Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 recombinant B/G subtypes circulating in Coimbra, Portugal.

An increasing prevalence of HIV-1 non-B variants is being noticed in several European regions, particularly in countries such as Portugal, which have closer contacts with African endemic areas, where multiple HIV subtypes cocirculate. HIV-1 subtyping by phylogenetic analyses of reverse transcriptase, protease and env (C2-V3) genomic regions was carried out in plasma collected from 18 HIV-1-infected subjects living in Coimbra, Portugal, and suspected to be infected with non-B variants. Three (16.7%) subjects carried recombinant B/G viruses (BV3/BRT/Gpro; GV3/URT/Bpro; AV3/GRT/Bpro), whereas all the remaining individuals were infected with HIV-1 subtype B. This is the first report of recombinant B/G subtypes in Portugal

Gastrointestinal helminth fauna of zoonotic importance and pathological aspects in rodents (Rattus spp) in three environments

El objetivo del estudio fue identificar y determinar la prevalencia de helmintos gastrointestinales de importancia zoonótica presentes en roedores (Rattus spp) en tres medioambientes (granjas porcinas, zoológico y mercados de abastos) de Lima, Perú, así como estimar la asociación entre presencia de helmintos y las variables lugar de procedencia, especie, edad y sexo. Se capturaron 245 (Rattus rattus y Rattus norvergicus) roedores mediante el uso de trampas de captura viva. Cráneos, piel, carta dentaria y parámetros morfométricos se utilizaron para la clasificación taxonómica de las especies. Se colectó el estómago e intestino delgado y grueso. Los helmintos se colocaron en alcohol 70% y los tejidos fueron preservados en formol 10%. La prevalencia de helmintos gastrointestinales fue de 72.2% en tanto que la prevalencia de helmintos zoonóticos fue de 46.5%. Se hallaron cuatro especies de importancia zoonótica: Raillietina demerariensis, Gongylonema neoplasticum, Hymenolepis diminuta y Moniliformis moniliformis; estos dos últimos de mayor frecuencia en los tres ecosistemas. Otros helmintos identificados fueron Mastophorus muris, Heterakis spumosa, Aspicularis tetrapera, Syphacia muris, Trichuris muris, Capillaria sp y Vampirolepis fraterna. Los hallazgos histopatológicos mostraron disminución del tamaño de las vellosidades intestinales, desprendimiento de células epiteliales, aumento del número de células caliciformes y enterocitos con presencia de eosinófilos, linfocitos, plasmocitos y macrófagos asociados a H. diminuta, M. moniliformis y R. demerariensis.The study aimed to identify and determine the prevalence of zoonotic gastrointestinal helminths present in rodents (Rattus spp) in three environments (pig farms, zoo and food markets) of Lima, Peru and estimate the association between the presence of helminths and the variables place of origin, species, age and sex. A total of 245 rodents (Rattus rattus and Rattus norvergicus) were captured alive using live trap cages and were subsequently euthanized. Skulls, skin, teeth and morphometric parameters were used for taxonomic classification of species. Stomach and small and large intestine were collected. The helminths found were placed in 70% alcohol and selected tissues were preserved in 10% formalin. The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in rats was 72.2% whereas the prevalence of zoonotic helminth was 46.5%. Four species of zoonotic importance were found: Raillietina demerariensis, Gongylonema neoplasticum, Hymenolepis diminuta and Moniliformis moniliformis, where the latter two were more frequent in the three ecosystems. Other helminths identified were Mastophorus muris, Heterakis spumosa, Aspicularis tetrapera, Syphacia muris, Trichuris muris, Capillaria sp and Vampirolepis fraterna. The histopathological findings included a decrease in size of the villi, detachment of epithelial cells, increased numbers of goblet cells and enterocytes with eosinophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages associated with H. diminuta, M. moniliformis and R. demerariensis

The IGEX experiment revisited: a response to the critique of Klapdor-Kleingrothaus,Dietz, and Krivosheina

This paper is a response to the article "Critical View to" the IGEX neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment..."published in Phys. Rev.D, Volume 65 (2002) 092007," by H.V.Klapdor-Kleingrothaus, A. Dietz, and I.V.Krivosheina, published as preprint hep-ph/0403056. The criticisms are confronted, and the questions raised are answered. We demonstrate that the lower limit quoted by IGEX, for the half life of Ge-76 neutrinoless double beta decay, 1.57x10**25 y, is correct and that there was no "arithmetical error"-as claimed in the " Critical Review" article

Derivative expansion and large gauge invariance at finite temperature

We study the 0+1 dimensional Chern-Simons theory at finite temperature within the framework of derivative expansion. We obtain various interesting relations, solve the theory within this framework and argue that the derivative expansion is not a suitable formalism for a study of the question of large gauge invariance.Comment: 12 pages, Late

Hidden Kondo Effect in a Correlated Electron Chain

We develop a general Bethe Ansatz formalism for diagonalizing an integrable model of a magnetic impurity of arbitrary spin coupled ferro- or antiferromagnetically to a chain of interacting electrons. The method is applied to an open chain, with the exact solution revealing a ``hidden'' Kondo effect driven by forward electron scattering off the impurity. We argue that the so-called ``operator reflection matrices'' proposed in recent Bethe Ansatz studies of related models emulate only forward electron-impurity scattering which may explain the absence of complete Kondo screening for certain values of the impurity-electron coupling in these models.Comment: 5 pages, RevTex; to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

CHICKEN INFECTIOUS ANEMIA VIRUS ANTIBODIES IN BREEDER BROILERS AND LEVELS OF PASSIVE TRANSFERENCE TO THE PROGENY

El presente estudio se llevó a cabo en tres granjas de reproductoras de carne de la línea Cobb para determinar el nivel y persistencia de anticuerpos al virus de la Anemia Infecciosa Aviar (CIAV) en aves que fueron fueron vacunadas en la etapa de levante. Las aves de una granja (G1) se vacunaron vía oral y las aves de otra granja (G2), por vía intramuscular. Las aves de la tercera granja (G3) no fueron vacunadas pero estuvieron expuestas al virus de campo como todas. Las aves se muestrearon a los 30, 45 y 60 semanas de edad. Además, se evaluó el nivel y porcentaje de transferencia de anticuerpos a la progenie de estos lotes de reproductoras al día de edad. Las muestras fueron procesadas en forma conjunta con la prueba de ELISA para CIAV de los Laboratorios IDEXX. Se detectó una seroconversión total en las granjas vacunadas A y B a las 30 semanas, mientras la granja no vacunada tuvo el 10.5% de aves negativas, en tanto que todas las aves seroconvirtieron a las 45 y 60 semanas de edad; sin embargo, se observó que los títulos de anticuerpos en las reproductoras descendieron a las 60 semanas en las tres granjas. La transferencia pasiva de anticuerpos a la progenie fue inferior en la granja G1 que en las otras dos granjas.Three poultry farms (A, B and C) of Cobb breeder broilers were blood monitored at 30, 45, and 60 weeks of age to assess the level and persistence of sera antibodies against chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) under two vaccination strategies. Hens in farm A were vaccinated via drinking water and hens in farm B via intramuscular (IM) during the rearing period, whereas farm C was only exposed to a field virus. Progeny´s sera was evaluated at one day old to determine antibodies level and percent of transference. Serum samples were analyzed by a commercial ELISA test. A total seroconversion was detected in farms A and B at the age of 30 weeks while 10.5% of layers in farm C were negative. All hens in the three farms seroconverterd at 45 and 60 weeks old, but antibody titers decreased at the age of 60 weeks. The passive transference of antibodies to the progeny was much lower in farm A as compared to the other two farms

EFFECT OF FEED SUPPLEMENTATION ON MILK YIED IN SELECTED LAMAS FOR MEAT PRODUCTION

Se utilizó 20 llamas gestantes del Centro de Investigaciones IVITA-Maranganí, Cusco, a las que se midió el área de grupa, volumen del muslo, peso corporal y perímetro torácico del rebaño. Se utilizó un diseño factorial 2 x 2, donde A = Suplemento (a1: con heno; a2: sin heno) y B = Medidas biométricas (b1: altas; b2: bajas). La cantidad de heno de alfalfa fue de 1 kg/animal/día. Se midió el efecto de las medidas biométricas y la suplementación sobre la producción de leche y tasa de crecimiento de las crías durante las primeras siete semanas de lactación. Se registró semanalmente el peso de la madre y la cría y se estimó la producción de leche (producción de 12 horas luego del uso de un protector de ubre que impide el amamantamiento). Las llamas que recibieron suplemento tuvieron una mayor producción de leche (0.05>p<0.01) entre la 3ra a la 7ma semana de lactancia. El pico de la producción de leche ocurrió a la 2da (a2) y 3ra (a1) semana. Las crías de las llamas suplementadas y de aquellas con medidas biométricas altas tuvieron las mayores ganancias de peso (p<0.05). No hubo interacción significativa entre los efectos de los tratamientos en el peso de las crías; no obstante, se observó una mayor tasa de crecimiento en las crías de madres suplementadas con medidas biométricas altas. La correlación entre la producción de leche con el peso de las crías por efecto del suplemento y de las medidas biométricas de las madres fueron significativas a partir de la cuarta semana de lactación. El efecto de la suplementación con heno y las medidas biométricas, así como la interacción entre las dos variables, no afectó significativamente el peso de las madres durante las primeras siete semanas de lactación, aunque se pudo observar una ligera disminución de peso corporal entre la 1ra y 3ra semana de lactancia. El peso promedio al parto y en la 7ma semana de lactación fue de 96.9 ± 8.4 y 95.3 ± 9.1 kg, respectivamente. Se concluye que hubo efecto significativo de las medidas biométricas y de la suplementación de las madres sobre la producción de leche y crecimiento de las crías.Twenty pregnant lamas from the IVITA Research Center, Maranganí, Cusco, were selected, and the rump area, thigh volume, body weight and thoracic perimeter were measured. A 2 x 2 factorial design was used, where A = Supplement (a1: with hay; a2: without hay) and B = Biometric measures (b1: high values; b 2: low values). The amount of supplemented hay was 1 kg/animal/day. The effect of biometric measures and feed supplementation on dam milk production and calf growth during the first seven weeks of lactation was evaluated. Body weight of both dams and calves was weekly recorded. Milk production was estimated (milking after 12 hours of wearing an udder protector to avoid suckling). Supplemented lamas showed higher milk yield (0.05>p<0.01) between the3rd and 7th week of lactation. The peak of milk production occurred at the 2nd (a2) and 3rd (a1) week. Calves of supplemented lamas and those with higher biometric measures had the highest body weight gain (p<0.05). No significant interaction was found between treated groups on calf weight; however, there was a higher growth rate in calves of supplemented lamas with high biometric measures. Correlations between milk yield with calf body weight due to the effect of feed supplementation and biometric measures were significant from the 4th week onwards. The effect of feed supplementation and biometric measures, and the interaction between them did no significantly affect dams body weight during the first weeks of lactation, however, there was a slight reduction of body weight between the 1st and the 3rd week of lactation. The average body weight at parturition and on the 7th week of lactation was 96.9 ± 8.4 and 95.3 ± 9.1 kg respectively. The results showed a significant effect of feed supplementation and biometric measures on milk production and calf body weight

Universality in the Three-Body Problem for 4He Atoms

The two-body scattering length a for 4He atoms is much larger than their effective range r_s. As a consequence, low-energy few-body observables have universal characteristics that are independent of the interaction potential. Universality implies that, up to corrections suppressed by r_s/a, all low-energy three-body observables are determined by a and a three-body parameter \Lambda_*. We give simple expressions in terms of a and \Lambda_* for the trimer binding energy equation, the atom-dimer scattering phase shifts, and the rate for three-body recombination at threshold. We determine \Lambda_* for several 4He potentials from the calculated binding energy of the excited state of the trimer and use it to obtain the universality predictions for the other low-energy observables. We also use the calculated values for one potential to estimate the effective range corrections for the other potentials.Comment: 23 pages, revtex4, 6 ps figures, references added, universal expressions update

Early in-flight detection of SO₂ via Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy: a feasible aviation safety measure to prevent potential encounters with volcanic plumes

Volcanic ash constitutes a risk to aviation, mainly due to its ability to cause jet engines to fail. Other risks include the possibility of abrasion of windshields and potentially serious damage to avionic systems. These hazards have been widely recognized since the early 1980s, when volcanic ash provoked several incidents of engine failure in commercial aircraft. In addition to volcanic ash, volcanic gases also pose a threat. Prolonged and/or cumulative exposure to sulphur dioxide (SO₂) or sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) aerosols potentially affects e.g. windows, air frame and may cause permanent damage to engines. SO₂ receives most attention among the gas species commonly found in volcanic plumes because its presence above the lower troposphere is a clear proxy for a volcanic cloud and indicates that fine ash could also be present. <br><br> Up to now, remote sensing of SO₂ via Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) in the ultraviolet spectral region has been used to measure volcanic clouds from ground based, airborne and satellite platforms. Attention has been given to volcanic emission strength, chemistry inside volcanic clouds and measurement procedures were adapted accordingly. Here we present a set of experimental and model results, highlighting the feasibility of DOAS to be used as an airborne early detection system of SO₂ in two spatial dimensions. In order to prove our new concept, simultaneous airborne and ground-based measurements of the plume of Popocatépetl volcano, Mexico, were conducted in April 2010. The plume extended at an altitude around 5250 m above sea level and was approached and traversed at the same altitude with several forward looking DOAS systems aboard an airplane. These DOAS systems measured SO₂ in the flight direction and at &pm;40 mrad (2.3&deg;) angles relative to it in both, horizontal and vertical directions. The approaches started at up to 25 km distance to the plume and SO₂ was measured at all times well above the detection limit. In combination with radiative transfer studies, this study indicates that an extended volcanic cloud with a concentration of 10¹² molecules cm^&minus;3 at typical flight levels of 10 km can be detected unambiguously at distances of up to 80 km away. This range provides enough time (approx. 5 min) for pilots to take action to avoid entering a volcanic cloud in the flight path, suggesting that this technique can be used as an effective aid to prevent dangerous aircraft encounters with potentially ash rich volcanic clouds

Effect of the exogenous testosterone on the penis-prepucial adherences and fiber production in Huacaya alpacas

Se evaluó el efecto de la testosterona sobre las adherencias pene-prepuciales y producción de fibra. Se usaron 30 alpacas de 18 meses de edad, distribuidas al azar en tres grupos: machos sin tratamiento (T0), machos tratados con enantato de testosterona (0.5 mg/kg/peso vivo) cada dos semanas durante 12 semanas (T2E), y machos castrados (C0). Las adherencias pene-prepuciales, tamaño testicular, comportamiento sexual y peso corporal se evaluaron cada dos semanas, y muestras de fibra se recolectaron al inicio delestudio y al final de tres periodos experimentales. Se tuvo una fase pre-experimental de cuatro semanas donde se evaluaron los parámetros en estudio para ajustar los datos de la fase experimental. La liberación de las adherencias pene-prepuciales fue mayor en T2E que en T0 y C0 entre la semana 8 (p&lt;0.001) y la semana 12 (0.006&gt;p&lt;0.001). El incremento testicular (largo, ancho y grosor) fue mayor en T0 que en T2E entre las semanas 4 y 12 (0.01&gt;p&lt;0.0001). El diámetro de fibra fue similar entre T2E y T0, pero en ambos fue mayor que en C0 (p&lt;0.05). Los pesos de fibra sucia y limpia fueron similares en todos los grupos. El rendimiento de fibra limpia fue menor en T2E que en T0 y C0 en los periodos II y III (0.04&gt;p&lt;0.0001). El peso corporal fue mayor en T2E que en T0 y C0 (p&lt;0.05). Se concluye que la administración de testosterona a alpacas machos jóvenes fue efectiva en la liberación de las adherencias pene-prepuciales e incremento del peso corporal, pero redujo el tamaño testicular y rendimiento de fibra limpia; sin embargo, no afectó los pesos de fibra sucia y limpia ni el diámetro de fibra.The effect of testosterone on penis-prepucial adherences and production of fibre was studied in 30 alpacas. Animals were 18 months old and were distributed in three groups: without treatment (T0), treated with testosterone enanthate (0.5 mg/kg/body weight) every two weeks during 12 weeks (T2E), and castrated (C0). The penis-prepucial adherences, testicular size, sexual behavior and body weight were evaluated every two weeks, and fibre samples were collected at the beginning of the study and at the end of three experimental periods. In a 4-week pre-experimental phase all parameters were evaluated for adjusting the data of the experimental phase. Release of penis-prepucial adherences was greater in T2E than in T0 and C0 between weeks 8 (p&lt;0.001) and week 12 (0.006&gt;p&lt;0.001). Higher testicular size (length, width, and thickness) occurred in T0 than in T2E between weeks 4 and 12 (0.01&gt;p&lt;0.0001). Fibre diameter was similar in T2E and T0, but were greater than in C0 (p&lt;0.05). Clean and greasy fibre weights were similar in all groups. The clean fibre yield was less in T2E than T0 and C0 in the periods II and III (0.04&gt;p&lt;0.0001). Body weight was greater in T2E than in T0 and C0 (p&lt;0.05). It was concluded that the administration of testosterone to young male alpacas was effective in releasing penis-prepucial adherences and in body weight increase, but decreased the testicular size and clean fibre yield; however, did not affect the clean and greasy fibreweights, and fibre diameter