Ammonia emissions in tunnel-ventilated broiler houses

Gas production in broiler houses and their emissions are closely related to the microclimate established inside the house according to air temperature, humidity, and velocity. Therefore, the internal house environment is influenced by building typology and ventilation system. The objective of the present study was to evaluate ammonia emission rates in broiler houses equipped with different ventilation systems (negative or positive pressure) and litter conditions (new or built-up). The environment of six commercial broiler houses was evaluated internal and external NH3 concentrations. Ventilation rates were recorded to estimate ammonia emission rates. The efficiency of circulation and exhaust fans was assessed, and higher ventilation rates were determined in negative-pressure houses due to the higher flow of the fans. Houses with new litter increased ammonia emission rates along the rearing period, indicating the relationship between gas emissions, bird age and ventilation rates, and presented a typical curve of NH3 emission increase. Negative-pressure houses with built-up litter presented higher emission rates during the first rearing week due to the high NH3 concentration during the brooding period, when the ventilation rates required to maintain chick thermal comfort are low. Although the results of the present study indicate an advantage of the positive-pressure systems as to gas emissions, further research is needed reduce gas emissions in broiler houses with negative-pressure systems.26527

Exploiting metallophilicity for the assembly of inorganic nanocrystals and conjugated organic molecules

The accurate engineering of interfaces between inorganic nanocrystals and semiconducting organic molecules is currently viewed as key for further developments in critical fields such as photovoltaics and photocatalysis. In this work, a new and unconventional source of interface interaction based on metal–metal bonds is presented. With this aim, an AuI organometallic gelator was exploited for the formation of hydrogel-like nanocomposites containing inorganic nanoparticles and conjugated organic molecules. Noteworthy, the establishment of metallophilic interactions at the interface between the two moieties greatly enhances interparticle coupling in the composites. Thus, we believe that this new hybrid system might represent a promising alternative in several fields, such as in the fabrication of improved light-harvesting devices.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Constraints on holographic dark energy from X-ray gas mass fraction of galaxy clusters

We use the Chandra measurements of the X-ray gas mass fraction of 26 rich clusters released by Allen et al. to perform constraints on the holographic dark energy model. The constraints are consistent with those from other cosmological tests, especially with the results of a joint analysis of supernovae, cosmic microwave background, and large scale structure data. From this test, the holographic dark energy also tends to behave as a quintom-type dark energy.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; to appear in Phys. Lett.

Promoting growth and development of infants by a multidisciplinary team, in the community of Paraisópolis

Objective: To present the results of a Health and NutritionPromotion Program for Infants carried out by the Program Einsteinin the Community of Paraisópolis. Methods: Application of aprogram based on strengthening mother-infant bonding, promotingexclusive breastfeeding up to six months of age, and educationalactions performed by a multidisciplinary team. Results: The teamfollowed up 318 mother-infant dyads. Among the beneficiaries,61.6% were enrolled in the program with less than 30 days of age.Exclusive breastfeeding rates were 82.8%, 63.6%, and 56.1% at 2,4 and 6 months of age, respectively. The weight gain observedrepresented a mean weight of the infants above the 50th percentileof NCHS standard from immediately after enrollment in the programto 6 months of age. Conclusions: The results obtained effectivelycontributed to promoting health and improving nutrition status ofthe infants who were followed in the Program

Higher body mass index may induce asthma among adolescents with pre-asthmatic symptoms: a prospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Limited studies have prospectively examined the role of body mass index (BMI) as a major risk factor for asthma during adolescence. This study investigates whether BMI is associated with increased risk of developing physician-diagnosed asthma during 12-month follow-up among adolescents with undiagnosed asthma-like symptoms at baseline.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 4,052 adolescents with undiagnosed asthma-like symptoms at baseline were re-examined after a 12-month follow-up. Asthma cases were considered confirmed only after diagnosis by a physician based on the New England core and International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) criteria video questionnaires, and accompanying pulmonary function tests. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship of BMI and the risk of acquiring asthma.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results indicated that girls with higher BMI were at an increased risk of developing asthma during the 12-month follow-up. The odds ratios for girls developing physician-diagnosed asthma were 1.75 (95% CI = 1.18-2.61) and 1.12 (95% CI = 0.76-1.67), respectively, for overweight and obesity as compared to the normal weight reference group after adjustment for other covariates. A similar relationship was not observed for overweight and obese boys who were also significantly more active than their female counterparts.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Increased BMI exaggerates the risk of acquiring asthma in symptomatic adolescent females but not in adolescent males. Thus, gender is an important modifier of BMI-related asthma risk. Additional research will be required to determine whether the increased asthma risk results from genetic, physiological or behavioural differences.</p

Leishmania donovani nucleoside hydrolase (NH36) Domains induce T-cell cytokine responses in human Visceral leishmaniasis

Development of immunoprotection against visceral leishmaniasis (VL) focused on the identification of antigens capable of inducing a Th1 immune response. Alternatively, antigens targeting the CD8 and T-regulatory responses are also relevant in VL pathogenesis and worthy of being included in a preventive human vaccine. We assessed in active and cured patients and VL asymptomatic subjects the clinical signs and cytokine responses to the Leishmania donovani nucleoside hydrolase NH36 antigen and its N-(F1), central (F2) and C-terminal (F3) domains. As markers of VL resistance, the F2 induced the highest levels of IFN-gamma, IL-1 beta, and TNF-a and, together with F1, the strongest secretion of IL-17, IL-6, and IL-10 in DTH+ and cured subjects. F2 also promoted the highest frequencies of CD3(+)CD4(+)IL-2(+)TNF-alpha-IFN-gamma(-), CD3(+)CD4(+)IL-2(+)TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma(-), CD3(+)CD4(+)IL-2(+)TNF-alpha-IFN-gamma(+), and CD3(+)CD4(+)IL-2(+)TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma(+) T cells in cured and asymptomatic subjects. Consistent with this, the IFN-gamma increase was correlated with decreased spleen (R = -0.428, P = 0.05) and liver sizes (R = -0.428, P = 0.05) and with increased hematocrit counts (R = 0.532, P = 0.015) in response to F1 domain, and with increased hematocrit (R = 0.512, P 0.02) and hemoglobin counts (R = 0.434, P = 0.05) in response to F2. Additionally, IL-17 increases were associated with decreased spleen and liver sizes in response to F1 (R = -0.595, P = 0.005) and F2 (R = -0.462, P = 0.04). Conversely, F1 and F3 increased the CD3(+)CD8(+)IL-2(+)TNF-alpha-IFN-gamma(-), CD3(+)CD8(+)IL-2(+)TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma(-), and CD3(+)CD8(+)IL-2(+)TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma(+) T cell frequencies of VL patients correlated with increased spleen and liver sizes and decreased hemoglobin and hematocrit values. Therefore, cure and acquired resistance to VL correlate with the CD4(+)-Th1 and Th-17 T-cell responses to F2 and F1 domains. Clinical VL outcomes, by contrast, correlate with CD8(+) T-cell responses against F3 and F1, potentially involved in control of the early infection. The in silico-predicted NH36 epitopes are conserved and bind to many HL-DR and HLA and B allotypes. No human vaccine against Leishmania is available thus far. In this investigation, we identified the NH36 domains and epitopes that induce CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses, which could be used to potentiate a human universal T-epitope vaccine against leishmaniasis.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPQ)Fundacao Carlos Chagas de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ)Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel SuperiorCNPQ-Fundacao de Apoio a Pesquisa e a Inovacao Tecnologica do Estado de Sergipe-PRONEXFAPITEC CNPq (PRONEX)VII PN I+D+IFEDER FundsUniv Fed Sergipe HU UFS, Dept Med, Univ Hosp, Mol Biol Lab, Aracaju, Sergipe, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Microbiol Paulo de Goes, Dept Microbiol Geral, Lab Biol Bioquim Leishmania, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilPontificia Univ Catolica Rio de Janeiro, Lab Biometrol, Programa Posgrad Metrol, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilInst Salud Carlos III, WHO Collaborating Ctr Leishmaniasis, Ctr Nacl Microbiol, Madrid, Comunidad De Ma, SpainInst Oswaldo Cruz, Lab Imunoparasitol, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Dept Imunol, Lab Imunol Integrada, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Inst Invest Imunol, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, Lab Vacinas Expt, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Fac Med, Lab Imunohematol, Hosp Univ Clementino Fraga Filho, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Sergipe HU UFS, Dept Morfol, Aracaju, Sergipe, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, Lab Vacinas Expt, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilCNPq: 300639/2003-1CNPq: 310977/2014-2CNPq: 310797/2015-2CNPq: 404400/2012-4FAPERJ: E-26-201.583/2014FAPERJ: E-26-102957/2011FAPERJ: E-26/111.682/2013FAPERJ: E-26/102415/2010FAPERJ: E-26/201747/2015CAPES: 23038.005304/2011-0CNPQ-PRONEX: 12/2009FAPITEC CNPq (PRONEX): 019.203.02712/2009-8FEDER Funds: RICET RD12/0018/0003Web of Scienc

Modeling of phase transformations of Ti6Al4V during laser metal deposition

[EN] The low density, excellent high temperature mechanical properties and good corrosion resistance of titanium and its alloys have led to a diversified range of successful applications. As a consequence, there is a demand of increasing the capabilities of processing such alloys. The laser cladding technique allows direct metal deposition with an excellent metallurgical bond and a pore free fine grained microstructure. A nonlinear transient thermo-metallurgical model was developed to study the technique with titanium alloys to get a better understanding of the thermal and metallurgical underlying aspects. The calculated temperatures and phase transformations are compared with experimental tests. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.This work is has been done under the research project MAT2008-06882-C04 funded by the Spanish government (MICIIN).Suárez, A.; Tobar, MJ.; Yañez, A.; Pérez, I.; Sampedro, J.; Amigó Borrás, V.; Candel Bou, JJ. (2011). Modeling of phase transformations of Ti6Al4V during laser metal deposition. Physics Procedia. 12(Part A):666-673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phpro.2011.03.083S66667312Part

Opposite polarities of ENSO drive distinct patterns of coral bleaching potentials in the southeast Indian Ocean.

Episodic anomalously warm sea surface temperature (SST) extremes, or marine heatwaves (MHWs), amplify ocean warming effects and may lead to severe impacts on marine ecosystems. MHW-induced coral bleaching events have been observed frequently in recent decades in the southeast Indian Ocean (SEIO), a region traditionally regarded to have resilience to global warming. In this study, we assess the contribution of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to MHWs across the mostly understudied reefs in the SEIO. We find that in extended summer months, the MHWs at tropical and subtropical reefs (divided at ~20°S) are driven by opposite ENSO polarities: MHWs are more likely to occur at the tropical reefs during eastern Pacific El Niño, driven by enhanced solar radiation and weaker Australian Monsoon, some likely alleviated by positive Indian Ocean Dipole events, and at the subtropical reefs during central Pacific La Niña, mainly caused by increased horizontal heat transport, and in some cases reinforced by local air-sea interactions. Madden-Julian Oscillations (MJO) also modulate the MHW occurrences. Projected future increases in ENSO and MJO intensity with greenhouse warming will enhance thermal stress across the SEIO. Implementing forecasting systems of MHWs can be used to anticipate future coral bleaching patterns and prepare management responses