Acceleration of the Surface Test Integral Using Vertex Functions

In recent years, many papers have reported on the efficient and accurate evaluation of the double surface integrals that arise in the Method of Moments. Most have focused on the careful evaluation of the inner integral and assumed that the outer integral is sufficiently smooth to be easily evaluated numerically. More recently, several papers have appeared where the double integral is treated as a whole using the divergence theorem. These papers show promising results, though their implementation may imply changes to the integration paradigm for the associated codes. Here, instead, we investigate a technique that improves the numerical evaluation of the test integral without affecting the treatment of the source integral. From the integrand of the outer integral, we subtract pairs of quasi-static, so-called vertex functions defined on the source triangle. The approach is compared to standard Gauss-triangle schemes to demonstrate its effectiveness

Evaluation of Static Potential Integrals on Triangular Domains

Static potential integrals for constant and linear sources on triangles are derived in a straightforward way. The new representations, as presented, are robust with respect to machine evaluation in important limiting cases. The potential integrals comprise up to six functions, each dependent on the relative position and orientation (with respect to an observation point) of a vertex and edge, respectively, of the source triangle. Gradients of the potentials are derived by differentiation, thus preserving relations between the representations. Each such vertex function reveals any anomalous functional behavior near its associated vertex or edge, which is useful information for devising test integral schemes. Potential plots in the source plane of an equilateral triangle illustrate such behavior, as do similar plots for each vertex function and gradient components near their associated edge and vertex

6-D MoM Reaction Integrals Evaluated via the Divergence Theorem

In this contribution we propose an accurate and efficient numerical evaluation of 6-D reaction integrals that appear in the Method of Moment (MoM) discretization of Volume Integral Equations (VIEs)

The ‘Palo a Pique’ Long-Term Research Platform: First 25 years of a Crop-Livestock Experiment in Uruguay

Mixed crop-livestock long-term experiments (LTE) are critical to increase the understanding of sustainability in complex agroecosystems. One example is the ‘Palo a Pique’ LTE which has been running for 25 years in Uruguay (1995 to present) evaluating four pasture-crop rotations under livestock grazing with no-till technology in soils with severe limitations. Results demonstrate that cropping systems reduced soil organic carbon (SOC) compared with permanent pastures, and that perennial pastures rotating with crops were critical to mitigate SOC losses. Data from the ‘Palo a Pique’ LTE has contributed to establish new national policies to secure sustainability of agricultural-based systems. Although the original purpose of the LTE was oriented to crops and soils, a demand for sustainable livestock intensification has gathered momentum over recent years. As a result, the current approach of the ‘Palo a Pique’ LTE matches each pasture-crop rotation with the most suitable livestock strategy with the common goal of producing 400 kg liveweight/ha per year. General approaches to the pursuit of sustainable livestock intensification include: shortening the cycle of production, diversifying animal categories, increasing liveweight gain and final animal liveweight, and strategic livestock supplementation. Prediction of trade-offs between environmental, economic, and production indicators can be addressed through monitoring and modelling, enabling timely anticipation of adverse sustainability issues on commercial farms. The ‘Palo a Pique’ LTE serves as a framework to address contemporary and future questions dealing with the role of ruminants on climate change, competition for land, nutrient dynamics, and food security

Gestational hypothyroxinemia affects its offspring with a reduced suppressive capacity impairing the outcome of the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Indexación: Scopus.Hypothyroxinemia (Hpx) is a thyroid hormone deficiency (THD) condition highly frequent during pregnancy, which although asymptomatic for the mother, it can impair the cognitive function of the offspring. Previous studies have shown that maternal hypothyroidism increases the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an autoimmune disease model for multiple sclerosis (MS). Here, we analyzed the immune response after EAE induction in the adult offspring gestated in Hpx. Mice gestated in Hpx showed an early appearance of EAE symptoms and the increase of all parameters of the disease such as: the pathological score, spinal cord demyelination, and immune cell infiltration in comparison to the adult offspring gestated in euthyroidism. Isolated CD4+CD25+ T cells from spleen of the offspring gestated in Hpx that suffer EAE showed reduced capacity to suppress proliferation of effector T cells (TEff) after being stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies. Moreover, adoptive transfer experiments of CD4+CD25+ T cells from the offspring gestated in Hpx suffering EAE to mice that were induced with EAE showed that the receptor mice suffer more intense EAE pathological score. Even though, no significant differences were detected in the frequency of Treg cells and IL-10 content in the blood, spleen, and brain between mice gestated in Hpx or euthyroidism, T cells CD4+CD25+ from spleen have reduced capacity to differentiate in vitro to Treg and to produce IL-10. Thus, our data support the notion that maternal Hpx can imprint the immune response of the offspring suffering EAE probably due to a reduced capacity to trigger suppression. Such "imprints" on the immune system could contribute to explaining as to why adult offspring gestated in Hpx suffer earlier and more intense EAE. © 2018 Haensgen, Albornoz, Opazo, Bugueño, Jara Fernández, Binzberger, Rivero-Castillo, Venegas Salas, Simon, Cabello-Verrugio, Elorza, Kalergis, Bueno and Riedel.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01257/ful

Comparison of lipid profiles in the faeces of beef cattle fed three common temperate grass silage diets and their relevance to dietary composition

Faecal lipidome signatures may vary depending on diet. Analyzing 17 different lipidome com-pounds and calculating ratios between them, we analysed the composition of faecal lipidomes (fatty alcohols, stanols, and archaeol) of beef cattle fed different diets. In this study, we measured the faecal lipidome profiles of beef cattle fed three types of grass silage representative of UK grasslands by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The forage consisted of 1) permanent pasture (sown perennial ryegrass mixed with unsown species; PP); 2) reseeded perennial ryegrass monoculture (PRG); and 3) reseeded mixture of perennial ryegrass and white clover (ca 80:20 fresh weight; PRG-WC). The contents of three forages varied significantly in WSC (water-soluble carbohydrates), ADF (acid detergent fibre), NDF (neutral detergent fibre), MADF (modified acid detergent fibre), CP (crude protein), ME (metabolizable energy), and crude ash. Diet significantly affected the composition of the faecal lipidome. Apart from stigmasterol, sex and the diet-by-sex interaction did not affect the faecal lipidome. Further, the ratios of lipidome compounds in faeces were validated as biomarkers of diet composition. The 24-ethyl coprostanol, 5-stigmastanol, campesterol, and even chain fatty alcohols such as 3-hydroxy stearoyl carnitine (C18-OH), C22-OH, C24-OH, C26-OH, and various lipidome ratios differed significantly between diets on a univariate basis. Based on an analysis of the composition and ratios of faecal lipidomes, this study provides a means for predicting the diet composition of agricultural livestock and wild herbivores

Absence of plastin 1 causes abnormal maintenance of hair cell stereocilia and a moderate form of hearing loss in mice

Hearing relies on the mechanosensory inner and outer hair cells (OHCs) of the organ of Corti, which convert mechanical deflections of their actin-rich stereociliary bundles into electrochemical signals. Several actin-associated proteins are essential for stereocilia formation and maintenance, and their absence leads to deafness. One of the most abundant actin-bundling proteins of stereocilia is plastin 1, but its function has never been directly assessed. Here, we found that plastin 1 knock-out (Pls1 KO) mice have a moderate and progressive form of hearing loss across all frequencies. Auditory hair cells developed normally in Pls1 KO, but in young adult animals, the stereocilia of inner hair cells were reduced in width and length. The stereocilia of OHCs were comparatively less affected; however, they also showed signs of degeneration in ageing mice. The hair bundle stiffness and the acquisition of the electrophysiological properties of hair cells were unaffected by the absence of plastin 1, except for a significant change in the adaptation properties, but not the size of the mechanoelectrical transducer currents. These results show that in contrast to other actin-bundling proteins such as espin, harmonin or Eps8, plastin 1 is dispensable for the initial formation of stereocilia. However, the progressive hearing loss and morphological defects of hair cells in adult Pls1 KO mice point at a specific role for plastin 1 in the preservation of adult stereocilia and optimal hearing. Hence, mutations in the human PLS1 gene may be associated with relatively mild and progressive forms of hearing loss