Integrated dopaminergic neuronal model with reduced intracellular processes and inhibitory autoreceptors
Dopamine (DA) is an important neurotransmitter for multiple brain functions, and dysfunctions of the dopaminergic system are implicated in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Although the dopaminergic system has been studied at multiple levels, an integrated and efficient computational model that bridges from molecular to neuronal circuit level is still lacking. In this study, the authors aim to develop a realistic yet efficient computational model of a dopaminergic preâsynaptic terminal. They first systematically perturb the variables/substrates of an established computational model of DA synthesis, release and uptake, and based on their relative dynamical timescales and steadyâstate changes, approximate and reduce the model into two versions: one for simulating hourly timescale, and another for millisecond timescale. They show that the original and reduced models exhibit rather similar steady and perturbed states, whereas the reduced models are more computationally efficient and illuminate the underlying key mechanisms. They then incorporate the reduced fast model into a spiking neuronal model that can realistically simulate the spiking behaviour of dopaminergic neurons. In addition, they successfully include autoreceptorâmediated inhibitory current explicitly in the neuronal model. This integrated computational model provides the first step toward an efficient computational platform for realistic multiscale simulation of dopaminergic systems in in silico neuropharmacology
Adiponectin Prevents Diabetic Premature Senescence of Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Promotes Endothelial Repair by Suppressing the p38 MAP Kinase/p16INK4A Signaling Pathway
OBJECTIVE - A reduced number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are casually associated with the cardiovascular complication of diabetes. Adiponectin exerts multiple protective effects against cardiovascular disease, independent of its insulin-sensitizing activity. The objective of this study was to investigate whether adiponectin plays a role in modulating the bioavailability of circulating EPCs and endothelial repair. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Adiponectin knockout mice were crossed with db+/- mice to produce db/db diabetic mice without adiponectin. Circulating number of EPCs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Reendothelialization was evaluated by staining with Evans blue after wire-induced carotid injury. RESULTS - In adiponectin knockout mice, the number of circulating EPCs decreased in an age-dependent manner compared with the wild-type controls, and this difference was reversed by the chronic infusion of recombinant adiponectin. In db/db diabetic mice, the lack of adiponectin aggravated the hyperglycemia-induced decrease in circulating EPCs and also diminished the stimulatory effects of the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone on EPC production and reendothelialization. In EPCs isolated from both human peripheral blood and mouse bone marrow, treatment with adiponectin prevented high glucose-induced premature senescence. At the molecular level, adiponectin decreased high glucose-induced accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and consequently suppressed activation of p38 MAP kinase (MAPK) and expression of the senescence marker p16INK4A. CONCLUSIONS - Adiponectin prevents EPC senescence by inhibiting the ROS/p38 MAPK/p16 INK4A signaling cascade. The protective effects of adiponectin against diabetes vascular complications are attributed in part to its ability to counteract hyperglycemia-mediated decrease in the number of circulating EPCs. © 2010 by the American Diabetes Association.published_or_final_versio
Randomised clinical non-inferiority trial of breathing-based meditation and cognitive processing therapy for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans
Objective Test whether Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) was non-inferior to cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for treating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans via a parallel randomised controlled non-inferiority trial.
Setting Outpatient Veterans Affairs healthcare centre.
Participants 85 veterans (75 men, 61% white, mean age 56.9) with symptoms of PTSD participated between October 2015 and March 2020: 59 participants completed the study.
Interventions SKY emphasises breathing routines and was delivered in group format in a 15-hour workshop followed by two 1-hour sessions per week for 5 weeks. CPT is an individual psychotherapy which emphasises shifting cognitive appraisals and was delivered in two 1-hour sessions per week for 6 weeks.
Measures The primary outcome measure was the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C). The secondary measures were the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS).
Results Mean PCL-C at baseline was 56.5 (±12.6). Intent-to-treat analyses showed that PCL-C scores were reduced at 6âweeks (end of treatment) relative to baseline (SKY, â5.6, d=0.41, n=41: CPT, â6.8, d=0.58, n=44). The between-treatment difference in change scores was within the non-inferiority margin of 10 points (â1.2, 95%âCI â5.7 to 3.3), suggesting SKY was not inferior to CPT. SKY was also non-inferior at 1-month (CPTâSKY: â2.1, 95%âCI â6.9 to 2.8) and 1-year (CPTâSKY: â1.8, 95%âCI â6.6 to 2.9) assessments. SKY was also non-inferior to CPT on the BDI-II and PANAS at end of treatment and 1âmonth, but SKY was inferior to CPT on both BDI-II and PANAS at 1âyear. Dropout rates were similar (SKY, 27%, CPT, 34%: OR=1.36, 95%âCI 0.51 to 3.62, p=0.54).
Conclusions SKY may be non-inferior to CPT for treating symptoms of PTSD and merits further consideration as a treatment for PTSD
New exact solution of Dirac-Coulomb equation with exact boundary condition
It usually writes the boundary condition of the wave equation in the Coulomb
field as a rough form without considering the size of the atomic nucleus. The
rough expression brings on that the solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation and
the Dirac equation with the Coulomb potential are divergent at the origin of
the coordinates, also the virtual energies, when the nuclear charges number Z >
137, meaning the original solutions do not satisfy the conditions for
determining solution. Any divergences of the wave functions also imply that the
probability density of the meson or the electron would rapidly increase when
they are closing to the atomic nucleus. What it predicts is not a truth that
the atom in ground state would rapidly collapse to the neutron-like. We
consider that the atomic nucleus has definite radius and write the exact
boundary condition for the hydrogen and hydrogen-like atom, then newly solve
the radial Dirac-Coulomb equation and obtain a new exact solution without any
mathematical and physical difficulties. Unexpectedly, the K value constructed
by Dirac is naturally written in the barrier width or the equivalent radius of
the atomic nucleus in solving the Dirac equation with the exact boundary
condition, and it is independent of the quantum energy. Without any divergent
wave function and the virtual energies, we obtain a new formula of the energy
levels that is different from the Dirac formula of the energy levels in the
Coulomb field.Comment: 12 pages,no figure
Integrating expertises and ambitions for data-driven digital building permits - the EUNET4DBP
The digitalization of the process for building permit (involving the use of 3D information systems) is seen as a priority in a wide part of the world. Since it is a very multidisciplinary use case, involving a variety of stakeholders tackling complex issues and topics, some of them joined their efforts and skills in the European Network for Digital Building Permit. The initial activity of the network, after a review of on-going experiences, was a workshop to share knowledge about the topics involved and to identify the main ambitions of the network with respect to three pillars (i.e. Process - Rules and Requirements - Technology) and the related requirements. It was achieved through a collective brainstorming activity guided by digital tools, whose results were further analysed in a post-processing phase. Such results are presented in this paper and will be the base for planning the future network activity. © Authors 2020
Sub- and above barrier fusion of loosely bound Li with Si
Fusion excitation functions are measured for the system Li+Si
using the characteristic -ray method, encompassing both the sub-barrier
and above barrier regions, viz., = 7-24 MeV. Two separate experiments
were performed, one for the above barrier region (= 11-24 MeV) and
another for the below barrier region (= 7-10 MeV). The results were
compared with our previously measured fusion cross section for the
Li+Si system. We observed enhancement of fusion cross section at
sub-barrier regions for both Li and Li, but yield was substantially
larger for Li. However, for well above barrier regions, similar type of
suppression was identified for both the systems.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, as accepted for publication in Eur.Phys.J.
Black hole thermodynamical entropy
As early as 1902, Gibbs pointed out that systems whose partition function
diverges, e.g. gravitation, lie outside the validity of the Boltzmann-Gibbs
(BG) theory. Consistently, since the pioneering Bekenstein-Hawking results,
physically meaningful evidence (e.g., the holographic principle) has
accumulated that the BG entropy of a black hole is
proportional to its area ( being a characteristic linear length), and
not to its volume . Similarly it exists the \emph{area law}, so named
because, for a wide class of strongly quantum-entangled -dimensional
systems, is proportional to if , and to if
, instead of being proportional to (). These results
violate the extensivity of the thermodynamical entropy of a -dimensional
system. This thermodynamical inconsistency disappears if we realize that the
thermodynamical entropy of such nonstandard systems is \emph{not} to be
identified with the BG {\it additive} entropy but with appropriately
generalized {\it nonadditive} entropies. Indeed, the celebrated usefulness of
the BG entropy is founded on hypothesis such as relatively weak probabilistic
correlations (and their connections to ergodicity, which by no means can be
assumed as a general rule of nature). Here we introduce a generalized entropy
which, for the Schwarzschild black hole and the area law, can solve the
thermodynamic puzzle.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in EPJ
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