Effects of immunocastration performed at two live weights on the growth physiology, temperament and testicular development of feral beef bulls

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of administering an anti-gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine (Improvac®, developed for pigs) on the performance, temperament, testicular development, and hormone and metabolite profiles of feral bulls (Bos taurus) vaccinated at two different live weights (LW). In all, 16 Serrana de Teruel animals were involved in this 2 x 2 factorial design using the factors LW (LIGHT vs. HEAVY) and vaccine treatment (control, C vs. vaccinated, VA). All animals received the same diet (ad libitum concentrate plus straw) over a 164-day fattening period. Temperament was assessed using chute and flight speed tests. Testicular diameter and subcutaneous fat thickness were recorded. Testosterone, IGF-1, urea, NEFA, and creatinine profiles were analyzed. Bull weight gain was reduced in VA compared to C animals, regardless of the initial LW. The vaccine did not affect the temperament tests, subcutaneous fat thickness or NEFA and creatinine concentrations and had minor effects on linear body measures. The vaccine inhibited testicular growth, reduced plasma testosterone to residual levels, and increased urea concentrations. LIGHT-C animals exhibited increased mean plasma IGF-1 concentrations compared to LIGHT-VA animals. In conclusion, vaccination reduced bull growth and sexual development irrespective of LW at immunization

Imunopatologia da esquistossomose mansônica humana: II. Atividade NK e estimulação por antígeno específico

Sixteen S. mansoni infected and untreated patients (5 with recent infection and 11 with chronic disease) were evaluated for their in vitro natural killer (NK) activity against the NK sensitive target K562 cell line. NK levels in 9 out of 11 patients (82%) with chronic disease were significantly lower (mean = 15 ± 6%),compared with patients recently infected (mean = 41 ± 9% p < 0.001) and with the control group (mean = 38 ± 13% p < 0.001). However, both patients and controls NK activity was stimulated by soluble adult worm antigens (SAWA), indicating that NK function even in the chronic stage of the infection is able to respond to the parasite antigens. These results suggest the possibility of NK cell participation as effector mechanism against S. mansoni.Dezesseis doentes infectados e não tratados com S. mansoni (5 com infecção recente e 11 com doença crônica), foram submetidos à avaliação de atividade de células exterminadoras na turais (NK) "in vitro" frente a células alvo de linhagem K562. Os níveis de atividade das céluIas NK em 9 de 11 doentes (827r) com a infecção crônica foram significativamente menores (média = 15 ± 6%) quando comparados aos pacientes com infecção recente (média =41 ± 9%, p < 0,001) e aos indivíduos do grupo controle (média = 38 ± 13%, p < 0,001). Porém, tanto nos doentes como nos controles, a atividade de céluIas NK foi estimulada pelo antígeno solúvel do parasito adulto (SAWA), indicando que as céluIas NK, mesmo na fase crônica da infecção, têm capacidade de responder ao antígeno dos parasitos. Estes resultados sugerem a possível participação das células NK no mecanismo efetor de defesa contra o S. mansoni

The stability of a crystal with diamond structure for patchy particles with tetrahedral symmetry

The phase diagram of model anisotropic particles with four attractive patches in a tetrahedral arrangement has been computed at two different values for the range of the potential, with the aim of investigating the conditions under which a diamond crystal can be formed. We find that the diamond phase is never stable for our longer-ranged potential. At low temperatures and pressures, the fluid freezes into a body-centred-cubic solid that can be viewed as two interpenetrating diamond lattices with a weak interaction between the two sublattices. Upon compression, an orientationally ordered face-centred-cubic crystal becomes more stable than the body-centred-cubic crystal, and at higher temperatures a plastic face-centered-cubic phase is stabilized by the increased entropy due to orientational disorder. A similar phase diagram is found for the shorter-ranged potential, but at low temperatures and pressures, we also find a region over which the diamond phase is thermodynamically favored over the body-centred-cubic phase. The higher vibrational entropy of the diamond structure with respect to the body-centred-cubic solid explains why it is stable even though the enthalpy of the latter phase is lower. Some preliminary studies on the growth of the diamond structure starting from a crystal seed were performed. Even though the diamond phase is never thermodynamically stable for the longer-ranged model, direct coexistence simulations of the interface between the fluid and the body-centred-cubic crystal and between the fluid and the diamond crystal show that, at sufficiently low pressures, it is quite probable that in both cases the solid grows into a diamond crystal, albeit involving some defects. These results highlight the importance of kinetic effects in the formation of diamond crystals in systems of patchy particles.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figure

Hyperfine Anomaly of Be Isotopes and Anomalous Large Anomaly in 11^{11}Be

A new result of investigations of the hyperfine structure (hfs) anomaly in Be isotopes is presented. The hfs constant for $^{11}$Be is obtained by using the core plus neutron type wave function: $|2s_{1\over 2}>+|1d_{5\over2}\times 2^+ ; {1/2}^{+}>$. A large hfs anomaly of $^{11}$Be is found, which is mainly due to a large radius of the halo single particle state.Comment: 14 pages, Late

Imunopatologia da esquistossomose mansônica humana: I. Influências imunorregulatórias sobre a função T

A resposta imune celular foi estudada em pacientes com infecção recente ou crônica por Schistosoma mansoni. Células mononucleares do sangue periférico pré cultivadas reagiram significantemente a antígenos do verme adulto (SAWA) do S. mansoni quando comparadas à preparação contendo células frescas. A adição de soro autólogo às células pré-cultivadas resultou em inibição da reação frente a SAWA ou antígenos de memória; o mesmo efeito foi notado quando os soros de pacientes foram adicionados a culturas de células alogênicas obtidas de indivíduos normais. A subpopulação CD4 foi a principal população celular respondedora a SAWA, sendo que esta reatividade foi intensamente suprimida na presença de preparações purificadas contendo monócitos-macrófagos. Estes resultados sugerem a ação de fatores inibidores, tanto humorais como celulares, sobre a resposta imune celular específica ao S. mansoni.Cell mediated immune response was studied in patients with recent and chronic Schistosoma mansoni infection. Precultured peripheral mononuclear cells showed significantly higher responses to S. mansoni adult worm antigen (SAWA) when compared to fresh cell preparations. The addition of each patient serum to the precultured cells reactions to SAWA or recall antigens demonstrated a strong inhibitory serum action, which was also noted on allogeneic cells derived from healthy subjects. The CD4 subset was the main responding cell to SAWA being this reactivity highly suppressed by the presence of the monocyte macrophage accessory cells. We stressed the simultaneous inhibitory action of humoral and cellular factors on the specific cell response to S. mansoni

MENENTUKAN CADANGAN PREMI ASURANSI KESEHATAN INDIVIDU PERAWATAN RUMAH SAKIT MENGGUNAKAN METODE RETROSPEKTIF

Asuransi kesehatan individu perawatan rumah sakit merupakan asuransi yang memberikan santunan kesehatan kepada pihak tertanggung untuk membiayai pengobatan dan perawatan rumah sakit apabila ia terserang penyakit. Dari premi yang dibayarkan pihak tertanggung, perusahaan akan mengelolanya untuk mendanai biaya kesehatan dari pihak tertanggung. Perusahaan asuransi juga wajib mengelola cadangan preminya untuk menghindari terjadinya kerugian akibat klaim sebelum jatuh tempo. Perhitungan cadangan premi pada asuransi ini menggunakan metode retrospektif yang berorientasi pada pengeluaran di waktu lampau. Untuk menghitung cadangan premi terlebih dahulu dihitung premi bersih tahunan yang diperuntukan untuk keluarga yang terdiri dari ayah, ibu dan anak dengan menggunakan tabel CSO 1941 suku bunga 2,5%. Besarnya premi bersih tahunan semakin meningkat setiap tahunnya begitu pula dengan cadangan premi asuransi dengan lama masa pertanggungan selama 10 tahun

Future perspectives on sustainable tribology

AbstractThis paper highlights the future perspectives of sustainable tribology by examining the economic, environmental and social impact of three tribological case studies. One case study examines the sustainability and durability of micro-CHP systems looking the tribological phenomena generated within a scroll expander system. The scroll is the main part of a specific micro-CHP system and experiences wear and cavitation damage. The tribological optimization of the scroll expander improves the sustainability of the micro-CHP unit while it has a serious economic and environmental impact to the consumers and to the society in general. Another case study is focused on friction and wear performance of lifeboat launch slipways. The causes of high friction and wear during the RNLI's lifeboat launches along an inclined slipway are investigated with a view to reducing the environmental impact due to slipway panel wear and lubricant release into the marine environment. The project encompasses the sustainable design of slipway panels using design modifications based on tribological investigations to double their lifespan, while environmental and economic impact was significantly reduced by the use of biodegradable greases and water as lubricants. The final case study involves an investigation of recycled plastic materials to replace polyurethane used on skateboard wheels, scooters and similar applications. Polyurethane (PU) is difficult to recycle. With the dwindling resources and environmental problems facing the world today, recycling for both waste reduction and resource preservation has become an increasingly important aspect of sustainability. The tribological results showed that recycled polycarbonate plastic can effectively act as a substitute to polyurethane wheels. Moreover, sustainability considerations showing the environmental benefits of the use of recycled plastics over PU include reducing the CO2 footprint by 50% and the energy consumed by 60%, among other benefits. These case studies emphasise the importance of sustainable tribology in our epoch showing that increased sustainability performance can be achieved through tribology to a significant extent in many cases, providing stability to our world and more viable long term growth to our societies

Quantum contributions in the ice phases: the path to a new empirical model for water -- TIP4PQ/2005

With a view to a better understanding of the influence of atomic quantum delocalisation effects on the phase behaviour of water, path integral simulations have been undertaken for almost all of the known ice phases using the TIP4P/2005 model, in conjunction with the rigid rotor propagator proposed by Muser and Berne [Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 2638 (1996)]. The quantum contributions then being known, a new empirical model of water is developed (TIP4PQ/2005) which reproduces, to a good degree, a number of the physical properties of the ice phases, for example densities, structure and relative stabilities.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Journal of Chemical Physic

Target product profile for a test for the early assessment of treatment efficacy in Chagas disease patients: An expert consensus.

Six to 7 million people are estimated to be infected by Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite causing Chagas disease. Thirty to 40% of them, i.e., 1.8 to 2.4 million people, will suffer cardiac disorders and/or digestive clinical manifestations if they are not treated early during the course of the infection [1, 2]. However, only a small fraction of patients are properly diagnosed and treated [3]. Current clinical guidelines recommend treating T. cruzi–infected people if they are asymptomatic or present early symptoms of the disease (Table 1) [4, 5]. Benznidazole (BNZ) and nifurtimox (NFX) are the first-line antiparasitic treatments currently available, both with long administration regimens (60 days) that can produce adverse side effects [6–8]. Despite the fact they are not 100% effective in patients with chronic disease [9–12], they are the only drugs currently registered, and the benefits of their administration have been confirmed in several clinical studies. Currently, clinical trials with new compounds, using alternative regimens that aim to maintain efficacy whilst reducing toxicity, are ongoing and could lead to new therapeutic opportunities and/or policy change