554 research outputs found

    Cable compliance

    Get PDF
    The object of the investigation was to solve mechanical problems using cable-in-bending and cable-in-torsion. These problems included robotic contacts, targets, and controls using cable compliance. Studies continued in the use of cable compliance for the handicapped and the elderly. These included work stations, walkers, prosthetic knee joints, elbow joints, and wrist joints. More than half of these objects were met, and models were made and studies completed on most of the others. It was concluded that the many different and versatile solutions obtained only opened the door to many future challenges

    OAGB Bowel Function in Patients With up to 5 Years Follow-Up: Updated Outcomes

    Get PDF
    Objective: One-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) is considered an effective technique in weight reduction and remission of comorbidities. However, in common with many bariatric and metabolic/bariatric procedures, gastrointestinal side effects are frequently reported, but clinical experience varies. The objective of this study was to analyze the bowel function of patients who undergo OAGB looking at 5-year postoperative outcomes. Method: This study is cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical, developed with individuals undergoing OAGB (n = 208) in yhe period between 2015 and 2020. The time periods evaluated were 1 to 6 months (T1), 6 to 12 months (T2), and 1 to 5 years (T3). Data analysis was performed using SPSS v.28.0, considering a significance level p ≤ 0.05. Results: 114 participants (54.8%), 79.8% women, mean age 47.0 ± 12.6 years, and BMI 40.1 ± 5.6 kg/m2, 51.9% dyslipidemia, 43.6% arterial hypertension, and 19.1% diabetes mellitus. The T1 group had more severe symptoms/nausea than the T2 group. The T2 group had a significantly lower defecation frequency than the T1 and T3 groups. As for the occurrence of diarrhea, associations were not found in the considered groups. The T3 group had a greater severity of constipation associated with greater difficulty in consuming red meat, white meat, rice, vegetables, and salads. Conclusions: Gastrointestinal symptoms are prevalent in the first postoperative months. However, diarrhea was not common. The patient selection policy and surgical technique were decisive in this result. Constipation was prevalent in patients between 1 and 5 postoperative years. It was also prevalent in those who had food intolerance, which from a nutritional point of view is an adverse factor for optimal bowel function.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Campos Organizacionais: Seis Diferentes Leituras e a Perspectiva de Estruturação

    Get PDF
    The concept of the organizational field has been greatly dealt with in the literature on institutional theory in recent years. As the concept of field involves a relational and symbolic dimension, we propose that the theory of structuration, based on the logic of recursiveness between agency and structure should be adapted to the understanding of the field dynamically. In this way, the objective of this theoretical essay is to deal with the dynamic of the organizational field using structurationist logic, allowing that from this logic we recall both the importance of the practice in the structuration process of the organizational field and the historical and recursive character which may constrain or enable the actions of social actors. To this end, we revise the concept of field in different perspectives of analysis, reflecting on the implication of the theoretical presuppositions of each approach and then discuss in a critical manner the theoretical foundation of the structuration process of organizational fields based on the structurationist approach. We conclude the paper with propositions pertaining to the revision of the concept of field from a multiparadigmatic viewpoint in which structure and agency are recursively implied

    Genetic parameters and selection for casein content in Italian Holstein and Brown Swiss.

    Get PDF
    A total of more than 2,000,000 records on casein contents were collected in Lombardia (Italy) during routine milk recording of Italian Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Variance components for casein were estimated as well as all the genetic correlations of casein with production and type traits considered in selection. According to the heritabilities estimated (12.4% for Brown and 9.36% for Holstein), breeding values were calculated for bulls and compared to the breeding values for total protein. The results of two different selection scenarios were compared for each breed when including protein or casein as selection criterion. Genetic progress expected for all traits selected were compared after 10 years of selection. The genetic variability of casein allows the use of this trait as selection criterion with the estimation of breeding values and its inclusion in selection indexes. Ranking of breeding values for casein and protein are very similar in both breeds. But some differences in genetic values for casein exist for the same level of breeding value for protein. Nevertheless results in genetic gain differ between breeds depending mainly on genetic correlations with the other traits selected. The positive results in selection response estimated for several traits suggest to the Brown Swiss Association the replacement of protein selection with casein. In contrast the smaller effects estimated for the Italian Holstein suggest to wait for more casein data collected before any change in selection program

    Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol in bariatric and metabolic surgery (BMS)-analysis of practices in nutritional aspects from five continents

    Get PDF
    This study aims to understand the prevalent practices on the nutritional aspects of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol based on the knowledge and practice of surgeons, nutritionists, and anesthesiologists who work in the bariatric and metabolic surgery (BMS) units worldwide. This cross-sectional study enrolled BMS unit professionals from five continents-Africa, America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. An electronic questionnaire developed by the researchers was provided to evaluate practices about the three nutritional aspects of ERAS protocol in BMS (Thorel et al. 2016): preoperative fasting, carbohydrate loading, and early postoperative nutrition. Only surgeons, nutritionists, and anesthesiologists were invited to participate. One hundred twenty-five professionals answered the questionnaires: 50.4% from America and 39.2% from Europe. The profile of participating professionals was bariatric surgeons 70.2%, nutritionists 26.4%, and anesthesiologists 3.3%. Approximately 47.9% of professionals work in private services, for about 11 to 20 years (48.7%). In all continents, a large majority were aware of the protocol. Professionals from the African continent reported having implemented the ERAS bariatric protocol 4.0 ± 0 years ago. It is worth mentioning that professionals from the five continents implemented the ERAS protocol based on the published literature (p = 0.012). About preoperative fasting abbreviation protocol, a significant difference was found between continents and consequently between services (p = 0.000). There is no uniformity in the conduct of shortening of fasting in the preoperative period and the immediate postoperative period. Early postoperative (PO) period protein supplementation is not performed in a standard fashion in all units globally. ERAS principles and practices are partial and insufficiently implemented on the five continents despite the prevalent knowledge of professionals based on evidence. Moreover, there is no uniformity in fasting, immediate postoperative diet, and early protein supplementation practices globally.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Heterogeneous Delays in Neural Networks

    Full text link
    We investigate heterogeneous coupling delays in complex networks of excitable elements described by the FitzHugh-Nagumo model. The effects of discrete as well as of uni- and bimodal continuous distributions are studied with a focus on different topologies, i.e., regular, small-world, and random networks. In the case of two discrete delay times resonance effects play a major role: Depending on the ratio of the delay times, various characteristic spiking scenarios, such as coherent or asynchronous spiking, arise. For continuous delay distributions different dynamical patterns emerge depending on the width of the distribution. For small distribution widths, we find highly synchronized spiking, while for intermediate widths only spiking with low degree of synchrony persists, which is associated with traveling disruptions, partial amplitude death, or subnetwork synchronization, depending sensitively on the network topology. If the inhomogeneity of the coupling delays becomes too large, global amplitude death is induced

    The genetic heritage of Alpine local cattle breeds using genomic SNP data

    Get PDF
    Background: Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure provides important control metrics to avoid genetic erosion, inbreeding depression and crossbreeding between exotic and locally-adapted cattle breeds since these events can have deleterious consequences and eventually lead to extinction. Historically, the Alpine Arc represents an important pocket of cattle biodiversity with a large number of autochthonous breeds that provide a fundamental source of income for the entire regional economy. By using genotype data from medium-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, we performed a genome-wide comparative study of 23 cattle populations from the Alpine Arc and three cosmopolitan breeds. Results: After filtering, we obtained a final genotyping dataset consisting of 30,176 SNPs for 711 individuals. The local breeds showed high or intermediate values of genetic diversity compared to the highly selected cosmopolitan breeds. Patterns of genetic differentiation, multidimensional scaling, admixture analysis and the constructed phylogenetic tree showed convergence, which indicates the presence of gene flow among the breeds according to both geographic origin and historical background. Among the most differentiated breeds, we identified the modern Brown cattle. In spite of admixture events, several local breeds have preserved distinctive characteristics, which is probably due to differences in genetic origin and geographic location. Conclusions: This study represents one of the most comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the Alpine cattle breeds to date. Using such a large dataset that includes the majority of the local breeds found in this region, allowed us to expand knowledge on the evaluation and status of Alpine cattle biodiversity. Our results indicate that although many of the analyzed local breeds are listed as endangered, they still harbor a large amount of genetic diversity, even when compared to some cosmopolitan breeds. This finding, together with the reconstruction of the phylogeny and the relationships between these Alpine Arc cattle breeds, provide crucial insights not only into the improvement of genetic stocks but also into the implementation of future conservation strategies
    • …
    corecore