Using light and melatonin in the management of New Zealand White rabbits

Lighting system is a stimulant for reproduction in some species (Horses) and an inhibitor for others (Sheep). This study started on September 1st and planned to study the effects of different lighting regimes and melatonin treatment on the receptivity and performance of 78 (60-does and 18-bucks) New Zealand White rabbits, which were reared in a private Rabbitary in Menuofia Governorate, Egypt. These rabbits were randomly assigned to six treatment groups of 10 does and three bucks for each (8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 hours light (HL) and melatonin- treated). Ejaculate traits, sexual activity of bucks, sexual receptivity and reproductive performance of does were recorded. Results revealed that exposure of rabbits to long photoperiods (14 and 16HL) or treatment with melatonin improved the quantity and quality of ejaculate traits and buck sexual activity. Moreover, does sexual receptivity, feed intake, litter size and weight at birth and weaning were increased by long photoperiods (14 and 16HL) or treatment with melatonin. On the other hand, gestation period and pre-weaning mortality rate were decreased. It can be concluded that application of long photoperiods is beneficial to rabbit producers and 14 HL : 10 hours dark is optimal for satisfying the biological requirements of the rabbits. Finally, the light schedules can be used for biostimulation instead of melatonin

Fractional Fokker-Planck Equations for Subdiffusion with Space-and-Time-Dependent Forces

We have derived a fractional Fokker-Planck equation for subdiffusion in a general space-and- time-dependent force field from power law waiting time continuous time random walks biased by Boltzmann weights. The governing equation is derived from a generalized master equation and is shown to be equivalent to a subordinated stochastic Langevin equation.Comment: 5 page

The role of clinical decision support systems in preventing stroke in primary care: a systematic review.

Computerized clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are increasingly being used to facilitate the role of clinicians in complex decision-making processes. This systematic review evaluates evidence of the available CDSS developed and tested to support the decision-making process in primary healthcare for stroke prevention and barriers to practical implementations in primary care settings. A systematic search of Web of Science, Medline Ovid, Embase Ovid, and Cinahl was done. A total of five studies, experimental and observational, were synthesised in this review. This review found that CDSS facilitate decision-making processes in primary health care settings in stroke prevention options. However, barriers were identified in designing, implementing, and using the CDSS

The Development of the WISE (Writing to Inspire Successful Education) Writing Mentoring Program: A University-School Collaboration

Abstract This paper describes the development of a service learning writing mentoring program designed to close the achievement gap in writing proficiency for economically disadvantaged seventh grade students. Compared to writing mentoring studies found in the published literature, this program has three distinguishing components. First, it focused on economically disadvantaged middle school students. Second, it provided writing mentoring through a university-school partnership in which college students provided the intervention in collaboration with a seventh-grade teacher. Third, the program used technology to facilitate the mentoring process. Over the course of an academic year, mentors created videos with feedback on 19 writing assignments. The writing mentoring program was associated with a four-fold increase in the percentage of students who were graded as ‘proficient’ on a state standardized writing exam. These results suggest that semi-virtual, intensive writing mentoring and individualized feedback from college students can close the achievement gap and improve the quality of middle level education provided to economically disadvantaged students

Not All Children with Cystic Fibrosis Have Abnormal Esophageal Neutralization during Chemical Clearance of Acid Reflux.

PurposeAcid neutralization during chemical clearance is significantly prolonged in children with cystic fibrosis, compared to symptomatic children without cystic fibrosis. The absence of available reference values impeded identification of abnormal findings within individual patients with and without cystic fibrosis. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that significantly more children with cystic fibrosis have acid neutralization durations during chemical clearance that fall outside the physiological range.MethodsPublished reference value for acid neutralization duration during chemical clearance (determined using combined impedance/pH monitoring) was used to assess esophageal acid neutralization efficiency during chemical clearance in 16 children with cystic fibrosis (3 to <18 years) and 16 age-matched children without cystic fibrosis.ResultsDuration of acid neutralization during chemical clearance exceeded the upper end of the physiological range in 9 of 16 (56.3%) children with and in 3 of 16 (18.8%) children without cystic fibrosis (p=0.0412). The likelihood ratio for duration indicated that children with cystic fibrosis are 2.1-times more likely to have abnormal acid neutralization during chemical clearance, and children with abnormal acid neutralization during chemical clearance are 1.5-times more likely to have cystic fibrosis.ConclusionSignificantly more (but not all) children with cystic fibrosis have abnormally prolonged esophageal clearance of acid. Children with cystic fibrosis are more likely to have abnormal acid neutralization during chemical clearance. Additional studies involving larger sample sizes are needed to address the importance of genotype, esophageal motility, composition and volume of saliva, and gastric acidity on acid neutralization efficiency in cystic fibrosis children

Simultaneous determination of pethidine pharmacokinetics in rats: The impact of tramadol coadministration

The rats model has never thoroughly investigated the influence of tramadol on plasma pethidine concentration besides pethidine pharmacokinetics. Individually, analgesic ED50s for pethidine and tramadol are estimated as 3.55 and 24.21 mg/kg, i.p. Subsequently, their measures decreased to 1.65 and 11.27 mg/kg, i.p., when both were given in combination at 1:1 from ED50s. Tramadol and pethidine have a form of synergistic analgesic interaction, which is therefore classified as a pharmacodynamic interaction. Pethidine (7.1mg/kg, i.p.) reveals the plasma concentration of 369.00, 493.33, 373.33, 305.33, 306.33 and 247.67 µg/ml that was measured over distinctive times of 0.25,0.5,1,2,4, and 24 hours. At the same time, the concentration of plasma levels of tramadol and pethidine (48.42 and 7.1mg/kg, i.p., correspondingly) declined to 229.33, 268.33, 233.00, 198.33, 195.67 and 180.33 µg/ml by 38, 46, 38, 35, 36 and 27%, respectively. Tramadol affected the pethidine pharmacokinetics through an elevation in the area-under-curve (AUC0-∞) 49%, area-under-moment-curve (AUMC0-∞) 343%, mean-residence-time (MRT) 137%, half-life (t1/2β) 136%, and the distribution volume (Vss) 64%. Other estimated pharmacokinetic measures were reduced which included maximal concentration (Cmax) 47% and elimination rate constant (Kel) 60%. In general, the findings revealed a synergism as a mode of pharmacological interaction between pethidine and tramadol, in addition to a change in pethidine pharmacokinetics, which could improve pethidine effectiveness in the rat’s model

A Modified Approach to Induce Predictable Congestive Heart Failure by Volume Overload in Rats

The model of infrarenal aortocaval fistula (ACF) has recently gained new interest in its use to investigate cardiac pathophysiology. Since in previous investigations the development of congestive heart failure (CHF) was inconsistent and started to develop earliest 8-10 weeks after fistula induction using a 18G needle, this project aimed to induce a predictable degree of CHF within a definite time period using a modified approach. An aortocaval fistula was induced in male Wistar rats using a 16G needle as a modification of the former 18G needle-technique described by Garcia and Diebold. Results revealed within 28 +/- 2 days of ACF significantly increased heart and lung weight indices in the ACF group accompanied by elevated filling pressure. All hemodynamic parameters derived from a pressure-volume conductance-catheter in vivo were significantly altered in the ACF consistent with severe systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction. This was accompanied by systemic neurohumoral activation as demonstrated by elevated rBNP-45 plasma concentrations in every rat of the ACF group. Furthermore, the restriction in overall cardiac function was associated with a beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoreceptor mRNA downregulation in the left ventricle. In contrast, beta 3-adrenoreceptor mRNA was upregulated. Finally, electron microscopy of the left ventricle of rats in the ACF group showed signs of progressive subcellular myocardial fragmentation. In conclusion, the morphometric, hemodynamic and neurohumoral characterization of the modified approach revealed predictable and consistent signs of congestive heart failure within 28 +/- 2 days. Therefore, this modified approach might facilitate the examination of various questions specific to CHF and allow for pharmacological interventions to determine pathophysiological pathways

Simultaneous identification of the right-hand side and time-dependent coefficients in a two-dimensional parabolic equation

This paper investigates the simultaneous identification of time-dependent lowest and source terms in a two-dimensional (2D) parabolic equation from the additional measurements. To investigate the solvability of the inverse problem, we first examine an auxiliary inverse boundary value problem and prove its equivalence to the original problem in a certain sense. Then, applying the contraction mappings principle existence and uniqueness of the solution of an equivalent problem is proved. Furthermore, using the equivalency, the existence and uniqueness theorem for the classical solution of the original problem is obtained and some discussions on the numerical solutions for this inverse problem are presented including numerical examples

Management of Immediate Post- Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair Type Ia Endoleaks and Late Outcomes

BACKGROUND—Post-endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) endoleaks and the need for reintervention are challenging. Additional endovascular treatment is advised for type Ia endoleaks detected on post-EVAR completion angiogram. This study analyzed management and late outcomes of these endoleaks. STUDY DESIGN—This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data from EVAR patients during a 10-year period. All post-EVAR type Ia endoleaks on completion angiogram were identified (group A) and their early (30-day) and late outcomes were compared with outcomes of patients without endoleaks (group B). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for survival analysis, sac expansion, late type Ia endoleak, and reintervention. RESULTS—Seventy-one of 565 (12.6%) patients had immediate post-EVAR type Ia endoleak. Early intervention (proximal aortic cuffs and/or stenting) was used in 56 of 71 (79%) in group A vs 31 of 494 (6%) in group B (p \u3c 0.0001). Late type Ia endoleak was noted in 9 patients (13%) in group A at a mean follow-up of 28 months vs 10 patients (2%) in group B at a mean follow-up of 32 months (p \u3c 0.0001). Late sac expansion and reintervention rates were 9% and 10% for group A vs 5% and 3% for group B (p = 0.2698 and p = 0.0198), respectively. Freedom rates from late type Ia endoleaks at 1, 3, and 5 years for group A were 88%, 85%, and 80% vs 98%, 98%, and 96% for group B (p \u3c 0.001); and for late intervention, were 94%, 92%, and 77% for group A, and 99%, 97%, and 95% for group B (p = 0.007), respectively. Survival rates were similar. CONCLUSIONS—Immediate post-EVAR type Ia endoleaks are associated with higher rates of early interventions, late endoleaks and reintervention, which will necessitate strict post-EVAR surveillance

Site-1 protease inhibits mitochondrial respiration by controlling the TGF-β target gene Mss51

The mitochondrial response to changes in cellular energy demand is necessary for cellular adaptation and organ function. Many genes are essential in orchestrating this response, including the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 target gene Mss51, an inhibitor of skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration. Although Mss51 is implicated in the pathophysiology of obesity and musculoskeletal disease, how Mss51 is regulated is not entirely understood. Site-1 protease (S1P) is a key activator of several transcription factors required for cellular adaptation. However, the role of S1P in muscle is unknown. Here, we identify S1P as a negative regulator of muscle mass and mitochondrial respiration. S1P disruption in mouse skeletal muscle reduces Mss51 expression and increases muscle mass and mitochondrial respiration. The effects of S1P deficiency on mitochondrial activity are counteracted by overexpressing Mss51, suggesting that one way S1P inhibits respiration is by regulating Mss51. These discoveries expand our understanding of TGF-β signaling and S1P function