Prosody and Broca's Aphasia: An acoustic analysis

studio seprimentale acustico su soggetti afasici di Broc

Effect of an automatic feeding system on growth performance and feeding behaviour of pigs reared outdoors

Nine Mora Romagnola and 10 Large White x Mora Romagnola growing pigs were reared outdoors. In both groups ad libitum feed was provided. Conventional pigs received it twice a day, distributed in two long troughs. Inside the corral of the second group, an automatic station was set up for: feed distribution, pigs weighing, and control by an analog camera. Thus the self-feeders received feed ad libitum individually by the automatic system, divided into small quantities at meal times. During the experiment the analog camera was used over 24 hours each day, to collect pictures of pigs in order to investigate their behaviours. For each picture the day and hour, the number of visible pigs and their behaviours were recorded and a statistical analysis of data, which was expressed as hourly frequencies of behavioural elements, was performed. Moreover to highlight "active" and "passive" behaviours between the groups, two categories "Move" and "Rest" were created grouping some behavioural elements. With regard to performance, conventional pigs reached a higher total weight gain (56.1±2.42 kg vs 46.7±2.42 kg; P=0.0117). But the feed conversion index (FCI) of both groups was similar. The self-feeders had consumed less feed than conventional animals. The feeding system seems to influence behaviours. The percentage of time spent in Eating activity differs (P<0.0001) between the self-fed (median 24.6%) and conventional pigs (median 10.9%). The resulting more regular eating trend of self-feeders influenced the daily activities distribution. The behavioural category Rest (median: self-feeders 55.0% vs 71.4% conventional pigs) was dominant, with conventional pigs becoming more restless, particularly at meal times. This type of feeding competition and aggressive behaviour did not happen in the self-feeders due to the feed distribution system. The self-feeder results showed that pigs eat at the automatic station both day and night. The animals perform on average 3 visits per hour at night and 10 during the day, with an average duration of some minutes (from 3 to 5 approximately)

State College Times, June 2, 1932

Volume 20, Issue 73https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartan_daily_1932/1055/thumbnail.jp

Fulminant ischemic colitis with a fatal outcome after cocaine snorting: Case report and literature review

Abstract Snorting represents the most common route of administration for recreational powdered cocaine, and it is considered less dangerous than other routes of intake (i.e., intravenous; crack inhalation; etc.). A case of fulminant ischemic colitis with a fatal outcome, which occurred in a 19-year-old man after cocaine snorting, is presented in this report. Although several cases are reported in the literature, no one has involved people aged less than 20 years. The young man showed unspecific symptoms, which began about 2 h after the cocaine intake and the physicians were unable to make the diagnosis. This report may assist doctors treating young men who have consumed cocaine to consider this possible complication in all young adults (teenagers) in the presence of unspecific symptoms

Three-dimensional comparison of the maxillary surfaces through ICP-Type algorithm: accuracy evaluation of CAD/CAM technologies in orthognathic surgery

Purpose: This retrospective study aims to compare the accuracy of two different CAD/CAM systems in orthognathic surgery. The novelty of this work lies in the method of evaluating the accuracy, i.e., using an Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm, which matches a pair of 2D or 3D point clouds with unknown dependencies of the transition from scan s(k) to scan s(k+1). Methods: The study population was composed of ten patients who presented to the Maxillofacial Surgery Department of the University “Sapienza” of Rome for the evaluation and management of skeletal malocclusions. The patients were divided into two groups, depending on the technique used: group 1: splintless group (custom-made cutting guide and plates); group 2: splint group (using a 3D-printed splint). STL files were imported into Geomagic® Control X™ software, which allows for comparison and analysis using an ICP algorithm. The RMSE parameter (3D error) was used to calculate the accuracy. In addition, data were compared in two different patient subgroups. The first subgroup only underwent a monobloc Le Fort I osteotomy (p-value = 0.02), and the second subgroup underwent a Le Fort I osteotomy associated with a segmental osteotomy of the maxilla (p-value = 0.23). Results: Group 1 showed a 3D error of 1.22 mm ± SD 0.456, while group 2 showed a 3D error of 1.63 mm ± SD 0.303. These results have allowed us to compare the accuracy of the two CAD/CAM systems (p-value = 0.09). Conclusions: The ICP algorithm provided a reproducible method of comparison. The splintless method would seem more accurate (p-value = 0.02) in transferring the surgical programming into the operating room when only a Le Fort I osteotomy is to be performed

Effect of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) on Parietal and Premotor Cortex during Planning of Reaching Movements

The activation of the superior parietal lobule (SPL) and premotor cortex (PM) has been investigated using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) during planning of reaching movements under visual guidance. A facilitory effect was found when TMS was delivered on the parietal cortex at about half of the time from sight of the target to hand movement, independently of target location in space. Furthermore, at the same stimulation time, a similar facilitory effect was found in PM, which is probably related to movement preparation. This data contributes to the understanding of cortical dynamics in the parieto-frontal network, and suggests that it is possible to interfere with the planning of reaching movements at different cortical points within a particular time window. Since similar effects may be produced at similar times on both the SPL and PM, parallel processing of visuomotor information is likely to take place in these regions

Endogenous erythropoietin as part of the cytokine network in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Erythropoietin (EPO) is of great interest as a therapy for many of the central nervous system (CNS) diseases and its administration is protective in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Endogenous EPO is induced by hypoxic/ischemic injury, but little is known about its expression in other CNS diseases. We report here that EPO expression in the spinal cord is induced in mouse models of chronic or relapsing-remitting EAE, and is prominently localized to motoneurons. We found a parallel increase of hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF)-1 alpha, but not HIF-2 alpha, at the mRNA level, suggesting a possible role of non-hypoxic factors in EPO induction. EPO mRNA in the spinal cord was co-expressed with interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and these cytokines inhibited EPO production in vitro in both neuronal and glial cells. Given the known inhibitory effect of EPO on neuroinflammation, our study indicates that EPO should be viewed as part of the inflammatory/anti-inflammatory network in MS

Variable clinical expression of Stickler Syndrome: A case report of a novel COL11A1 mutation

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Inner Peripheries: towards an EU placebased agenda on territorial peripherality

The main goal of this paper is to propose a sound interpretative and policy framework for \u2018Inner Peripheries\u2019 at the EU level. Its ambition is to bridge conceptual approaches to peripherality with the policy objectives set by key documents such as the Territorial Agenda 2020 and other recent reports on economic, social and territorial cohesion. An integrated multi-scalar approach, grounded on the notion of spatial disparity, is therefore connected with a \u2018place-based\u2019 approach to policy design. The breakthrough experience of the Italian programme on Inner Areas is an opportunity to broaden the reflection on inner peripheries and policies that are most apt to reconnect them. A more comprehensive analytical framework is proposed here, which looks at the foundational economy, spatial justice and territorial cohesion. The framework deals with both the \u2018condition\u2019 of peripherality and the \u2018process\u2019 by which endogenous and exogenous drivers determine the marginalisation of specific territories. Such tenets are fleshed out in the development of an original approach bridging theory and practice, analysis and policy, crucially assuming multi-scale governance design as the enabling framework for greater coherence between top-down and community-led initiatives

Deformation analysis of ATHENA test filters made of plastic thin films supported by a mesh under differential static pressure

Within ESA Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 Science Program, ATHENA was selected to be a Large-class high energy astrophysics space mission. The observatory will be equipped with two interchangeable focal plane detectors named X-Ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) and Wide Field Imager (WFI). In order to optimally exploit the detector sensitivity, X-ray transparent filters are required. Such filters need to be extremely thin to maximize the X-ray transparency, that is, no more than a few tens of nm, still they must be able to sustain the severe stresses experienced during launch. Partially representative test filters were made with a thin polypropylene film, coated with Ti, and supported by a thin highly transparent mesh either in stainless steel or niobium. Differential static pressure experiments were carried out on two filter samples. In addition, the roles of the mesh on the mechanical deformation is studied, adopting a finite element model (FEM). The numerical analysis is compared with experimental results and found in good agreement. The FEM is a promising tool that allows to characterize materials and thicknesses in order to optimize the design