Amoebic Abscess of the Liver

Selective angiography of the coeliac axis usually with superior mesenteric arteriography and hepatic isotopic scanning, have proved helpful in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess. In 16 patients who have had selective angiograms, arteriography showed tumours in 13, failed in 1 and was doubtful in 2. Isotopic scanning demonstrated tumours in 10, failed in 3 and was doubtful in 3. The results obtained with these 2 methods were confirmed by clinical, haematological, surgical, laparoscopic, postmortem, and therapeutic data. After treatment the selective arteriography was repeated in 12 patients and isotopic scanning in 9. Both methods showed agreement in demonstrating the disappearance of the abscess in all patients except one. In this one the isotopic scanning image persisted, whereas arteriography no longer showed the existence of a tumour. Arteriography and scintigraphy are complementary techniques for the diagnosis of tumours of the liver, the former being particularly useful for the aetiological diagnosis of the lesion

Identificação de raças fisiológicas da ferrugem (Uromyces phaseoli typica Arth.) do feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) em duas regiões fisiografias do Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil

In 1965 and 1966 a survey was made of physiologi cal races of rust (Uromyces phaseoli var. typica Arth.) of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) from samples collec ted on the Encosta do Sudeste in the counties of Pelotas and São Lourenço and on the Serra do Su deste in the counties of Piratini and Ganguçu of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Fifteen races were identified by use of the reaction of six differential varieties adopted by Harter and Zaumeyer (1941) following the scale of reading of reaction of the varieties adopted by Harter and Dongo and Crispin (1962). The races of greatest frequency were B1 and B2 du ring 1965 and 1966. Races B2, B3, B5 and B10 increased in 1966; whereas races B1, B4, B6, B7, B8 and B11 decreased. Race B15 remained constant. Races B12 and B14 were isolated only in 1965 and B12 only in 1966.Em 1965 e 1966 foi realizado o levantamento das raças fisiológicas da ferrugem (Uromyces phaseoli var. typica Arth.) do feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) de amostras colhidas na Encosta do Sudeste, nos Municípios de Pelotas e São Lourenço e na Serra do Sudeste, Município de Piratini e Canguçu, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Foram identificadas 15 raças com base na reação de 6 variedades diferenciais adotadas por Harter e Zaumeyer (1941), obedecendo a escala de leitura de reação das variedades ao patógeno elaborada por Dongo e Crispin (1962). As raças de maior frequência foram B e B2, durante 1965 e 1966. As raças B2, B3, B5, e B10 aumentaram sua frequência em 1966, enquanto as raças B1, B4, B6, B7, B8, B9, B11, diminuíram. A raça B15, permaneceu constante. As raças B12, e B14, foram isoladas apenas no ano de 1965 e a B12 no ano de 1966

Magnetotelluric Imaging of the Lithosphere Across the Variscan Orogen (Iberian Autochthonous Domain, NW Iberia)

A new magnetotelluric (MT) survey comprising 17 MT soundings throughout a 30 km long N30°W transect in the Iberian autochthons domain of NW Iberia (Central Iberian Zone) is presented. The 2-D inversion model shows the resistivity structure of the continental crust up to 10 km depth, heretofore unavailable for this region of the Variscan Orogen. The MT model reveals a wavy structure separating a conductive upper layer underlain by a resistive layer, thus picturing the two main tectonic blocks of a large-scale D2 extensional shear zone (i.e., Pinhel shear zone). The upper layer represents a lower grade metamorphic domain that includes graphite-rich rocks. The lower layer consists of high-grade metamorphic rocks that experienced partial melting and are associated with granites (more resistive) emplaced during crustal thinning. The wavy structure is the result of superimposed crustal shortening responsible for the development of large-scale D3 folds (e.g., Marofa synform), later deflected and refolded by a D4 strike-slip shear zone (i.e., Juzbado-Penalva do Castelo shear zone). The later contribution to the final structure of the crust is marked by the intrusion of postkinematic granitic rocks and the propagation of steeply dipping brittle fault zones. Our study demonstrates that MT imaging is a powerful tool to understand complex crustal structures of ancient orogens in order to design future prospecting surveys for mineral deposits of economic interest

Carbohydrate and protein metabolism of marandu grass affected by nitrogen fertilisation and number of cuts

Received: June 18th, 2023 ; Accepted: September 30th, 2023 ; Published: October 23rd, 2023 ; Correspondence: [email protected] the metabolism of tropical grasses in response to management practises imposed in pastoral environments allows for improvements in the management and use of mineral fertilisers. This study aimed to quantify metabolite content in different plant parts of Marandu grass (Urochloa brizantha), with a specific focus on the influence of nitrogen fertilisation and its effects following successive cuts. The treatments corresponded to four nitrogen (N) rates (0, 75, 150, and 225 kg N ha-1 ) and the number of cuts (one, two and three cuts). The plants were fractionated into leaves, stems, and roots to assess the content of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), starch, albumin, globulin, prolamin, and glutelin content. N fertilisation influenced the WSC and starch content in different parts of the plant, varying according to the cuts made. In the leaves and roots, fertilisation reduced the content of WSC and starch with one cut, as these were utilised as energy sources for assimilating the excess nitrogen in the soil. There was an increase in the concentration of all protein groups with nitrogen fertilisation in all parts of the plant with one cut. In plants cut two and three times, N fertilisation led to specific increases and decreases in different parts of the plants as an adaptive strategy for allocating resources as the number of cuts increased. Our results broaden our understanding of carbohydrate and protein metabolism in tropical grasses, thereby providing subsidies for the rational use of nitrogen fertilisers

3-amino-1,2,4-triazole induces quick and strong fat loss in mice with high fat-induced metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a growing epidemic with limited effective treatments and an important risk factor for several diseases such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (ATZ), an inhibitor of catalase and heme synthesis, in a murine model for MetS. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice with high-fat diet-induced MetS received ATZ (500 mg·kg(-1)·24 h(-1)) for 12 weeks. RESULTS: The HFD group showed increased blood pressure and body weight, enhanced fat deposition accompanied by an increase in adipocyte diameter, and decreased lipolysis in white adipose tissue (WAT). The expression of genes related to inflammation was increased in WAT of the HFD group. Concurrently, these mice exhibited an increase in leptin, nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), insulin, and glucose in plasma, coupled with glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Strikingly, ATZ prevented the increase in blood pressure and the HFD-induced obesity as observed by lower body weight, WAT index, triglycerides, NEFA, and leptin in plasma. ATZ treatment also prevented the HFD-induced increase in adipocyte diameter and even induced marked atrophy and the accumulation of macrophages in this tissue. ATZ treatment also improved glucose metabolism by increasing glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, GLUT4 mRNA expression in WAT in parallel to decreased insulin levels. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of HFD-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome, the fat loss induced by ATZ is probably due to heme synthesis inhibition, which blocks adipogenesis by probably decreased RevErbα activity, leading to apoptosis of adipocytes and the recruitment of macrophages. As a consequence of fat loss, ATZ elicits a beneficial systemic antiobesity effect and improves the metabolic status

Nariai, Bertotti-Robinson and anti-Nariai solutions in higher dimensions

We find all the higher dimensional solutions of the Einstein-Maxwell theory that are the topological product of two manifolds of constant curvature. These solutions include the higher dimensional Nariai, Bertotti-Robinson and anti-Nariai solutions, and the anti-de Sitter Bertotti-Robinson solutions with toroidal and hyperbolic topology (Plebanski-Hacyan solutions). We give explicit results for any dimension D>3. These solutions are generated from the appropriate extremal limits of the higher dimensional near-extreme black holes in a de Sitter, and anti-de Sitter backgrounds. Thus, we also find the mass and the charge parameters of the higher dimensional extreme black holes as a function of the radius of the degenerate horizon.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, RevTeX4. References added. Published versio

(B-L) Symmetry vs. Neutrino Seesaw

We compute the effective coupling of the Majoron to W bosons at \cO(\hbar) by evaluating the matrix element of the (B-L) current between the vacuum and a $W^+W^-$ state. The (B-L) anomaly vanishes, but the amplitude does not vanish as a result of a UV finite and non-local contribution which is entirely due to the mixing between left-chiral and right-chiral neutrinos. The result shows how anomaly-like couplings may arise in spite of the fact that the (B-L) current remains exactly conserved to all orders in $\hbar$, lending additional support to our previous proposal to identify the Majoron with the axion.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, with additional explanations and clarification

Dynamical Breakdown of Symmetry in a (2+1) Dimensional Model Containing the Chern-Simons Field

We study the vacuum stability of a model of massless scalar and fermionic fields minimally coupled to a Chern-Simons field. The classical Lagrangian only involves dimensionless parameters, and the model can be thought as a (2+1) dimensional analog of the Coleman-Weinberg model. By calculating the effective potential, we show that dynamical symmetry breakdown occurs in the two-loop approximation. The vacuum becomes asymmetric and mass generation, for the boson and fermion fields takes place. Renormalization group arguments are used to clarify some aspects of the solution.Comment: Minor modifications in the text and figure

Advancing GABA-edited MRS Research through a Reconstruction Challenge

Purpose To create a benchmark for the comparison of machine learning-based Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)-edited Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) reconstruction models using one quarter of the transients typically acquired during a complete scan.Methods The Edited-MRS reconstruction challenge had three tracks with the purpose of evaluating machine learning models trained to reconstruct simulated (Track 1), homogeneous in vivo (Track 2), and heterogeneous in vivo (Track 3) GABA-edited MRS data. Four quantitative metrics were used to evaluate the results: mean squared error (MSE), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), linewidth, and a shape score metric that we proposed. Challenge participants were given three months to create, train and submit their models. Challenge organizers provided open access to a baseline U-NET model for initial comparison, as well as simulated data, in vivo data, and tutorials and guides for adding synthetic noise to the simulations.Results The most successful approach for Track 1 simulated data was a covariance matrix convolutional neural network model, while for Track 2 and Track 3 in vivo data, a vision transformer model operating on a spectrogram representation of the data achieved the most success. Deep learning (DL) based reconstructions with reduced transients achieved equivalent or better SNR, linewidth and fit error as conventional reconstructions with the full amount of transients. However, some DL models also showed the ability to optimize the linewidth and SNR values without actually improving overall spectral quality, pointing to the need for more robust metrics.Conclusion The edited-MRS reconstruction challenge showed that the top performing DL based edited-MRS reconstruction pipelines can obtain with a reduced number of transients equivalent metrics to conventional reconstruction pipelines using the full amount of transients. The proposed metric shape score was positively correlated with challenge track outcome indicating that it is well-suited to evaluate spectral quality.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest