Insulin-Like Growth Factor Levels During Pregnancy in the Cow are Affected by Protein Supplementation in the Maternal Diet

To determine if dietary protein supplementation in early pregnancy alters total circulating insulinlike growth factor (IGF) levels, genetically similar heifers were fed diets containing different levels of protein in the first and second trimesters of gestation. The groups were: low/low (L/L), fed a diet containing 7% crude protein (CP) per kg/DM (low protein) in the first and second trimesters; high/high (H/H), fed a diet containing 14% CP per kg/DM (high protein) in the first and second trimesters; low/high (L/H), fed low protein in the first trimester and high in the second trimester and vice versa for the high/low (H/L) group. At day 62 of gestation, there was a significant difference (

The effect of thermal processing in oil on the macromolecular integrity and acrylamide formation from starch of three potato cultivars organically fertilized

Starches from three organically produced cultivars of potato tuber (Lady Rosetta, Spunta and Voyager) have been studied in relation to (i) acrylamide production (ii) macromolecular integrity after frying with extra virgin olive oil, soybean oil and corn oil. During cultivation, a treatment involving the combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilization under organic farming was applied (N1, P2, K1 where Ν1 = 1.3 g Ν per plant, P2 = 5.2 g P2O5 per plant, Κ1 = 4.0 g K2O per plant). Potatoes fried in olive oil retained the highest glucose concentrations for all cultivars 0.85 ± 0.2 mmol/kg, followed by 0.48 ± 0.2 for those fried in corn oil and 0.40 ± 0.1 mmol/kg for those fried in soybean oil. The highest average fructose concentration was recorded for the samples fried in corn oil as 0.81 ± 0.2, followed by 0.80 ± 0.2 and 0.68 ± 0.3 mmol/kg for the samples fried in olive and soybean oils, respectively. Asparagine was the most abundant free amino acid in the three varieties tested, followed by glutamine and aspartic acid. The mean initial concentration of asparagine in raw potatoes tubers was 42.8 ± 1.6 mmoles kg−1 for Lady Rosetta, 34.6 ± 1.2 mmoles kg−1 (dry weight) for Spunta and 36.2 ± 2.0 mmoles kg−1 for Voyager. Lady Rosetta contained a significantly higher concentration of asparagine compared to the other two varieties (p < 0.05). The greatest quantity of acrylamide was observed in French fries derived from the potato variety Lady Rosetta when fried in soybean oil and it was 2,600 ± 440 μg/kg, followed by Spunta which was 2,280 ± 340 μg/kg and Voyager 1,120 ± 220 μg/kg. There is a significant reduction in the formation of acrylamide in the variety Voyager compared to the others (p = 0.05)

Stomatal responses of Eucalyptus species to elevated CO2 concentration and drought stress

Five species of Eucalyptus (E. grandis, E. urophylla, E. camaldulensis, E. torelliana, and E. phaeotrica), among the ten species most commonly used in large scale plantations, were selected for studies on the effects of elevated CO2 concentration [CO2] and drought stress on stomatal responses of 2.5-month old seedlings. The first three species belong to the subgenus Smphyomyrtus, whereas the fourth species belongs to the subgenus Corymbia and E. phaeotrica is from the subgenus Monocalyptus. Seedlings were grown in four pairs of open-top chambers, arranged to have 2 plants of each species in each chamber, with four replications in each of two CO2 concentrations: 350 &plusmn; 30 mumol mol-1 and 700 &plusmn; 30 mumol mol-1. After 100 days in the chambers, a series of gas exchange measurements were made. Half the plants in each chamber, one plant per species per chamber, were drought-stressed by withholding irrigation, while the remaining plants continued to be watered daily. Drought stress decreased stomatal conductance, photosynthesis and transpiration rates in all the species. The effect of drought stress on stomatal closure was similar in both [CO2]. The positive effects of elevated [CO2] on photosynthesis and water use efficiency were maintained longer during the stress period than under well-watered conditions. The photosynthetic rate of E. phaeotrica was higher even in the fourth day of the drought stress. Drought stress increased photoinhibition of photosynthesis, as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence, which varied among the species, as well as in relation to [CO2]. The results are in agreement with observed differences in stomatal responses between some eucalyptus species of the subgenera Symphyomyrtus and Monocalyptus

Narrowband Searches for Continuous and Long-duration Transient Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars in the LIGO-Virgo Third Observing Run

Isolated neutron stars that are asymmetric with respect to their spin axis are possible sources of detectable continuous gravitational waves. This paper presents a fully coherent search for such signals from eighteen pulsars in data from LIGO and Virgo's third observing run (O3). For known pulsars, efficient and sensitive matched-filter searches can be carried out if one assumes the gravitational radiation is phase-locked to the electromagnetic emission. In the search presented here, we relax this assumption and allow both the frequency and the time derivative of the frequency of the gravitational waves to vary in a small range around those inferred from electromagnetic observations. We find no evidence for continuous gravitational waves, and set upper limits on the strain amplitude for each target. These limits are more constraining for seven of the targets than the spin-down limit defined by ascribing all rotational energy loss to gravitational radiation. In an additional search, we look in O3 data for long-duration (hours-months) transient gravitational waves in the aftermath of pulsar glitches for six targets with a total of nine glitches. We report two marginal outliers from this search, but find no clear evidence for such emission either. The resulting duration-dependent strain upper limits do not surpass indirect energy constraints for any of these targets. © 2022. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Global Optimization In Multiproduct and Multipurpose Batch Design Under Uncertainty

This paper addresses the design of multiproduct and multipurpose batch plants with uncertainty in both product demands and in processing parameters. The uncertain demands may be described by any continuous/discrete probability distribution. Uncertain processing parameters are handled in a scenario-based approach. Through the relaxation of the feasibility requirement, the design problem with a fixed number of pieces of equipment per stage is formulated as a single large-scale nonconvex optimization problem. This problem is solved using a branch and bound technique in which a convex relaxation of the original nonconvex problem is solved to provide a lower bound on the global solution. Several different expressions for the tight convex lower bounding functions are proposed. Using these expressions, a tight lower bound on the global optimum solution can be obtained at each iteration. The ffBB algorithm (Androulakis et al. (1995)) is subsequently employed to refine the upper and lower bound..

Evaluation of cell culture on the polyurethane-based membrane (Tegaderm™): Implication for tissue engineering of skin

10.1007/s10561-004-3904-8Cell and Tissue Banking6291-97CTBA

To be involved or not to be involved: a survey of public preferences for self-involvement in decision-making involving mental capacity (competency) within Europe

Background: The Council of Europe has recommended that member states of European Union encourage their citizens to make decisions about their healthcare before they lose capacity to do so. However, it is unclear whether the public wants to make such decisions beforehand. Aim: To examine public preferences for self-involvement in end-of-life care decision-making and identify associated factors. Design: A population-based survey with 9344 adults in England, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Results: Across countries, 74% preferred self-involvement when capable; 44% preferred self-involvement when incapable through, for example, a living will. Four factors were associated with a preference for self-involvement across capacity and incapacity scenarios, respectively: higher educational attainment ((odds ratio = 1.93-2.77), (odds ratio = 1.33-1.80)); female gender ((odds ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence interval = 1.14-1.41), (odds ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval = 1.20-1.42)); younger-middle age ((30-59 years: odds ratio = 1.24-1.40), (50-59 years: odds ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval = 1.04-1.46)) and valuing quality over quantity of life or valuing both equally ((odds ratio = 1.49-1.58), (odds ratio = 1.35-1.53)). Those with increased financial hardship (odds ratio = 0.64-0.83) and a preference to die in hospital (not a palliative care unit) (odds ratio = 0.73, 95% confidence interval = 0.60-0.88), a nursing home or residential care (odds ratio = 0.73, 95% confidence interval = 0.54-0.99) were less likely to prefer self-involvement when capable. For the incapacity scenario, single people were more likely to prefer self-involvement (odds ratio = 1.34, 95% confidence interval = 1.18-1.53). Conclusions: Self-involvement in decision-making is important to the European public. However, a large proportion of the public prefer to not make decisions about their care in advance of incapacity. Financial hardship, educational attainment, age, and preferences regarding quality and quantity of life require further examination; these factors should be considered in relation to policy