Effects of BCAA Enteral Nutrition to the Change of Nutritional Status and Hepatic Encephalopathy Parameters in Liver Cirrhosis Patient with Hepatic Encephalopathy

Background: This study was also conducted to determine the effects of high-branched chain amino acid (BCAA) enteral supplementation on altered nutritional status parameters (including plasma prealbumin) and hepatic encephalopathy parameters in liver cirrhosis patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Method: Our study was a randomized, single-blinded experimental study comparing between control group of liver cirrhosis patients with standard hospital liver diet (40 kcal/kgBW/day for male and 35 kcal/kgBW/day for female; protein 1.25 g/kgBW/day) and experimental group of liver cirrhosis patients with liver diet modification high in BCAA supplementation, which had similar protein and calorie calculation as the control group. Results: Subclinical hepatic encephalopathy prevalence was 32%. In the experimental group, prealbumin plasma, arm circumference, body weight and body mass index (BMI) increased; whereas in the control group, prealbumin plasma, arm circumference, body weight and BMI decreased (p < 0.05). In experimental group, the ammonia level significantly decreased (p < 0.01). Clinical hepatic encephalopathy, flapping tremor, the number connection test (NCT) did not show significant changes between the two groups. However, there was worsening trend in the control group. Level of albumin, bilirubin, AST, ALT did not show any significant difference between both groups. Conclusion: High-BCAA enteral supplementation which is administered to liver cirrhosis patients with hepatic encephalopathy for 14 days could improve plasma prealbumin level, arm circumference, body weight, BMI and could decrease the plasma ammonia level. However, it does not improve Fischer ratio, psychometric test and electroencephalograph

Multiwavelength Intraday Variability of the BL Lac S5 0716+714

We report results from a 1 week multi-wavelength campaign to monitor the BL Lac object S5 0716+714 (on December 9-16, 2009). In the radio bands the source shows rapid (~ (0.5-1.5) day) intra-day variability with peak amplitudes of up to ~ 10 %. The variability at 2.8 cm leads by about 1 day the variability at 6 cm and 11 cm. This time lag and more rapid variations suggests an intrinsic contribution to the source's intraday variability at 2.8 cm, while at 6 cm and 11 cm interstellar scintillation (ISS) seems to predominate. Large and quasi-sinusoidal variations of ~ 0.8 mag were detected in the V, R and I-bands. The X-ray data (0.2-10 keV) do not reveal significant variability on a 4 day time scale, favoring reprocessed inverse-Compton over synchrotron radiation in this band. The characteristic variability time scales in radio and optical bands are similar. A quasi-periodic variation (QPO) of 0.9 - 1.1 days in the optical data may be present, but if so it is marginal and limited to 2.2 cycles. Cross-correlations between radio and optical are discussed. The lack of a strong radio-optical correlation indicates different physical causes of variability (ISS at long radio wavelengths, source intrinsic origin in the optical), and is consistent with a high jet opacity and a compact synchrotron component peaking at ~= 100 GHz in an ongoing very prominent flux density outburst. For the campaign period, we construct a quasi-simultaneous spectral energy distribution (SED), including gamma-ray data from the FERMI satellite. We obtain lower limits for the relativistic Doppler-boosting of delta >= 12-26, which for a BL\,Lac type object, is remarkably high.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figures, table 2; Accepted for Publication in MNRA

Pathogenic and Molecular Variability of Aspergillus niger Isolates Causing Collar Rot Disease in Groundnut

Pathogenic variability studies of 26 isolates of collar rot pathogen (Aspergillus niger) of groundnut collected from different districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states were conducted under greenhouse conditions by using two groundnut cultivars TMV-2 and JL-24. The mean seedling mortality ranged from 29.7 per cent (MBNRAn-1 (Palkapally)) to 94.4 per cent (ATPAn-1 (Jogannapet)). All the isolates of A. niger showed differential reaction with regard to seedling mortality on JL-24 and TMV-2 cultivars. Similarly genetic relatedness among eight virulent isolates (two isolates from each district) of A. niger from groundnut was assessed by using RAPD analysis. The similarity index values among the A. niger isolates varied from 0.571 (between WGL An-2 and CHT An-3) to 0.229 (between MBNR An-3 and WGL An-2)

Role of Unorganized Manufacturing in Expanding Employment Opportunities in Assam

The unorganized sector plays important role in creating gainful employment opportunities, especially in developing countries, which are, in general, labour abundant. The Eleventh Five Year Plan has emphasized that the unorganized manufacturing sector holds the promise of vast employment creation, and thus, could be a panacea to the burgeoning labour force in India. In this light the present paper analyzes the structure and growth of employment in the unorganized manufacturing sector in Assam. Our main concern is to address the employment potentiality of the sector in the State. We have discussed the issue in the light of different technology parameters such as capital intensity and factor productivity, etc. The analysis has been carried out separately for different enterprise types to get a clear picture about the specific sectors and sub-sectors. The findings suggest that the unorganized manufacturing sector of Assam has witnessed sharp decline during 1994-95 to 2000-01, especially in terms of number of units and employment, but the sector has experienced significant rise in recent years (during 2000-01 to 2005-06). However, this improvement is at the cost of quality of employment, since the number of full-time workers has sharply declined and there has been increase in part-time workers only

Broadening the genetic base of grain legumes through pre-breeding using wild species

Grain legumes such as pigeonpea [(Cajanus cajan (L.) Mill sp.)] and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) are the primary sources of dietary protein especially for vegetarian human population worldwide. Genetic enhancement in these crops is not adequate due to their narrow genetic base. Further, the production and productivity of these crops is adversely affected by different biotic and abiotic stresses and high levels of resistance/tolerance for these stresses is not available in the cultivated genepool. This necessitates the utilization of new and diverse source of variations to broaden the genetic base of crop cultivars and to improve the genetic gain of these crops

Localizing the γ-ray emitting region in the blazar TXS 2013+370

Aims. The γ-ray production mechanism and its localization in blazars are still a matter of debate. The main goal of this paper is to constrain the location of the high-energy emission in the blazar TXS 2013+370 and to study the physical and geometrical properties of the inner jet region on sub-pc scales. Methods. TXS 2013+370 was monitored during 2002–2013 with VLBI at 15, 22, 43, and 86 GHz, which allowed us to image the jet base with an angular resolution of ≥0.4 pc. By employing CLEAN imaging and Gaussian model-fitting, we performed a thorough kinematic analysis at multiple frequencies, which provided estimates of the jet speed, orientation, and component ejection times. Additionally, we studied the jet expansion profile and used the information on the jet geometry to estimate the location of the jet apex. VLBI data were combined with single-dish measurements to search for correlated activity between the radio, mm, and γ-ray emission. For this purpose, we employed a cross-correlation analysis, supported by several significance tests. Results. The high-resolution VLBI imaging revealed the existence of a spatially bent jet, described by co-existing moving emission features and stationary features. New jet features, labeled as A1, N, and N1, are observed to emerge from the core, accompanied by flaring activity in radio/mm- bands and γ-rays. The analysis of the transverse jet width profile constrains the location of the mm core to lie ≤2 pc downstream of the jet apex, and also reveals the existence of a transition from parabolic to conical jet expansion at a distance of ∼54 pc from the core, corresponding to ∼1.5 × 106 Schwarzschild radii. The cross-correlation analysis of the broad-band variability reveals a strong correlation between the radio-mm and γ-ray data, with the 1 mm emission lagging ∼49 days behind the γ-rays. Based on this, we infer that the high energy emission is produced at a distance of the order of ∼1 pc from the jet apex, suggesting that the seed photon fields for the external Compton mechanism originate either in the dusty torus or in the broad-line region

The 72-Hour WEBT Microvariability Observation of Blazar S5 0716+714 in 2009

Context. The international whole earth blazar telescope (WEBT) consortium planned and carried out three days of intensive micro-variability observations of S5 0716+714 from February 22, 2009 to February 25, 2009. This object was chosen due to its bright apparent magnitude range, its high declination, and its very large duty cycle for micro-variations. Aims. We report here on the long continuous optical micro-variability light curve of 0716+714 obtained during the multi-site observing campaign during which the Blazar showed almost constant variability over a 0.5 magnitude range. The resulting light curve is presented here for the first time. Observations from participating observatories were corrected for instrumental differences and combined to construct the overall smoothed light curve. Methods. Thirty-six observatories in sixteen countries participated in this continuous monitoring program and twenty of them submitted data for compilation into a continuous light curve. The light curve was analyzed using several techniques including Fourier transform, Wavelet and noise analysis techniques. Those results led us to model the light curve by attributing the variations to a series of synchrotron pulses. Results. We have interpreted the observed microvariations in this extended light curve in terms of a new model consisting of individual stochastic pulses due to cells in a turbulent jet which are energized by a passing shock and cool by means of synchrotron emission. We obtained an excellent fit to the 72-hour light curve with the synchrotron pulse model

Assessment of Genotypic Differences in Sorghum Root Characteristics

Representative data on genotypic differences in sorghum root characteristics are examined for prospective use in applied breeding programmes. Significant genotype differences in root characteristics observed are: root-length density at lower depths when the crop 15 grown on stored. soil moisture. root-shoot ratios early establishment of nodal Roots In seedlings, and microbial associations of roots. Four-fold genotypic differences root-shoot ratio were found at the seedling stage, but high ontogenic shifts negated these differences at later stages. Hence . sorghum breeding for efficient root systems should be confined to well- defined target environments with specific objectives

Highly variable use of diagnostic methods for sexually transmitted infections-results of a nationwide survey, Germany 2005

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sexual transmitted infections (STIs) have increased in Germany and other countries in Europe since the mid-nineties. To obtain a better picture of diagnostic methods used in STI testing institutions in Germany, we performed a nationwide survey amongst STI specialists in order to evaluate the quality of STI reports and provide recommendations to harmonize and possibly improve STI diagnostics in Germany.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We asked sentinel physicians and randomly chosen gynaecologists, urologists and dermato-venerologists, about the diagnostic methods used in 2005 to diagnose HIV, chlamydia (CT), gonorrhoea (GO) and syphilis (SY) in a national cross-sectional survey in order to recognize potential problems and provide recommendations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 739/2287 (32%) physicians participated. Of all participants, 80% offered tests for HIV, 84% for CT, 83% for GO and 83% for SY. Of all participants who performed HIV testing, 90% requested an antibody test, 3% a rapid test and 1% a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). For CT testing, NAAT was used in 33% and rapid tests in 34% of participants. GO resistance testing was performed by 31% of the participants. SY testing was performed in 98% by serology.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Diagnostic methods for STI vary highly among the participants. Diagnostic guidelines should be reviewed and harmonised to ensure consistent use of the optimal STI diagnostic methods.</p

Measurement of the Lifetime Difference in the B_s^0 System

We present a study of the decay B_s^0 -> J/psi phi We obtain the CP-odd fraction in the final state at time zero, R_perp = 0.16 +/- 0.10 (stat) +/- 0.02 (syst), the average lifetime of the (B_s, B_sbar) system, tau (B_s^0) =1.39^{+0.13}_{-0.16} (stat) ^{+0.01}_{-0.02} (syst) ps, and the relative width difference between the heavy and light mass eigenstates, Delta Gamma/Gamma = (Gamma_L - Gamma_H)/Gamma =0.24^{+0.28}_{-0.38} (stat) ^{+0.03}_{-0.04} (syst). With the additional constraint from the world average of the B_s^0$lifetime measurements using semileptonic decays, we find tau (B_s^0)= 1.39 +/- 0.06 ~ps and Delta Gamma/\Gamma = 0.25^{+0.14}_{-0.15}. For the ratio of the B_s^0 and B^0 lifetimes we obtain tau(B_s^0)/tau(B^0)} = 0.91 +/- 0.09 (stat) +/- 0.003 (syst).Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. FERMILAB-PUB-05-324-