Gravitoelectromagnetic inflation and seeds of cosmic magnetic fields from geometrical Weyl-invariant scalar-tensor theory of gravity

We investigate cosmological inflationary scenarios from a gravitoelectromagnetic theory. Our work is formulated in the light of a recently introduced geometrical Weyl-Invariant scalar-tensor theory of gravity, where the nature of both the electromagnetic potential and the inflaton field is attributed to the space-time geometry. We obtain a Harrison-Zeldovich power spectrum for quantum fluctuations of the inflaton field. In our model the electromagnetic fields have also a nearly scale invariant power spectrum for a power-law inflation. We found that the the seed magnetic fields have a nearly scale invariant power spectrum and generate in the present times cosmic magnetic fields of the order $\lesssim 10^{9}$ gauss, in good agreement with CMB observations.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figur

Quality of life associated with treatment adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite certain contradictions, an association has been identified between adherence to drug treatment and the quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes. The contradictions observed emphasize the importance of using different methods to measure treatment adherence, or the association of psychological precursors of adherence with quality of life. For this reason, we have used an indirect method to measure adherence (pill count), as well as two adherence behaviour precursors (attitude and knowledge), to assess the association between adherence and the quality of life in type 2 diabetes patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional comparative study on a random sample of 238 type 2 diabetic patients was carried out over one year in four family medicine units of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Treatment adherence was measured using the indirect method of pill count to assess adherence behaviour, obtaining information at two home visits. In the first we recorded the medicine prescribed and in the second, we counted the medicine remaining to determine the proportion of the medicine taken. We also assessed two adherence behaviour precursors: the patients' knowledge regarding their medical prescription measured through a structured questionnaire; and attitudes to treatment adherence using a Likert scale. Quality of life was measured through the WHOQOL-100 (the WHO Quality of Life questionnaire). Information concerning both knowledge and attitude was obtained through interviews with the patients. A multiple linear regression model was constructed to establish the relationship between each quality of life domain and the variables related to adherence, controlling for covariates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no association between quality of life and treatment adherence behaviour. However, the combination of strong knowledge and a positive attitude was associated with five of the six quality of life domains.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results suggest that it is important to explore psychological precursors of treatment adherence behaviour in type 2 diabetic patients. Indeed, we consider that it will be useful to carry out interventions that change negative attitudes towards treatment adherence and that promote medical prescription knowledge, which may help to improve the quality of life of such patients.</p

MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM SUBSP. PARATUBERCULOSIS IN DAIRY CATTLE IN THE LIMA AREA DETECTED THROUGH THREE DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evidenciar la presencia de Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map), en el ganado bovino lechero del departamento de Lima, Perú. Se evaluaron 60 vacas procedentes de tres establos, mediante la prueba tuberculínica intradérmica y dos kits comerciales de ELISA específicos contra Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Resultaron positivos 22 animales (36.7%) a una de las tres técnicas diagnósticas (8 a una de las pruebas de ELISA y 18 a la prueba intradérmica). Se tomó muestras de heces a los 22 animales positivos y se cultivaron en el medio de Herrold con yema de huevo, resultando cinco muestras positivas al aislamiento de Map. Asimismo, se realizó el PCR a partir del cultivo, encontrándose dos muestras positivas. Se encontró una concordancia ligera (0.15, prueba Kappa) entre las técnicas que evalúan la respuesta inmune celular y humoral y se estableció que estas pruebas no son reemplazables (5.55&gt;3.84, prueba de Mc Nemar). Los resultados permitieron evidenciar la presencia de Map en ganado bovino lechero de Lima, Perú.The objective of the study was to determine the presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) in dairy cattle in Lima, Peru. The Intradermal Tuberculin Test was applied to 60 cows from three herds and serum samples were tested using two commercial ELISA kits for antibodies against Map. Twenty-two cows (36.7%) were positive to at least to one of these diagnostic techniques (8 to one of the ELISA tests and 18 to the intradermal test). Feacal samples from the 22 positive animals were cultured on Herrold’s egg-yolk medium (HEYM) yielding five Map positive samples. PCR was used in the isolated strains and Map DNA was confirmed in two cows. A slight concordance (0.15, Kappa test) was found between techniques evaluating cellular and humoral immune response, establishing that these tests are not interchangeable (5.55&gt; 3.84, Mc Nemar test). The results confirm the presence of Map in dairy cattle in Lima, Peru

Rendimiento Productivo e Integridad Ósea de Pollos de Carne en Respuesta a Suplementación Dietaria con Cuatro Fuentes de Fitasa Comercial

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of four sources of commercial phytases on the performance and bone integrity of broilers from 1 to 28 days of age. Three hundred 1-day old Cobb 500 male chickens were distributed in 30 pens (10 birds per pen) and fed with the experimental diets for 28 days. The treatments were: T1, diet with adequate phosphorus (PAD); T2, phosphorus deficient diet (PDD); T3, PDD + phytase A (100 g/t); T4, PDD + phytase B (100 g/t); T5, PDD + phytase C (50 g/t) and T6, PDD + phytase D (50 g/t). Feeds and water were provided ad libitum. Body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion, and mortality were recorded weekly. At 28 days of age, 20 chicks per treatment were slaughtered to determine carcass and leg yield and tibia weight, plus bone moisture and ash content in the tibia. The results showed that the productive performance of broilers fed diets with normal levels of phosphorus (T1) were significantly higher (p&lt;0.05) than chicks in the other treatments. Similarly, treatments T3 and T5 and treatments T4 and T6 presented similar responses, while T2 (deficient level of phosphorus) showed lower yields. Bone ash in all treatments, except for T2 (p&lt;0.05), showed adequate levels. It was concluded that the productive responses of the birds that received diets deficient in phosphorus with the addition of phytase were lower than the level of response of the birds fed the diet with adequate level of phosphorus.El objetivo del presente ensayo fue determinar el efecto de cuatro fuentes de fitasas comerciales sobre el rendimiento productivo y la integridad ósea de pollos de carne de 1 a 28 días de edad. Se utilizaron 300 pollos BB machos de la Línea Cobb 500 distribuidos al azar en 30 corrales en piso (10 aves por corral), alimentados durante 28 días con uno de los siguientes tratamientos: T1, Dieta normal en fósforo (DNP); T2, Dieta deficiente en fósforo (DDP); T3, DDP + Fitasa A (100 g/t); T4, DDP + Fitasa B (100 g/t); T5, DDP + Fitasa C (50 g/t) y T6, DDP + Fitasa D (50 g/t). El suministro de alimento y agua fue ad libitum. El peso vivo, ganancia de peso, consumo de alimento, conversión alimentaria y mortalidad se registraron semanalmente. A los 28 días de edad, 20 aves por tratamiento fueron sacrificados para determinar el rendimiento de carcasa, rendimiento de piernas, peso de tibias y, posteriormente, contenidos de humedad y ceniza en tibias. Los resultados mostraron que el comportamiento productivo de los pollos de carne alimentados con niveles normales de fósforo (T1) fueron significativamente superiores (p&lt;0.05) al resto de tratamientos; asimismo, los tratamientos T3 y T5 y los tratamientos T4 y T6 presentaron respuestas similares, mientras que T2 (nivel deficiente de fósforo), mostró rendimientos menores. Las tibias de las aves de los tratamientos, con excepción del T2 (p&lt;0.05), mostraron niveles adecuados de cenizas. Se concluye que las respuestas productivas de las aves que recibieron la dieta deficiente en fósforo con la adición de fitasas fueron menores que el nivel de respuesta de las aves alimentadas con la dieta normal en fósforo

Epidemiology of Chagas disease in Ecuador. A brief review

Chagas disease is a complex public health problem that has been underestimated in Ecuador. Here we review the relevant published information, and present unpublished and new data that help to understand the current Chagas disease epidemiological situation and its evolution in the country. Three main characteristics have been identified: (i) persistence of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission in already known foci; (ii) a marked endemicity in some urban areas of Guayaquil; and (iii) the transformation of new Amazon foci into truly endemic areas. The situation in other suspect areas remains uncertain. Five Triatominae species have been implicated in the transmission of T. cruzi to people in Ecuador (Triatoma dimidiata, Rhodnius ecuadoriensis, R. pictipes, R. robustus and Panstrongylus geniculatus), but some others may also play a role in some areas (P. rufotuberculatus, P. howardi, T. carrioni and P. chinai). Other Triatominae reported seem to have little or no epidemiological relevance (T. venosa, T. dispar, Eratyrus mucronatus, E. cuspidatus, P. lignarius and Cavernicola pilosa). High frequency of acute cases and severe chronic disease has been observed. Although cardiomyopathy is more frequent, serious digestive disease is also present. It is estimated that around 120,000-200,000 people may be infected. 2.2 to 3.8 million people are estimated to live under transmission risk conditions

Modified Brans-Dicke theory of gravity from five-dimensional vacuum

We investigate, in the context of five-dimensional (5D) Brans-Dicke theory of gravity, the idea that macroscopic matter configurations can be generated from pure vacuum in five dimensions, an approach first proposed in the framework of general relativity. We show that the 5D Brans-Dicke vacuum equations when reduced to four dimensions lead to a modified version of Brans-Dicke theory in four dimensions (4D). As an application of the formalism, we obtain two five-dimensional extensions of four-dimensional O'Hanlon and Tupper vacuum solution and show that they lead two different cosmological scenarios in 4D.Comment: 9 page

Rendimiento productivo de pollos parrilleros alimentados con harina de yuca (Manihot esculenta) como reemplazo del maíz

The aim of this study was to determine the productive performance of broilers fed cassava meal (Manihot esculenta) as partial replacement of maize in the finishing stage. A total of 96 broiler chickens of the 21-day-old Cobb line were used, distributed in 12 experimental pens corresponding to three treatments with four repetitions. The substitution levels of maize for cassava meal were 0, 10 and 20%, which represented the treatments T0 (control), T1 and T2, respectively. Each treatment had 32 chickens and each repetition eight chickens. The effect of cassava flour on feed consumption, weight gain, feed conversion, mortality and productive efficiency index was evaluated. No significant differences were found between treatments in the evaluated indicators, indicating that cassava meal can effectively replace up to 20% in broiler maize-based diets.El ensayo tuvo por objetivo determinar el rendimiento productivo de pollos parrilleros alimentados con harina de yuca (Manihot esculenta) en reemplazo parcial del maíz en la etapa de acabado. Se utilizaron 96 pollos parrilleros de la línea Cobb de 21 días de edad, distribuidos en 12 corrales experimentales correspondientes a tres tratamientos con cuatro repeticiones. Los niveles de sustitución del maíz por harina de yuca fueron de 0, 10 y 20%, los que representaron a los tratamientos T0 (testigo), T1 y T2, respectivamente. Cada tratamiento tuvo 32 pollos y cada repetición ocho pollos. Se evaluó el efecto de la harina de yuca en el consumo de alimento, incremento de peso, conversión alimenticia, mortalidad e índice de eficiencia productivo. No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre tratamientos en los indicadores evaluados, lo que indica que la harina de yuca puede reemplazar eficazmente hasta un 20% en las dietas basadas en el maíz para pollos de engord

Cross-species transmission of retroviruses among domestic and wild felids in human-occupied landscapes in Chile

Human transformation of natural habitats facilitates pathogen transmission between domestic and wild species. The guigna (Leopardus guigna), a small felid found in Chile, has experienced habitat loss and an increased probability of contact with domestic cats. Here, we describe the interspecific transmission of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) between domestic cats and guignas and assess its correlation with human landscape perturbation. Blood and tissue samples from 102 free-ranging guignas and 262 domestic cats were collected and analyzed by PCR and sequencing. Guigna and domestic cat FeLV and FIV prevalence were very similar. Phylogenetic analysis showed guigna FeLV and FIV sequences are positioned within worldwide domestic cat virus clades with high nucleotide similarity. Guigna FeLV infection was significantly associated with fragmented landscapes with resident domestic cats. There was little evidence of clinical signs of disease in guignas. Our results contribute to the understanding of the implications of landscape perturbation and emerging diseases

Severe cardiac and abdominal manifestations without lung involvement in a child With COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a worldwide pandemic, affecting humans of all ages. Clinical features of the pediatric population have been published, but there is not yet enough information to make a definitive description. Fever is typical, as it is respiratory symptom. Rarely are the infection and complications severe, and, when they are, it is almost always in a patient with another underlying disease. However, some otherwise healthy children with COVID-19 do suffer critical organ injury, such as acute myocarditis, heart failure and gastrointestinal inflammation. The mechanism of these organ damages remains unclear. An otherwise normally healthy 13-year-old male was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with acute abdomen pain, possible myocarditis and a suspected diagnosis of COVID-19. Noteworthy basal findings were ventricular extrasystoles in the electrocardiogram (EKG) and moderate left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Chest X-ray was normal. Blood tests revealed altered levels of inflammation factors (C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, fibrinogen, interleukin 6 (IL-6)), lymphopenia and elevated cardiac enzymes. The first test for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was negative. The patient’s condition worsened, and he entered cardiogenic shock (hypotension, tachycardia and oliguria). He was vomiting continuously, which made pain control difficult; imaging of his abdomen was undertaken. There was no response to fluid resuscitation, and so milrinone and epinephrine were administered. Empiric treatment began with azithromycin, foscarnet, carnitine and immunoglobulins. Hydroxychloroquine was given before the results of repeated SARSCoV-2 and serology tests were available. Tocilizumab was administered once COVID-19 had been confirmed and massive inflammation had been observed. Progressively the clinical situation and the levels of the parameters studied improved. The patient was discharged 8 days after admission. Most children with SARS-CoV-2 infection are asymptomatic or present only mild symptoms. However, physicians should be aware of atypical and severe manifestations that may occur in the hyperinflammatory phase of the illness