169 research outputs found
Hand measurement data from human babies at birth, from 26 to 41 weeks estimated gestational age.
This article displays measurement data from the hands of human babies, taken at birth. Measurements were made on 25 individuals born pre-term, from 26 to 36 weeks EGA (Estimated Gestational Age), and on 36 individuals born at term, from 37 to 41 weeks EGA. Data were collected in the Neonatal Unit of the CHRU Jeanne de Flandre (University Hospital) in Lille, France, between January and May 2014. Seven kinds of measures were taken with a medical caliper on the hand, palm and digits.The first author is funded by the British Academy (Newton International Fellowship, grant code: 75110).This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2016.03.08
ASYMPTOTIC BEHAVIOR OF COMPLEX SCALAR FIELDS IN A FRIEDMAN-LEMAITRE UNIVERSE
We study the coupled Einstein-Klein-Gordon equations for a complex scalar
field with and without a quartic self-interaction in a curvatureless
Friedman-Lema\^{\i}\-tre Universe. The equations can be written as a set of
four coupled first order non-linear differential equations, for which we
establish the phase portrait for the time evolution of the scalar field. To
that purpose we find the singular points of the differential equations lying in
the finite region and at infinity of the phase space and study the
corresponding asymptotic behavior of the solutions. This knowledge is of
relevance, since it provides the initial conditions which are needed to solve
numerically the differential equations. For some singular points lying at
infinity we recover the expected emergence of an inflationary stage.Comment: uuencoded, compressed tarfile containing a 15 pages Latex file and 2
postscipt figures. Accepted for publication on Phys. Rev.
Integral Constraints On cosmological Perturbations and their Energy
We show the relation between Traschen's integral equations and the energy,
and ``position of the centre of mass'', of the matter perturbations in a
Robertson-Walker spacetime. When the perturbations are ``localised'' we get a
set of integral constraints that includes hers. We illustrate them on a simple
example.Comment: 19 pages, Tex file, submitted to Classical and Quantum Gravit
Conservation Laws and Cosmological Perturbations in Curved Universes
When working in synchronous gauges, pseudo-tensor conservation laws are often
used to set the initial conditions for cosmological scalar perturbations, when
those are generated by topological defects which suddenly appear in an up to
then perfectly homogeneous and isotropic universe. However those conservation
laws are restricted to spatially flat (K=0) Friedmann-Lema\^\i tre spacetimes.
In this paper, we first show that in fact they implement a matching condition
between the pre- and post- transition eras and, in doing so, we are able to
generalize them and set the initial conditions for all . Finally, in the
long wavelength limit, we encode them into a vector conservation law having a
well-defined geometrical meaning.Comment: 15 pages, no figure, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Time course analysis of RNA stability in human placenta
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Evaluation of RNA quality is essential for gene expression analysis, as the presence of degraded samples may influence the interpretation of expression levels. Particularly, qRT-PCR data can be affected by RNA integrity and stability. To explore systematically how RNA quality affects qRT-PCR assay performance, a set of human placenta RNA samples was generated by two protocols handlings of fresh tissue over a progressive time course of 4 days. Protocol A consists of a direct transfer of tissue into RNA-stabilizing solution (RNAlater™) solution. Protocol B uses a dissection of placenta villosities before bio banking. We tested and compared RNA yields, total RNA integrity, mRNA integrity and stability in these two protocols according to the duration of storage.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A long time tissue storage had little effect on the total RNA and mRNA integrity but induced changes in the transcript levels of stress-responsive genes as TNF-alpha or COX2 after 48 h. The loss of the RNA integrity was higher in the placental tissues that underwent a dissection before RNA processing by comparison with those transferred directly into RNA later™ solution. That loss is moderate, with average RIN (RNA Integration Numbers) range values of 4.5–6.05, in comparison with values of 6.44–7.22 in samples directly transferred to RNAlater™ (protocol A). Among the house keeping genes tested, the B2M is the most stable.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study shows that placental samples can be stored at + 4°C up to 48 h before RNA extraction without altering RNA quality. Rapid tissue handling without dissection and using RNA-stabilizing solution (RNAlater™) is a prerequisite to obtain suitable RNA integrity and stability.</p
Reflection symmetry breaking scenarios with minimal gauge form coupling in brane world cosmology
This article synthesises and extends recent work on the cosmological
consequences of dropping the usual Z_2 reflection symmetry postulate in brane
world scenarios. It is observed that for a cosmological model of homogeneous
isotropic type, the relevant generalised Birkhoff theorem establishing
staticity of the external vacuum in the maximally symmetric ``bulk'' outside a
freely moving world brane will remain valid for the case of motion that is
forced by minimal (generalised Wess Zumino type) coupling to an external
antisymmetric gauge field provided its kinetic action contribution has the
usual homogeneous quadratic form. This means that the geometry on each side of
the brane worldsheet will still be of the generalised Schwarzschild anti de
Sitter type. The usual first integrated Friedmann equation for the Hubble
expansion rate can thereby be straightforwardly generalised by inclusion of new
terms involving 2 extra parameters respectively measuring the strength of the
gauge coupling and the degree of deviation from reflection symmetry. Some
conceivable phenomenological implications are briefly outlined, and
corresponding limitations are derived for possible values of relevant
parameters.Comment: 13 pages latex (revised to rectify a couple of sign transcription
errors
Prediction of cesarean delivery in class III obese nulliparous women:An externally validated model using machine learning
Background: class III obese women, are at a higher risk of cesarean section during labor, and cesarean section is responsible for increased maternal and neonatal morbidity in this population. Objective: the objective of this project was to develop a method with which to quantify cesarean section risk before labor. Methods: this is a multicentric retrospective cohort study conducted on 410 nulliparous class III obese pregnant women who attempted vaginal delivery in two French university hospitals. We developed two predictive algorithms (a logistic regression and a random forest models) and assessed performance levels and compared them. Results: the logistic regression model found that only initial weight and labor induction were significant in the prediction of unplanned cesarean section. The probability forest was able to predict cesarean section probability using only two pre-labor characteristics: initial weight and labor induction. Its performances were higher and were calculated for a cut-point of 49.5% risk and the results were (with 95% confidence intervals): area under the curve 0.70 (0.62,0.78), accuracy 0.66 (0.58, 0.73), specificity 0.87 (0.77, 0.93), and sensitivity 0.44 (0.32, 0.55). Conclusions: this is an innovative and effective approach to predicting unplanned CS risk in this population and could play a role in the choice of a trial of labor versus planned cesarean section. Further studies are needed, especially a prospective clinical trial. Funding: French state funds “Plan Investissements d'Avenir” and Agence Nationale de la Recherche.</p
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