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Altered nociceptive, endocrine, and dorsal horn neuron responses in rats following a neonatal immune challenge
No full textThe neonatal period is characterized by significant plasticity where the immune, endocrine, and nociceptive systems undergo fine-tuning and maturation. Painful experiences during this period can result in long-term alterations in the neurocircuitry underlying nociception, including increased sensitivity to mechanical or thermal stimuli. Less is known about the impact of neonatal exposure to mild inflammatory stimuli, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), on subsequent inflammatory pain responses. Here we examine the impact of neonatal LPS exposure on inflammatory pain sensitivity and HPA axis activity during the first three postnatal weeks. Wistar rats were injected with LPS (0.05. mg/kg IP, Salmonella enteritidis) or saline on postnatal days (PNDs) 3 and 5 and later subjected to the formalin test at PNDs 7, 13, and 22. One hour after formalin injection, blood was collected to assess corticosterone responses. Transverse spinal cord slices were also prepared for whole-cell patch clamp recording from lumbar superficial dorsal horn neurons (SDH). Brains were obtained at PND 22 and the hypothalamus was isolated to measure glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) transcript expression using qRT-PCR. Behavioural analyses indicate that at PND 7, no significant differences were observed between saline- or LPS-challenged rats. At PND 13, LPS-challenged rats exhibited enhanced licking (p\u3c. .01), and at PND 22, increased flinching in response to formalin injection (p\u3c. .05). LPS-challenged rats also displayed increased plasma corticosterone at PND 7 and PND 22 (p\u3c. .001) but not at PND 13 following formalin administration. Furthermore, at PND 22 neonatal LPS exposure induced decreased levels of GR mRNA and increased levels of MR mRNA in the hypothalamus. The intrinsic properties of SDH neurons were similar at PND 7 and PND 13. However, at PND 22, ipsilateral SDH neurons in LPS-challenged rats had a lower input resistance compared to their saline-challenged counterparts (p\u3c. .05). These data suggest neonatal LPS exposure produces developmentally regulated changes in formalin-induced behavioural responses, corticosterone levels, and dorsal horn neuron properties following noxious stimulation later in life. These findings highlight the importance of immune activation during the neonatal period in shaping pain sensitivity later in life. This programming involves both spinal cord neurons and the HPA axis. © 2013
Optimal control in coupled within-host and between-host models
No full textWe formulate an immuno-epidemiological model of coupled within-host model of ODEs and between-host model of ODE and PDE, using the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) for illustration. Existence and uniqueness of solution to the between-host model is established, and an explicit expression for the basic reproduction number of the between-host model derived. Stability of disease-free and endemic equilibria is investigated. An optimal control problem with drug-treatment control on the within-host system is formulated and analyzed; these results are novel for optimal control of ODEs linked with such first order PDEs. Numerical simulations based on the forward-backward sweep method are obtained. © EDP Sciences, 2014
Dwell-time min-switching for discrete-time switched linear systems
No full textThis paper addresses analysis and switching control problems of discrete-time switched linear systems. A mixed time-driven and state-dependent switching strategy is proposed to guarantee an average dwell time even when all subsystems are unstable. The switching rule and its associated switching output feedback controllers are designed to stabilize the switched system and achieve a disturbance attenuation performance. The proposed analysis and switching control approach could refrain frequent switches commonly observed in min-switching based designs. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated through a numerical example
Black masculinity in the Obama era: Outliers of society
No full textThis book is to provide an in-depth examination of the current state of black males and identifies the impact of living in the Obama era
Chemical Composition
No full textThis article presents an overview of the primary chemical components of tissues comprising meat from common domestic species such as bovine, ovine, porcine, turkey, and poultry. Proximate analyses and other compositional values of edible tissues are given for various species. Physical characteristics as they affect chemical composition are described in the text and presented in tables
Corruption and foreign direct investment in East Asia and South Asia: An econometric study
No full textMany recent FDI studies have focused on the effects of corruption on FDI inflows. Theoretically, corruption can act as either a grabbing hand by raising uncertainty and transaction costs, which should impede FDI, or a helping hand by “greasing” the wheels of commerce in the presence of weak regulatory framework, which should facilitate FDI. This study analyzes the impact of corruption on FDI inflows in East Asia and South Asia-two regions that have recently received huge FDI inflows. Using GLS methodology with 1995-2011 panel data, this study finds that the impact of corruption on FDI is significantly negative and robust, which validates the “grabbing hand” hypothesis. It is also found that, even after accounting for the economic fundamentals, East Asia seems to enjoy a locational advantage in attracting FDI vis-à-vis South Asia. These results further our knowledge of the FDI dynamics, which policymakers should find helpful in devising pro-FDI strategies
An analytical review of visual research method in environmental perception studies
No full textAmong the huge numbers of techniques used in environmental perception studies, Visual Research Method (VRM) is mentioned as one of them to capture the perception of people. This paper analytically reviewed 67 studies on environmental perception and recognition where visual instruments were used in data collection stages. Studies were selected based on the time, key words and indicated fields of study through various research engines. Data was analyzed based on three important phases in these researches namely data collection, data documentation and data analysis with their parameters and techniques. Reliability and validity of this method was proved in these selected studies, and advantages and disadvantages of VRM were discussed. This study concluded that indeed there are several significant parameters and techniques those are frequently used as part of VRM in environmental perception researches. It also showed that VRM could be changed to more dynamic formats instead of previously used static formats by using advanced technological instruments
Cross-linking of bovine and caprine caseins by microbial transglutaminase and their use as microencapsulating agents for n-3 fatty acids
No full textBovine and caprine caseins were cross-linked with microbial transglutaminase (mTG). The mTG-cross-linked bovine or caprine casein dispersion, mixed with 14.5% maltodextrin (DE = 40), was used to prepare emulsions with 10.5% algae oil. Oxidative stability of emulsions was evaluated by peroxide values (PVs) and anisidine values. Adding liposoluble rosemary extract rich in carnosic acid and δ-tocopherol lowered the formation of hydroperoxides and their subsequent decomposition products in emulsions. Emulsions stabilised with liposoluble rosemary extract rich in carnosic acid and δ-tocopherol were spray-dried at 180/95 °C. Algae oil microencapsulated with mTG-cross-linked bovine casein reduced PV by ≈ 34%, while the algae oil microencapsulated with mTG-cross-linked caprine casein with low levels of αs1-casein reduced PV by ≈ 42% at 4 weeks of storage at 30 °C. The investigation suggests that liposoluble rosemary extract rich in carnosic acid and δ-tocopherol effectively protected algae oil during the coating process with mTG-cross-linked bovine and caprine caseins. The above results clearly indicated that the choice of milk caseins (bovine vs. caprine) cross-linked with mTG impacts the oxidative stability of spray-dried algae oil emulsions (microcapsules) enriched with n-3 fatty acids. © 2014 The Authors
Single reactor conversion of corn stover biomass to C5-C20 furanic biocrude oil using sulfonic acid functionalized Brönsted acidic ionic liquid catalysts
No full textCellulose (DP~450) and dry corn stover powder were converted to furanic biocrude oils in a single reactor operation by heating with excess acetone in the presence of Brönsted acidic ionic liquid catalysts. Two Brönsted acidic ionic liquid catalysts, 1-(1-propylsulfonic)-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BAIL-1) and 1-(4-sulfonic-benzyl)-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BAIL-2), were compared for biocrude oil synthesis from cellulose and dry corn stover. Catalyst BAIL-1 showed slightly better activity in all experiments, where cellulose samples produced 52.9 mg biocrude oil/100 mg of cellulose, and corn stover produced 34.2 mg biocrude oil/100 mg of corn stover by heating at 120 °C for 3 h. Biocrude oil formed in the novel process is mainly a complex mixture of aldol condensation products of acetone with biomass-derived furans, furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg