Developmental changes in the histological structure of the testes, and testosterone profiles in male guinea fowls (Numida meleagris)

Owing to the paucity of information on the reproductive biology of guinea fowls, a study involving a total of 66 males was conducted, and documented the developmental changes in histological structure of the testes of guinea cocks from hatching until adulthood. Changes in testosterone synthesis during sexual development were also determined. Age-related changes were analysed using univariate analysis for completely randomised design and means separated using Tukey's test/Kruskal-Wallis test and medians separated by Mann-Whitney U test. Total germ cell population per testis and testicular histological morphometric parameters increased significantly (p < 0.0001) from 12 weeks of age (WOA), and stabilized between 20 and 24 WOA. Peripheral testosterone concentrations increased gradually from 4 WOA, and peaked at 20 WOA. Correlations among all the testicular morphometric parameters were positive and highly significant (p < 0.01). Similarly, significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations existed between testicular weight and testicular sperm production, tubular diameter, Sertoli cell population, tubular length and peripheral testosterone concentration. Testicular sperm production was positively correlated with meiotic index (p < 0.01) and round spermatids population (p < 0.05). The correlations between peripheral testosterone concentrations, tubular diameter and Sertoli efficiency were also significant (p < 0.05) and positive. Testicular morphometric parameters stabilized between 20 and 24 WOA, while peripheral testosterone concentrations showed two patterns of secretion, initial and final phases of increasing and decreasing testosterone secretions, respectively, and may be implicated in the development of histological structures of the testes and spermatogenesis. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bilateral neuroarthropathy 11 years after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant for Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Objective: To report a case of a man who developed bilateral Charcot arthropathic feet 11 years after a simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant (SPKT) for type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). The patient had remained normoglycemic after surgery. Methods: We present a retrospective review of the case notes and serial imaging. Results: The patient developed dense peripheral diabetic neuropathy due to poor glycemic control. His biochemical markers of DM all normalized following SPKT, and he was discharged by his primary and secondary care diabetes services. Eleven years later, he developed Charcot arthropathy in one foot and, within a month, the other foot as well. Conclusion: Individuals with DM who had preoperative end organ diabetes-related damage who went into biochemical remission after SPKT may be at risk for future complications. They should not be discharged from specialist diabetes services, and they need continued education about foot care

Mortality Associated With Acute Charcot Foot and Neuropathic Foot Ulceration

To compare the mortality of patients with an acute Charcot foot with a matched population with uninfected neuropathic foot ulcers (NFUs). Data were extracted from a specialist departmental database, supplemented by hospital records. The findings were compared with the results of earlier populations with Charcot foot and uninfected NFUs managed from 1980. Finally, the results of all patients with acute Charcot foot and all control subjects managed between 1980 and 2007 were compared with normative mortality data for the U.K. population. A total of 70 patients presented with an acute Charcot foot (mean age 57.4 +/- 12.0 years; 48 male [68.6%]) between 2001 and 2007; there were 66 matched control subjects. By 1 October 2008, 13 (eight male; 18.6%) patients with a Charcot foot had died, after a median of 2.1 years (interquartile range 1.1-3.3). Twenty-two (20 male; 33.3%) control subjects had also died after a median of 1.3 years (0.6-2.5). There was no difference in survival between the two groups (log-rank P > 0.05). Median survival of all 117 patients with acute Charcot foot managed between 1980 and 2007 was 7.88 years (4.0-15.4) and was not significantly different from the control NFU patients (8.43 years [3.4-15.8]). When compared with normative U.K. population data, life expectancy in the two groups was reduced by 14.4 and 13.9 years, respectively. These data confirm that the mortality in patients presenting to our unit with either an acute Charcot foot and an uninfected neuropathic ulcer was unexpectedly hig

Deployment characterization of a floatable tidal energy converter on a tidal channel, Ria Formosa, Portugal

This paper presents the results of a pilot experiment with an existing tidal energy converter (TEC), Evopod 1 kW floatable prototype, in a real test case scenario (Faro Channel, Ria Formosa, Portugal). A baseline marine geophysical, hydrodynamic and ecological study based on the experience collected on the test site is presented. The collected data was used to validate a hydro-morphodynamic model, allowing the selection of the installation area based on both operational and environmental constraints. Operational results related to the description of power generation capacity, energy capture area and proportion of energy flux are presented and discussed, including the failures occurring during the experimental setup. The data is now available to the scientific community and to TEC industry developers, enhancing the operational knowledge of TEC technology concerning efficiency, environmental effects, and interactions (i.e. device/environment). The results can be used by developers on the licensing process, on overcoming the commercial deployment barriers, on offering extra assurance and confidence to investors, who traditionally have seen environmental concerns as a barrier, and on providing the foundations whereupon similar deployment areas can be considered around the world for marine tidal energy extraction.Acknowledgements The paper is a contribution to the SCORE project, funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT e PTDC/ AAG-TEC/1710/2014). Andre Pacheco was supported by the Portu- guese Foundation for Science and Technology under the Portuguese Researchers' Programme 2014 entitled “Exploring new concepts for extracting energy from tides” (IF/00286/2014/CP1234). Eduardo GGorbena has received funding for the OpTiCA project from the ~ Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions of the European Union's H2020- MSCA-IF-EF-RI-2016/under REA grant agreement n [748747]. The authors would like to thank to the Portuguese Maritime Authorities and Sofareia SA for their help on the deployment.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Effect of Control Strategy on Tidal Stream Turbine Performance in Laboratory and Field Experiments

The first aim of the research presented here is to examine the effect of turbine control by comparing a passive open-loop control strategy with a constant rotational speed proportional–integral–derivative (PID) feedback loop control applied to the same experimental turbine. The second aim is to evaluate the effect of unsteady inflow on turbine performance by comparing results from a towing-tank, in the absence of turbulence, with results from the identical machine in a tidal test site. The results will also inform the reader of: (i) the challenges of testing tidal turbines in unsteady tidal flow conditions in comparison to the controlled laboratory environment; (ii) calibration of acoustic Doppler flow measurement instruments; (iii) characterising the inflow to a turbine and identifying the uncertainties from unsteady inflow conditions by adaptation of the International Electrotechnical Commission technical specification (IEC TS): 62600-200. The research shows that maintaining a constant rotational speed with a control strategy yields a 13.7% higher peak power performance curve in the unsteady flow environment, in comparison to an open-loop control strategy. The research also shows an 8.0% higher peak power performance in the lab compared to the field, demonstrating the effect of unsteady flow conditions on power performance. The research highlights the importance of a tidal turbines control strategy when designing experiments

Dehydration-Induced Loss of Corrosion Protection Properties in Chromate Conversion Coatings on Aluminum Alloy 2024-T3

It is well known that chromate conversion coatings (CCCs) exhibit a prompt loss in corrosion resistance when exposed to moderately elevated temperatures (60-100°C). They also suffer a gradual loss in corrosion resistance due to ambient temperature exposure. To better understand the origins of losses in corrosion resistance, CCCs were formed on 99.99% Al, 1100 Al [Al-1.0(Fe, Si, Cu)], and 2024-T3 (Al-4.4Cu-1.5Mg-0.6Mn), exposed to elevated and ambient temperature exposures for various lengths of time, and characterized using several different methods. The Cr(VI):total Cr ratio in CCCs was estimated by analysis of data derived from X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Corrosion resistance was measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The evolution of shrinkage cracking was examined by environmental scanning electron microscopy. Cr(VI) leaching experiments were also carried out to characterize the effect of thermal exposure on Cr(VI) release. Thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction were conducted to characterize the temperature-dependent changes in CCCs. Results show that CCCs degrade in several distinct steps over the temperature range of 20 to 500°C. Our findings support the longstanding notion that dehydration is the root cause for losses in corrosion resistance due to aging at ambient and low temperatures (<150°C). Extended X-ray fine structure measurements indicate a shortening in Cr(III)-Cr(III) nearest neighbor distances upon dehydration. This is interpreted as a consolidation in the Cr(OH)_3 backbone of the CCC which leads to shrinkage cracking and immobilization of Cr(VI). This finding is important because it links older observations of the effects of aging and heating on CCCs to newer interpretations of CCC formation based on inorganic polymerization. Overall, these results reveal CCCs to be highly dynamic coatings with corrosion resistance properties that vary considerably in both the short term and long term

Risks of Nontraumatic Lower-Extremity Amputations in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes: A population-based cohort study in Sweden

OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this study was to estimate the risks of nontraumatic lower-extremity amputations (LEAs) in patients with type 1 diabetes