pp-adic Zeros of Systems of Quadratic Forms

This survey describes work on the number of variables required to ensure that a system of r quadratic forms over the p-adics has a non-trivial common zero

PolyMorphine provides extended analgesic-like effects in mice with spared nerve injury.

AbstractMorphine is a well-characterized and effective analgesic commonly used to provide pain relief to patients suffering from both acute and chronic pain conditions. Despite its widespread use and effectiveness, one of the major drawbacks of morphine is its relatively short half-life of approximately 4 h. This short half-life often necessitates multiple administrations of the drug each day, which may contribute to both dependence and tolerance to morphine. Here, we tested the analgesic properties of a new polymer form of morphine known as PolyMorphine. This polymer has monomeric units of morphine incorporated into a poly(anhydride-ester) backbone that has been shown to hydrolyze into free morphine in vitro. Using an animal model of chronic pain, the spared nerve injury surgery, we showed that PolyMorphine is able to block spared nerve injury-induced hypersensitivity in mice for up to 24-h post-administration. Free morphine was shown to only block spared nerve injury-induced hypersensitivity for up to 2-h post-injection. PolyMorphine was also shown to act through the mu opioid receptor due to the ability of naloxone (a mu opioid receptor antagonist) to block PolyMorphine-induced analgesia in spared nerve injury animals pretreated with PolyMorphine. Additionally, we observed that PolyMorphine causes similar locomotor and constipation side effects as free morphine. Finally, we investigated if PolyMorphine had any effects in a non-evoked pain assay, conditioned place preference. Pretreatment of spared nerve injury mice with PolyMorphine blocked the development of conditioned place preference for 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP), a short-lasting mGluR5 antagonist with analgesic-like properties. Free morphine does not block the development of preference for MPEP, suggesting that PolyMorphine has longer lasting analgesic effects compared to free morphine. Together, these data show that PolyMorphine has the potential to provide analgesia for significantly longer than free morphine while likely working through the same receptor

Compatibility of Kura Clover and Cool Season Grass Mixtures in Michigan

Kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum Bieb.) is an alternative forage legume for rotational grazing in cool-season grass mixtures. However, compatibility with cool-season grasses is unknown. Seven cool-season perennial grasses were seeded into Kura clover in a rotational grazing experiment. The objectives of this study were to evaluate botanical composition, forage yield and quality of binary mixtures of cool-season grass with Kura clover. Field studies were conducted on a Nester (fine sandy loam) soil at Lake City Experiment Station, Lake City, MI. Botanical compositions in the first year of the study heavily favored grasses (avg. 74%) and Kura clover accounted for less than 20%. Crude protein (CP) concentration was negatively related with grass composition (r = -0.69**), however, positively related with Kura clover composition (r = 0.60**). Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was superior in total forage yield and good forage quality, while reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) was the least desirable species

The Vortex-Boundary Element Method - New pressure methods for application to the external flow noise problem

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76655/1/AIAA-1999-3283-148.pd

Cool-Season Grass Response to Increasing Nitrogen Fertiliser Rates in Michigan

Nitrogen (N) fertility recommendations for cool-season grasses in the north central region of the USA have not been species specific. This broad recommendation assumes that all grasses have similar N demands, while seasonal growth patterns and dry matter yield of cool-season grass species vary. Nitrogen fertiliser costs have steadily increased, but recommendations are to be below optimal levels for economic return (Klausner et al., 1998). A more specific N fertiliser recommendation may increase the producers’ net income

NMA Survey of CO and HCN Emission from Nearby Active Galaxies

High resolution (a few arcseconds) observations of CO(1-0) and HCN(1-0) emission from nearby Seyfert galaxies have been conducted with the Nobeyama Millimeter Array. Based on the observed CO distributions and kinematics,we suggest that a small scale (a few 100 pc - a few kpc) distortion of the underlying potential seems to be necessary for Seyfert activity, although it is not a sufficient condition. We also find that the Toomre's Q values in the centers of Seyfert galaxies tend to be larger than unity, indicating the circumnuclear molecular gas disks around Seyfert nuclei would be gravitationally stable. The HCN/CO integrated intensity ratios (R_HCN/CO) range over an order of magnitude, from 0.086 to 0.6. The Seyfert galaxies with high R_HCN/CO may have an extended (r ~ 100 pc scale) envelope of obscuring material. The presence of kpc scale jet/ outflow might be also related to the extremely high R_HCN/CO.Comment: To appear in the Proceedings of the 3rd Cologne-Zermatt Symposium, ``The Physics and Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium'

The Chemical Compositions of the SRd Variable Stars-- II. WY Andromedae, VW Eridani, and UW Librae

Chemical compositions are derived from high-resolution spectra for three stars classed as SRd variables in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars. These stars are shown to be metal-poor supergiants: WY And with [Fe/H] = -1.0, VW Eri with [Fe/H] = -1.8, and UW Lib with [Fe/H] = -1.2. Their compositions are identical to within the measurement errors with the compositions of subdwarfs, subgiants, and less evolved giants of the same FeH. The stars are at the tip of the first giant branch or in the early stages of evolution along the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). There is no convincing evidence that these SRd variables are experiencing thermal pulsing and the third dredge-up on the AGB. The SRds appear to be the cool limit of the sequence of RV Tauri variables.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure, 4 table

Electron impact excitation cross sections for allowed transitions in atoms

We present a semiempirical Gaunt factor for widely used Van Regemorter formula [Astrophys. J. 136, 906 (1962)] for the case of allowed transitions in atoms with the LS coupling scheme. Cross sections calculated using this Gaunt factor agree with measured cross sections to within the experimental error.Comment: RevTeX, 3 pages, 10 PS figures, 2 PS tables, submitted to Phys. Rev.

A new instrument to measure high value, cost-conscious care attitudes among healthcare stakeholders: Development of the MHAQ

Background: Residents have to learn to provide high value, cost-conscious care (HVCCC) to counter the trend of excessive healthcare costs. Their learning is impacted by individuals from different stakeholder groups within the workplace environment. These individuals' attitudes toward HVCCC may influence how and what residents learn. This study was carried out to develop an instrument to reliably measure HVCCC attitudes among residents, staff physicians, administrators, and patients. The instrument can be used to assess the residency-training environment. Method: The Maastricht HVCCC Attitude Questionnaire (MHAQ) was developed in four phases. First, we conducted exploratory factor analyses using original data from a previously published survey. Next, we added nine items to strengthen subscales and tested the new questionnaire among the four stakeholder groups. We used exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alphas to define subscales, after which the final version of the MHAQ was constructed. Finally, we used generalizability theory to determine the number of respondents (residents or staff physicians) needed to reliably measure a specialty attitude score. Results: Initial factor analysis identified three subscales. Thereafter, 301 residents, 297 staff physicians, 53 administrators and 792 patients completed the new questionnaire between June 2017 and July 2018. The best fitting subscale composition was a three-factor model. Subscales were defined as high-value care, cost incorporation, and perceived drawbacks. Cronbach's alphas were between 0.61 and 0.82 for all stakeholders on all subscales. Sufficient reliability for assessing national specialty attitude (G-coefficient > 0.6) could be achieved from 14 respondents. Conclusions: The MHAQ reliably measures individual attitudes toward HVCCC in different stakeholders in health care contexts. It addresses key dimensions of HVCCC, providing content validity evidence. The MHAQ can be used to identify frontrunners of HVCCC, pinpoint aspects of residency training that need improvement, and benchmark and compare across specialties, hospitals and regions