INTRA- AND INTERRATER RELIABILITY OF MORPHOLOGICALLY EVALUATED LYMPHOCYTE APOPTOSIS IN TRAINED AND UNTRAINED OBSERVERS

Exercise-induced lymphocyte apoptosis has been reported using biochemical analysis and morphological assessment. Morphological evaluation is limited by the subjective nature of the technique. This investigation evaluated the intra- and interrater reliability of trained and untrained observers assessing apoptosis morphologically. Blood smears at baseline (PRE) and following cycle ergometer exercise (POST) were assessed microscopically for each condition. To obtain reliability measures, cell sets were evaluated for morphological characteristics of apoptosis on two separate occasions by trained and untrained observers using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Test-retest reliability for trained observers was higher for both conditions than untrained observers. Interrater reliability was below-average or below acceptable regardless of training status. Exercise may induce apoptotic changes in lymphocytes that are more easily discriminated by trained observers. Investigations assessing exercise-induced apoptosis should train observers in order to produce reliable results, and a single trained observer would be expected to yield the most reliable results

Spatial distribution and abundance of the megabenthic fauna community in Gabes gulf (Tunisia, eastern Mediterranean Sea)

The aim of this paper is to bring to light the knowledge of marine diversity of invertebrates in Gabes gulf. The spatial distribution of the megabenthic fauna community in Gabes gulf (Tunisia, Eastern Mediterranean Sea), together with the bottom type and vegetation cover, were studied. The abundance of the megabenthic fauna was represented by eight groups: Echinodermata (38%), Crustacea (21%), Tunicata (19%), Mollusca (13%), Porifera (4%), Cnidaria (3%), Bryozoa, and Annelida (2%). It was spatially more concentrated in the coast area of the gulf than in the offshore waters. This area, especially, in Southern Kerkennah, North-est of Gabes and North-east of Djerba appeared to be in a good ecological condition  hosting a variety of species like the paguridsPaguristes eremita and Pagurus cuanensis, the brachyura Medorippe lanata, Inachus doresttensis, the Gastropoda Hexaplex trunculus, Bolinus brandaris, Aporrhais pespelecani, andErosaria turdus, the Bivalvia Fulvia fragilis, the Echinoidea Psammechinus microtuberculatus, Holothuria polii,Ophiothrix fragilis and Antedon mediterranea, and the AscidiaceaAplidium cf. conicum, Didemnum spp, and Microcosmus exasperatus.The species’ compositions of the megabentic fauna community showed clearly that the spatial analysis represented the differences between the community of these two regions (inshore waters and offshore waters). These differences were closely related to peculiar characters of the fauna and biotopes (depth, bottom type and vegetation cover community). The results of the present study should be considered as a necessary starting point for a further analysis of priceless benthic fauna contribution to the marine environment and its organisms

Effectiveness assessment of an artificial reef off Tabarca Island (Alicante, southeastern Iberian Peninsula)

The efficiency of an artificial reef off Tabarca Island in aggregating a fish assemblage was studied by comparing it with natural rock sea beds and Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813 seagrass beds located in the island's marine preserve. A study of the fish assemblage's density, number of species, diversity, and biomass showed that the artificial reef was, in ecological terms, situated between the natural rock grounds and the P. oceanica seagrass bed, with some tendency towards greater similarity to the former as time of submersion increased. Multivariant analysis showed that those variables related to habitat complexity were the most important in structuring the fish assemblage.En el área protegida de la reserva marina de Tabarca (Alicante) se levanta un arrecife artificial construido con módulos alveolares muy abiertos y un relieve vertical de 4,5 m de altura. Su eficiencia se ha estudiado mediante la comparación con fondos de roca natural y de pradera de Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813 en condiciones de protección. Del análisis de las variables del poblamiento íctico (densidad, número de especies, diversidad y biomasa) se desprende que el arrecife artificial de Tabarca se sitúa entre los dos tipos de fondos naturales estudiados (roca y pradera), con tendencia a semejarse a los fondos de roca natural según aumenta el tiempo de inmersión de los módulos. El análisis multivariante del poblamiento, en relación con las variables estructurales y ambientales utilizadas, evidencia la mayor importancia de la complejidad del hábitat respecto a otras variables, como la estacionalidad o la temperatura.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Expansion for the solutions of the Bogomolny equations on the torus

We show that the solutions of the Bogomolny equations for the Abelian Higgs model on a two-dimensional torus, can be expanded in powers of a quantity epsilon measuring the departure of the area from the critical area. This allows a precise determination of the shape of the solutions for all magnetic fluxes and arbitrary position of the Higgs field zeroes. The expansion is carried out to 51 orders for a couple of representative cases, including the unit flux case. We analyse the behaviour of the expansion in the limit of large areas, in which case the solutions approach those on the plane. Our results suggest convergence all the way up to infinite area.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures, slightly revised version as published in JHE

Wear and surface residual stress evolution on twin-disc tests of rail/wheel steels

Twin disc tribological tests were performed in wheel and rail materials, with specimens taken from a Spanish AVE train wheel and a UIC60 rail, in a program intended to characterize their contact fatigue behavior. The X-ray diffraction technique was used to characterize the residual stress distribution at the initial and damaged stages, as well as in intermediate stages, since existing residual stresses in the surface layers of the railways steels and its evolution during contact loading can have a major influence on crack initiation and propagation

CONHECIMENTO TRADICIONAL E O USO DAS PLANTAS MEDICINAIS EM COMUNIDADE PANTANEIRA MATO-GROSSENSE

O conhecimento relativo às plantas por uma comunidade é inerente a sua historicidade cultural e perpassa ao longo de sucessivas gerações. Os objetivos consistem em: (1) caracterizar o conhecimento tradicional que os moradores da comunidade possuem a respeito da flora local, bem como da utilização, do manejo e da conservação dos recursos vegetais; (2) avaliar a influência dos conhecimentos tradicionais sobre o potencial de uso das plantas medicinais na comunidade tradicional rural de Mimoso, no pantanal mato-grossense. Foram abordados os tratamentos qualitativo e quantitativo. Os dados qualitativos foram obtidos com aplicação do pré-teste, entrevistas semiestruturadas e abertas, turnê guiada e registro fotográfico. Para as análises quantitativas foi utilizado o Consenso Informante, que avaliou o Nível de Fidelidade (NF), Fator de Correção (FC) e a importância relativa de Concordância de Uso (Pcup%) entre os informantes que conhecem e usam as plantas medicinais na comunidade de Mimoso no pantanal de mato-grossense. Foram entrevistadas 55 pessoas acima de 18 anos de idade. A faixa etária variou de 18 a 94 anos, que citaram 162 espécies vegetais, pertecentes a 64 famílias botânicas e com 965 citações de usos para as categorias medicinal, alimentícia, ornamental, construção e mística religiosa. Destaque para a categoria medicinal com 71% das espécies citadas, seguido de alimentícia com 31%, mística religiosa com 6% e ornamental com 4%. No que diz respeito ao preparo dos remédios caseiros, a forma mais utilizada é o chá (82%), sendo a folha (56%) a parte da planta mais usada para tratamentos terapêuticos. Os maiores valores de Pcup (%) para as plantas medicinais registraram 23 espécies (Tabela 2), largamente utilizadas na comunidade, sendo nativas e exóticas em número proporcional. A comunidade de Mimoso é detentora de expressivo conhecimento sobre as plantas medicinais locais, e a população ainda mantêm usos e manejos tradicionais com a flora pantaneira, resultando no fortalecimento do legado cultural da história e trajetória Etnobotânicas mato-grossenses.&nbsp

Utilizing biomass-based graphene oxide-polyaniline-Ag electrodes in microbial fuel cells to boost energy generation and heavy metal removal

Although regarded as environmentally stable, bioelectrochemical fuel cells or, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) continue to face challenges with sustaining electron transport. In response, we examined the performance of two graphene composite-based anode electrodes¿graphene oxide (GO) and GO-polymer-metal oxide (GO-PANI-Ag)¿prepared from biomass and used in MFCs. Over 7 days of operation, GO energy efficiency peaked at 1.022 mW/m2 and GO-PANI-Ag at 2.09 mW/m2. We also tested how well the MFCs could remove heavy metal ions from synthetic wastewater, a secondary application of MFCs that offers considerable benefits. Overall, GO-PANI-Ag had a higher removal rate than GO, with 78.10% removal of Pb(II) and 80.25% removal of Cd(II). Material characterizations, electrochemical testing, and microbial testing conducted to validate the anodes performance confirmed that using new materials as electrodes in MFCs can be an attractive approach to improve the electron transportation. When used with a natural organic substrate (e.g., sugar cane juice), they also present fewer challenges. We also optimized different parameters to confirm the efficiency of the MFCs under various operating conditions. Considering those results, we discuss some lingering challenges and potential possibilities for MFCs

Evaluation of sodium monensin in dairy cows

Milk and feed consumption were monitored in fifteen Holstein cows divided in 3 groups: T1 (control), T2 (sodium monensin - 300 mg/head) T3 (sodium monensin - 225 mg/head). After an experimental period of 112 days, there were 13.5% and 10% (T2) increase in milk production as compared to the control and T3 respectively, and also a feed intake reduction 4.5% (T2) and 3% (T3) as compared to the control.Utilizaram-se quinze vacas da raça Holandesa, submetidas a três tratamentos: T1-controle, T2-monensina sódica 300 mg/animal/dia, T3-monensina sódica 225 mg/animal/dia. A produção de leite, consumo de ração e o peso dos animais foram mensurados, juntamente com a avaliação da condição corporal Após o período experimental de 112 dias, evidenciou-se aumento na produção de leite de 13,5% e 10% (T2) em relação a TI e T3 respectivamente. Houve redução de consumo de ração de 4,5% (T2) e 3% (T3) em relação ao controle

Properties of pattern formation and selection processes in nonequilibrium systems with external fluctuations

We extend the phase field crystal method for nonequilibrium patterning to stochastic systems with external source where transient dynamics is essential. It was shown that at short time scales the system manifests pattern selection processes. These processes are studied by means of the structure function dynamics analysis. Nonequilibrium pattern-forming transitions are analyzed by means of numerical simulations.Comment: 15 poages, 8 figure