Occurrence of Grammicolepis brachiusculus Poey, 1873 (Pisces: Grammicolepididae) in the Azores Archipelago

Three specimens of Grammicolepis brachiusculus were caught by the commercial bottom hand and longline fisheries off Terceira and Faial Islands, Azores Archipelago. This is the first record of the species for the region, and one of few ever caught in the NE Atlantic

Stratégie alimentaire et ontogénie trophique de Scorpaena maderensis (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) des Açores, Atlantique NE

Copyright © 2014 Société Française d'Ichtyologie.Feeding habits of Scorpaena maderensis Valenciennes, 1833 from the Azores archipelago were investigated. The stomach contents of 245 specimens, collected between August 1997 and July 1999, were analysed. Decapod crustaceans and teleost fishes constitute the main food items, revealing a high level of specialization by S. maderensis. Ontogenic shifts and seasonal changes in the diet composition were observed, unveiling the adaptability and opportunistic predatory behaviour of this scorpaenid.RÉSUMÉ: Les habitudes alimentaires de Scorpaena maderensis Valenciennes, 1833 de l'archipel des Açores ont été étudiées. Les contenus stomacaux de 245 spécimens, récoltés entre août 1997 et juillet 1999, ont été analysés. Les crustacés décapodes et les téléostéens sont les principales proies de S. maderensis, indiquant un fort degré de spécialisation chez cette espèce. Des changements ontogénétiques et saisonniers de la composition du régime alimentaire révèlent l’adaptabilité et le comportement prédateur opportuniste de ce scorpaenidé

Detection of Escherichia coli O157 by Peptide Nucleic Acid Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (PNA-FISH) and Comparison to a Standard Culture Method

Despite the emergence of non-O157 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections, E. coli O157 serotype is still the most commonly identified STEC in world. It causes high morbidity and mortality, and has been responsible for a number of outbreaks in many parts of the world. Various methods have been developed to detect this particular serotype, but standard bacteriological methods remain as the gold standard.In here, we propose a new peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) method for the rapid detection of E. coli O157.Testing on 54 representative strains showed that the PNA probe is highly sensitive and specific to E. coli O157. Then, the method was optimized for the detection in food samples. Ground beef and unpasteurized milk samples were artificially contaminated with E. coli O157 concentrations ranging from 1×10-2 to 1×102 CFU per 25g or ml of food. Samples were then pre-enriched and analyzed by both the traditional bacteriological method (ISO 16654:2001) and PNA-FISH. The PNA-FISH method performed well in both types of food matrixes with a detection limit of 1 CFU/25 g or ml of food samples. Tests on 60 food samples have shown a specificity value of 100% (95% CI 82.83 - 100), a sensitivity of 97.22% (95% CI, 83.79 - 99.85) and an accuracy of 98,33% (CI 95%, 83.41 - 99.91). Results indicate that PNA-FISH performed as well as the traditional culture methods and can reduce the diagnosis time to 1 day.This work was supported by the Portuguese Institute Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT), project PIC/IC/82815/2007. C.A. acknowledges FCT for individual postdoctoral fellowship SFRH/BPD/74480/2010. We also acknowledge Biomode S.A. for providing some supplies for this project

Multi-biologic group analysis for an ecosystem response to longitudinal river regulation gradients

This work assesses the effects of river regulation on the diversity of different instream and riparian biological communities along a relieve gradient of disturbance in regulated rivers. Two case studies in Portugal were used, with different river regulation typology (downstream of run-of-river and reservoir dams), where regulated and free-flowing river stretches were surveyed for riparian vegetation, macrophytes, bryophytes, macroalgae, diatoms and macroinvertebrates. The assessment of the regulation effects on biological communities was approached by both biological and functional diversity analysis. Results of this investigation endorse river regulation as a major factor differentiating fluvial biological communities through an artificial environmental filtering that governs species assemblages by accentuating species traits related to river regulation tolerance. Communities' response to regulation gradient seem to be similar and insensitive to river regulation typology. Biological communities respond to this regulation gradient with different sensibilities and rates of response, with riparian vegetation and macroinvertebrates being the most responsive to river regulation and its gradient. Richness appears to be the best indicator for general fluvial ecological quality facing river regulation. Nevertheless, there are high correlations between the biological and functional diversity indices of different biological groups, which denotes biological connections indicative of a cascade of effects leading to an indirect influence of river regulation even on non-responsive facets of communities' biological and functional diversities. These results highlight the necessary holistic perspective of the fluvial system when assessing the effects of river regulation and the proposal of restoration measures.publishe

PNA-FISH as a new diagnostic method for the determination of clarithromycin resistance of Helicobacter pylori

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Triple therapy is the gold standard treatment for <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>eradication from the human stomach, but increased resistance to clarithromycin became the main factor of treatment failure. Until now, fastidious culturing methods are generally the method of choice to assess resistance status. In this study, a new genotypic method to detect clarithromycin resistance in clinical samples, based on fluorescent <it>in situ </it>hybridization (FISH) using a set of peptide nucleic acid probes (PNA), is proposed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The set of probes targeting the point mutations responsible for clarithromycin resistance was applied to <it>H. pylori </it>suspensions and showed 100% sensitivity and specificity (95% CI, 79.9-100 and 95% CI, 71.6-100 respectively). This method can also be amenable for application to gastric biopsy samples, as resistance to clarithromycin was also detected when histological slides were tested.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The optimized PNA-FISH based diagnostic method to detect <it>H. pylori </it>clarithromycin resistance shown to be a very sensitive and specific method for the detection of clarithromycin resistance in the <it>H. pylori </it>smears and also proved to be a reliable method for the diagnosis of this pathogen in clinical samples and an alternative to existing plating methods.</p

Design, Metallurgical Features, and Mechanical Behaviour of NiTi Endodontic Instruments from Five Different Heat-Treated Rotary Systems

UIDB/50025/2020-2023The current study aimed to compare the F1 endodontic instruments from five different heat-treated rotary systems regarding their design, metallurgical properties, and mechanical performance. Five F1 root canal shaping instruments (ProTaper Gold [PTG], Premium Taper Gold, Go-Taper Flex, EdgeTaper Platinum, and Super Files Blue)—plus, a conventional ProTaper Universal (PTU)—which were evaluated regarding their design, nickel/titanium ratio, phase transformation temperatures, microhardness, cyclic fatigue, and torsional and bending strengths. Mood's median test was used for the statistical comparison with a significance set at 5%. The instruments were similar regarding the nickel/titanium ratio and overall design. Go-Taper Flex had the closest transformation temperatures to PTG. PTU and Go-Taper Flex had the highest microhardness (408.3 and 410.5 HVN). The time to fracture of Super Files Blue was three and seven times higher than PTG and PTU, respectively. No difference was observed in the maximum torque to fracture among PTG (1.30 N·cm) and the other systems, except for the Premium Taper Gold (1.05 N·cm) and Go-Taper Flex (1.10 N·cm). Significantly lower bending loads than PTG (269.2 gf) were observed for the EdgeTaper Platinum (158.3 gf) and Premium Taper Gold (103.5 gf) instruments. Super Files Blue outperformed PTG in the cyclic fatigue test, while EdgeTaper Platinum and Premium Taper Gold were more flexible. Premium Taper Gold and Go-Taper Flex showed lower torsional strength.publishersversionpublishe

High field side launch of RF waves: A new approach to reactor actuators

Launching radio frequency (RF) waves from the high field side (HFS) of a tokamak offers significant advantages over low field side (LFS) launch with respect to both wave physics and plasma material interactions (PMI). For lower hybrid (LH) waves, the higher magnetic field opens the window between wave accessibility (n∥≡ck∥/ω>1−ω2pi/ω2+ω2pe/ω2ce−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−√+ωpe/∣∣ωce∣∣) and the condition for strong electron Landau damping (n∥∼30/Te−−−−−√ with Te in keV), allowing LH waves from the HFS to penetrate into the core of a burning plasma, while waves launched from the LFS are restricted to the periphery of the plasma. The lower n∥ of waves absorbed at higher Te yields a higher current drive efficiency as well. In the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF), HFS launch allows for direct access to the mode conversion layer where mode converted waves absorb strongly on thermal electrons and ions, thus avoiding the generation of energetic minority ion tails. The absence of turbulent heat and particle fluxes on the HFS, particularly in double null configuration, makes it the ideal location to minimize PMI damage to the antenna structure. The quiescent SOL also eliminates the need to couple LH waves across a long distance to the separatrix, as the antenna can be located close to plasma without risking damage to the structure. Improved impurity screening on the HFS will help eliminate the long-standing issues of high Z impurity accumulation with ICRF. Looking toward a fusion reactor, the HFS is the only possible location for a plasma-facing RF antenna that will survive long-term. By integrating the antenna into the blanket module it is possible to improve the tritium breeding ratio compared with an antenna occupying an equatorial port plug. Blanket modules will require remote handling of numerous cooling pipes and electrical connections, and the addition of transmission lines will not substantially increase the level of complexity. The obvious engineering challenges associated with locating antenna structures on the HFS can be overcome if HFS antennas are incorporated in the overall experimental design from the start. The Advanced Divertor and radio frequency eXperiment(ADX) will include LH and ICRF antennas located on the HFS. Compact antenna designs based on proven technologies (e.g. multi-junction and “4-way splitter” antennas) fit within the available space on the HFS of ADX. Field aligned ICRF antennas are also located on the HFS. The ADX vacuum vessel design includes dedicated space for transmission lines, pressure windows, and vacuum feedthrus for accessing the HFS wall

Correlation ECE diagnostic in Alcator C-Mod

Correlation ECE (CECE) is a diagnostic technique that allows measurement of small amplitude electron temperature, T[subscript e], fluctuations through standard cross-correlation analysis methods. In Alcator C-Mod, a new CECE diagnostic has been installed[Sung RSI 2012], and interesting phenomena have been observed in various plasma conditions. We find that local T[subscript e] fluctuations near the edge (ρ ~ 0:8) decrease across the linearto- saturated ohmic confinement transition, with fluctuations decreasing with increasing plasma density[Sung NF 2013], which occurs simultaneously with rotation reversals[Rice NF 2011]. T[subscript e] fluctuations are also reduced across core rotation reversals with an increase of plasma density in RF heated L-mode plasmas, which implies that the same physics related to the reduction of T[subscript e] fluctuations may be applied to both ohmic and RF heated L-mode plasmas. In I-mode plasmas, we observe the reduction of core T[subscript e] fluctuations, which indicates changes of turbulence occur not only in the pedestal region but also in the core across the L/I transition[White NF 2014]. The present CECE diagnostic system in C-Mod and these experimental results are described in this paper

Distribution of feline AB blood types : a review of frequencies and its implications in the Iberian Peninsula

The objective of this study was to document the prevalence of feline blood types in the Iberian Peninsula and to determine the potential risk of incompatibility-related transfusion reactions in unmatched transfusions and the potential risk of neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) in kittens born to parents of unknown blood type. Blood samples were obtained from blood donors of the Animal Blood Bank (BSA-Banco de Sangue Animal). Blood typing was performed using a card method (RapidVet-H Feline Blood Typing; MDS). The studied population comprised 1070 purebred and non-purebred cats from Portugal and Spain aged between 1 and 8 years. Overall, frequencies of blood types A and B were 96.5% and 3.5%, respectively. No AB cats were found. Based on these data, the potential risks of NI and transfusion reactions in unmatched transfusions were calculated to be 6.8% and 2.8%, respectively. Unlike previous studies, no type AB cats were found in this study. Although the calculated potential risks of transfusion reaction in unmatched transfusions and neonatal isoerythrolysis were low, blood typing prior to blood transfusion and blood typing of cats for breeding purposes are highly recommended