Central Control Circuit for Context-Dependent Micturition.

Urine release (micturition) serves an essential physiological function as well as a critical role in social communication in many animals. Here, we show a combined effect of olfaction and social hierarchy on micturition patterns in adult male mice, confirming the existence of a micturition control center that integrates pro- and anti-micturition cues. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a cluster of neurons expressing corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) in the pontine micturition center (PMC) is electrophysiologically distinct from their Crh-negative neighbors and sends glutamatergic projections to the spinal cord. The activity of PMC Crh-expressing neurons correlates with and is sufficient to drive bladder contraction, and when silenced impairs micturition behavior. These neurons receive convergent input from widespread higher brain areas that are capable of carrying diverse pro- and anti-micturition signals, and whose activity modulates hierarchy-dependent micturition. Taken together, our results indicate that PMC Crh-expressing neurons are likely the integration center for context-dependent micturition behavior.

On Target Localization Using Combined RSS and AoA Measurements.

This work revises existing solutions for a problem of target localization in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), utilizing integrated measurements, namely received signal strength (RSS) and angle of arrival (AoA). The problem of RSS/AoA-based target localization became very popular in the research community recently, owing to its great applicability potential and relatively low implementation cost. Therefore, here, a comprehensive study of the state-of-the-art (SoA) solutions and their detailed analysis is presented. The beginning of this work starts by considering the SoA approaches based on convex relaxation techniques (more computationally complex in general), and it goes through other (less computationally complex) approaches, as well, such as the ones based on the generalized trust region sub-problems framework and linear least squares. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the computational complexity of each solution is reviewed. Furthermore, an extensive set of simulation results is presented. Finally, the main conclusions are summarized, and a set of future aspects and trends that might be interesting for future research in this area is identified.

Shear Testing of Topologically Optimised Web Cover Plates in Splice Connections-Experiment Design and Results.

Testing shear-resisting plates in steel connections is one of the most challenging laboratory undertakings in steel construction, as the most common experimental layout design includes simulating the connection with its adjoining members. This significant hindrance gained particular magnitude as the need to test prototypes of topologically optimised shear cover plates became more pressing. Indeed, new code-compliant topology optimisation approaches for steel construction have recently been offered, and physically non-linear analyses have been demonstrated to be vital for assessing these elements. Hence, a rapid and reliable experimental process has become a fundamental necessity. To answer this need, a novel layout is herein proposed, in which topologically optimised and previously numerically examined bolted shear plates of a well-known steel joint were tested. The results allowed for the definition of the material trilinear model for use in subsequent numerical analysis, as well as the validation of the numerical simulation results. The discrepancy between the previously mathematically anticipated and empirically determined ultimate resistance did not exceed 1.7%.

Modeling the Tensile Behavior of Fiber-Reinforced Strain-Hardening Cement-Based Composites: A Review.

Strain-Hardening Cement-Based Composites (SHCCs) exhibit high toughness and durability, allowing the design of resilient structures. Despite the exceptional properties of SHCC and the current modeling techniques, the widespread use of the composite is limited. One limiting factor is developing and validating analytical models that could be used for optimizing mixes and designing structural elements. Furthermore, the composite mechanical response is complex and depends on several phenomena, such as fiber pullout, fiber orientation and distribution, size effect, fiber content, group effect, embedding length, fiber dimensions, and matrix strength. In this context, this research presents the state-of-the-art on the micro- and mesomechanisms occurring in SHCC during cracking and robust techniques to predict its tensile behavior accounting for such phenomena already proved experimentally. The study is relevant for designers and the scientific community because it presents the gaps for the research groups to develop new investigations for consolidating SHCC, which is a material to produce resilient structures.

Survival benefits of palliative gastric cancer resection - a regional center experience.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In regions where screening programs are not widespread, the high number of patients with advanced gastric cancer remains a serious problem to the surgeon. Palliative resection remains debatable and has been considered irrelevant to the outcome. However, its role is widely accepted for palliation of symptoms and some series reported survival benefits. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective study including 155 patients with gastric cancer operated during 10 years. Clinicopathologic data, morbimortality and survival were registered and a detailed analysis performed for palliative cases. RESULTS: This series included 90 curative and 40 palliative resections; 25 had other palliative procedures. 40.5% presented in stage IV. In palliative group, complications occurred in 22.5% after resection (vs. 16% in non-resection, p=0.524), with a lower postoperative mortality (7.5 vs. 24%, p=0.051). First year survival rate was better after palliative resection and in patients with locally advanced disease without distant metastasis it had a clear impact in the survival curve (log-rank test p=0.043). This benefit was not present on a long-term basis. CONCLUSIONS: Palliative resections definitely improved short-term survival, without significantly increasing postoperative morbimortality. However, this was evident only for patients with locally advanced but not for metastatic disease. Multi-centric prospective trials are still missing.

Editorial for "Mechanical Behavior of Concrete Materials and Structures: Experimental Evidence and Analytical Models".

Concrete is one of the most widespread materials in the civil engineering field due to its versatility for both structural and non-structural applications depending on the density range, competitiveness in terms of durability and manufacturing costs, as well as ease in finding raw constituent elements [...].

Improved Equations for the Torsional Strength of Reinforced Concrete Beams for Codes of Practice Based on the Space Truss Analogy.

Design codes provide the necessary tools to check the torsional strength of reinforced concrete (RC) members. However, some researchers have pointed out that code equations still need improvement. This study presents a review and a comparative analysis of the calculation procedures to predict the torsional strength of RC beams from some reference design codes, namely the Russian, American, European, and Canadian codes for RC structures. The reliability and accuracy of the normative torsional strengths are checked against experimental results from a broad database incorporating 202 RC rectangular beams tested under pure torsion and collected from the literature. The results show that both the readability and accuracy of the codes' equations should be improved. Based on a correlation study between the experimental torsional strengths, and geometrical and mechanical properties of the beams, refined yet simple equations are proposed to predict torsional strength. It is demonstrated that the proposed formulation is characterized by a significant improvement over the reference design codes. The efficiency of the proposed formulae is also assessed against another equation earlier proposed in the literature, and an improvement is noted as well. From the results, it can be concluded that the proposed equations in this study can contribute to a more accurate and economical design for practice.

Prediction of Ecofriendly Concrete Compressive Strength Using Gradient Boosting Regression Tree Combined with GridSearchCV Hyperparameter-Optimization Techniques.

A crucial factor in the efficient design of concrete sustainable buildings is the compressive strength (Cs) of eco-friendly concrete. In this work, a hybrid model of Gradient Boosting Regression Tree (GBRT) with grid search cross-validation (GridSearchCV) optimization technique was used to predict the compressive strength, which allowed us to increase the precision of the prediction models. In addition, to build the proposed models, 164 experiments on eco-friendly concrete compressive strength were gathered for previous researches. The dataset included the water/binder ratio (W/B), curing time (age), the recycled aggregate percentage from the total aggregate in the mixture (RA%), ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) material percentage from the total binder used in the mixture (GGBFS%), and superplasticizer (kg). The root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) between the observed and forecast strengths were used to evaluate the accuracy of the predictive models. The obtained results indicated that-when compared to the default GBRT model-the GridSearchCV approach can capture more hyperparameters for the GBRT prediction model. Furthermore, the robustness and generalization of the GSC-GBRT model produced notable results, with RMSE and R2 values (for the testing phase) of 2.3214 and 0.9612, respectively. The outcomes proved that the suggested GSC-GBRT model is advantageous. Additionally, the significance and contribution of the input factors that affect the compressive strength were explained using the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) approach.

Evaluation of Smeared Constitutive Laws for Tensile Concrete to Predict the Cracking of RC Beams under Torsion with Smeared Truss Model.

In this study, the generalized softened variable angle truss-model (GSVATM) is used to predict the response of reinforced concrete (RC) beams under torsion at the early loading stages, namely the transition from the uncracked to the cracked stage. Being a 3-dimensional smeared truss model, the GSVATM must incorporate smeared constitutive laws for the materials, namely for the tensile concrete. Different smeared constitutive laws for tensile concrete can be found in the literature, which could lead to different predictions for the torsional response of RC beams at the earlier stages. Hence, the GSVATM is used to check several smeared constitutive laws for tensile concrete proposed in previous studies. The studied parameters are the cracking torque and the corresponding twist. The predictions of these parameters from the GSVATM are compared with the experimental results from several reported tests on RC beams under torsion. From the obtained results and the performed comparative analyses, one of the checked smeared constitutive laws for tensile concrete was found to lead to good predictions for the cracking torque of the RC beams regardless of the cross-section type (plain or hollow). Such a result could be useful to help with choosing the best constitutive laws to be incorporated into the smeared truss models to predict the response of RC beams under torsion.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and associated risk factors in health care professionals in a community hospital in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Health care professionals are vulnerable to several health problems, including overweight, stress and anxiety. As such, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a likely diagnosis in this population. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and levels of stress and anxiety in a sample of health care workers in a community hospital in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. METHODS: The sample consisted of 107 health care workers who were interviewed and screened for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease based on clinical, imaging and laboratory parameters. Occupational stress was evaluated using Lipp's Stress Symptom Inventory, and anxiety was assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. RESULTS: The mean age of the sample was 37.6 years. Most participants were female (89.1%) and the most frequent occupation was nursing technicians (83.2%). While 77.22% of participants did not report significant levels of stress, 30.7% did have mild anxiety. Statistical tests did not reveal a significant association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and stress (p = 0.688) or anxiety (p = 0.996). CONCLUSIONS: All participants with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease had some degree of anxiety, but only some experienced stress symptoms, according to Lipp's Inventory. Statistical tests did not confirm an association between stress, anxiety and the presence non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Nevertheless, the potential association between these variables should continue to be investigated given the global rise in the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its implications for health care workers.

Generalized Softened Variable Angle Truss Model for RC Hollow Beams under Torsion.

In recent studies, a new softened truss model called Generalized Softened Variable Angle Truss Model (GSVATM) has been proposed to compute the full torsional response of reinforced concrete (RC) rectangular solid beams under pure torsion. In this article, the GSVATM is extended to cover RC hollow beams under torsion. The modification of the calculation procedure, in order to account for the specific behavior of RC hollow beams for low loading levels, as well as the final solution procedure, is presented. The theoretical predictions from the extended GSVATM are compared with experimental results of RC hollow beams under torsion found in the literature. Good agreement is observed between the experimental and theoretical results, for both high and low loading levels.

Neutral Axis Depth versus Ductility and Plastic Rotation Capacity on Bending in Lightweight-Aggregate Concrete Beams.

This article presents an experimental study on the evolution of the neutral axis depth at failure in the critical section with the flexural ductility and plastic rotation capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) lightweight-aggregate concrete (LWAC) beams. For this, the results of a previous experimental program involving RC LWAC beams tested in flexure until failure are used. The variable studies were the concrete compressive strength (between 22.0 and 60.4 MPa and dry density between 1651 and 1953 kg/m3) and the longitudinal tensile reinforcement ratio (between 0.13% and 2.69%). The flexural ductility and the plastic rotation capacity of the RC LWAC beams are characterized by a ductility index and a plastic trend parameter, respectively. The influence of the variable studies, as well as the relation of the flexural ductility and plastic rotation capacity with the values for the neutral axis depth at failure are analyzed and discussed. Some conclusions are drawn which can be useful for the design of RC LWAC beams for flexure. In particular, it is shown that the practical rule of limiting the neutral axis depth at failure to ensure ductile behavior, as used in normal-weight aggregate concrete beams, is also valid for RC LWAC beams.

Abnormal Striatal Development Underlies the Early Onset of Behavioral Deficits in Shank3B-/- Mice.

The neural substrates and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the onset of cognitive and motor deficits in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) remain unclear. Mutations in ASD-associated SHANK3 in mice (Shank3B-/-) result in the accelerated maturation of corticostriatal circuits during the second and third postnatal weeks. Here, we show that during this period, there is extensive remodeling of the striatal synaptic proteome and a developmental switch in glutamatergic synaptic plasticity induced by cortical hyperactivity in striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs). Behavioral abnormalities in Shank3B-/- mice emerge during this stage and are ameliorated by normalizing excitatory synapse connectivity in medial striatal regions by the downregulation of PKA activity. These results suggest that the abnormal postnatal development of striatal circuits is implicated in the onset of behavioral deficits in Shank3B-/- mice and that modulation of postsynaptic PKA activity can be used to regulate corticostriatal drive in developing SPNs of mouse models of ASDs and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Intractable hiccups as the presenting symptom of toxic nodular goiter.

Hiccups differential diagnosis is a challenging one often being inconclusive and sometimes attributed to malignancies, and so of extreme importance to an internist. Seventy-five-year-old man with history of alcohol abuse, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia presented to the emergency department after having initiated diarrhea, hiccups, and vomiting for 4 days. Physical examination revealed signs of dehydration and persistent hiccups at rest. Laboratory investigations revealed acute renal failure (creatinine 3.7 mg/dl, reference value: 0.7-1.3 mg/dl; urea 195 mg/dl, reference value: 18-55 mg/dl) and no elevation of inflammatory parameters. Findings were consistent with a gastroenteritis, it was started fluids and the patient was admitted in the internal medicine ward. As the gastroenteritis symptoms ceased and the acute renal failure was resolved, the hiccups continued and physical examination revealed 2 palpable thyroid nodules. Laboratory findings shew subclinical hyperthyroidism (serum TSH 0.02 uUI/ml, reference value: 0.35 -4.94 uUI/ml; free T4 levels 18.5 pmol/L, reference value: 9.0-19 pmol/L). It was conducted an ultrasonography that revealed an increase of thyroid dimensions and 2 nodules. One nodule in the right lobe with 32 mm of dimension and one nodule in the left lobe with 58 mm of dimension. Both nodules were hypoechoic. Patient started antithyroid medication with propylthiouracil (PTU), 200 mg every 12 hours, and a cervical CT scan was conducted. CT scan revealed images compatible with diving goiter (Fig. 1) and tracheal deviation, for the right side (Fig. 2), inducted by the thyroid left nodule. Patient was discharged with antithyroid medication and hiccups were meliorated with chlorpromazine although persisting. After thyroid function normalization thyroidectomy was conducted, a few months later, and hiccups ceased.

Primary health care as assessed by health professionals: comparison of the traditional model versus the Family Health Strategy.

INTRODUCTION: The Family Health Strategy (FHS) should be first-contact care in the Brazilian Health System. However, Primary Health Care (PHC) still encompasses two models: the FHS and the traditional health care facilities. The expansion of the FHS has been slow and heterogeneous in many cities, rendering a comparative evaluation of key quality-related elements of PHC models crucial. OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of PHC models as perceived by health professionals. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving managers and health professionals from PHC of a medium-size city in South-eastern Brazil. Data were collected by applying the Primary Care Assessment Tool. The performance was estimated through primary health care indexes (general and partial PHCI by attributes). Univariate polytomous logistic regression was performed to compare care model performances according to their attributes. Strength of association was estimated by odds ratio with 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Three managers and 81 health professionals participated in the study. The FHS had a better index rating than the traditional care model for general PHCI and for the attributes longitudinality, comprehensiveness, family focus and professional level. CONCLUSION: Although the FHS attained higher scores compared to the traditional model, it has not yet achieved the performance expected. This scenario points to the need for increased FHS cover and quality improvements at the existing units.

Globus Pallidus Externus Neurons Expressing parvalbumin Interconnect the Subthalamic Nucleus and Striatal Interneurons.

The globus pallidus externus (GP) is a nucleus of the basal ganglia (BG), containing GABAergic projection neurons that arborize widely throughout the BG, thalamus and cortex. Ongoing work seeks to map axonal projection patterns from GP cell types, as defined by their electrophysiological and molecular properties. Here we use transgenic mice and recombinant viruses to characterize parvalbumin expressing (PV+) GP neurons within the BG circuit. We confirm that PV+ neurons 1) make up ~40% of the GP neurons 2) exhibit fast-firing spontaneous activity and 3) provide the major axonal arborization to the STN and substantia nigra reticulata/compacta (SNr/c). PV+ neurons also innervate the striatum. Retrograde labeling identifies ~17% of pallidostriatal neurons as PV+, at least a subset of which also innervate the STN and SNr. Optogenetic experiments in acute brain slices demonstrate that the PV+ pallidostriatal axons make potent inhibitory synapses on low threshold spiking (LTS) and fast-spiking interneurons (FS) in the striatum, but rarely on spiny projection neurons (SPNs). Thus PV+ GP neurons are synaptically positioned to directly coordinate activity between BG input nuclei, the striatum and STN, and thalamic-output from the SNr.

Effects of the financial crisis and Troika austerity measures on health and health care access in Portugal.

Although Portugal has been deeply affected by the global financial crisis, the impact of the recession and subsequent austerity on health and to health care has attracted relatively little attention. We used several sources of data including the European Union Statistics for Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) which tracks unmet medical need during the recession and before and after the Troika's austerity package. Our results show that the odds of respondents reporting having an unmet medical need more than doubled between 2010 and 2012 (OR=2.41, 95% CI 2.01-2.89), with the greatest impact on those in employment, followed by the unemployed, retired, and other economically inactive groups. The reasons for not seeking care involved a combination of factors, with a 68% higher odds of citing financial barriers (OR=1.68, 95% CI 1.32-2.12), more than twice the odds of citing waiting times and inability to take time off work or family responsibilities (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.20-3.98), and a large increase of reporting delaying care in the hope that the problem would resolve on its own (OR=13.98, 95% CI 6.51-30.02). Individual-level studies from Portugal also suggest that co-payments at primary and hospital level are having a negative effect on the most vulnerable living in disadvantaged areas, and that health care professionals have concerns about the impact of recession and subsequent austerity measures on the quality of care provided. The Portuguese government no longer needs external assistance, but these findings suggest that measures are now needed to mitigate the damage incurred by the crisis and austerity.

Principles of Synaptic Organization of GABAergic Interneurons in the Striatum.

The striatum, the entry nucleus of the basal ganglia, lacks laminar or columnar organization of its principal cells; nevertheless, functional data suggest that it is spatially organized. Here we examine whether the connectivity and synaptic organization of striatal GABAergic interneurons contributes to such spatial organization. Focusing on the two main classes of striatal GABAergic interneurons (fast-spiking interneurons [FSIs] and low-threshold-spiking interneurons [LTSIs]), we apply a combination of optogenetics and viral tracing approaches to dissect striatal microcircuits in mice. Our results reveal fundamental differences between the synaptic organizations of both interneuron types. FSIs target exclusively striatal projection neurons (SPNs) within close proximity and form strong synapses on the proximal somatodendritic region. In contrast, LTSIs target both SPNs and cholinergic interneurons, and synaptic connections onto SPNs are made exclusively over long distances and onto distal dendrites. These results suggest fundamentally different functions of FSIs and LTSIs in shaping striatal output.

A proton pumping pyrophosphatase in acidocalcisomes of Herpetomonas sp.

Acidocalcisomes are acidic calcium storage organelles found in several microorganisms. They are characterized by their acidic nature, high electron density, high content of polyphosphates and several cations. Electron microscopy contrast tuned images of Herpetomonas sp. showed the presence of several electron dense organelles ranging from 100 to 300 nm in size. In addition, X-ray element mapping associated with energy-filtering transmission electron microscopy showed that most of the cations, namely Na, Mg, P, K, Fe and Zn, are located in their matrix. Using acridine orange as an indicator dye, a pyrophosphate-driven H+ uptake was measured in cells permeabilized by digitonin. This uptake has an optimal pH of 6.5-6.7 and was inhibited by sodium fluoride (NaF) and imidodiphosphate (IDP), two H+-pyrophosphatase inhibitors. H+ uptake was not promoted by ATP. Addition of 50 microM Ca2+ induced the release of H+, suggesting the presence of a Ca2+/H+ countertransport system in the membranes of the acidic compartments. Na+ was unable to release protons from the organelles. The pyrophosphate-dependent H+ uptake was dependent of ion K+ and inhibited by Na+ Herpetomonas sp. immunolabeled with monoclonal antibodies raised against a Trypanosoma cruzi V-H+-pyrophosphatase shows intense fluorescence in cytoplasmatic organelles of size and distribution similar to the electron-dense vacuoles. Together, these results suggest that the electron dense organelles found in Herpetomonas sp. are homologous to the acidocalcisomes described in other trypanosomatids. They possess a vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase and a Ca2+/H+ antiport. However, in contrast to the other trypanosomatids so far studied, we were not able to measure any ATP promoted H+ transport in the acidocalcisomes of this parasite.

Enkephalin Disinhibits Mu Opioid Receptor-Rich Striatal Patches via Delta Opioid Receptors.

Opioid neuropeptides and their receptors are evolutionarily conserved neuromodulatory systems that profoundly influence behavior. In dorsal striatum, which expresses the endogenous opioid enkephalin, patches (or striosomes) are limbic-associated subcompartments enriched in mu opioid receptors. The functional implications of opioid signaling in dorsal striatum and the circuit elements in patches regulated by enkephalin are unclear. Here, we examined how patch output is modulated by enkephalin and identified the underlying circuit mechanisms. We found that patches are relatively devoid of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons and exist as self-contained inhibitory microcircuits. Enkephalin suppresses inhibition onto striatal projection neurons selectively in patches, thereby disinhibiting their firing in response to cortical input. The majority of this neuromodulation is mediated by delta, not mu-opioid, receptors, acting specifically on intra-striatal collateral axons of striatopallidal neurons. These results suggest that enkephalin gates limbic information flow in dorsal striatum, acting via a patch-specific function for delta opioid receptors.