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We introduce a directed, weighted random graph model, where the edge-weights are independent and beta distributed with parameters depending on their endpoints. We will show that the row- and column-sums of the transformed edge-weight matrix are sufficient statistics for the parameters, and use the theory of exponential families to prove that the ML estimate of the parameters exists and is unique. Then an algorithm to find this estimate is introduced together with convergence proof that uses properties of the digamma function. Simulation results and applications are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Hewitt-Savage 0-1 law, symmetric measurable sets are considered in a countable product of a σ-algebra Σ with itself. Therefore, it may be of interest to find simple generators for these sets in terms of the generators of Σ. We put the problem into a more general framework of action groups and as an application find simple generators for the finite product case. We also have a partial result in the countable product case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of intrafollicular treatment (IFT) with different doses of luteinising hormone. Experimental heifers were treated with a single deslorelin implant to desensitise gonadotroph cells of the pituitary gland. Thereafter, follicular development was stimulated by exogenous FSH treatment. Intrafollicular treatment with 10, 5, 1 and 0.01 µg LH was performed on one single follicle while other follicles remained untreated. Human chorionic gonadotrophine (2000 UI) was administered intravenously as a control. Ovulation and development of the corpus luteum occurred after all intrafollicular treatments with 10 and 5 µg LH. After IFT using 1 µg of LH 75% animals (3/4) ovulated. The dose of 0.01 µg was not followed by any ovulation whereas control treatments with hCG were followed by an ovulation of the majority of follicles present in the ovaries. In conclusion, IFT with different doses of LH (greater than 0.01 µg) is capable of inducing ovulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate a new double-channel system for ultrasound-guided transvaginal intrafollicular treatment in cattle. The system is equipped with separate aspiration and treatment channels facilitating the aspiration of a small part of follicular fluid followed by the immediate injection of the same amount of treatment solution. In Experiment 1 an intracystic injection was performed successfully in all cows (6/6). In Experiment 2 saline was administered to dominant follicles with an overall success rate of 87.5% (14/16). This new double-channel system represents a reliable method for intrafollicular treatment preceded by an aspiration of the necessary amount of follicular fluid without an increase in intrafollicular pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of intrafollicular treatment (IFT) with different doses of luteinising hormone. Experimental heifers were treated with a single deslorelin implant to desensitise gonadotroph cells of the pituitary gland. Thereafter, follicular development was stimulated by exogenous FSH treatment. Intrafollicular treatment with 10, 5, 1 and 0.01 μg LH was performed on one single follicle while other follicles remained untreated. Human chorionic gonadotrophine (2000 UI) was administered intravenously as a control. Ovulation and development of the corpus luteum occurred after all intrafollicular treatments with 10 and 5 μg LH. After IFT using 1 μg of LH 75% animals (3/4) ovulated. The dose of 0.01 μg was not followed by any ovulation whereas control treatments with hCG were followed by an ovulation of the majority of follicles present in the ovaries. In conclusion, IFT with different doses of LH (greater than 0.01 μg) is capable of inducing ovulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate a new double-channel system for ultrasound-guided transvaginal intrafollicular treatment in cattle. The system is equipped with separate aspiration and treatment channels facilitating the aspiration of a small part of follicular fluid followed by the immediate injection of the same amount of treatment solution. In Experiment 1 an intracystic injection was performed successfully in all cows (6/6). In Experiment 2 saline was administered to dominant follicles with an overall success rate of 87.5% (14/16). This new double-channel system represents a reliable method for intrafollicular treatment preceded by an aspiration of the necessary amount of follicular fluid without an increase in intrafollicular pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of maternal dietary intakes on pregnancy outcomes was assessed in a descriptive, cross-sectional survey among women attending the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV program at Nyanza Provincial General Hospital (NPGH), Kenya. A Purposive sampling procedure was employed to select pregnant women (n=107) who had been tested for HIV into the study. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, health factors, dietary intakes and pregnancy outcomes were collected through an interview schedule from HIV-infected (n=48) and uninfected (n=59) pregnant women. Maternal dietary intakes were investigated using 24-Hour Diet Recalls and Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs). Pregnancy outcomes were assessed in terms of infants' birth weights, gestational age, birth complications and stillbirths. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data for descriptive and inferential statistics while NutriSurvey computer program analyzed dietary data for nutrient intake levels. The results showed that protein (p = 0.025) and vitamin B12 (p = 0.021) intakes had significant correlation with infant's gestational age among the HIV-infected women while calorie (p = 0.042), vitamin B6 (p = 0.048) and vitamin B12 (p = 0.015) intakes significantly influenced infant's gestational age among uninfected women. Magnesium, iron and folate had a significant influence (p < 0.05) on infant's gestational age in both HIV-infected and uninfected mothers. The results further revealed that HIV-infected women gave birth to infants of low birth weight (2.70 ± 0.3799 kg) compared with those uninfected (3.16 ± 0.5307 kg), while the gestational age of infants born to HIV-infected mothers was shorter (34.6 ± 3.24 weeks) compared with that of infants born to uninfected mothers (39.4 ± 2.21 weeks). The study concluded that both HIV and dietary intake have significant effects on pregnancy outcomes. It is imperative, therefore, that appropriate nutrition intervention be put in place to improve maternal health during HIV infection to ensure favourable pregnancy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are upregulated and manifested upon cellular stress and possess chaperoning functions. HSP47 is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident, collagen-specific chaperone and plays a key role in collagen biosynthesis and its structural assembly. The collagen scaffold is a primary structural target of recent interest due to its applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery and in treatment of clinical disorders. This review highlights the fundamental aspects of HSPs in protein folding and quality control, in the elicitation of a stress response in connective tissue and in the characterization of HSP47 in collagen folding and assembly. The significant features of HSP47 which are distinct in its cellular capabilities are discussed. We propose that targeting the stress response is a key factor in identifying connective tissue biomarkers. We also address the issues and strategies involved in the stress response of connective tissue diseases. In conclusion, we describe the prospects of collagen biochemistry in correlation to the science of HSPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid-base balance is one of the most vigorously regulated variables of the body, including genital organs. Subacute ruminal acidosis is a common disturbance in dairy cows that disturbs several biochemical indices in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine. The possible negative effects of metabolic acidosis on the follicular fluid (FF) composition and, subsequently, on oocyte quality, are not fully elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in acid-base balance (ABB) in FF and blood during acute metabolic acidosis in dairy heifers. Ten Holstein heifers were stimulated with FSH in eight decreasing doses at 12-hour intervals (D0–D3). Acidosis was induced by oral administration of sucrose at 9 g/kg of body weight, dissolved in 10 L of warm tap water, at D3. Samples were collected from each cow at 0, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 48 hours after treatment. Samples of FF, obtained by transvaginal follicular aspiration, and peripheral blood were examined for ABB parameters: pH, pCO 2 , pO 2 , HCO 3 − , and base excess (BE). A significant decrease in pH, HCO 3 − , and BE values in the blood, as well as FF, occurred after sucrose treatment. The lowest pH values occurred in blood at 16 hours, and in FF at 24 hours, after treatment (7.30 ± 0.05 and 7.33 ± 0.05, respectively). The lowest HCO 3 − values in blood (18.75 ± 3.2 mmol/L) and FF (18.07 ± 2.84 mmol/L) occurred 24 hours after treatment, as did the lowest BE values (−6.61 ± 3.7 mmol/L and −7.53 ± 3.89 mmol/L, in blood and FF, respectively). Significant correlations for HCO 3 − (r = 0.928), BE (r = 0.946), pH (r = 0.889), and pCO 2 (r = 0.522) existed between blood and FF samples. The results demonstrated that metabolic acute acidosis substantially influences the characteristics of both serum and FF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the hip point and the centre of mass for kinematical parameters (displacement, velocity and acceleration) in the three axes of motion. One complete stroke cycle was analyzed in eight swimmers performing a 25 m front crawl swim test at high intensity. Within-subject correlation coefficients were computed between the centre of mass and both hips, as well as mean of the errors, RMS error and a paired sample t- test. High correlation coefficients were found for the displacement in the horizontal direction (r=1.00 for both hips) and low to moderate correlation coefficients (r= -0.01 to r=0.54) were found for all other studied variables. Moreover, moderate to large RMS errors were observed: (i) between 0.05 and 0.15 for the displacement: (ii) between 0.16 and 0.30 for the velocity and (iii) between 5.28 and 7.86 for the acceleration. Complementarily, RMS errors for the intracyclic velocity variation were between 0.07 and 0.18. Considering the centre of mass and hip values statistical differences were found in velocity in x, acceleration in x and y. and intracyclic velocity variation in y axes. Therefore, results suggest that the hip point does not represent most kinematical parameters of the estimated centre of mass in front crawl swimming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate a new device for the ultrasound-guided transvaginal aspiration of follicular fluid for acid-base balance analysis (ABB set) in comparison with the original modified commercial OPU set. In the ABB set, an aspiration syringe was placed in the front part of the new tool's handle, next to the transducer, so as to enable direct collection of the sample into the syringe. To obtain a sufficient amount of testable fluid, reservoirs of urine (rubber balloons) were used for later aspiration under laboratory conditions in Experiment 1. Fifteen triads of samples (each triad with two punctures) were collected. While the first sample of each triad was taken using the ABB set (ABB sample), two samples were taken by one puncture using the original modified commercial OPU set: aerobic phase of sampling (AE sample) with air present in the tubing at the start of sampling and the subsequent anaerobic phase of sampling (AN sample). Values determined in the second sample from the triad (AE) varied from the values in both ABB and AN samples (pH 7.685 vs. 7.704 vs. 7.692, pCO2 11.13 vs. 10.3 vs. 10.85, pO2 6.87 vs. 8.67 vs. 7.02). In Experiment 2, ultrasound-guided transvaginal aspirations were carried out in 13 cows bearing ovarian cysts with diameters of at least 3 cm, using plastic aspiration syringes (Experiment 2P) and in 12 cows using glass aspiration syringes (Experiment 2G). The sequence of samples was the same as in Experiment 1. We found a significantly higher pH in AE in comparison to AN (7.357 vs. 7.348), lower pCO2 (6.85) and higher O2 (14.12) in samples of AE in comparison to samples of ABB and AN (pCO2 7.36, 7.30; O2 9.95, 10.63 respectively) in cystic fluid in Experiment 2P. We found a significantly higher pH (7.4), lower pCO2 (5.98) and a higher pO2 (12.35) in AE samples in comparison to ABB and AN samples of cystic fluid (pH 7.386, 7.385; pCO2 6.39, 6.35 and O2 10.56, 10.65, respectively) from Experiment 2G. We conclude that the acid-base balance assay was affected by air, present in the tubing during aerobic sampling in comparison to anaerobic and ABB set sampling. These pre-analytical changes can be prevented by the use of the ABB set because the results obtained with the ABB set were not different from that of the AN samples. We also confirmed pre-analytical changes in acid-base balance parameters in the cystic fluid after it had been stored in plastic aspiration syringes. Our new ABB set equipped with a glass aspiration syringe is suitable for sampling follicular fluid for both acid-base balance and gas analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]