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The mechanism for improving the flesh quality of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) following the micro-flowing water treatment using a UPLC-QTOF/MS based metabolomics method
Get PDFThe micro-flowing water system can improve the flesh quality of freshwater fish using the traditional pond farming method. However, the mechanism of this phenomenon has not yet been explored. This study intends to examine the changes of metabolites in freshwater fish after treatment with the micro-flowing purification system (MFPS). The UPLC-QTOF/MS based metabolomics method was utilized to screen the metabolites and predict the major possible metabolic pathways after MFPS treatment. There were 377 types of metabolites identified in the fish muscle, of which 54-71 represented significant different metabolites identified during different stages of MFPS treatments. The main mechanism of MFPS treatment in improving the quality of grass carp fish muscle was investigated, and the MFPS treatment was shown to improve the flesh quality and the flavor of grass carp fish muscle. This study could provide the theoretical basis for improving the quality of aquatic products
Student perceptions of working collaboratively during undergraduate study to produce a knowledge repository based on wiki technology
Get PDFThis study reports on student perceptions of working collaboratively to produce a knowledge repository. The repository was a novel use of a wiki in which a database of information was created progressively from student contributions over a period of three and a half years. The views of students in their final year of study were collected through a focus group and thematic analysis was conducted. The findings include student perceptions of working collaboratively and their views of the potential usefulness of the content for study and professional life. It was found that students prefer content that has been enriched with the personal research, ideas or experiences of the group of students, as it contains 'added value' over information readily available on the internet. Accuracy and currency of the content is a concern for students. Implications for educators considering using knowledge repositories are discussed and improvements for this implementation are identified
Changes of the adjacent discs and vertebrae in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures treated with or without bone cement augmentation
Get PDFBackground Context: Although vertebral augmentation with bone cement has been commonly used to treat symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, relatively little is known about the impact of augmentation on the adjacent spinal components.
Purpose: To determine the imaging effects of vertebral augmentation on the adjacent discs, the augmented vertebra, and the involved spinal segment.
Study Design: Retrospective radiographic study.
Patient Sample: Patients with acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures who underwent vertebral augmentation or nonoperative treatments.
Outcome Measures: On baseline and follow-up mid-sagittal T2W magnetic resonance images, quantitative measurements of disc degeneration, including disc height, bulging, and signal, vertebral height, wedge angle, and segmental kyphotic angle were acquired.
Methods: Lumbar spine magnetic resonance images of patients with acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures at a local hospital in Eastern China between 2010 and 2017 were reviewed. Student’s t-tests and χ2 tests were used to examine the differences of baseline and changes over time between vertebrae underwent vertebral augmentation and those did not. Paired t-tests were used to examine the differences between baseline and follow-up to study the changes of adjacent disc degeneration, creep deformity of the vertebra and progression of segmental kyphosis.
Results: There were 112 acute vertebral compression fractures (72 treated with kyphoplasty and 40 with nonoperative treatments) in 101 subjects. At final follow-up (mean 21.5 months), the cranial disc of the augmented vertebra decreased in height (p<0.001), and both cranial and caudal discs decreased in signal intensity (p≤0.02). The discs in the nonoperative group did not undergo such degenerative changes. For the fractured vertebra, vertebral height significantly decreased (p<0.01 for both) and vertebral wedge angle significantly increased (p≤0.01 for both), regardless of augmentation treatment or not. Segmental kyphotic angle significantly increased in vertebral fractures that underwent vertebral augmentation (p<0.001), but not in those underwent nonoperative treatments.
Conclusions: Patients that underwent vertebral augmentation had more advanced disc degeneration at adjacent disc levels as compared to those without augmentation. The fractured vertebral body height decreased and the wedge angle increased, regardless of vertebral augmentation treatment or not. Vertebral augmentation may be associated with increased creep deformity of the adjacent vertebra and the progression of segmental kyphosis
PBX3 in cancer
Get PDFPBX3 is a homeodomain-containing transcription factor of the pre-B cell leukemia (PBX) family, members of which have extensive roles in early development and some adult processes. A number of features distinguish PBX3 from other PBX proteins, including the ability to form specific and stable interactions with DNA in the absence of cofactors. PBX3 has frequently been reported as having a role in the development and maintenance of a malignant phenotype, and high levels of PBX3 tumor expression have been linked to shorter overall survival in cancer. In this review we consider the similarities and differences in the function of PBX3 in different cancer types and draw together the core signaling pathways involved to help provide a better insight into its potential as a
therapeutic target
Effect of self-curing admixture on concrete properties in hot climate conditions
Get PDFHot climates prevail in many regions of the globe. The average summer temperature of hot arid areas is in the range of 40-50°C with temperatures exceeding these values under direct solar radiation. Curing concrete in these regions may be challenging due to limited availability of suitable water for curing and/or rapid loss of curing water by evaporation. For many years self-curing admixtures were recommended as an alternative to water curing, however, limited studies have been conducted on their performance in hot weather conditions. In this investigation, the effects of a hot climate on the fresh and hardened properties of self-curing (SC) concrete and normal conventional concrete (NC) in hot weather were studied. A water- soluble polymer self-curing agent, polyethylene glycol (PEG 400), was added to the SC mixes. The testing parametersOwere concrete dry materials (25 or 50OC) and/or mix water temperatures (5, 20 or 35 C) at the time of mixing. NC samples were continuously water cured at 25 or 50 OC, whereas the SC ones were air cured at the same temperatures. The tested properties were workability, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength. It was found that SC outperformed NC under varying conditions. The results could not be simply attributed to the retention of mix water by the self-curing admixture. A more comprehensive explanation for the observations is proposed
Investigation of robust visual reaction and functional connectivity in the rat brain induced by rocuronium bromide with functional MRI
Get PDFFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used extensively to understand the brain function of a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders. When applied to animal studies, anesthesia is always used to reduce the movement of the animal and also reduce the impacts on the results of fMRI. Several awake models have been proposed by applying physical animal movement restrictions. However, restraining devices were designed for individual subject which limits the promotion of fMRI in awake animals. Here, a clinical muscle relaxant rocuronium bromide (RB) was introduced to restrain the animal in fMRI scanning time. The fMRI reactions of the animal induced with RB and the other two commonly used anesthesia protocols were investigated. The results of the fMRI showed that there were increased functional connectivity and well-round visual responses in the RB induced state. Furthermore, significant BOLD signal changes were found in the cortex and thalamus regions when the animal revived from isoflurane, which should be essential to further understand the effects of anesthesia on the brain.
Keywords: Rocuronium bromide, isoflurane, animal anesthesia, fMRI, visual stimulation, resting stat
Predicting the vulnerability of women to intimate partner violence in South Africa: Evidence from tree-based machine learning techniques
Get PDFIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive social challenge with severe health and demographic consequences. Global statistics indicate that more than a third of women have experienced IPV at some point in their lives. In South Africa, IPV is considered a significant contributor to the country’s broader problem with violence, and a leading cause of femicide. Consequently, IPV has been the major focus of legislation and research across different disciplines. The present paper aims to contribute to the growing scholarly literature by predicting factors that are associated with the risk of experiencing IPV. We used the 2016 South African Demographic and Health Survey dataset and restricted our analysis to 1816 ever-married women who had complete information on the variables that were used to generate IPV. Prior research has mainly used regression analysis to identify correlates of IPV; however, while regression analysis can test a priori specified effects, it cannot capture unspecified inter-relationship across factors. To address this limitation, we opted for machine learning methods, which identify hidden and complex patterns and relationships in the data. Our results indicate that the fear of the husband is the most critical factor in determining the experience of IPV. In other words, the risk of IPV in South Africa is associated more with the husband or partner’s characteristics than the woman’s. Such models can then be used to develop interventions by different stakeholders such as social workers, policymakers and or other interested partners
Typography: the constant vector of dynamic logos
Get PDFVisual identities can be constructed from a number of elements which together can be described as the Visual Identity System (VIS). Typography is one of the VIS’s central elements. Typically, the VIS elements have been considered as static and associated with prescribable visual mandates; however, the hypermodernity paradigm boosted the notion of mobility in everything – and brands are no exception. Brand’s logos now change in shape, colour, wear different textures, and sit on top of a variety of backgrounds. All this incredible flexibility has implications for their typographical elements too. In the empirical part of this research, 50 dynamic logos were selected, grouped according to van Nes’ categories (2012), and the changes on their typographic components were analysed under the Multilingual Typeface Anatomy Terminology framework (Amado, 2012), firstly by the researchers, and then by a group of independent coders. It was verified that dynamic logos present a consistent pattern regarding typography since they preserve consistency through type’s structural axes. This result led to a set of recommendations for both designers working with type in the context of the (re)design of dynamic logos, and academics preparing the next generation of brand designers. This research aimed at identifying the typographical inroads in brands with dynamic logos, and is a relevant contribution to the perception of how the anatomy of type can define visual consistency
Educating engineering students in Egypt: recommendations for improvement
Get PDFEgyptian schools of engineering (government faculties, private faculties and private higher engineering institutes) award degrees to 35000 graduates annually. There have been concerns from the Egyptian Engineers Syndicate, experienced engineers, local & international employers, parents and other society stakeholders about the knowledge and skills gained by engineering graduates. In this article, first the institutions were analyzed from a fresh business perspective. The analysis highlighted several constraints that hinder radical reforms. In part two of this article the aspirations of stakeholders were collected and identified. In part three, recommendations were made based on the experiences of engineering education providers worldwide