On the size of complete caps in PG(3,2h)

AbstractLet m2′(3,q) be the largest value of k (k<q2+1) for which there exists a complete k-cap in PG(3,q), q even. In this paper, the known upper bound on m2′(3,q) is improved. We also improve a number of intervals, for k, for which there does not exist a complete k-cap in PG(3,q), q even

Segregation, fertility, and son preference: the case of the Roma in Serbia

We study the link between residential segregation and fertility for the socially excluded and marginalized Roma ethnic minority. Using original survey data we collected in Serbia, we investigate whether fertility differs between ethnically homogeneous and mixed neighborhoods. Our results show that Roma in less segregated areas tend to have significantly fewer children (around 0.8). Most of the difference arises from Roma in less segregated areas waiting substantially more after having a boy than their counterparts in more segregated areas. We exploit variation in the share of Serbian sounding first names to provide evidence that a mechanism at play is a shift in preferences towards lower fertility and sons rather than daughters induced by a higher exposure to the Serbian majority culture

A characterization of multiple (n-k)-blocking sets in projective spaces of square order

In [10], it was shown that small t-fold (n - k)-blocking sets in PG(n, q), q = p(h), p prime, h >= 1, intersect every k-dimensional space in t (mod p) points. We characterize in this article all t-fold (n k)-blocking sets in PG(n, q), q square, q >= 661, t < c(p)q(1/6)/2, vertical bar B vertical bar < tq(n-k) + 2tq(n-k-1) root q, intersecting every k-dimensional space in t (mod root q) points

The Classification of the Largest Caps in AG(5, 3)

AbstractWe prove that 45 is the size of the largest caps in AG(5,3), and such a 45-cap is always obtained from the 56-cap in PG(5,3) by deleting an 11-hyper-plane

Randomised phase 2 study (JADE) of the HBV capsid assembly modulator JNJ-56136379 with or without a nucleos(t)ide analogue in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection

Chronic hepatitis; Hepatitis BHepatitis crònica; Hepatitis BHepatitis crónica; Hepatitis BObjective We present the final analysis results of the phase 2 JADE study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03361956). Design 232 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) not currently treated at study start (NCT) at study start or virologically suppressed were randomised to receive 75 mg (part 1) or 250 mg (part 2) JNJ-56136379, a hepatitis B virus (HBV)–capsid assembly modulator, one time per day or placebo with nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/entecavir) or JNJ-56136379 alone (NCT-only) for ≥24 and ≤48 weeks. Results In patients who are NCT hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) positive, JNJ-56136379 75 mg+NA and 250 mg+NA showed limited mean (SE) hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) declines (0.14 (0.10) and 0.41 (0.15), respectively) from baseline at Week 24 (primary endpoint; placebo+NA: 0.25 (0.11) log10 international unit (IU)/mL). In patients who are NCT HBeAg positive, mean (SE) HBV DNA declines at Week 24 were 5.53 (0.23) and 5.88 (0.34) for JNJ-56136379 75 mg+NA and 250 mg+NA, respectively, versus 5.21 (0.42) log10 IU/mL for placebo+NA. In NCT patients, mean (SE) HBV RNA declines were 2.96 (0.23) and 3.15 (0.33) versus 1.33 (0.32) log10 copies/mL, respectively. Patients with HBsAg declines had HBeAg and hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) declines and some early on-treatment isolated alanine aminotransferase flares. Viral breakthrough occurred with JNJ-56136379 monotherapy with the emerging resistant-variant T33N, but not with JNJ-56136379+NA. JNJ-56136379 treatment beyond Week 24 had a generally small additional effect on viral markers. No study treatment-related serious adverse events or clinically significant changes in laboratory parameters occurred. Conclusions In patients with non-cirrhotic CHB, JNJ-56136379+NA showed pronounced reductions in HBV DNA and HBV RNA, limited HBsAg or HBeAg declines in patients who are NCT HBeAg positive, and was well tolerated, but no clear benefit with regards to efficacy of JNJ-56136379 over NA was observed.This study was sponsored by Janssen (award/grant number: not applicable)

Performance, ruminal changes, behaviour and welfare of growing heifers fed a concentrate diet with or without barley straw

Ajuts: Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrarias (INIA Project RTA-011-C2-2)Two experiments were conducted to ascertain the effects of feeding an all-concentrate diet to growing heifers on performance, ruminal fermentation, behaviour and welfare. In experiment 1, eight tethered rumen fistulated Holstein heifers (143 8.7 kg, initial BW) were used to study the effects of treatment on intake, ruminal changes and behaviour. In experiment 2, 48 Friesian female calves (initial BW = 84.5 1.37 kg) were used to study the effects of treatment on performance, behaviour and welfare in feedlot conditions. In both experiments, treatments consisted of concentrate with barley straw (BS) or without barley straw (NBS) and feed was offered at 0830 h on an ad libitum basis. Experiment 1 was performed in four 42-day periods, and sampling was carried out in the last week of each period. Ruminal samples were collected over 3 days at 0, 4, 8 and 12 h post-feeding to measure pH, and volatile fatty acids (VFA) and NH3-N concentrations. Maintenance behaviour was video-recorded for 24 h over three consecutive days of each experimental period and feed intake pattern was studied by means of feed bunks mounted on digital platform scales. There were no statistical differences in average daily gain (ADG), concentrate dry matter (DM) intake or CP intake. In contrast, NDF intake and ADF intake were greater in heifers fed BS than NBS. Average ruminal pH was lower, whereas total VFA was greater, in heifers fed NBS diet. There were no differences in NH3-N, and in d- and l-lactate concentrations. Time spent in ruminating was shorter, and stereotypies were more frequent in heifers fed diet NBS compared with those fed BS. In experiment 2, nine 28-day periods were established, in which DM intake and ADG were measured, blood and faecal samples were taken for haptoglobin and glucocorticoid metabolites determination, respectively, as welfare indicators, and behaviour was monitored by video recording. Concentrate intake was similar in both treatments, but total feed intake was greater in heifers fed BS diet. As there were no differences in ADG between treatments, gain efficiency was lower in those fed BS than those fed NBS. Blood haptoglobin and faecal glucocorticoids metabolites were not different between treatments. In these competitive conditions, rumination was also reduced and stereotypic behaviour increased by straw exclusion. In conclusion, performance was either not affected or improved by straw exclusion, but animal behaviour was affected, suggesting a negative effect on animal welfare

Performance, behaviour and meat quality of beef heifers fed concentrate and straw offered as total mixed ration or free-choice

Eighteen Simmental heifers were fed concentrate and barley straw offered as a total mixed ration (TMR) or separately as a free choice (FCH) to compare performance, behaviour, and meat quality. The heifers were assigned to treatments in a randomized complete block design. Animals were allotted to roofed pens with 3 animals per pen, and 3 pens per treatment. Intake of concentrate, average daily gain, and gain to feed ratio were not different between diets, being on average 7.6 kg/day, 1.38 kg/day and 0.18 kg/kg, respectively. Straw intake was greater in TMR than in FCH treatment (0.7 vs 0.3 kg/day, respectively; p&lt;0.001). Crude protein intake, neutral detergent fibre intake and water consumption did not differ between treatments. Time spent eating was longer in FCH than in TMR (p=0.001), whereas time spent ruminating and total chewing time were longer (p&lt;0.01) in TMR than in FCH. The number of displacements resulting from competition for feed in the main feeder in TMR treatment tended to be greater than in FCH treatment. There were no differences in the carcass characteristics and quality of meat of animals assigned to the different feeding methods, but the percentage of 18:2 n-6 was higher in FCH treatment. In summary, these results suggest that the use of TMR as a feeding method in beef cattle fed high concentrate diets did not affect performance and increased time spent ruminating with a potential decrease of ruminal acidosis incidence

Determinants of response to a parent questionnaire about development and behaviour in 3 year olds: European multicentre study of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Background: We aimed to determine how response to a parent-completed postal questionnaire measuring development, behaviour, impairment, and parental concerns and anxiety, varies in different European centres. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 3 year old children, with and without congenital toxoplasmosis, who were identified by prenatal or neonatal screening for toxoplasmosis in 11 centres in 7 countries. Parents were mailed a questionnaire that comprised all or part of existing validated tools. We determined the effect of characteristics of the centre and child on response, age at questionnaire completion, and response to child drawing tasks. Results: The questionnaire took 21 minutes to complete on average. 67% (714/1058) of parents responded. Few parents (60/1058) refused to participate. The strongest determinants of response were the score for organisational attributes of the study centre (such as direct involvement in follow up and access to an address register), and infection with congenital toxoplasmosis. Age at completion was associated with study centre, presence of neurological abnormalities in early infancy, and duration of prenatal treatment. Completion rates for individual questions exceeded 92% except for child completed drawings of a man (70%), which were completed more by girls, older children, and in certain centres. Conclusion: Differences in response across European centres were predominantly related to the organisation of follow up and access to correct addresses. The questionnaire was acceptable in all six countries and offers a low cost tool for assessing development, behaviour, and parental concerns and anxiety, in multinational studies