Development of organs and tissues in lambs raised on Spanish mountain grassland

The present study was conducted to establish the pattern of body development in grass-raised Churra Tensina lambs. Forty-nine single male lambs were slaughtered at three body-weight intervals, according to the commercial categories of suckling (11.1 ± 1.0 kg), light (22.1 ± 0.8 kg) and heavy lamb (32.0 ± 2.9 kg). Non-carcass and carcass components were recorded and the half left carcasses were completely dissected. Lambs showed a low growth rate of main organs in relation to empty body weight (BW) (P < 0.01). Skin+ fleece and liver accompanied the rest of mass growth (P > 0.05). The allometric coefficients of forestomachs and large intestine were higher than that of the small intestine (P < 0.05). Joints related to locomotion had early development (P < 0.01), whereas those belonging to the trunk grew at faster rates than did carcass weight (P < 0.01). The fatty tissues had increased growth coefficients (P < 0.01), whereas bone and lean coefficients decreased (P < 0.01) with increasing carcass weight. Intermuscular fat attained greater growth rates in lambs slaughtered at light BW than in heavy lambs (P < 0.01). However, the former group displayed lower relative growth of pelvic-renal, subcutaneous and abdominal fat than the latter (P < 0.01). This trait might reflect improved investment of dietary energy towards deposition of adipose tissue through the increased digestive tract capacity. Key words: Sheep, carcass, non-carcass, tissues, fat depots, allometric growth

Enhancing learning management systems to better support computer science education

Many individual instructors -- and, in some cases, entire universities -- are gravitating towards the use of comprehensive learning management systems (LMSs), such as Blackboard and Moodle, for managing courses and enhancing student learning. As useful as LMSs are, they are short on features that meet certain needs specific to computer science education. On the other hand, computer science educators have developed--and continue to develop-computer-based software tools that aid in management, teaching, and/or learning in computer science courses. In this report we provide an overview of current CS specific on-line learning resources and guidance on how one might best go about extending an LMS to include such tools and resources. We refer to an LMS that is extended specifically for computer science education as a Computing Augmented Learning Management System, or CALMS. We also discuss sound pedagogical practices and some practical and technical principles for building a CALMS. However, we do not go into details of creating a plug-in for some specific LMS. Further, the report does not favor one LMS over another as the foundation for a CALMS.

South Pole Telescope optics

The South Pole Telescope is a 10 m diameter, wide-field, offset Gregorian telescope with a 966-pixel, millimeter-wave, bolometer array receiver. The telescope has an unusual optical system with a cold stop around the secondary. The design emphasizes low scattering and low background loading. All the optical components except the primary are cold, and the entire beam from prime focus to the detectors is surrounded by cold absorber.

Rothia dentocariosa endocarditis complicated by multiple intracranial hemorrhages

Rothia dentocariosa is a gram-positive rod found commonly as part of the normal flora of the mouth. It rarely causes clinical disease. Subacute infective endocarditis has been the most commonly reported R dentocariosa infection, and extracardiac complications occur frequently. Solitary intracranial hemorrhages have been reported in two cases. We describe the first case of infective endocarditis complicated by the sequential and unusually prolonged development of multiple new intracranial hemorrhages.

Results concerning the absolute stability of delayed neural networks

We report on results concerning the global asymptotic stability (GAS) and absolute stability (ABST) of delay models of continuous-time neural networks. These results present sufficient conditions for GAS and in case the network has instantaneous signalling as well as delay signalling (for example, a delayed cellular neural network (DCNN)), are milder than previously known criteria; they apply to neural networks with a broad range of activation functions assuming neither differentiability nor strict monotonicity. We are therefore able to interpret the results as guarantees of absolute stability of the network with respect to the wide class of admissible activation functions. Furthermore, these results do not assume symmetry of the connection matrices. We also present a sufficient condition for absolute stability in the presence of nonconstant delays.

Introduction and summary of principal conclusions of the Second European Workshop in Aviation Cardiology

Aviation is the only system of mass transportation regulated by international statute. The responsible agency is the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a safety directorate of the United Nations Organization. In 1995 almost 1-3 billion passengers were carried by the airlines of the world, the previous decade having seen a 50% growth in the number of passengers and the amount of freight carried. The total complement of professional pilots world-wide is approximately 455,000, although a significantly greater number of licence holders are involved in private or recreational flying. Approximately 11,500 large commercial transport aircraft are in service. All nations are signatories to the Chicago Convention of 1944, which, with its Annexes, forms the legal basis for an international agreement on aviation safety. Chapter six of Annex I contains the 'International Standards and Recommended Practices' (ISARPs) for the medical licensing of personnel which have been adopted and revised from time to time by the ICAO. The standards are interpreted by the relevant chapter in the Manual of Civil Aviation Medicine, first published in 1974 and last revised 18 years ago. Its status is only advisory, and it is currently being rewritten. As a part of the European harmonization process, the Joint Airworthiness Authorities directorate (now the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA)) was set up as a supranational European body to agree explicit standards for the 29 signatory nations, and to regulate all aspects of certification. The new medical standard, which is complementary to that of the ICAO, is due to be promulgated in July 1999 whilst the cardiological standard, which has already undergone comprehensive revision, has yet to be agreed. Hafner has reviewed the JAA process in this supplement.

Death in the home: the doctor's responsibility

The role physicians assume when patients die at home is nebulous and ill defined. Beyond the traditional function of providing comfort and condolence to family members, the physician's duties are directed toward how our society deals with the bureaucratic and legal aspects of death. Statistics are maintained regarding the numbers of deaths in municipalities and states and the causes of death, and those numbers are used by individuals and organizations for a multitude of legal, medical, and political purposes. The state also has an obvious interest in uncovering and prosecuting crime. The physician has a vital part to play in providing essential medical information for those record-keeping, statistical, and legal purposes. Physicians need to be mindful of the important functions being served when they are asked to complete death certificates and to report cases and provide information to the medical examiner. As with many other physician activities, the information we provide about our patients' deaths serves a singular societal need; thus, we should view that function not as a burden but as a vital aspect of the enriching and enobling work that is uniquely ours.