Ultraviolet Complete Quantum Gravity

An ultraviolet complete quantum gravity theory is formulated in which vertex functions in Feynman graphs are entire functions and the propagating graviton is described by a local, causal propagator. The cosmological constant problem is investigated in the context of the ultraviolet complete quantum gravity.Comment: 11 pages, no figures. Changes to text. Results remain the same. References added. To be published in European Physics Journal Plu

Antibiotic resistance of lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacterium spp. isolated from dairy and pharmaceutical products.

The outlines of antibiotic resistance of some probiotic microorganisms were studied. This study was conducted with the double purpose of verifying their ability to survive if they are taken simultaneously with an antibiotic therapy and to increase the selective properties of suitable media for the isolation of samples containing mixed bacterial populations. We isolated from commercial dairy and pharmaceutical products, 34 strains declared as probiotics, belonging to the genera Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, and 21 strains of starter culture bacteria. All the microorganisms have been compared by electrophoresis of the soluble proteins for the purpose of identifying them. A Multiplex-PCR with genus- and species-specific primers was used to detect for Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis presence. All bifidobacteria were B. animalis subsp. lactis except one Bifidobacterium longum. Sometimes the identification showed that the used strain was not the one indicated on the label. The lactobacilli were Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The streptococci were all Streptococcus thermophilus. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 24 common antibiotic substances has been valued by the broth microdilution method. All tested strains were susceptible to ampicillin, bacitracin, clindamycin, dicloxacillin, erytromycin, novobiocin, penicillin G, rifampicin (MIC(90) ranging from 0.01 to 4 mug/ml); resistant to aztreonam, cycloserin, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, polymyxin B and spectinomycin (MIC(90) ranging from 64 to >1000 mug/ml). The susceptibility to cephalothin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, lincomycin, metronidazole, neomycin, paromomycin, streptomycin, tetracycline and vancomycin was variable and depending on the species

Development of fixed-time artificial insemination protocols for locally adapted Curraleiro Pé-Duro cows

ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted aiming to evaluate the effects of two ovulatory inducers (Exp.1) and equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG; Exp.2) on follicular and luteal dynamics in a fixed-time AI (FTAI) protocol in locally adapted Curraleiro Pé-Duro cows. In Exp. 1 multiparous cows (n=12) received an intravaginal device containing 1g of progesterone (P4) for 8 days and 2mg of estradiol benzoate (EB) intramuscularly (IM) at device insertion (Day 0). At device removal (Day 8) 0.150mg of Sodium D-Cloprostenol was administered IM and the cows were randomly assigned to receive 1mg of EB (EB8) or 1mg of estradiol cypionate (EC8) IM, or to not receive any ovulatory inducer (Control). All the animals participated in all treatments (crossover). The interval from P4 removal to ovulation was shorter and less variable in the EB8 treatment group (P≤0.05). In Exp. 2 (crossover), multiparous cows (n=12) received the same hormonal treatment as the EB8 group in Exp.1. At device removal (Day 8) cows were randomly assigned to receive 300UI of eCG IM or to not receive eCG (Control). No difference was ascertained on follicular and luteal parameters in Exp. 2 (P>0.05). We concluded that EB can be used as the ovulatory inducer (Exp. 1) in a FTAI protocol in Curraleiro Pé-Duro cows. However, eCG (Exp. 2) was not able to stimulate follicular and luteal development. This result is probably due to the adaptive capacity of Curraleiro Pé-Duro cows that maintained a satisfactory body condition score even in dry and hot environments

Antibiotic resistance of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from dairy and pharmaceutical products

The balance and the composition of the intestinal microbiota are important for the well-being and the ability of our bodies to resist to the invasion of phatogens. Many causes can alter this delicate balance, but the ingestion of antimicrobial agents is the most important. Then, to help the bowel and to increase the natural resistance of the host to infection, probiotic microorganisms such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria can be consumed. The safety of these probiotic strains is essential, particularly that they should not be able to transfer to other bacteria any possible resistance to antimicrobial agents. Antibiotic resistance is an emerging issue nowadays. We have studied the antibiotic resistance of some probiotic microorganisms, for two reasons: to verify their ability to survive if taken at the same time as antibiotic therapy, and to increase the selective properties of media used for their isolation from samples containing mixed bacterial populations. We have isolated from commercial dairy and pharmaceutical products, 34 strains declared as probiotics, belonging to the genera Bifidobacterium [1] and Lactobacillus [2], and 21 strains of starter culture bacteria. All the microorganisms were identified using electrophoresis of the soluble proteins. The bifidobacteria were Bifidobacterium animalis except for one Bifidobacterium longum. Sometimes the identification showed that the strain found was not the one indicated on the label. The lactobacilli were L. acidophilus, L. casei, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 24 common antibiotic substances was measured using the broth microdiluition method. All the isolated strains were sensitive to ampicillin, bacitracin, clindamycin, dicloxacillin, erytromycin, lincomycin, novobiocin, penicillin G, rifampicin, vancomycin (MIC90 ≤ 5 µg/ml). For chloramphenicol, cephalothin and tetracycline MIC90 was ≤ 50 µg/ml, while for cycloserine, kanamycin, metronidazole, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, polymyxin B, neomycin, paromomycin, aztreonam, spectinomycin, streptomycin, the MIC90 was ≥ 50 µg/ml

Energy Efficiency and Stability of Micro-Hydropower PAT-SEIG Systems for DC Off-Grids

[EN] Using pumps operating as turbines (PATs) offers the possibility of increasing the sustainability of water and energy systems by recovering the excess energy that would be otherwise lost in pressure-reducing valves or head loss chambers. Regarding on-grid applications, there have been many research works, and PATs have been implemented in several ways. However, more research still needs to be done on optimizing the efficiency and stability of PATs operating in off-grid systems. This work contributes to the development of stable direct current (DC) off-grid electric systems based on PATs using a self-excited induction generator (SEIG). In this context, a methodology is proposed, based on the hydraulic, mechanical, and electric subsystems, to define the PAT-SEIG operational area to maximize energy conversion and system efficiency. These limits depend highly on the capacitor value, rotational speed, and electric load. In addition, an analytical model is proposed to estimate the PAT-SEIG operation under specific conditions. With this, water managers can design and optimize an off-grid PAT-SEIG system and define the best hydraulic machines, electronic equipment, and control elements to maximize energy conversion within the target of operational limits. Two micro PAT-SEIG setups were implemented in the hydraulic laboratory of IST/CERIS under typical operating conditions to validate the proposed methodology. The system's maximum efficiency and operational limits can be adapted using different capacitor values for the excitation of the SEIG. Considering the nominal efficiencies of the system's components, the maximum p.u. efficiency obtained for each PAT-SEIG system was between 0.7 and 0.8 p.u.The authors are grateful for the Foundation for Science and Technology s support of the first author through the funding UIDB/04625/2020 from the research unit CERIS and UID/EMS/50022/2019. This work was supported by FCT, through IDMEC, under LAETA, project UID/EMS/50022/2019, and the project HY4RES (Hybrid Solutions for Renewable Energy Systems) EAPA_0001/2022 from INTERREG ATLANTIC AREA PROGRAMME and CERIS- UIDB/04625/2020.Catelas, JM.; Fernandes, JF.; Pérez-Sánchez, M.; López Jiménez, PA.; Ramos, HM.; Costa Branco, P. (2024). Energy Efficiency and Stability of Micro-Hydropower PAT-SEIG Systems for DC Off-Grids. Energies. 17(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/en1706138217

FOLATE PRODUCTION IN BIFIDOBACTERIA FROM INFANT AND ADULT HUMANS

Folates \u2013 the natural chemically reduced forms of folic acid (vitamin B9) - are cofactors in essential metabolic pathways such as DNA synthesis and methylation pathways. Humans cannot synthesize folate and depend on intake both from the diet (green vegetables, cereals, rice, milk, fermented milk products, etc.) and from indigenous folate synthesizing bacteria of the intestinal microbiota. Low folate levels increase the risk for neural tube defects and may increase the risk for e.g. certain cancer forms, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer\u2019s. Screening for folate production of the bifidobacteria isolates from human adult and infant (1-6 month old) was performed. Strains typical of infants, such as Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis and B. breve, and of adults ( B. adolescentis) were selected for characterization. The aim of the present work was to investigate bifidobacteria from human host of different age with different feeding habits in order to establish a possible correlation between diet and the folate production. Folate is present in many different forms in humans. The detectable forms studied in the present work are 5-CH3-H4, H4 and total folate content. Bifidobacteria strains were cultivated in folate free synthetic media. Validated HPLC method was used to analyze deconjugated folates extracted from bacterial biomass

VERIFICA DELLA COLONIZZAZIONE DI BIFIDOBACTERIUM SPP. ED EFFETTO DI PREBIOTICI NELLA DIETA DI SUINI IN SVEZZAMENTO

La riduzione all\u2019uso di farmaci spinge a cercare nuove strategie alimentari per migliorare accrescimento, salute, risposta immunitaria dei suini in allevamenti da reddito. Probiotici e prebiotici offrono la possibilit\ue0 di modulare, da soli o in combinazioni nutraceutiche, la microflora gastrointestinale dell\u2019ospite. L\u2019integrazione della dieta con bifidobatteri pu\uf2 stimolare positivamente l\u2019ecosistema intestinale, migliorando velocit\ue0 di accrescimento e utilizzazione della razione alimentare. Sono state valutate le potenzialit\ue0 probiotiche di bifidobatteri, le capacit\ue0 prebiotiche di due diverse concentrazioni di frutto- e galattooligosaccaridi, gli effetti sinbiotici di sei combinazioni nutraceutiche. La verifica della colonizzazione di Bifidobacterium spp. nel contenuto di ceco \ue8 stata determinata attraverso il metodo colturale classico ed un protocollo di PCR diretta quantitativa, genere specifica. Si \ue8 valutata (64 soggetti) la capacit\ue0 colonizzante di 12 ceppi selezionati tra le 4 specie B. breve, B. animalis subsp. lactis, B. suis e B. choerinum. Le migliori potenzialit\ue0 probiotiche appartengono ai ceppi M 354 e RA 18 di B. animalis subsp. lactis ed al ceppo SU 891 di B. choerinum: la somministrazione comporta una riduzione del pH intestinale, incremento del livello di bifidobatteri nel ceco, assenza di diarrea. Si sono testate (64 soggetti), le capacit\ue0 prebiotiche di diverse concentrazioni (2% e 4% della dieta) di due fruttooligosaccaridi, uno da inulina e uno da barbabietola e di un Galattooligosaccaride da siero di latte. Un effetto significativo sul livello dei bifidobatteri endogeni si osserva per il FOS da barbabietola al 4%. Il ceppo RA 18 di Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis ed il ceppo Su 891 di B. choerinum sono stati testati infine (128 soggetti) combinando quattro diverse dosi di probiotico (0, 107, 109, 1011 ufc/day) con la concentrazione prebiotica di FOS individuata. Il solo ceppo di B. animalis subsp. lactis RA 18 determina un significativo aumento di peso corporeo linearmente con la dose somministrata. Il FOS interagisce sinergicamente con RA 18 incrementando significativamente i bifidobatteri