Combinations of dexmedetomidine and alfaxalone with butorphanol in cats: application of an innovative stepwise optimisation method to identify optimal clinical doses for intramuscular anaesthesia

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to optimise dexmedetomidine and alfaxalone dosing, for intramuscular administration with butorphanol, to perform minor surgeries in cats. METHODS Initially, cats were assigned to one of five groups, each composed of six animals and receiving, in addition to 0.3 mg/kg butorphanol intramuscularly, one of the following: (A) 0.005 mg/kg dexmedetomidine, 2 mg/kg alfaxalone; (B) 0.008 mg/kg dexmedetomidine, 1.5 mg/kg alfaxalone; (C) 0.012 mg/kg dexmedetomidine, 1 mg/kg alfaxalone; (D) 0.005 mg/kg dexmedetomidine, 1 mg/kg alfaxalone; and (E) 0.012 mg/kg dexmedetomidine, 2 mg/kg alfaxalone. Thereafter, a modified 'direct search' method, conducted in a stepwise manner, was used to optimise drug dosing. The quality of anaesthesia was evaluated on the basis of composite scores (one for anaesthesia and one for recovery), visual analogue scales and the propofol requirement to suppress spontaneous movements. The medians or means of these variables were used to rank the treatments; 'unsatisfactory' and 'promising' combinations were identified to calculate, through the equation first described by Berenbaum in 1990, new dexmedetomidine and alfaxalone doses to be tested in the next step. At each step, five combinations (one new plus the best previous four) were tested. RESULTS None of the tested combinations resulted in adverse effects. Four steps and 120 animals were necessary to identify the optimal drug combination (0.014 mg/kg dexmedetomidine, 2.5 mg/kg alfaxalone and 0.3 mg/kg butorphanol). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The investigated drug mixture, at the doses found with the optimisation method, is suitable for cats undergoing minor clinical procedures.

An innovative approach to impacting student academic achievement and attitudes: Pilot study of the HEADS UP Virtual Molecular Biology Lab

Objective. To evaluate the HEADS UP Virtual Molecular Biology Lab, a computer-based simulated laboratory designed to teach advanced high school biology students how to create a mouse model. ^ Design. A randomized clinical control design of forty-four students from two science magnet high schools in Mercedes, Texas was utilized to assess knowledge and skills of molecular laboratory procedures, attitudes towards science and computers as a learning tool, and usability of the program. ^ Measurements. Data was collected using five paper-and-pencil formatted questionnaires and an internal "lab notebook." ^ Results. The Virtual Lab was found to significantly increase student knowledge over time (p<0.005) and with each use (p<0.001) as well as positively increase attitudes towards computers (p<0.001) and skills (p<0.005). No significant differences were seen in science attitude scores.^ Conclusion. These results provide evidence that the HEADS UP Virtual Molecular Biology Lab is a potentially effective educational tool for high school molecular biology education.^

The coordinated approach to child health in underserved population (CATCH UP) curriculum: A quantitative evaluation of an innovative preschool obesity prevention program

Obesity has been on the rise in the United States over the last 30 years for all populations, including preschoolers. The purpose of the project was to develop an observation tool to measure physical activity levels in preschool children and use the tool in a pilot test of the CATCH UP curriculum at two Head Start Centers in Houston. Pretest and posttest interobserver agreements were all above 0.60 for physical activity level and physical activity type. Preschoolers spent the majority of their time in light physical activity (75.33% pretest, 87.77% posttest), and spent little time in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (24.67% pretest, 12.23% posttest). Percent time spent in MVPA decreased significantly pretest to posttest from (F=5.738, p=0.043). While the pilot testing of the CATCH UP curriculum did not show an increase in MVPA, the SOFIT-P tool did show promising results as being a new method for collecting physical activity level data for preschoolers. Once the new tool has undergone more reliability and validity testing, it could allow for a more convenient method of collecting physical activity levels for preschoolers. ^

Effects of congressional modernization laws on public access to innovative medical device technologies

The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) play key roles in making Class III, medical devices available to the public, and they are required by law to meet statutory deadlines for applications under review. Historically, both agencies have failed to meet their respective statutory requirements. Since these failures affect patient access and may adversely impact public health, Congress has enacted several “modernization” laws. However, the effectiveness of these modernization laws has not been adequately studied or established for Class III medical devices. ^ The aim of this research study was, therefore, to analyze how these modernization laws may have affected public access to medical devices. Two questions were addressed: (1) How have the FDA modernization laws affected the time to approval for medical device premarket approval applications (PMAs)? (2) How has the CMS modernization law affected the time to approval for national coverage decisions (NCDs)? The data for this research study were collected from publicly available databases for the period January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2008. These dates were selected to ensure that a sufficient period of time was captured to measure pre- and post-modernization effects on time to approval. All records containing original PMAs were obtained from the FDA database, and all records containing NCDs were obtained from the CMS database. Source documents, including FDA premarket approval letters and CMS national coverage decision memoranda, were reviewed to obtain additional data not found in the search results. Analyses were conducted to determine the effects of the pre- and post-modernization laws on time to approval. Secondary analyses of FDA subcategories were conducted to uncover any causal factors that might explain differences in time to approval and to compare with the primary trends. The primary analysis showed that the FDA modernization laws of 1997 and 2002 initially reduced PMA time to approval; after the 2002 modernization law, the time to approval began increasing and continued to increase through December 2008. The non-combined, subcategory approval trends were similar to the primary analysis trends. The combined, subcategory analysis showed no clear trends with the exception of non-implantable devices, for which time to approval trended down after 1997. The CMS modernization law of 2003 reduced NCD time to approval, a trend that continued through December 2008. This study also showed that approximately 86% of PMA devices do not receive NCDs. ^ As a result of this research study, recommendations are offered to help resolve statutory non-compliance and access issues, as follows: (1) Authorities should examine underlying causal factors for the observed trends; (2) Process improvements should be made to better coordinate FDA and CMS activities to include sharing data, reducing duplication, and establishing clear criteria for “safe and effective” and “reasonable and necessary”; (3) A common identifier should be established to allow tracking and trending of applications between FDA and CMS databases; (4) Statutory requirements may need to be revised; and (5) An investigation should be undertaken to determine why NCDs are not issued for the majority of PMAs. Any process improvements should be made without creating additional safety risks and adversely impacting public health. Finally, additional studies are needed to fully characterize and better understand the trends identified in this research study.^

Shaping Attitudes in Public Child Welfare: An Innovative MSW Training Program

Children investigated by child welfare are at significant risk for poor cognitive, emotional, social, behavioral and economic outcomes. In 2000, California formed the Child Welfare Services Group to propose changes in how child welfare services are delivered, the CWS Redesign. California State University, Long Beach’s child welfare training program developed its complement. Fundamentally, Redesign calls for partnering with families and communities to strengthen families, prevent unnecessary placements or re-unite families successfully. These changes are a paradigm shift in attitudes toward birth families and communities. In a qualitative study, interns logged their observations and subsequent impressions of CWS-Client encounters to explore how attitudes are learned. Majority of interns observed positive, collaborative encounters and perceived birth parents as motivated. Their impressions support introducing interns to birth families on the front-end of CWS training.

Metropolitan Observatory for Street Children and Youngsters: A Chilean Experience of an Innovative Model

In Chile, street children and youngsters' situations have changed significantly over the last decades. The Metropolitan Observatory is an innovative organization that makes it possible to follow this velnerable group. The Observatory is becoming a pioneering actor in the subject, thanks to the participative work and agreed consensus of different institutions involved. The aim of this paper is to introduce the innovative cross-sectoral work done by the Metropolitan Observatory for street children and youth.

La configuración alegórica del espacio en William Faulkner : Absalom, Absalom!, Go Down Moses y The Sound and the Fury

El artículo analiza la configuración del espacio en tres novelas de William Faulkner como parte de un continuum iniciado en el período colonial: la idea del Nuevo Mundo generada por los puritanos y la adaptación de esa idea y de su manifestación retórica a las circunstancias inauguran la tópica que caracteriza a la literatura norteamericana y que Faulkner, echando mano de un imaginario autorreferencial, resignifica y enriquece con connotaciones innovadoras.

Fiesta en Noviembre de Eduardo Mallea : la experimentación formal en función del relieve semántico de preocupaciones éticas

El análisis de la novela está precedido por una síntesis del pensamiento de Eduardo Mallea sobre la caída de los valores de la sociedad argentina. En esta introducción se incluye asimismo información que atañe al contexto referencial de la novela y que se vincula con las consecuencias de la crisis económica de 1929 en la Argentina. Una aproximación global al texto adelanta componentes referenciales de la diégesis que hacen presentes manejos económicos espurios, el brote de racismo antisemita que precedió a la Segunda Guerra Mundial y el asesinato de Federico García Lorca. La cuarta sección del estudio enfoca la superficie textual de la novela. Dos vertientes diegéticas dan lugar a segmentos que se alternan en la que fue, para su época, una innovadora estructuración textual. Las voces narradoras, los monólogos interiores, los procedimientos del lenguaje figurado, la relación adentro-afuera en el desarrollo de la acción completan el análisis. La quinta sección del trabajo aborda la diégesis y la estructura semántica profunda del texto.

Poner el cuerpo : La configuración narrativa del pícaro como crítica del sistema colonial de la Nueva España en El Periquillo Sarniento

El presente trabajo se propone analizar la novela El Periquillo Sarniento (1816) de Lizardi como un respuesta estética a los cambios históricos acaecidos en la sociedad de la Nueva España en los albores de la emancipación del sistema colonial español. Esta obra plantea las vicisitudes y hazañas de un letrado criollo por reposicionarse en un sistema de poder ya vetusto y asfixiante que presenta grietas en su construcción. El accionar de este narrador protagonista es analizado teniendo en cuenta los conceptos de "sujeto colonial" de Rolena Adorno, el de "pensamiento dialógico" de Nancy Vogeley y la "ambigüedad del picarismo" de Maurice Molho. El objetivo de este estudio es desentrañar la perspectiva novedosa que plantea Lizardi en torno a la utilidad del letrado en una sociedad de cambios tanto políticos como sociales

Poner el cuerpo : La configuración narrativa del pícaro como crítica del sistema colonial de la Nueva España en El Periquillo Sarniento

El presente trabajo se propone analizar la novela El Periquillo Sarniento (1816) de Lizardi como un respuesta estética a los cambios históricos acaecidos en la sociedad de la Nueva España en los albores de la emancipación del sistema colonial español. Esta obra plantea las vicisitudes y hazañas de un letrado criollo por reposicionarse en un sistema de poder ya vetusto y asfixiante que presenta grietas en su construcción. El accionar de este narrador protagonista es analizado teniendo en cuenta los conceptos de "sujeto colonial" de Rolena Adorno, el de "pensamiento dialógico" de Nancy Vogeley y la "ambigüedad del picarismo" de Maurice Molho. El objetivo de este estudio es desentrañar la perspectiva novedosa que plantea Lizardi en torno a la utilidad del letrado en una sociedad de cambios tanto políticos como sociales

Poner el cuerpo : La configuración narrativa del pícaro como crítica del sistema colonial de la Nueva España en El Periquillo Sarniento

El presente trabajo se propone analizar la novela El Periquillo Sarniento (1816) de Lizardi como un respuesta estética a los cambios históricos acaecidos en la sociedad de la Nueva España en los albores de la emancipación del sistema colonial español. Esta obra plantea las vicisitudes y hazañas de un letrado criollo por reposicionarse en un sistema de poder ya vetusto y asfixiante que presenta grietas en su construcción. El accionar de este narrador protagonista es analizado teniendo en cuenta los conceptos de "sujeto colonial" de Rolena Adorno, el de "pensamiento dialógico" de Nancy Vogeley y la "ambigüedad del picarismo" de Maurice Molho. El objetivo de este estudio es desentrañar la perspectiva novedosa que plantea Lizardi en torno a la utilidad del letrado en una sociedad de cambios tanto políticos como sociales

Magnetic susceptibility and electric conductivity of marine surficial sediments by benthic electromagnetic profiling

Distribution, accumulation and diagenesis of surficial sediments in coastal and continental shelf systems follow complex chains of localized processes and form deposits of great spatial variability. Given the environmental and economic relevance of ocean margins, there is growing need for innovative geophysical exploration methods to characterize seafloor sediments by more than acoustic properties. A newly conceptualized benthic profiling and data processing approach based on controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) imaging permits to coevally quantify the magnetic susceptibility and the electric conductivity of shallow marine deposits. The two physical properties differ fundamentally insofar as magnetic susceptibility mostly assesses solid particle characteristics such as terrigenous or iron mineral content, redox state and contamination level, while electric conductivity primarily relates to the fluid-filled pore space and detects salinity, porosity and grain-size variations. We develop and validate a layered half-space inversion algorithm for submarine multifrequency CSEM with concentric sensor configuration. Guided by results of modeling, we modified a commercial land CSEM sensor for submarine application, which was mounted into a nonconductive and nonmagnetic bottom-towed sled. This benthic EM profiler Neridis II achieves 25 soundings/second at 3-4 knots over continuous profiles of up to hundred kilometers. Magnetic susceptibility is determined from the 75 Hz in-phase response (90% signal originates from the top 50 cm), while electric conductivity is derived from the 5 kHz out-of-phase (quadrature) component (90% signal from the top 92 cm). Exemplary survey data from the north-west Iberian margin underline the excellent sensitivity, functionality and robustness of the system in littoral (~0-50 m) and neritic (~50-300 m) environments. Susceptibility vs. porosity cross-plots successfully identify known lithofacies units and their transitions. All presently available data indicate an eminent potential of CSEM profiling for assessing the complex distribution of shallow marine surficial sediments and for revealing climatic, hydrodynamic, diagenetic and anthropogenic factors governing their formation.

Highly stereoselective decarboxylation of (+)-1-Bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoropropanoic acid gives (+)-1-Bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane ((+)-Halothane) with retention of configuration

The absolute configuration of the title acid (2) has been determined to be S by X-ray crystallography. Thus, decarboxylation of 2 produces (S)-(+)-halothane with 99% retention of configuration. This behavior is compared to other stereoselective decarboxylation reactions of ?-haloacids from the literature that also give high degrees of retention of configuration when in the form of their quaternary ammonium salts, which contain one proton. The proton of the ammonium salt is necessary to protonate the anionic intermediate formed from decarboxylation. In the absence of this relatively acidic proton, we had previously found that using triethylene glycol (TEG) as both solvent and proton source for the decarboxylation reaction of acid 2 caused poor stereoselectivity. This was in contrast to 1,2,2,2-tetrafluoro-1-methoxypropionic acid (6), which showed a high degree of retention of configuration in TEG. To rationalize this differing behavior we report DFT studies at PCM-B3LYP/6-31++G** level of theory (the results were additionally confirmed with 6-311++G** and aug-cc-pVDZ basis sets). The energy barrier to inversion of configuration of the anionic reaction intermediate of acid 2 (11) is 10.23 kcal/mol. However, we find that the anionic intermediate from acid 6 (10) would rather undergo ?-elimination instead of inversion of configuration. Thus the planar transition state required for inversion of configuration is never reached, regardless of the rate of proton transfer to the anion.

Avoiding the middle income trap : indigenous innovative effort vs foreign innovative effort

This paper investigates how innovation potential of a country contributes to avoid or escape the middle income trap. We measure innovation potentials of 77 countries from 1975 to 2010 from patent data. Then, we test whether indigenous innovative efforts or foreign ones help avoid and escape middle income traps

What best transfers knowledge? : capital, goods, and innovative labor in East Asia

This paper compares three knowledge carriers—trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), and inventors—as knowledge mediums, and investigates their effects on knowledge flow in East Asia from 1996 to 2010. Using patent citations as a proxy for knowledge flow, this paper shows that FDI and inventor mobility have positive effects on increasing patent citations in East Asia when the technological portfolios of two countries are less similar. While trade shows statistical significance, the effect is inconsistent according to the regression models.