Technology Innovations to Enhance Livestock Agribusiness

In vitro embryo production (IVP) offers a way to build a sustainable and productive dairy cattle industry in tropical areas. For about 100 years breeding efforts have centered on synthetic breed formation without success, but this 100 year effort reaffirms the superiority of the first cross of Bos taurus and B. indicus and generally, the inferiority of all crosses subsequent to the first . IVP permits the limiting life history characteristics of low reproductive rate and 1 : 1 sex ratio to be circumvented. There are no remaining technological barriers to implementation . Since B. javanicus has higher tropical adaptation than B. indicus, it is suggested that first crosses of this species with B. taurus be evaluated. Key word: In vitro embryo production, B. javanicus, B. indicus, B. taurus, agribusines

A Semicoarsening Multigrid Algorithm for SIMD Machines

A semicoarsening multigrid algorithm suitable for use on single instruction multiple data (SIMD) architectures has been implemented on the CM-2. The method performs well for strongly anisotropic problems and for problems with coefficients jumping by orders of magnitude across internal interfaces. The parallel efficiency of this method is analyzed, and its actual performance is compared with its performance on some other machines, both parallel and nonparallel

Self-Complementary Structures and Their Application in Grid Amplifiers

An extension to Deschamps’s theorem for a class of 3-terminal bounded structures with one axis of symmetry is presented. For these structures, a simple relationship between the impedance matrix of the odd mode excitation of the original structure and the admittance matrix of the even mode excitation of its complement exists. Using this, a self-complementary grid amplifier is designed and the measured results are presented

Properties of periodic arrays of symmetric complementary structuresand their application to grid amplifiers

Deschamps' theorem for n-terminal complementary structures is reviewed. An extension to Deschamps' theorem for a class of three-terminal bounded structures with one axis of symmetry is presented. It is shown that, for these structures, a simple relationship between the impedances of the odd mode of the original structure and the admittances of the even mode of the complementary structure exists, and that these modes are orthogonal. Using this, a self-complementary grid amplifier is designed and the measured results are presented

Does Edaravone slow disease progression in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?

Objective: The objective of this EBM review is to determine whether or not Edaravone is effective at slowing disease progression in patients with ALS. Study Design: Review of three randomized control trials. Data Source: All articles were published in English between 2014 and 2019. Articles were obtained from peer-reviewed journals and databases using Cochrane Collaboration, PubMed, Medline, and Embase. Outcomes: The outcome measured was physical function assessed by the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Assessment and Questionnaire 40 Revised (ALSAQ-40R). Patients are asked to provide a perceived ability rating on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 indicating perfect health and 100 a total loss of function. Results: The Double bind RCTs of both Abe et al. (Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2014;15:610-617. Doi: 10.3109/21678421.2014959024.) as well as The Writing Group on behalf of the Edaravone (MCI-186) ALS 17 Study Group. (Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2017;18:20-31. Doi: 10.1080/21678421.2017.1362000) failed to demonstrate Edaravone efficacy against placebo (p=0.892 and p=0.1651, respectively). Final trial conducted by The Writing Group on behalf of the Edaravone (MCI-186) ALS 19 Study Group. (Lancet Neurol. 2017;15:505-512. Doi: 10.106/S1474-4422(17)30115-1) found that Edaravone was more effective at slowing disease progression than placebo in a well-defined patient population (p=0.0309). Conclusion: A summation of results from three articles reviewed here would indicate that Edaravone does not slow disease progression in patients with ALS. There does appear to be some utility in early disease patients, but this finding requires further evaluation

Social uncertainty is heterogeneous and sometimes valuable

To win friends, help the needy, avoid exploitation or influence strangers, people must make decisions that are inherently uncertain. In their compelling and insightful perspective on resolving social uncertainty1, FeldmanHall and Shenhav (henceforth F&S) join a growing movement combining computational approaches with social psychological theory. F&S identify a range of negative and positive aspects of social uncertainty. Here we offer additional ways to think about social uncertainty and suggest potential avenues for future research

Galactic Globular Cluster Metallicity Scale from the Calcium Triplet. II. Rankings, Comparisons and Puzzles

We compare our compilation of the W' calcium index for 71 Galactic globular clusters to the widely used Zinn and West (1984 ApJS, 55, 45) [Fe/H] scale and to Carretta and Gratton's (1997 A&A Supplement 121, 95) scale from high-dispersion spectra analyzed with Kurucz (1992, private communication) model atmospheres. We find our calcium ranking to be tightly correlated with each comparison set, in a non-linear and a linear fashion, respectively. By combining our calcium index information with the Zinn and West ranking, we are able to rank the globular clusters in our sample with a typical precision of +/- 0.05 dex for [Fe/H] < -0.5 on the Zinn and West scale; for clusters more metal rich than this, the ranking is less precise. The significant differences between these metallicity scales raise important questions about our understanding of Galactic formation and chemical enrichment processes. Furthermore, in spite of the apparent improvement in metallicity ranking for the Galactic globular clusters that results from our addition of information from the Ca II triplet lines to the potpourri of other metallicity indicators, caution -- perhaps considerable -- may be advisable when using W' as a surrogate for metallicity, especially for systems where ranges in age and metallicity are likely.Comment: To appear in the August 1997 issue of PASP Also available at http://www.hia.nrc.ca/eprints.htm

J. Rutledge to John Kean, November 17, 1788

J. Rutledge wrote to John Kean, address not included. He wrote regarding a bond between John and E. Baird [?].https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/lhc_1780s/1230/thumbnail.jp

A Java Program for LRE-Based Real-Time qPCR that Enables Large-Scale Absolute Quantification

Background: Linear regression of efficiency (LRE) introduced a new paradigm for real-time qPCR that enables large-scale absolute quantification by eliminating the need for standard curves. Developed through the application of sigmoidal mathematics to SYBR Green I-based assays, target quantity is derived directly from fluorescence readings within the central region of an amplification profile. However, a major challenge of implementing LRE quantification is the labor intensive nature of the analysis. Findings: Utilizing the extensive resources that are available for developing Java-based software, the LRE Analyzer was written using the NetBeans IDE, and is built on top of the modular architecture and windowing system provided by the NetBeans Platform. This fully featured desktop application determines the number of target molecules within a sample with little or no intervention by the user, in addition to providing extensive database capabilities. MS Excel is used to import data, allowing LRE quantification to be conducted with any real-time PCR instrument that provides access to the raw fluorescence readings. An extensive help set also provides an in-depth introduction to LRE, in addition to guidelines on how to implement LRE quantification. Conclusions: The LRE Analyzer provides the automated analysis and data storage capabilities required by large-scale qPCR projects wanting to exploit the many advantages of absolute quantification. Foremost is the universal perspective afforded by absolute quantification, which among other attributes, provides the ability to directly compare quantitative data produced by different assays and/or instruments. Furthermore, absolute quantification has important implications for gene expression profiling in that it provides the foundation for comparing transcript quantities produced by any gene with any other gene, within and between samples