‘Free’ inhibin α subunit is expressed by bovine ovarian theca cells and its knockdown suppresses androgen production

Inhibins are ovarian dimeric glycoprotein hormones that suppress pituitary FSH production. They are synthesised by follicular granulosa cells as α plus βA/βB subunits (encoded by INHA, INHBA, INHBB, respectively). Inhibin concentrations are high in follicular fluid (FF) which is also abundant in ‘free’ α subunit, presumed to be of granulosal origin, but its role(s) remains obscure. Here, we report the unexpected finding that bovine theca cells show abundant INHA expression and ‘free’ inhibin α production. Thus, theca cells may contribute significantly to the inhibin α content of FF and peripheral blood. In vitro, knockdown of thecal INHA inhibited INSL3 and CYP17A1 expression and androgen production while INSL3 knockdown reduced INHA and inhibin α secretion. These findings suggest a positive role of thecal inhibin α on androgen production. However, exogenous inhibin α did not raise androgen production. We hypothesised that inhibin α may modulate the opposing effects of BMP and inhibin on androgen production. However, this was not supported experimentally. Furthermore, neither circulating nor intrafollicular androgen concentrations differed between control and inhibin α-immunized heifers, casting further doubt on thecal inhibin α subunit having a significant role in modulating androgen production. Role(s), if any, played by thecal inhibin α remain elusive

Heterogeneous kinetic study for esterification of Acetic acid with Ethanol

The esterification of acetic acid with ethanol has been investigated in the presence of a low cost ion exchange resin mainly used in the water treatment industry namely Trilite SCR-B as a heterogeneous catalyst. Internal mass transfer limitations have proven to be negligible using analysis based on Thieles modulus. The results of the experimental runs done by varying stirrer speeds of thereactor showed the absence of external mass transfer limitations. The kinetic experimental results were correlated with the Heterogeneous kinetic models Langmuir-Hinshelwood (LH), Eley-Rideal (ER) and pseudo homogeneous kinetic model. The LH model was found to be correlating the experimental results better than the other two models. Reaction and adsorption constants were further evaluated within the temperature range between 335K and 355K, with 1:1 ethanol to acetic moles ratio under a catalyst loading of 50g/L. The study results of adsorption of both water and ethanol on to the cation exchange resin surface were found to be exothermic under the tested conditions. Furthermore,effect of concentration of each reactant on the reaction rate was examined using initial reaction rate measurements

Diagnósticos, resultados e intervenções de enfermagem para crianças na Clínica Pediátrica de um hospital escola

Pesquisa exploratório-descritiva, desenvolvida com os objetivos de construir afirmativas de diagnósticos, resultados e intervenções de enfermagem para crianças internadas na Clínica Pediátrica de um hospital escola, tendo como base o Banco de Termos da Linguagem Especial de Enfermagem da referida Clínica Pediátrica e a CIPE® Versão 1.0; e de validar as afirmativas construídas com a participação de enfermeiros experts. Foram elaboradas 107 afirmativas de diagnósticos / resultados de enfermagem, das quais 48 atingiram IC >0.8 (44,85%) entre os enfermeiros experts, no processo de validação. Para estas 48 afirmativas, foram elaboradas 330 intervenções de enfermagem, das quais 270 alcançaram IC >0.8 (81,81%) entre os enfermeiros experts. Acredita-se que a utilização dessas afirmativas poderá representar um relevante instrumento no processo de sistematização da assistência de enfermagem na Clínica Pediátrica do hospital escola