1,509 research outputs found

    Breeding against osteochondrosis : phenotypic and genetic analyses in horses and pigs

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    Osteochondrosis (OC) is a disturbance in the process of endochondral ossification during skeletal growth. The objectives of this thesis were to assess the prevalence and genetic parameters of OC, and to facilitate optimization of breeding against OC in horses and pigs. In the Dutch warm blood horse, 70% of individuals showed joint abnormalities in at least one of the 28 locations examined. Joint abnormalities were divided into flattened bone contours and bone fragments. Genetic parameters were estimated for flattened bone contours, fragments and overall OC. Heritability was 0.08 for flattened bone contours, 0.22 for fragments, and 0.23 for overall OC. In fattening pigs, the prevalence of OC was 41%, and 12% of the individuals had severe OC. The prevalence was highest for individuals kept on a concrete, partially slatted floor with ad libitum feeding (58%), and lowest for individuals kept on a deep litter floor with restricted feeding (34%). These results demonstrate that the prevalence of OC can be reduced by applying deep litter floors and restricted feeding. The differences in growth patterns between pigs with and without OC were investigated also. After 28 days of age, piglets with severe OC at slaughter started to grow faster, and were significantly heavier after 70 days of age than pigs without OC at slaughter. These results suggest that OC might be related to high growth rates during a specific time period. To evaluate prospects for breeding against OC, selection responses were compared between breeding schemes using phenotypic selection based on own performance or progeny testing and genomic selection. The results show that, when genomic information has an equal accuracy as phenotypic information before selection, it will have a lower equilibrium response to selection because it has a larger Bulmer effect. Especially for low heritable traits, genomic selection was of additional value over traditional selection. The general discussion argues that OC has both economical and practical relevance for the current horse industry. Simulations showed potential for genomic selection compared to the current breeding program in the Dutch warmblood horse (KWPN), even with small reference populations. In pigs, OC is a more serious problem in sows than in fattening pigs, because sows live longer. A decrease in OC prevalence will, therefore, yield larger economic and welfare benefits then apparent from results on fattening pigs. Also for pigs, simulations indicated possibilities for genomic selection. The final section of the general discussion proposes directions for future research.</p

    Multiple myeloma in Niger Delta, Nigeria: complications and the outcome of palliative interventions

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    Ogbonna Collins Nwabuko,1,2 Elizabeth Eneikido Igbigbi,3 Innocent Ijezie Chukwuonye,4 Martin Anazodo Nnoli5 1Department of Haematology, Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, 2Department of Haematology, College of Health Science, Abia State University, Aba, Abia State, 3Department of Haematology, Blood Transfusion and Immunology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, 4Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, 5Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the hematological malignancies that require palliative care. This is because of the life-threatening nature and the suffering associated with the illness. The aim of this study is to bring to the fore the complications experienced by people living with MM in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria and the outcome of various palliative interventions.Methods: This was a 10-year multi-center retrospective study of 26 patients diagnosed and managed in three major centers in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria from January 2003 to December 2012. Information on the clinical, laboratory, radiological data, and palliative treatment was obtained at presentation and subsequently at intervals of 3&nbsp;months until the patient was lost to follow-up.Result: The mean duration from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 13.12&nbsp;months (95% CI, 6.65&ndash;19.58). A total of 16 (61.5%), eight (30.8%), and two subjects (7.7%) presented in Durie&ndash;Salmon (DS) stages III, II, and I, respectively. The complications presented by patients at diagnoses included bone pain (84.6%), anemia (61.5%), nephropathy (23.1%), and hemiplegia (35%). All the patients received analgesics, while 50.0% received blood transfusion, 56.7% had surgery performed, 19% had hemodialysis, and 3.8% received radiotherapy. A total of 10 (38%) patients benefited from bisphosphonates (BPs). A total of 57.6% of patients were on melphalan&ndash;prednisone (MP) double regimen, while 19% and 8% patients were on MP&ndash;thalidomide and MP&ndash;bortezomib triple regimens, respectively. A total of 3.8% of patients at DS stage IIIB disease had autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT). Only 7.6% of the myeloma patients survived up to 5&nbsp;years post diagnosis. The overall mean survival interval was 39.7&nbsp;months (95% CI, 32.1&ndash;47.2).Conclusion: Late diagnosis and inadequate palliative care account for major complications encountered by MM patients in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria. This could be responsible for the poor prognostic outcome and low survival interval of MM individuals in this region. There is, therefore, a need to improve the quality of palliative care received by myeloma patients in this region. This is achievable via provision of relevant and affordable health care facilities for diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Keywords: multiple myeloma, palliative care, melphalan-prednisone, bone marrow plasma cells, autologous stem-cell transplantation, Niger Delt

    THE MICROWAVE SPECTRA OF THE LINEAR OC HCCCN, OC DCCCN, AND THE T-SHAPED HCCCN CO2_2 COMPLEXES

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    Author Institution: Department of Natural Sciences, Union College, Barbourville, KY 40906; Department of Chemistry, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459The rotational spectra of OC HCCCN, OC DCCCN, and HCCCN CO2_2 have been recorded using pulsed-jet Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Accurate molecular constants have been obtained and agree with the results from IR spectroscopy.} \textbf{204}, 145-151 (1993)},^, } \textbf{180}, 1-6 (1996)} The OC HCCCN is hydrogen-bonded in a linear configuration, and the HCCCN CO2_2 is T-shaped with the CO2_2 molecule at the nitrogen end of the cyanoacetylene. The 13^{13}C, the 15^{15}N, and the 18^{18}O isotopologues for both the OC HCCCN and OC DCCCN complexes have been observed in natural abundance. The fully substituted molecular structure of the OC HCCCN complex has been determined. The results will be compared with those of the corresponding complexes of HCN

    Sensitivity Analysis and Validation of Advanced Soil Model for OC Clays

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    This research has shed light on the capability of the HASP model in reproducing the dilatant behaviour of OC clays in drained and undrained conditions. The model is formulated by employing a combined hardening rule and uses the void ratio as a state variable while maintaining the simplicity of the MCC model. However, a sensitivity analysis has revealed that the model is sensitive to some input parameters which when varied slightly can largely affect the outcome of an analysis.This has led to the formulation of the PLAXIS OC clay model while maintaining the framework of the HASP model but replacing the void ratio with volumetric strain as the state variable. Thus resulting in the use of the modified compression (λ*) and swelling (κ*) indexes which are used in obtaining the soil stiffness parameters used as model inputs. The PLAXIS OC clay model features the use of real soil stiffness parameters instead of soil indexes, the addition of small stain stiffness by T. Benz to improve model prediction in the small strain region and the elimination of the sensitivity issues noticed when using the HASP model.The PLAXIS OC clay model is validated for boom clay (BC) at single stress points by simulating CU test and comparing with the available experimental data for the BC. Good agreement is found with experimental data as shown in the stress strain, pore water pressure and stress path plots obtained from the analysis.Furthermore, the model is used to simulate boom clay in a trial excavation. Piezometers and extensometers are installed into the BC layer prior to the excavation to monitor the changes in porewater pressure and vertical displacement (heave) on the BC during the excavation. A comparison of the numerical and experimental data shows that good agreement is observed in porewater pressures and vertical displacement in the BC layer

    INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AUTO MOLECULAR DYNAMICS IN OC-HI

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    Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, Texas A\&M UniversityThe rovibrational analysts of the ν1\nu_{1}, HI stretching vibration in OC-HI has been completed giving the following molecular constants: ν0=2228.3195(2)cm1,B=890.73(3)\nu_{0} = 2228.3195(2) cm^{-1}, B^{\prime}= 890.73(3) MHz and DJ=2.48(3)DJ^{\prime} = 2.48(3) kHz. Hot bands and combination, bands associated with both the previously assigned ν2\nu_{2}, OC stretching vibration and the ν1\nu_{1} vibration have also been analysed. These results will also be presented and interpeted in terms of the molecular and associated tunneling dynamics of this complex

    FREE JET ABSORPTION SPECTRA OF THE OCBr2OC-Br_{2} VAN DER WAALS COMPLEX

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    Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, University of Southern CaliforniaThe OCBr2OC-Br_{2} van der Waals complex was observed in a 5''-pulsed-slit free jet expansion. The complex was detected by the IR absorption in the vicinity of 1-0 vibrational transition of C-O. Four isotopic progressions were recorded in the spectra. The rotational structure was consistent with a linear OCBr2OC-Br_{2}. The spectra were well-fitted by semirigid-rotor linear molecule model, the rotational constants for OCBr279,OCBr79Br81,OCBr81Br79OC-Br_{2}^{79}, OC-Br^{79}Br^{81}, OC-Br^{81}Br^{79} and OCBr281OC-Br_{2}^{81} isotopomers were obtained. The band origins of OCBr2OC-Br_{2} were found to be 2152.83836(17), 2152.83929(16), 2152.84117(15) and 2152.84209(13)cm12152.84209(13) cm^{-1} for the isotopomers of OCBr79,OCBr79Br81,OCBr81Br79OC-Br^{79}, OC-Br^{79}Br^{81}, OC-Br^{81}Br^{79} and OCBr281OC-Br_{2}^{81}, respectively. From the isotope substituted rotational constants, the distances of the centers-of-mass of CO and Br2Br_{2} were calculated to be 4.864 {\AA} and 4.875 {\AA} for the excited and ground state, respectively. The van der Waals bond formation siginficantly perturbed both the CO and Br2Br_{2} bond lengths. In the ground state, the COC-O bond of the complex was 0.027 {\AA} shorter than that of the uncomplexed CO, while the Br-Br distance of the complex was 0.037 {\AA} longer than the bond length of free Br2Br_{2}

    ISOTOPE EFFECTS IN THE HIGH RESOLUTION INFRARED SPECTRA OF OC-HF

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    1^{1} E.K. Kyro, P. Shoja-Chaghervand, K. McMillan, M. Eliades, D. Danzeiser, and J.W. Bevan, J. Chem. Phys. 79, 78 (1983). 2^{2} K.W. Jucks and R.E. Miller, J. Chem. Phys. (to be published).Author Institution: Molecular Spectroscopy Division, National Bureau of StandardsInfrared spectra of OC-HF, O13CHFO^{13}C-HF, and 18OCHF^{18}OC-HF have been observed in the vicinity of the HF stretching fundamental using a difference frequency laser spectrometer and a long pathlength thermal equilibrium (T195K)(T * 195 K) White cell. The results on the OC-HF isotopic form extend previous White cell and molecular beam measurements by Kyro etal.1et al.^{1} and Jucks etal.2et al.^{2}. The ν1\nu_{1} band origins for the complexes: 3844.0294cm13844.0294 cm^{-1} for OC-HF, 3843.7284cm13843.7284 cm^{-1} for O13CHFO^{13}C-HF, and 3843.8731cm13843.8731 cm^{-1} for 18OCHF^{18}OC-HF, are all red shifted from the fundamental of uncomplexed HF and do not exhibit a systematic trend with CO stretching or bending frequency. The observed positive ΔBvalues(BB)\Delta B values (B^{\prime}-B^{\prime\prime}) are consistent with the increased van der Waals binding in the v1=1v_{1}=1 excited state. The homogeneous linewidths for the transitions are large (HWHM * 180 MHz with roughly equal contributions from pressure broadening and vibrational predissociation) and essentially isotope independent. Local perturbations are observed for OC-HF and 18OCHF^{18}OC-HF, but not for O13CHFO13C-HF

    Prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Nigeria: systematic review of population-based studies

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    Innocent Ijezie Chukwuonye,1 Okechukwu Samuel Ogah,2 Ernest Ndukaife Anyabolu,3 Kenneth Arinze Ohagwu,1 Ogbonna Collins Nwabuko,4 Uwa Onwuchekwa,5 Miracle Erinma Chukwuonye,6 Emmanuel Chukwuebuka Obi,1 Efosa Oviasu7 1Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, 2Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University College Hospital Ibadan, Oyo State 3Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Awka, Anambra State, 4Department of Haematology, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, 5Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, 6Department of Family Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, 7Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria Background: The aim of this study was to identify and discuss published population-based studies carried out in Nigeria that have information on the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and have also used the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) practice guidelines in defining CKD, with emphasis on the performance of three estimating equations for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) &ndash; Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), Cockcroft&ndash;Gault, and CKD epidemiology collaboration (CKD-EPI) creatinine equation. Materials and methods: A systematic literature search was carried out in Google, MEDLINE, PubMed, and AJOL database, with the aim of identifying relevant population-based studies with information on the prevalence of CKD in a location in Nigeria. Results: Seven cross-sectional population-based studies were identified. Two of the studies used the Cockcroft&ndash;Gault and observed a prevalence of 24.4% and 26%. Four of the studies used the MDRD and the prevalences observed were 12.3%, 14.2%, 2.5%, and 13.4%. One of the studies used the CKD-EPI equation and the prevalence was 11.4%. The male to female ratios of CKD prevalence in six studies were 1:1.9, 0.8:1, 1:1.6, 1:2, 1:1.8, 1:1.4, and the observed risk factors in the studies were old age, obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, family history of hypertension, family history of renal disease, low-income occupation, use of traditional medication, low hemoglobin, and abdominal obesity. Conclusion: The prevalence of CKD was high but variable in Nigeria, influenced by the equation used to estimate the GFR. MDRD and CKD-EPI results are agreeable. There is a need for more population-based studies, with emphasis on repeating the GFR estimation after 3 months in subjects with GFR &lt;60 mL/min/1.7 m2. Keywords: CKD, Cockcroft&ndash;Gault, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease, CKD epidemiology collaboration creatinine equatio

    A STUDY OF THE INTERMOLECULAR ν51\nu^{1}_{5} VIBRATION IN OC-H35ClH^{35}Cl BASED ON NEAR INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY

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    Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, Texas A\&M University; Steacie Institute, National Research CouncilThe near infrared ν2+ν51\nu_{2}+\nu_{5}{^{1}} combination bands of OCH35ClOC-H^{35}Cl and OCH37ClOC-H^{37}Cl have been recorded using a high frequency wavelength modulation diode laser supersonic jet spectrometer. In addition, the static gas phase spectra of the associated ν2+ν51ν51\nu_{2}+\nu_{5}{^{1}}-\nu_{5}{^{1}} and ν2+2ν512ν51\nu_{2}+ 2\nu_{5}{^{1}}-2\nu_{5}{^{1}} hot bands in OCH35ClOC-H^{35}Cl have been recorded using Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy. The combined results permit evaluation of rovibrational constants for the low frequency intermolecular bending vibration of the OCH35ClOC-H^{35}Cl isotopomer (in cm1):ν51=48.9953(2);B(ν51)=0.565731(6),Djν51=1.906×107(6)cm^{-1}):\nu_{5}{^{1}} = 48.9953(2);B(\nu_{5}{^{1}}) = 0.565731(6),Dj \nu_{5}{^{1}} = 1.906 \times 10^{-7} (6) and qν511=0.0001466(2)q\nu_{5}{^{1}}1 = 0.0001466(2)

    Management styles and their impact on employee motivation in organization “OC Vision”.

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    Bakalaura darba tēma ir “Vadības stili un to ietekme uz darbinieku motivāciju organizācijā “OC Vision””. Organizācijā ir svarīgi uzņēmumā katram vadītājam izvēlēties pareizo vadības stilu. Pareiza stila izvēle sekmē organizācijas darbību un ļauj vadītājam ar savu komandu ātrāk sasniegt rezultātus un tuvoties mērķu izpildei. Bakalaura darba mērķis ir izpētīt, izanalizēt un salīdzināt kādi vadības stili ir vadītājiem, kuri strādā uzņēmumā “OC Vision” un kā viņu vadības stils ietekmē darbinieku motivāciju, izstrādāt priekšlikumus vadības stila izvēlei šajā uzņēmumā, lai to darbinieki būtu pēc iespējas motivētāki. Darbs sastāv no 3 nodaļām. Pirmajā nodaļā darba autors sniedz ieskatu darba teorijā par vadītāju lomu organizācijā, vadības stiliem, kā arī vadītāja un darbinieka attiecībām. Otrajā nodaļā darba autors sniedz ieskatu darba teorijā par motivāciju un motivācijas teorijām. Trešajā nodaļā darba autors apkopo datus no aptaujā iegūtajiem rezultātiem. Nobeigumā ir izstrādāti secinājumi un sniegti priekšlikumi, izmantotās literatūras saraksts un pielikumi. Bakalaura darbs sastāv no 63 lappusēm, kurās ir 13 attēli, 21 tabula un 1 pielikums.The theme of the Bachelor`s thesis is “Management styles and their impact on employee motivation in organization “OC Vision””. In an organization, it is important for each manager to choose the right management style. Choosing the right style facilitates the operation of the organization and allows the manager with his team to achieve results faster and approach goals. The aim of the bachelor's thesis is to study, analyze and compare which management styles are for managers working in the company "OC Vision" and how their management style affects employee motivation, develop proposals for the choice of management style in this company so that their employees would be as motivated as possible. The Bachelor’s thesis consists of three chapters. In the first chapter, the author provides an insight into the theory of work on the role of managers in the organization, management styles, and the relationship between manager and employee. In the second chapter, the author provides an insight into work theory on motivation and motivation theories. In the third chapter, the author summarizes the data from the results of the survey. In the end are conclusions and proposals, a list of references and appendix The Bachelor`s thesis consists of 63 pages, 13 photos, 21 tables and 1 appendix
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