Growth and Slaughter Characteristics of Weaning Male Kids of Turkish Native Goat Breeds

There is little knowledge about the carcass potential of Turkish native goat breeds raised under different rearing conditions. It is necessary to compare the carcass characteristics of these breeds to minimize the effect of the rearing conditions. Therefore, this study aims to compare the growth, slaughter, and carcass characteristics of male kids at weaning age to eliminate the impact of rearing conditions. Kids born to Angora (n = 6), Hair (n = 6), Honamlı (n = 6), and Kilis (n = 6) Turkish native goat breeds, ranging in age from 2–3 years, were slaughtered at 90 days of weaning age and carcass characteristics were determined immediately. There were differences (p < 0.05) among breeds in terms of birth weight (BW) and daily weight gain (DWG) from birth to weaning age. Honamlı kids had higher BW and DWG than those of other breeds (p < 0.05). Similarly, carcass weights (hot–cold) and yields (hot–cold) of Honamlı kids were higher compared to kids born to other breeds (p < 0.05). Additionally, Honamlı and Hair kids had higher longissimus-dorsi (LD), and semitendinosus (ST) muscle weights compared to Kilis and Angora kids. Interestingly, Kilis kids had lower BW and DWG than those of other breeds (p < 0.05). There were significant differences (p < 0.05) among breeds in terms of non-carcass parts and organ weights. Positive correlations were calculated between cross-sectional area and weight (r = 0.793; p < 0.01), length and weight (r = 0.723; p < 0.01), and depth and weight (r = 0.698; p < 0.01) in LD muscle of all kids. A similar correlation trend was calculated for the ST muscle (cross-sectional area and weight; r = 0.699; p < 0.01, length and weight; r = 0.751; p < 0.01, and depth and weight; r = 0.528; p < 0.05) in all kids. In conclusion, the present study results showed that Honamlı kids could be used for fattening material due to their good carcass quality compared to other native breeds.

PREDICTING SPEECH INTELLIGIBILITY FROM A SELECTIVE ATTENTION DECODING PARADIGM IN COCHLEAR IMPLANT USERS

Objectives: Electroencephalography (EEG) can be used to decode selective attention in cochlear implant (CI) users. This work investigates if selective attention to an attended speech source in the presence of a concurrent speech source can predict speech understanding in CI users. Approach: CI users were instructed to attend to one out of two speech streams while EEG was recorded. Both speech streams were presented to the same ear and at different signal to interference ratios (SIRs). Speech envelope reconstruction of the to-be-attended speech from EEG was obtained by training decoders using regularized least squares. The correlation coefficient between the reconstructed and the attended (ρ_(A_SIR )) and between the reconstructed and the unattended (ρ_(U_SIR )) speech stream at each SIR was computed. Main Results: Selective attention decoding in CI users is possible even if both speech streams are presented monaurally. A significant effect of SIR on the correlation coefficient to the attended signal ρ_(A_SIR ), as well as on the difference correlation coefficients ρ_(A_SIR )-ρ_(U_SIR ) and ρ_(A_SIR )-ρ_(U_(-SIR) ) was observed, but not on the unattended correlation coefficient ρ_(U_SIR ). Finally, the results show a significant correlation between speech understanding performance and the correlation coefficients ρ_(A_SIR-) ρ_(U_SIR ) or -ρ_(U_SIR ) across subjects. Moreover, the difference correlation coefficient ρ_(A_SIR )-ρ_(U_(-SIR) ), which is less affected by the CI electrical artifact, presented a correlation trend with speech understanding performance. Significance: Selective attention decoding in CI users is possible, however care needs to be taken with the CI artifact and the speech material used to train the decoders. Even if only a small correlation trend between selective attention decoding and speech understanding was observed, these results are important for future development of objective speech understanding measures for CI users.

Acupuncture With deqi Modulates the Hemodynamic Response and Functional Connectivity of the Prefrontal-Motor Cortical Network

As a world intangible cultural heritage, acupuncture is considered an essential modality of complementary and alternative therapy to Western medicine. Despite acupuncture’s long history and public acceptance, how the cortical network is modulated by acupuncture remains largely unclear. Moreover, as the basic acupuncture unit for regulating the central nervous system, how the cortical network is modulated during acupuncture at the Hegu acupoint is mostly unclear. Here, multi-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data were recorded from twenty healthy subjects for acupuncture manipulation, pre- and post-manipulation tactile controls, and pre- and post-acupuncture rest controls. Results showed that: (1) acupuncture manipulation caused significantly increased acupuncture behavioral deqi performance compared with tactile controls. (2) The bilateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and motor cortex were significantly inhibited during acupuncture manipulation than controls, which was evidenced by the decreased power of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) concentration. (3) The bilateral PFC’s hemodynamic responses showed a positive correlation trend with acupuncture behavioral performance. (4) The network connections with bilateral PFC as nodes showed significantly increased functional connectivity during acupuncture manipulation compared with controls. (5) Meanwhile, the network’s efficiency was improved by acupuncture manipulation, evidenced by the increased global efficiency and decreased shortest path length. Taken together, these results reveal that a cooperative PFC-Motor functional network could be modulated by acupuncture manipulation at the Hegu acupoint. This study provides neuroimaging evidence that explains acupuncture’s neuromodulation effects on the cortical network.

MRI correlates of cognitive improvement after home-based EEG neurofeedback training in patients with multiple sclerosis: a pilot study

Objective Neurofeedback training may improve cognitive function in patients with neurological disorders. However, the underlying cerebral mechanisms of such improvements are poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to investigate MRI correlates of cognitive improvement after EEG-based neurofeedback training in patients with MS (pwMS). Methods Fourteen pwMS underwent ten neurofeedback training sessions within 3–4 weeks at home using a tele-rehabilitation system. Half of the pwMS (N = 7, responders) learned to self-regulate sensorimotor rhythm (SMR, 12–15 Hz) by visual feedback and improved cognitively after training, whereas the remainder (non-responders, n = 7) did not. Diffusion-tensor imaging and resting-state fMRI of the brain was performed before and after training. We analyzed fractional anisotropy (FA) and functional connectivity (FC) of the default-mode, sensorimotor (SMN) and salience network (SAL). Results At baseline, responders and non-responders were comparable regarding sex, age, education, disease duration, physical and cognitive impairment, and MRI parameters. After training, compared to non-responders, responders showed increased FA and FC within the SAL and SMN. Cognitive improvement correlated with increased FC in SAL and a correlation trend with increased FA was observed. Conclusions This exploratory study suggests that successful neurofeedback training may not only lead to cognitive improvement, but also to increases in brain microstructure and functional connectivity.

Computational study of laminar free convection inside tilting irregular cavity of a batch-type solar collector

Batch-type solar collector is a tilt-able water-heating solar-thermal system comprising an isosceles-trapezoidal enclosure housing a circular-cylinder absorber at the bottom wall, insulated side-walls, and flat-top glazing. Free convection of air inside such trapezoidal enclosure is studied numerically by varying the tilt angle of the whole enclosure from 0o-70o. The influence of tilt on the flow field has been demonstrated by plotting the streamlines and isotherms. The present study successfully identifies the importance of enclosure-tilt in quantifying heat-loss between absorber and glazing by developing a computational correlation between Nusselt and Rayleigh as a function of tilt. The correlation trend is non-monotonic over the range of angular Rayleigh numbers numerically experimented with having a peak around angular Rayleigh number 3?105 corresponding to the tilt-angle 30 degrees. The irregular-shaped cavity implies that the heat-transfer correlations already existing for regular-shaped cavities may not be used otherwise they will draw implausible conclusions and this argument identifies the novelty of the present study.

Stage-Specific Long Non-coding RNAs in Cryptosporidium parvum as Revealed by Stranded RNA-Seq

Cryptosporidium is a protist parasite that has been identified as the second leading cause of moderate to severe diarrhea in children younger than two and a significant cause of mortality worldwide. Cryptosporidium has a complex, obligate, intracellular but extra cytoplasmic lifecycle in a single host. How genes are regulated in this parasite remains largely unknown. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical regulatory roles, including gene expression across a broad range of organisms. Cryptosporidium lncRNAs have been reported to enter the host cell nucleus and affect the host response. However, no systematic study of lncRNAs in Cryptosporidium has been conducted to identify additional lncRNAs. In this study, we analyzed a C. parvum in vitro strand-specific RNA-seq developmental time series covering both asexual and sexual stages to identify lncRNAs associated with parasite development. In total, we identified 396 novel lncRNAs 86% of which are differentially expressed. Nearly 10% of annotated mRNAs have an antisense lncRNA. lncRNAs also appear to occur most often at the 3’ end of their corresponding sense mRNA. Putative lncRNA regulatory regions were identified and many appear to encode bidirectional promoters. A positive correlation trend between lncRNA and the upstream mRNA expression was observed. Evolutionary conservation and expression of lncRNA candidates was observed between C. parvum, C. hominis and C. baileyi. Ten C. parvum protein-encoding genes with antisense transcripts have P. falciparum orthologs that also have antisense transcripts. Three C. parvum lncRNAs with exceptional properties (e.g., intron splicing) were experimentally validated using RT-PCR and RT-qPCR. We provide an initial characterization of the C. parvum non-coding transcriptome to facilitate further investigations into the roles of lncRNAs in parasite development and host-pathogen interactions.

Evolution of Fretting Wear Behaviors and Mechanisms of 20CrMnTi Steel after Carburizing

In this paper, the fretting wear properties of 20CrMnTi steel, a common material for a rocker bracket, was discussed for the first time after it was suffered carburizing treatment. Subsequently, the fretting wear behaviors of virgin, quenched, and carburized states were studied. The effect of loads (corresponding to different engine power output) and reciprocating frequencies (corresponding to different engine speed) on wear behaviors and mechanisms of carburized specimen were further discussed. The results showed that the coefficient of friction (CoF) and wear volume loss (WVL) of the carburized specimens were significantly lower than that of virgin and quenched states. During the wear test, the surface CoF decreased gradually with the increase of applied load, while the linear correlation trend was not observed with the increase of fretting frequency as it showed an increase first and then a decrease. It was observed that the WVL increased gradually with the increase of load and frequency. With an increase of the load, the wear mechanism gradually deteriorated from the initial adhesive wear to the mixed wear mechanism. When the load was high, the oxidative wear became more severe. However, no significant effect of frequency was observed on the wear mechanism.

Quantifying the effect of biopsy lateral decubitus patient positioning compared to supine prostate MRI scanning on prostate translocation and distortion

Introduction: More than a quarter of tumors are missed by magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound (MRI/US) fusion-guided biopsy, the majority due to software-based misregistration. Transrectal approaches to biopsy are typically performed in the lateral decubitus position; conversely, diagnostic MRI is performed with the patient lying supine. Any position-related difference in prostate location or gland deformation could potentially exacerbate misregistration at subsequent biopsy. Methods: Fifteen healthy male volunteers (mean age 35.9 years, range 27–53) were included in this prospective, institutional review board-approved study. Each volunteer had an MRI performed in the supine position, followed by the second in the lateral decubitus position (mimicking a typical biopsy position). MRI images were co-registered and analyzed in order to assess prostate translocation and distortion. Results: Whole prostate translocation of ≥5 mm was observed in 20% of patients and ≥3 mm in 60% of patients. When dividing the prostate into prostatic sectors, the prostatic base demonstrated the largest positional difference. When plotting the translocation directions with relative volume difference, there was a moderate negative correlation trend in the latero-lateral direction. Only minimal distortion was observed, with similar distortion among all prostatic sectors. Conclusions: Positional change affects the prostate translocation, however, the effect on prostate distortion appears to be negligible. Prostate translocation in latero-lateral direction can be minimized with larger bladder volumes. Thereby, prostate translocation needs to be considered alongside software misregistration error; however, positional change should not affect software registration of MRI/US fusion-guided prostate biopsy.

Systemic and CSF Interleukin-1α Expression in a Rabbit Closed Cranium Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Model: An Exploratory Study

Background: The inflammatory pathway in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leads to delayed cerebral vasospasm (DCVS) and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The role of IL-1α has never been evaluated in a rabbit SAH model. The aim of our study is to analyze systemic and CSF changes of IL-1α, and to evaluate potential associations with the onset of DCVS in a rabbit closed cranium SAH model. Methods: 17 New Zealand white rabbits were randomized into two groups, SAH (n = 12) and sham (n = 5). In the first group, SAH was induced by extracranial-intracranial shunting from the subclavian artery into the cerebral cistern of magna under intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. The sham group served as a control. The CSF and blood samples for IL-1α measurement were taken at day zero before SAH induction and at day three. Results: There was a significant increase of ICP (p = 0.00009) and a decrease of cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) (p = 0.00089) during SAH induction. At follow up, there was a significant increase of systemic IL-1α in the SAH as compared with the sham group (p = 0.042). There was no statistically significant difference in the CSF values in both groups. The CSF IL-1α values showed a correlation trend of DCVS. Conclusions: Systemic IL-1α levels are elevated after SAH induction in a rabbit SAH model.

Clinical characterization and prognostic implications of metabolic syndrome in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis at a Chinese center

Objective Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a common clinical condition associated with cardiovascular disease in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD); however, its prognostic implication among patients receiving PD remains controversial. Methods In a prospective study from January 2013 and June 2016, we enrolled 190 patients undergoing PD and followed them for 46.4 ± 30.7 months. We assessed the associations of clinical characteristics and measurements with diabetes mellitus (DM) status, MS, and prognostic outcomes among the included patients. Results We found that DM was associated with shortened duration of dialysis and poor survival. The prevalence of MS was 58.9% among all patients. We found significant differences in age, body weight, body mass index, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, leukocytes, platelets, neutrophil percentage, and pre-albumin between patients with and without MS. We found a negative correlation trend between serum intact parathyroid hormone and MS among our patients. The arteriosclerosis index was significantly elevated in the MS group compared with the non-MS group. Serum calcium concentration and frequency of hospital admissions were significantly associated with mortality and technique failure. Conclusions MS was positively associated with cardiovascular disease. DM, and hypocalcemia. Frequent hospital admissions can predict poor prognosis in patients undergoing PD.