RR Lyrae variables in M5 as a test of pulsational theory

We present B and V CCD photometry for variables in the cluster central region, adding new data for 32 variables and giving suitable light curves, mean magnitudes and corrected colors for 17 RR Lyrae. Implementing the data given in this paper with similar data already appeared in the literature we discuss a sample of 42 variables, as given by 22 RRab and 20 RRc, to the light of recent predictions from pulsational theories. We find that the observational evidence concerning M5 pulsators appears in marginal disagreement with predictions concerning the color of the First Overtone Blue Edge (FOBE), whereas a clear disagreement appears between the ZAHB luminosities predicted through evolutionary or pulsational theories.Comment: 7 pages, 7 postscript figures, accepted for publication on MNRA

The chemical abundance analysis of normal early A- and late B-type stars

Modern spectroscopy of early-type stars often aims at studying complex physical phenomena. Comparatively less attention is paid to identifying and studying the "normal" A- and B-type stars and testing how the basic atomic parameters and standard spectral analysis allow one to fit the observations. We wish to stablish whether the chemical composition of the solar photosphere can be regarded as a reference for early A- and late B-type stars. We have obtained optical high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra of three slowly rotating early-type stars (HD 145788, 21 Peg and pi Cet) that show no obvious sign of chemical peculiarity, and performed a very accurate LTE abundance analysis of up to 38 ions of 26 elements (for 21 Peg), using a vast amount of spectral lines visible in the spectral region covered by our spectra. We provide an exhaustive description of the abundance characteristics of the three analysed stars with a critical review of the line parameters used to derive the abundances. We compiled a table of atomic data for more than 1100 measured lines that may be used in the future as a reference. The abundances we obtained for He, C, Al, S, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Sr, Y, and Zr are compatible with the solar ones derived with recent 3D radiative-hydrodynamical simulations of the solar photosphere. The abundances of the remaining studied elements show some degree of discrepancy compared to the solar photosphere. Those of N, Na, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, and Nd may well be ascribed to non-LTE effects; for P, Cl, Sc and Co, non-LTE effects are totally unknown; O, Ne, Ar, and Ba show discrepancies that cannot be ascribed to non-LTE effects. The discrepancies obtained for O (in two stars) and Ne agree with very recent non-LTE abundance analysis of early B-type stars in the solar neighbourhood.Comment: Accepted for publication on Astronomy and Astrophysic

HVS7: a chemically peculiar hyper-velocity star

Context: Hyper-velocity stars are suggested to originate from the dynamical interaction of binary stars with the supermassive black hole in the Galactic centre (GC), which accelerates one component of the binary to beyond the Galactic escape velocity. Aims: The evolutionary status and GC origin of the HVS SDSS J113312.12+010824.9 (HVS7) is constrained from a detailed study of its stellar parameters and chemical composition. Methods: High-resolution spectra of HVS7 obtained with UVES on the ESO VLT were analysed using state-of-the-art NLTE/LTE modelling techniques that can account for a chemically-peculiar composition via opacity sampling. Results: Instead of the expected slight enrichments of alpha-elements and near-solar Fe, huge chemical peculiarities of all elements are apparent. The He abundance is very low (<1/100 solar), C, N and O are below the detection limit, i.e they are underabundant (<1/100, <1/3 and <1/10 solar). Heavier elements, however, are overabundant: the iron group by a factor of ~10, P, Co and Cl by factors ~40, 80 and 440 and rare-earth elements and Hg even by ~10000. An additional finding, relevant also for other chemically peculiar stars are the large NLTE effects on abundances of TiII and FeII (~0.6-0.7dex). The derived abundance pattern of HVS7 is characteristic for the class of chemical peculiar magnetic B stars on the main sequence. The chemical composition and high vsini=55+-2km/s render a low mass nature of HVS7 as a blue horizontal branch star unlikely. Conclusions: Such a surface abundance pattern is caused by atomic diffusion in a possibly magnetically stabilised, non-convective atmosphere. Hence all chemical information on the star's place of birth and its evolution has been washed out. High precision astrometry is the only means to validate a GC origin for HVS7.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Effect of probiotic inocula on the population density of lactic acid bacteria and enteric pathogens in the intestine of weaning piglets

Because antibiotic resistance occurs in bacteria at an alarming rate, significant research has been focused on finding alternative treatments which do not involve the use of antibiotics. The promotion of beneficial gut bacteria can increase the resistance of animals to possible intestinal infections. Probiotics can be administered to humans or animals, offering preventive benefits of protecting the host from various types of intestinal diseases, providing positive effects on digestive processes and stimulating influence on the growth of organism, strengthening the barrier function of the gut microbiota and/or non-specific enhancement of the immune system. A study was designed to screen potential probiotic Bifidobacterium spp. strains with the ability to multiply in the intestine of weaned piglets and then to assess their health promoting effects when challenged with two enteric pathogens. Three series of trials were conducted with 60 weaning pigs fed one of 12 different Bifidobacterium spp. strains either once or twice a day. The most effective probiotic treatment (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, strain Ra 18, at a dose of 1011cfu twice a day) was then challenged in two series of experiments with the enteric pathogens, Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium and E. coli K88. Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strain Ra 18 significantly increased (p<0.01) the number of viable bifidobacteria in the cecum contents. When it was challenged with Salmonella, Ra 18 reduced excretion of this pathogen with the faeces. On the whole, supplementation with Ra 18 had a positive effect on the growth performance of pigs except after challenge with E. coli K88 where pigs susceptible to ETEC adhesion were lighter than pigs not susceptible

Bioactivity of tempe by inhibiting adhesion of ETEC to intestinal cells, as influenced by fermentation substrates and starter pure cultures

Soya bean tempe is known for its bioactivity in reducing the severity of diarrhoea in piglets. This bioactivity is caused by an inhibition of the adhesion of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) to intestinal cells. In this paper, we assessed the bioactive effect of soya tempe on a range of ETEC target strains, as well as the effect of a range of cereal and leguminous substrates and starter pure cultures. Soya bean tempe extracts strongly inhibited the adhesion of ETEC strains tested. All tempe made from other leguminous seeds were as bioactive as soya bean tempe, whereas tempe made from cereals showed no bioactivity. Using soya beans as substrate, fermentation with several fungi (Mucor, Rhizopus spp. and yeasts) as well as Bacillus spp. resulted in bioactive tempe, whereas fermentation with lactobacilli showed no bioactivity. The active component is releasedor formed during the fermentation and is not present in microbial biomass and only partly in unfermented substrates. The bioactivity being not specific for a single ETEC strain, makes the bioactive tempe relevant for applications in animal husbandry

Beryllium in turnoff stars of NGC6397: early Galaxy spallation, cosmochronology and cluster formation

We present the first detection of beryllium in two turnoff stars of the old, metal-poor globular cluster NGC 6397. The beryllium lines are clearly detected and we determine a mean beryllium abundance of log(Be/H)=-12.35 +/- 0.2. The beryllium abundance is very similar to that of field stars of similar Fe content. We interpret the beryllium abundance observed as the result of primary spallation of cosmic rays acting on a Galactic scale, showing that beryllium can be used as a powerful cosmochronometer for the first stellar generations. With this method, we estimate that the cluster formed 0.2-0.3 Gyr after the onset of star formation in the Galaxy, in excellent agreement with the age derived from main sequence fitting. From the same spectra we also find low O (noticeably different for the two stars) and high N abundances, suggesting that the original gas was enriched in CNO processed material. Our beryllium results, together with the N, O, and Li abundances, provide insights on the formation of this globular cluster, showing that any CNO processing of the gas must have occurred in the protocluster cloud before the formation of the stars we observe now. We encounter, however, difficulties in giving a fully consistent picture of the cluster formation, able to explain the complex overall abundance pattern.Comment: to appear in A&

A PCR-Based Method of Detection and Differentiation of K88 Escherichia coli

The objective of this study was to develop a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based method to detect and differentiate between Escherichia coli possessing genes for the expression of three antigenic variants of the fimbrial adhesin K88 (K88ab, K88ac, and K88ad). Five primers were designed that allowed detection of K88 E. coli, regardless of antigenic variant, as well as the separate detection of ab, ac, and ad variants. Primers AM005 and AM006 were 21 base-pair oligomers that corresponded to a region of the K88 operon that is common to all 3 antigenic variants. Primers MF007, MF008, and MF009 were 24 base-pair oligomers that matched variable regions specific to ab, ac, and ad variants, respectively. Using primers AM005 and AM006, a PCR product was obtained that corresponded to a 764 base-pair region within the large structural subunit of the K88 operon common to all 3 antigenic variants. Primer AM005 used with either MF007, MF008, or MF009 produced PCR products approximately 500 base-pairs in length from within the large structural subunit of the K88 operon of the 3 respective antigenic variants. Fragments were identified by rates of migration on a 1% agarose gel relative to each other as well as to fragments derived from BstEII-digested lambda DNA. This PCR-based method compared well with ELISA and Western Blot tests for the ability to differentiate between the antigenic variants. K88 E. coli were differentiated from among laboratory strains and detected in ileal samples taken from cannulated pigs challenged with a known K88 variant. K88 E. coli were also detected from fecal swabs taken from newly weaned pigs, thus confirming that this PCR-based test could provide a convenient clinical assay for the detection of K88 E. coli. Detection and differentiation of K88 E. coli using general and specific primers were successful. PCR methods of detection should permit identification of K88 antigenic variants regardless of the level of expression of the antigen

Adhesive factor/rabbit 2, a new fimbrial adhesin and a virulence factor from Escherichia coli O103, a serogroup enteropathogenic for rabbits

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli-like E. coli strains belonging to serovar O103:K-:H2 and rhamnose-negative biotypes are highly pathogenic diarrhea-inducing strains for weaned European rabbits. We describe here the cloning and sequencing of the major subunit gene of a new fimbrial adhesin, adhesive factor/rabbit 2 (AF/R2), which confers on these strains the ability to attach to rabbit enterocytes and to HeLa cells in a diffuse manner and which is associated with in vivo virulence. The chromosomal operon that encodes functional AF/R2 has been cloned from strain B10. The major subunit gene afr2G, as well as an adjacent open reading frame, afr2H, has been sequenced. The Afr2G protein shows homologies with FaeG and ClpG, which are the respective major subunits of fimbrial adhesin K88 (F4) and afimbrial adhesin CS31A. Plasmid carrying the operon transcomplements an AF/R2-negative TnphoA mutant for its ability to express AF/R2. As a whole, AF/R2 is a new member of the E. coli K88 adhesin family which is associated with virulence and which may serve in the design of vaccines

Comparative Modelling of the Spectra of Cool Giants

Our ability to extract information from the spectra of stars depends on reliable models of stellar atmospheres and appropriate techniques for spectral synthesis. Various model codes and strategies for the analysis of stellar spectra are available today. We aim to compare the results of deriving stellar parameters using different atmosphere models and different analysis strategies. The focus is set on high-resolution spectroscopy of cool giant stars. Spectra representing four cool giant stars were made available to various groups and individuals working in the area of spectral synthesis, asking them to derive stellar parameters from the data provided. The results were discussed at a workshop in Vienna in 2010. Most of the major codes currently used in the astronomical community for analyses of stellar spectra were included in this experiment. We present the results from the different groups, as well as an additional experiment comparing the synthetic spectra produced by various codes for a given set of stellar parameters. Similarities and differences of the results are discussed. Several valid approaches to analyze a given spectrum of a star result in quite a wide range of solutions. The main causes for the differences in parameters derived by different groups seem to lie in the physical input data and in the details of the analysis method. This clearly shows how far from a definitive abundance analysis we still are.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A. This version includes also the online tables. Reference spectra will later be available via the CD

Impact of bioactive substances on the gastrointestinal tract and performance of weaned piglets: a review

The EU ban on in-feed antibiotics has stimulated research on weaning diets as a way of reducing post-weaning gut disorders and growth check in pigs. Many bioactive components have been investigated but only few have shown to be effective. Amongst these, organic acids (OA) have been shown to exert a bactericidal action mediated by non-dissociated OA, by lowering gastric pH, increasing gut and pancreas enzyme secretion and improving gut wall morphology. It has been postulated that they may also enhance non-specific immune responses and improve disease resistance. In contrast, relatively little attention has been paid to the impact of OA on the stomach but recent data show they can differently affect gastric histology, acid secretion and gastric emptying. Butyrate and precursors of butyric acid have received special attention and although promising results have been obtained, their effects are dependent upon the dose, treatment duration, initial age of piglets, gastrointestinal site and other factors. The amino acids (AA) like glutamine, tryptophan and arginine are supportive in improving digestion, absorption and retention of nutrients by affecting tissue anabolism, stress and (or) immunity. Glutamine, cysteine and threonine are important for maintaining mucin and permeability of intestinal barrier function. Spray-dried plasma (SDP) positively affects gut morphology, inflammation and reduces acquired specific immune responses via specific and a-specific influences of immunoglobulins and other bioactive components. Effects are more pronounced in early-weaned piglets and under poorer health conditions. Little interaction between plasma protein and antibiotics has been found, suggesting distinct modes of action and additive effects. Bovine colostrum may act more or less similarly to SDP The composition of essential oils is highly variable, depending on environmental and climatic conditions and distillation methods. These oils differ widely in their antimicrobial activity in vitro and some components of weaning diets may decrease their activity Results in young pigs are highly variable depending upon the product and doses used. These studies suggest that relatively high concentrations of essential oils are needed for beneficial effects to be observed and it has been assumed that these plant extracts mimic most of the effects of antibiotics active on gut physiology, microbiology and immunology. Often, bioactive substances protective to the gut also stimulate feed intake and growth performance. New insights on the effects of selected OA and AA, protein sources (especially SDP bovine colostrum) and plant extracts with anti-bacterial activities on the gut are reported in this review