Delineating a new critical region for juvenile myoclonic epilepsy at the 22q11.2 chromosome

No abstract availabl

Progress on neural parton distributions

We give a status report on the determination of a set of parton distributions based on neural networks. In particular, we summarize the determination of the nonsinglet quark distribution up to NNLO, we compare it with results obtained using other approaches, and we discuss its use for a determination of $\alpha_s$.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figs, uses dis2007.cls, to appear in the DIS 2007 workshop proceeding

Recent progress on NNPDF for LHC

We present recent results of the NNPDF collaboration on a full DIS analysis of Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs). Our method is based on the idea of combining a Monte Carlo sampling of the probability measure in the space of PDFs with the use of neural networks as unbiased universal interpolating functions. The general structure of the project and the features of the fit are described and compared to those of the traditional approaches.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, contribution for the proceedings of the conference "Rencontres de Moriond, QCD and High Energy Interactions

Sex of offspring influences metabolism during early transition period in dairy cows

Abstract. A study using 20 Holstein Friesian cows was conducted to investigate the influence of calf gender on metabolism during the transition period in dairy cattle. Blood samples were collected at three time points: 2–4 days prepartum (time 1), and 1 week and 2 weeks postpartum (time 2 and time 3 respectively). Serum samples obtained were analysed for total proteins, albumin, urea, glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Depending on the sex of the offspring, cows were divided into two groups: Group 1 consisted of cows with heifer offspring (n = 12) and Group 2 consisted of cows with bull offspring (n = 8). A two-way repeated measures ANOVA and t tests for unpaired data were used to analyse the pattern of studied parameters and differences between the two groups. The results indicate differences in metabolic parameters between the two groups. These results highlight the importance of considering fetal sex as a factor that influences maternal metabolism during the early transition period in dairy cows

Comparative study of hematological and blood chemistry of Indian and Italian Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus Linneaus 1758)

Blood hematological and serum biochemistry parameters are often used to assess the health status and as stress indicators in fishes. In the present study was undertaken to comparative study of hematological and blood chemistry of Indian and Italian Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus) to establish baseline values. Fifteen sexually immature and disease-free Indian wild fish (26.25 ± 0.23 cm total length, 347.55±14.27 g weight) and 15 Italian fish (31.53 ± 1.08 cm total length, 416.5 ± 14.56 g weight) were examined

Daily Rhythms of Serum Vitamin D-Metabolites, Calcium and Phosphorus in Horses

Many physiological processes of domestic animals exhibit daily rhythmicity. The goal of the present study was to investigate the daily rhythms of calcium, inorganic phosphorus and 24,25-(OH)2-D3, 25-(OH)-D3 and 1,25-(OH)2-D3 in the blood serum of horses. Five Thoroughbred mares from the same farm, clinically healthy and placed in individual stalls, at the same environmental temperature and photoperiod were used. For 30 days prior to the study, the animals underwent the same pattern of daily activity. Blood samples were collected at 4 h-intervals for 48 consecutive h, starting at 08:00 h of the first day and finishing at 04:00 h of the second day, via intravenous cannula inserted into the jugular vein. Each individual sample was assessed for serum concentration of calcium and inorganic phosphorus by means of a UV spectrophotometric test, and serum concentration of 24, 25-(OH)-D3, 25-(OH)-D3, and 1,25-(OH)2-D3 were assessed by means of HPLC method. Data analysis was conducted by one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and by the single cosinor method. ANOVA showed a significant effect of time on all the variables studied (p < 0.0001) and post-hoc test (SNK) showed significant differences (p < 0.001) comparing all the time intervals of 4 h, on either day. The application of the periodic model and the statistical analysis of the cosinor procedure allowed defining the periodic variables and their acrophases (expressed in hours) during the 2 days of monitoring. Calcium showed diurnal acrophases at 15:00 h for the 1st day and at 15:48 for the 2nd day; inorganic phosphorus showed diurnal coincident acrophases at 14:32 h both for the 1st and 2nd day and 25-(OH)-D3 showed diurnal acrophases at 14:08 h for the 1st day and at 15:04 h for the 2nd day. The results obtained could be useful for standardizing blood sampling according to the time of day and for optimizing the administration of these substances according to their circadian or other rhythms

PTEN hamartoma tumor syndromes in childhood: description of two cases and a proposal for follow-up protocol

PTEN hamartoma tumor syndromes (PHTS) are a spectrum of hamartomatous overgrowth syndromes associated with germline mutations in the tumor suppressor PTEN gene located on 10q23.3. It is widely accepted that two of these disorders,Cowden syndrome and Bannayan–Riley–Ruvalcaba syndrome, are allelic conditions. BecausePTENmutations are not identifiable in every case of the PHTS phenotype, the inability to detect a mutation within thePTENgene does not invalidate the clinical diagnosis of Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan–Riley–Ruvalcaba syndrome, in patients who meet diagnostic criteria for these disorders. PTEN mutations are associated with an increased risk for developing breast, thyroid, endometrial, and sometimes renal cancers. Thus, cancer surveillance is the cornerstone of PHTS patient management. Although a consensus cancer surveillance protocol has not been formally instituted, all PTEN mutation carriers should adopt the cancer surveillance strategies proposed for patients with Cowden syndrome. In addition, because gastrointestinal and vascular complications can be more severe in Bannayan– Riley–Ruvalcaba syndrome than in Cowden syndrome, patients with Bannayan–Riley–Ruvalcaba syndrome should be monitored from this point of view too. In this study, we report on two cases with Bannayan–Riley–Ruvalcaba phenotype that showed two different PTEN mutations.Wealso propose practice recommendations for management of PHTS patient

Effects of process conditions on foaming in stirred tanks

International audienceThe effect of impeller speed and type, as well as gas flow rate on the amount of foam generated in a 5L stirred tank has been studied. Foam height was found to increase with increasing impeller speed after a critical impeller speed was reached. It also increased with increasing gas flow rate. The disc turbine creates significantly more foam than the down-pumping hydrofoil for a given tip speed. Scale-up guidance to correctly replicate the amount of foaming in larger scale tank was also investigated. It was found that impeller tip speed was the best scale-up invariant, compared with power per unit volume and the Weber and Froude numbers. It is less clear, however, which is the best scale-up invariant for the gas flow rate; aeration number appears more adapted than the superficial gas velocity or the ratio of gas flow rate to liquid volume, however it does not always correctly replicate the gas-liquid flow regime