Influence of Swimming Deprivation on Behavior, Performance and some Blood Parameters of Muscovy Ducks

This experiment was done to determine the effect of swimming deprivation on drinking behaviour, feather pecking behavior, feed consumption, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, live body weight, slaughter weight, carcass weight and dressing percentage, serum corticosterone, triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4) of Muscovy ducks. Two groups were used; the first one is the control group fed on basal diet with free access to swimming pond, and the second fed on basal diet without access to swimming pond. The previous parameters were recorded daily or weekly during the experiment or after slaughtering for collecting blood parameters. The results explained that, there was an insignificant decrease in drinking behavior and significant increase in feather pecking. However, there was an insignificant decrease in feed consumption, live body weight, feed conversion, weight gain, dressing percentage, liver weight and serum corticosterone level. There was an insignificant decrease in T3 and T4 level and significant increase in feather pecking behaviour. It could be concluded that, swimming deprivation at the end of the fattening period of ducks had an adverse effect on some duck behaviors but it have no significant effect on improvement of performance parameters and carcass characters

Force feeding as a Stress Factor on Muscovy Ducks

The experiment was done to determine the effects of force feeding on drinking, panting behaviors, feed consumption, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, live body weight, slaughter weight, carcass weight and dressing percentage, serum corticosterone, triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4) of Muscovy ducks. Two groups were used; the first one was the control group, which fed on basal diet only and the second group was force fed by grabbing the neck, and a metal or plastic tube 8 to 12 inches long was inserted down the esophagus. Ducklings were forced to ingest a greater amount of food than what they would eat voluntarily. The previous parameters were recorded daily or weekly during the experiment or after slaughtering. Blood samples for separation of serum were collected after slaughtering. The results explained that, there was an insignificant increase in drinking behavior. However, there was a significant increase in feed consumption, live body weight, feed conversion, weight gain, dressing percentage, panting behavior, liver weight and serum corticosterone level while there was a significant decrease in T3 and T4 level. It could be concluded that, force feeding at the end of the fattening period of ducks had adverse effect on some duck behaviors and some blood parameters but led to improvement in performance parameters and carcass characters

About Bianchi I with VSL

In this paper we study how to attack, through different techniques, a perfect fluid Bianchi I model with variable G,c and Lambda, but taking into account the effects of a $c$-variable into the curvature tensor. We study the model under the assumption,div(T)=0. These tactics are: Lie groups method (LM), imposing a particular symmetry, self-similarity (SS), matter collineations (MC) and kinematical self-similarity (KSS). We compare both tactics since they are quite similar (symmetry principles). We arrive to the conclusion that the LM is too restrictive and brings us to get only the flat FRW solution. The SS, MC and KSS approaches bring us to obtain all the quantities depending on \int c(t)dt. Therefore, in order to study their behavior we impose some physical restrictions like for example the condition q<0 (accelerating universe). In this way we find that $c$ is a growing time function and Lambda is a decreasing time function whose sing depends on the equation of state, w, while the exponents of the scale factor must satisfy the conditions $\sum_{i=1}^{3}\alpha_{i}=1$ and $\sum_{i=1}^{3}\alpha_{i}^{2}<1,$ $\forall\omega$, i.e. for all equation of state$,$ relaxing in this way the Kasner conditions. The behavior of $G$ depends on two parameters, the equation of state $\omega$ and $\epsilon,$ a parameter that controls the behavior of $c(t),$ therefore $G$ may be growing or decreasing.We also show that through the Lie method, there is no difference between to study the field equations under the assumption of a $c-$var affecting to the curvature tensor which the other one where it is not considered such effects.Nevertheless, it is essential to consider such effects in the cases studied under the SS, MC, and KSS hypotheses.Comment: 29 pages, Revtex4, Accepted for publication in Astrophysics & Space Scienc

Modeling of the condyle elements within a biomechanical knee model

The development of a computational multibody knee model able to capture some of the fundamental properties of the human knee articulation is presented. This desideratum is reached by including the kinetics of the real knee articulation. The research question is whether an accurate modeling of the condyle contact in the knee will lead to reproduction of the complex combination of flexion/extension, abduction/adduction and tibial rotation ob-served in the real knee? The model is composed by two anatomic segments, the tibia and the femur, whose characteristics are functions of the geometric and anatomic properties of the real bones. The biomechanical model characterization is developed under the framework of multibody systems methodologies using Cartesian coordinates. The type of approach used in the proposed knee model is the joint surface contact conditions between ellipsoids, represent-ing the two femoral condyles, and points, representing the tibial plateau and the menisci. These elements are closely fitted to the actual knee geometry. This task is undertaken by con-sidering a parameter optimization process to replicate experimental data published in the lit-erature, namely that by Lafortune and his co-workers in 1992. Then, kinematic data in the form of flexion/extension patterns are imposed on the model corresponding to the stance phase of the human gait. From the results obtained, by performing several computational simulations, it can be observed that the knee model approximates the average secondary mo-tion patterns observed in the literature. Because the literature reports considerable inter-individual differences in the secondary motion patterns, the knee model presented here is also used to check whether it is possible to reproduce the observed differences with reasonable variations of bone shape parameters. This task is accomplished by a parameter study, in which the main variables that define the geometry of condyles are taken into account. It was observed that the data reveal a difference in secondary kinematics of the knee in flexion ver-sus extension. The likely explanation for this fact is the elastic component of the secondary motions created by the combination of joint forces and soft tissue deformations. The proposed knee model is, therefore, used to investigate whether this observed behavior can be explained by reasonable elastic deformations of the points representing the menisci in the model.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - PROPAFE – Design and Development of a Patello-Femoral Prosthesis (PTDC/EME-PME/67687/2006), DACHOR - Multibody Dynamics and Control of Hybrid Active Orthoses MIT-Pt/BSHHMS/0042/2008, BIOJOINTS - Development of advanced biological joint models for human locomotion biomechanics (PTDC/EME-PME/099764/2008)

Optimization of self-nanoemulsifying formulations for weakly basic lipophilic drugs: role of acidification and experimental design

ABSTRACT Formulators face great challenges in adopting systematic approaches for designing self-nanoemulsifying formulations (SNEFs) for different drug categories. In this study, we aimed to build-up an advanced SNEF development framework for weakly basic lipophilic drugs, such as cinnarizine (CN). First, the influence of formulation acidification on CN solubility was investigated. Second, formulation self-emulsification in media with different pH was assessed. Experimentally designed phase diagrams were also utilized for advanced optimization of CN-SNEF. Finally, the optimized formulation was examined using cross polarizing light microscopy for the presence of liquid crystals. CN solubility was significantly enhanced upon external and internal acidification. Among the various fatty acids, oleic acid-based formulations showed superior self-emulsification in all the tested media. Surprisingly, formulation turbidity and droplet size significantly decreased upon equilibration with CN. The design was validated using oleic acid/Imwitor308/Cremophor El (25/25/50), which showed excellent self-nanoemulsification, 43-nm droplet size (for CN-equilibrated formulations), and 88 mg/g CN solubility. In contrast to CN-free formulations, CN-loaded SNEF presented lamellar liquid crystals upon 50% aqueous dilution. These findings confirmed that CN-SNEF efficiency was greatly enhanced upon drug incorporation. The adopted strategy offers fast and accurate development of SNEFs and could be extrapolated for other weakly basic lipophilic drugs

Bianchi II with time varying constants. Self-similar approach

We study a perfect fluid Bianchi II models with time varying constants under the self-similarity approach. In the first of the studied model, we consider that only vary $G$ and $\Lambda.$ The obtained solution is more general that the obtained one for the classical solution since it is valid for an equation of state $\omega\in(-1,\infty)$ while in the classical solution $\omega\in(-1/3,1) .$ Taking into account the current observations, we conclude that $G$ must be a growing time function while $\Lambda$ is a positive decreasing function. In the second of the studied models we consider a variable speed of light (VSL). We obtain a similar solution as in the first model arriving to the conclusions that $c$ must be a growing time function if $\Lambda$ is a positive decreasing function.Comment: 10 pages. RevTeX

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Background Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18–49, 50–69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results NNVs were more favourable in surgical patients than the general population. The most favourable NNVs were in patients aged 70 years or more needing cancer surgery (351; best case 196, worst case 816) or non-cancer surgery (733; best case 407, worst case 1664). Both exceeded the NNV in the general population (1840; best case 1196, worst case 3066). NNVs for surgical patients remained favourable at a range of SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates in sensitivity analysis modelling. Globally, prioritizing preoperative vaccination of patients needing elective surgery ahead of the general population could prevent an additional 58 687 (best case 115 007, worst case 20 177) COVID-19-related deaths in 1 year. Conclusion As global roll out of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination proceeds, patients needing elective surgery should be prioritized ahead of the general population

Global surveillance of cancer survival 1995-2009: analysis of individual data for 25,676,887 patients from 279 population-based registries in 67 countries (CONCORD-2)

BACKGROUND: Worldwide data for cancer survival are scarce. We aimed to initiate worldwide surveillance of cancer survival by central analysis of population-based registry data, as a metric of the effectiveness of health systems, and to inform global policy on cancer control. METHODS: Individual tumour records were submitted by 279 population-based cancer registries in 67 countries for 25·7 million adults (age 15-99 years) and 75,000 children (age 0-14 years) diagnosed with cancer during 1995-2009 and followed up to Dec 31, 2009, or later. We looked at cancers of the stomach, colon, rectum, liver, lung, breast (women), cervix, ovary, and prostate in adults, and adult and childhood leukaemia. Standardised quality control procedures were applied; errors were corrected by the registry concerned. We estimated 5-year net survival, adjusted for background mortality in every country or region by age (single year), sex, and calendar year, and by race or ethnic origin in some countries. Estimates were age-standardised with the International Cancer Survival Standard weights. FINDINGS: 5-year survival from colon, rectal, and breast cancers has increased steadily in most developed countries. For patients diagnosed during 2005-09, survival for colon and rectal cancer reached 60% or more in 22 countries around the world; for breast cancer, 5-year survival rose to 85% or higher in 17 countries worldwide. Liver and lung cancer remain lethal in all nations: for both cancers, 5-year survival is below 20% everywhere in Europe, in the range 15-19% in North America, and as low as 7-9% in Mongolia and Thailand. Striking rises in 5-year survival from prostate cancer have occurred in many countries: survival rose by 10-20% between 1995-99 and 2005-09 in 22 countries in South America, Asia, and Europe, but survival still varies widely around the world, from less than 60% in Bulgaria and Thailand to 95% or more in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the USA. For cervical cancer, national estimates of 5-year survival range from less than 50% to more than 70%; regional variations are much wider, and improvements between 1995-99 and 2005-09 have generally been slight. For women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2005-09, 5-year survival was 40% or higher only in Ecuador, the USA, and 17 countries in Asia and Europe. 5-year survival for stomach cancer in 2005-09 was high (54-58%) in Japan and South Korea, compared with less than 40% in other countries. By contrast, 5-year survival from adult leukaemia in Japan and South Korea (18-23%) is lower than in most other countries. 5-year survival from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is less than 60% in several countries, but as high as 90% in Canada and four European countries, which suggests major deficiencies in the management of a largely curable disease. INTERPRETATION: International comparison of survival trends reveals very wide differences that are likely to be attributable to differences in access to early diagnosis and optimum treatment. Continuous worldwide surveillance of cancer survival should become an indispensable source of information for cancer patients and researchers and a stimulus for politicians to improve health policy and health-care systems