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Karstified carbonate aquifers are highly heterogeneous systems characterized by multiple recharge, flow, and discharge components. The quantification of the relative contribution of these components, as well as their numerical representation, remains a challenge. This paper identifies three recharge components in the time and frequency domain. While the analysis in the time domain follows traditional approaches, the analysis of the power spectrum allows frequencies associated with specific spectral coefficients and noise types to be distinguished more objectively. The analysis follows the presented hypothesis that the different frequency‐noise components are the result of aquifer heterogeneity transforming the random rainfall input into a sequence of non‐Gaussian signals. The distinct signals are then numerically represented in the context of a semidistributed pipe network model in order to simulate recharge, flow, and discharge of an Irish karst catchment more realistically. By linking the power spectra of the modeled recharge components with the spectra of the spring discharge, the information usually gained by classical performance indicators is significantly widened. The modeled spring discharge is well matched in the time and frequency domain, yet the different recharge dynamics explain the signal of the aquifer outlet in different noise domains across the spectrum. This study demonstrates the conjunctive use of frequency analysis in conceptualization of a hydrological system together with modeling and evaluation. Key Points: Hydrograph analysis was coupled with frequency and noise analysis to identify recharge dynamics in a karst spring discharge time seriesRecharge, flow, and discharge were modeled in a semidistributed pipe network model considering aquifer heterogeneities and noise domainsA new model evaluation approach using noise analysis provided information on the individual contribution of the internal flows [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding sitagliptin or glimepiride to the treatment regimen of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and inadequate glycaemic control on metformin monotherapy. Patients with type 2 diabetes and an HbA of 6.5-9.0% while on a stable dose of metformin (≥1500 mg/day) combined with diet and exercise for at least 12 weeks were randomized in a double-blind manner to receive either sitagliptin 100 mg daily (N = 516) or glimepiride (starting dose 1 mg/day and up-titrated, based upon patient's self-monitoring of blood glucose results, to a maximum dose of up to 6 mg/day) (N = 519) for 30 weeks. The primary analysis assessed whether sitagliptin is non-inferior to glimepiride in reducing HbA at week 30 (based on the criterion of having an upper bound of the 95% CI less than the prespecified non-inferiority bound of 0.4%). The mean baseline HbA was 7.5% in both the sitagliptin group (n = 443) and the glimepiride group (n = 436). After 30 weeks, the least squares (LS) mean change in HbA from baseline was −0.47% with sitagliptin and −0.54% with glimepiride, with a between-group difference (95% CI) of 0.07% (−0.03, 0.16). This result met the prespecified criterion for declaring non-inferiority. The percentages of patients with an HbA < 7.0% at week 30 were 52 and 60% in the sitagliptin and glimepiride groups, respectively. The LS mean change in fasting plasma glucose from baseline (95% CI) was −0.8 mmol/l (−1.0, −0.6) with sitagliptin and −1.0 mmol/l (−1.2, −0.8) with glimepiride, for a between-group difference (95% CI) of 0.2 mmol/l (−0.1, 0.4). The percentages of patients for whom hypoglycaemia was reported were 7% in the sitagliptin group and 22% in the glimepiride group (percentage-point difference = −15, p < 0.001). Relative to baseline, sitagliptin was associated with a mean weight loss (−0.8 kg), whereas glimepiride was associated with a mean weight gain (1.2 kg), yielding a between-group difference of −2.0 kg (p < 0.001). In patients with type 2 diabetes and inadequate glycaemic control on metformin monotherapy, the addition of sitagliptin or glimepiride led to similar improvement in glycaemic control after 30 weeks. Sitagliptin was generally well tolerated. Compared to treatment with glimepiride, treatment with sitagliptin was associated with a lower risk of hypoglycaemia and with weight loss versus weight gain (: NCT00701090). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this descriptive comparison study is to determine if persons with dementia of the Alzheimer's type differ from well older controls in the motor skills that affect the quality of performance of activities of daily living, and if so, to identify those specific activities of daily living motor skills that are retained or lost. The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills was administered to a proportionally matched sample of 567 persons with dementia of the Alzheimer's type and 378 community-living non-disabled controls, all of whom were 60 years or older. We found significant differences in mean activities of daily living motor ability between non-disabled controls, higher functioning participants with dementia of the Alzheimer's type, and lower functioning participants with dementia of the Alzhemier's type. Thus, diminished motor skills appear to affect the quality of activities of daily living task performance of persons with dementia of the Alzhemier's type, even those who are higher functioning. These findings suggest that motor skills may need to be addressed in intervention planning for persons with dementia of the Alzheimer's type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Texture of orange gels prepared with 15% fruit pulp, sucrose up to 55° Brix and five different gelling agents - kappa-carrageenan, kappa-carrageenan plus locust bean gum, alginate, gellan gum, and gellan, xanthan and locust bean gums - was studied by Free-Choice Profile (FCP) analysis. Maximum rupture force and deformation at rupture were also determined by uniaxial compression in an Instron texturometer. Generalized Procrustes Analysis applied to FCP data permitted differentiation between samples and informed on the textural attributes responsible for the observed differences. Sensory differences were in general in accordance with mechanical differences. However, carrageenan and gellan gum gels were differentiated with the sensory method applied but not with mechanical tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 41-year-old female who was presented with a 1-year history of painless upper neck mass. Upon computed tomographic scanning, a 3-centimeter solid, well-demarcate, and nodular tumour within the super lobe of the left parotid gland. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) was performed using a 25-gauge short needle. The lymphoid background associated with an epithelial component of rare lymphadenoma has created potential pitfalls for misleading diagnosis of tumours.

Prenatal ethanol exposure has been associated with long-lasting intellectual impairments in children. Previous studies suggest that these deficits are, in part, linked to neurochemical abnormalities that reduce the ability to sustain long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal formation of adult offspring. One presynaptic component of LTP that manifests during the first half-hour after tetanic stimulation is an enhancement of amino acid neurotransmitter release. Given that the onset of enhanced neurotransmitter release correlates temporally with the decay of hippocampal LTP in prenatal ethanol-exposed offspring, we tested the hypothesis that prenatal ethanol exposure reduces tetanus stimulus-induced potentiation of electrically evoked amino acid release in hippocampal slices. Rat dams consumed 1 of 3 diets throughout gestation: (1) a BioServ liquid diet containing 5% (v/v) ethanol (26% ethanol-derived calories) that produces a maternal peak blood ethanol concentration of 83 mg/dl; (2) pair-fed an isocalorically equivalent amount of 0% ethanol liquid diet; or (3) Purina rat chow ad libitum. Hippocampal slices were prepared from adult offspring from each experimental diet group. Neither the amount of hippocampal slice tissue protein nor the incorporation of [3H]-D-aspartate (D-ASP) was affected by prenatal ethanol exposure. Furthermore, spontaneous efflux and electrically evoked D-ASP release were similar among the three diet groups. However, tetanus stimulus-induced potentiation of evoked D-ASP release in prenatal ethanol-exposed offspring was reduced to about one-third of the potentiation of D-ASP release observed in the control diet groups. These results suggest that prenatal ethanol exposure produces long-lasting deficits in the neurochemical mechanisms responsible for activity-dependent potentiation of amino acid transmitter release without affecting the synaptic machinery responsible for amino acid uptake, storage, and release.