Changes in murine anorectum signaling across the life course

Background: Increasing age is associated with an increase in the incidence of chronic constipation and fecal impaction. The contribution of the natural aging process to these conditions is not fully understood. This study examined the effects of increasing age on the function of the murine anorectum.Methods: The effects of increasing age on cholinergic, nitrergic, and purinergic signaling pathways in the murine anorectum were examined using classical organ bath assays to examine tissue function and electrochemical sensing to determine age‐related changes in nitric oxide and acetylcholine release.Key Results: Nitrergic relaxation increased between 3 and 6 months, peaked at 12 months and declined in the 18 and 24 months groups. These changes were in part explained by an age‐related decrease in nitric oxide (NO) release. Cholinergic signaling was maintained with age by an increase in acetylcholine (ACh) release and a compensatory decrease in cholinesterase activity. Age‐related changes in purinergic relaxation were qualitatively similar to nitrergic relaxation although the relaxations were much smaller. Increasing age did not alter the response of the anorectum smooth muscle to exogenously applied ACh, ATP, sodium nitroprusside or KCl. Similarly, there was no change in basal tension developed by the anorectum.Conclusions and Inferences: The decrease in nitrergic signaling with increasing age may contribute to the age‐related fecal impaction and constipation previously described in this model by partially obstructing defecation

CO J = 2 - 1 Emission from Evolved Stars in the Galactic Bulge

We observe a sample of 8 evolved stars in the Galactic Bulge in the CO J = 2 - 1 line using the Submillimeter Array (SMA) with angular resolution of 1 - 4 arcseconds. These stars have been detected previously at infrared wavelengths, and several of them have OH maser emission. We detect CO J = 2 - 1 emission from three of the sources in the sample: OH 359.943 +0.260, [SLO2003] A12, and [SLO2003] A51. We do not detect the remaining 5 stars in the sample because of heavy contamination from the galactic foreground CO emission. Combining CO data with observations at infrared wavelengths constraining dust mass loss from these stars, we determine the gas-to-dust ratios of the Galactic Bulge stars for which CO emission is detected. For OH 359.943 +0.260, we determine a gas mass-loss rate of 7.9 (+/- 2.2) x 10^-5 M_Sun/year and a gas-to-dust ratio of 310 (+/- 89). For [SLO2003] A12, we find a gas mass-loss rate of 5.4 (+/- 2.8) x 10^-5 M_Sun/year and a gas-to-dust ratio of 220 (+/- 110). For [SLO2003] A51, we find a gas mass-loss rate of 3.4 (+/- 3.0) x 10^-5 M_Sun/year and a gas-to-dust ratio of 160 (+/- 140), reflecting the low quality of our tentative detection of the CO J = 2 - 1 emission from A51. We find the CO J = 2 - 1 detections of OH/IR stars in the Galactic Bulge require lower average CO J = 2 - 1 backgrounds.Comment: 40 pages, 16 figures, appeared in the 1 March 2013 issue of the Astrophysical Journa

Analysis and Simulations of Abnormalities for Induction Motor Using PSCAD

Induction motors are most important part of any network or industry because most of the industries rely on this to drive their equipment. Due to various faults that take place in the motor it interrupts the normal functioning of the motor and leads to system failure or loss. So, it is necessary to reduce this stress factors to a safer level for normal functioning of the motor and this can be done by using various types of protective devices. In this paper we have mentioned different types of abnormalities and how to analyse these abnormalities using PSCAD. By simulating we can know proper working of any system and how that system would behave if same configuration existing at that time during fault. DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.150513

Flow injection analysis of iron in rain water with thiocyanate and surfactant

This paper explains a new procedure for flow injection analysis (FIA) determination of iron in rain water based on the colour reaction of Fe3+ with thiocyanate ions in the presence of the cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). The value of apparent molar absorptivity of the complex in terms of iron is (2.00) x 104 l mole-1 cm-1 at an absorption maximum of 490 nm. The detection limit of the method is 8 ppb Fe. The sample throughput is 90 samples/h at a flow rate of 4.0 ml/min. The reaction mechanism, optimization of FIA variables, and effect of various types of surfactant are described. None of the tested anions and cations interfered with the determination of iron. The method was used for the quantification and flux determination of iron in rain water

A pilot survey of junior doctors’ attitudes and awareness around medication review: time to change our educational approach?

© 2015, BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.Objectives Our aim was to explore junior doctors attitudes and awareness around concepts related to medication review, in order to find ways to change the culture for reviewing, altering and stopping inappropriate or unnecessary medicines. Having already demonstrated the value of team working with senior doctors and pharmacists and the use of a medication review tool, we are now looking to engage first year clinicians and undergraduates in the process. Method An online survey about medication review was distributed among all 42 foundation year one (FY1) doctors at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in November 2014. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results Twenty doctors completed the survey (48%). Of those, 17 believed that it was the pharmacists duty to review medicines; and 15 of 20 stated the general practitioner (GP). Sixteen of 20 stated that they would consult a senior doctor first before stopping medication. Eighteen of 20 considered the GP and consultant to be responsible for alterations, rather than themselves. Sixteen of 20 respondents were not aware of the availability of a medication review tool. Seventeen of 20 felt that more support from senior staff would help them become involved with medication review. Conclusions Junior doctors report feeling uncomfortable altering mediations without consulting a senior first. They appear to be building confidence with prescribing in their first year but not about the medication review process or questioning the drugs already prescribed. Consideration should be given to what we have termed a bottom-up educational approach to provide early experience of and change the culture around medication review, to include the education of undergraduate and foundation doctors and pharmacists

The Circumstellar Structure and Excitation Effects around the Massive Protostar Cepheus A HW 2

We report SMA 335 GHz continuum observations with angular resolution of ~0.''3, together with VLA ammonia observations with ~1'' resolution toward Cep A HW 2. We find that the flattened disk structure of the dust emission observed by Patel et al. is preserved at the 0.''3 scale, showing an elongated structure of ~$0.''6 size (450 AU) peaking on HW 2. In addition, two ammonia cores are observed, one associated with a hot-core previously reported, and an elongated core with a double peak separated by ~1.''3 and with signs of heating at the inner edges of the gas facing HW 2. The double-peaked ammonia structure, as well as the double-peaked CH3CN structure reported previously (and proposed to be two independent hot-cores), surround both the dust emission as well as the double-peaked SO2 disk structure found by Jimenez-Serra et al. All these results argue against the interpretation of the elongated dust-gas structure as due to a chance-superposition of different cores; instead, they imply that it is physically related to the central massive object within a disk-protostar-jet system.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Interstitial cell network volume is reduced in the terminal bowel of ageing mice

Ageing is associated with impaired neuromuscular function of the terminal gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which can result in chronic constipation, faecal impaction and incontinence. Interstitial cells of cajal (ICC) play an important role in regulation of intestinal smooth muscle contraction. However, changes in ICC volume with age in the terminal GI tract (the anal canal including the anal sphincter region and rectum)have not been studied. Here, the distribution, morphology and network volume of ICC in the terminal GI tract of 3‐to 4‐month‐old and 26‐to 28‐month‐old C57BL/6mice were investigated. ICC were identified by immunofluorescence labelling of wholemount preparations with an antibody against c‐Kit. ICC network volume was measured by software‐based 3D volume rendering of confocal Z stacks. A significant reduction in ICC network volume per unit volume of muscle was measured in aged animals. No age‐associated change in ICC morphology was detected. The thickness of the circular muscle layer of the anal sphincter region and rectum increased with age, while that in the distal colon decreased. These results suggest that ageing is associated with a reduction in the network volume of ICC in the terminal GI tract, which may influence the normal function of these regions