Measurement of isoplanatic angle and turbulence strength profile from H-alpha images of the Sun

Adaptive Optics (AO) systems have become integral for ground-based astronomy. Based on the scientific case, there are various flavours of AO systems. Measuring the turbulence strength profile ($C_N^2(h)$) and other site characteristics is essential before selecting a site or implementing certain types of AO systems. We used an iterative deconvolution procedure on long-exposure H-$\alpha$ images of the Sun to determine the isoplanatic patch size during the daytime. Then, we determined the relationship between turbulence along different directions and also obtained an analytical estimate of the $C_N^2(h)$ profile.Comment: Proceeding for AO4ELT

Defined Antigen Skin Test for Bovine Tuberculosis Retains Specificity on Revaccination With Bacillus Calmette–Guérin

The Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccination provides partial protection against, and reduces severity of pathological lesions associated with bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle. Accumulating evidence also suggests that revaccination with BCG may be needed to enhance the duration of immune protection. Since BCG vaccine cross-reacts with traditional tuberculin-based diagnostic tests, a peptide-based defined antigen skin test (DST) comprising of ESAT-6, CFP-10, and Rv3615c to detect the infected among the BCG-vaccinated animals (DIVA) was recently described. The DST reliably identifies bTB-infected animals in experimental challenge models and in natural infection settings, and differentiated these from animals immunized with a single dose of BCG in both skin tests and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA). The current investigation sought to assess the diagnostic specificity of DST in calves (Bos taurus ssp. taurus × B. t. ssp. indicus; n = 15) revaccinated with BCG 6 months after primary immunization. The results show that none of the 15 BCG-revaccinated calves exhibited a delayed hypersensitivity response when skin tested with DST 61 days post-revaccination, suggesting 100% diagnostic specificity (one-tailed lower 95% CI: 82). In contrast, 8 of 15 (diagnostic specificity = 47%; 95% CI: 21, 73) BCG-revaccinated calves were positive per the single cervical tuberculin (SCT) test using bovine tuberculin. Together, these results show that the DST retains its specificity even after revaccination with BCG and confirms the potential for implementation of BCG-based interventions in settings where test-and-slaughter are not economically or culturally feasible

Vitamin D3 supplementation of a high fat high sugar diet ameliorates prediabetic phenotype in female LDLR–/–and LDLR+/+mice

© 2017 The Authors. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. INTRODUCTION: Fatty liver disease is prevalent in populations with high caloric intake. Nutritherapeutic approaches are being considered, such as supplementary Vitamin D 3 , to improve aspects of metabolic syndrome, namely fatty liver disease, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance associated with obesity. METHODS: We analyzed female LDLR -/- and LDLR +/+ mice on a 10-week diabetogenic diet for markers of fatty liver disease, metabolic strain, and inflammation. RESULTS: The groups on a high fat high sugar diet with supplementary Vitamin D 3 , in comparison with the groups on a high fat high sugar diet alone, showed improved transaminase levels, significantly less hypertriglyceridemia and hyperinsulinemia, and histologically, there was less pericentral hepatic steatosis. Levels of non-esterified fatty acids and lipid peroxidation products were significantly lower in the group supplemented with additional Vitamin D 3 , as were systemic markers of inflammation (serum endotoxin and IL-6). M2 macrophage phenotype predominated in the group supplemented with additional Vitamin D 3 . Beneficial changes were observed as early as five weeks’ supplementation with Vitamin D 3 and extended to restoration of high fat high sugar diet induced decrease of bone mineral density. CONCLUSION: In summary, Vitamin D 3 was a significantly beneficial dietary additive to blunt a prediabetic phenotype in diet-induced obesity of female LDLR -/- and LDLR +/+ mice

A Defined Antigen Skin Test That Enables Implementation of BCG Vaccination for Control of Bovine Tuberculosis:Proof of Concept

In most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), bovine tuberculosis (bTB) remains endemic due to the absence of control programs. This is because successful bTB control and eradication programs have relied on test-and-slaughter strategies that are socioeconomically unfeasible in LMICs. While Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine-induced protection for cattle has long been documented in experimental and field trials, its use in control programs has been precluded by the inability to differentiate BCG-vaccinated from naturally infected animals using the OIE-prescribed purified protein derivative (PPD)-based tuberculin skin tests. In the current study, the diagnostic specificity and capability for differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) of a novel defined antigen skin test (DST) in BCG-vaccinated (Bos taurus ssp. taurus x B. t. ssp. indicus) calves were compared with the performance of traditional PPD-tuberculin in both the skin test and in vitro interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA). The IFN-γ production from whole blood cells stimulated with both PPDs increased significantly from the 0 week baseline levels, while DST induced no measurable IFN-γ production in BCG-vaccinated calves. None of the 15 BCG-vaccinated calves were reactive with the DST skin test (100% specificity; one-tailed lower 95% CI: 82). In contrast, 10 of 15 BCG-vaccinated calves were classified as reactors with the PPD-based single intradermal test (SIT) (specificity in vaccinated animals = 33%; 95% CI: 12, 62). Taken together, the results provide strong evidence that the DST is highly specific and enables DIVA capability in both skin and IGRA assay format, thereby enabling the implementation of BCG vaccine-based bTB control, particularly in settings where test and slaughter remain unfeasible

Efficient synthesis of symmetrical bisamides catalyzed by reusable hydroxyapatite

<p>Efficient synthesis of symmetrical bisamides is achieved by hydroxyapatite catalyst. Hydroxyapatite catalyzes the reaction between aldehydes and amides to afford bisamides at reflux conditions in 87–95% yields in acetonitrile medium. The catalyst is readily recovered and reused at least three times without loss in its catalytic activity. This method is noteworthy that, symmetrical bisamides are synthesized by fast, simple, effective, and environmentally benign heterogeneous protocol.</p