Entropy Message Passing

The paper proposes a new message passing algorithm for cycle-free factor graphs. The proposed "entropy message passing" (EMP) algorithm may be viewed as sum-product message passing over the entropy semiring, which has previously appeared in automata theory. The primary use of EMP is to compute the entropy of a model. However, EMP can also be used to compute expressions that appear in expectation maximization and in gradient descent algorithms.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, to appear in IEEE Transactions on Information Theor

Effects of Inorganic and Organic Selenium Supplementation on Blood and Milk Selenium Concentration in Dairy Cows

Selenium is an important trace element in the nutrition of dairy cows because it prevents oxidative damages of tissue and in that way protects the animals from the incidence of various disorders. Addition of various levels of selenium in food leads to its increase in the milk what is important for postnatal calves development in which in the first weeks of life the milk is the only source of selenium. Into the food for dairy cows the inorganic selenium is added in the forms of – sodium selenite or sodium selenate (SS) or organic selenium – seleniium-enriched yeast (SY). Numerous studies have shown that organic selenium (SY) added into food for dairy cows provides better bioavailability than inorganic selenium (SS), hence the content of selenium in blood and milk of cows fed organic form of selenium is higher than in the inorganic selenium. The opinions about the effect of organic selenium on the activity of seleno-enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx) have not been reconciled yet. Adding selenium into food for dairy cows has no effect on the quantity of produced milk nor on the milk composition (proteins, fats and lactose). Selenium reduces the number of somatic cells in milk and in that way prevents the occurrence of the disease of mammary gland

Anaplasmosis of Cattle.

5 p

Anaplasmosis of Cattle.

5 p

Preemptive analgesic effect of intrathecal applications of neuroactive steroids in a rodent model of post-surgical pain: Evidence for the role of T-type calcium channels

Preemptive management of post-incisional pain remains challenging. Here, we examined the role of preemptive use of neuroactive steroids with activity on low-voltage activated T-type C

Further evidence that inhibition of neuronal voltage-gated calcium channels contributes to the hypnotic effect of neurosteroid analogue, 3β-OH

We recently reported that a neurosteroid analogue with T-channel-blocking properties (3β,5β,17β)-3-hydroxyandrostane-17-carbonitrile (3β-OH), induced hypnosis in rat pups without triggering neuronal apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that the inhibition of the C

Differential effects of the novel neurosteroid hypnotic (3β,5β,17β)-3-hydroxyandrostane-17-carbonitrile on electroencephalogram activity in male and female rats

BACKGROUND: We recently showed that a neurosteroid analogue, (3β,5β,17β)-3-hydroxyandrostane-17-carbonitrile (3β-OH), induced hypnosis in rats. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hypnotic and anaesthetic potential of 3β-OH further using electroencephalography. METHODS: We used behavioural assessment and cortical electroencephalogram (EEG) spectral power analysis to examine hypnotic and anaesthetic effects of 3β-OH (30 and 60 mg kg RESULTS: We found dose-dependent sex differences in 3β-OH-induced hypnosis and EEG changes. Both male and female rats responded similarly to i.p. 3β-OH 30 mg kg CONCLUSIONS: Based on its behavioural effects and EEG signature, 3β-OH is a potent hypnotic in rats, with female rats being more sensitive than male rats