Views of dairy farmers,agricultural advisors,and lay citizens on the ideal dairy farm

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the shared and divergent views among Brazilian dairy farmers, agricultural advisors, and lay citizens on what characteristics they viewed were most important on an ideal dairy farm. Responses from 107 dairy farmers, 170 agricultural advisors (including veterinarians), and 280 lay citizens were subjected to thematic analyses. Five themes were identified: milk quality, animal welfare, economics, society, and the environment. Although all 3 groups made reference to each of the 5 themes, they emphasized different characteristics. The lay citizens placed the most emphasis on milk quality. In contrast, both the farmers and the advisors highlighted economics as the most important characteristic of an ideal dairy farm. When considering only animal welfare, we noted differences in the use of the constructs of animal welfare: farmers and advisors referred mostly to aspects related to biological functioning, whereas lay citizens emphasized affective states and naturalness. All 3 stakeholder groups referred to the use of pasture as being an important component of an ideal dairy farm but again differed in their reasons; citizens referred to pasture in the context of naturalness, whereas the other 2 stakeholder groups almost always referred to pasture using economic terms. Technology was highlighted by all 3 groups as an important characteristic of an ideal dairy farm but differences were noted in their justification for this view. For example, lay citizens viewed technology as a tool to improve milk quality, whereas farmers and advisors both referred to technology as an important vehicle to improve quality of life for those working in the industry. Lay citizens raised several concerns associated with the overuse of antibiotics and other chemicals, but farmers and advisors rarely mentioned these types of concerns. The latter 2 stakeholders placed considerable emphasis on the quality of life of dairy farmers and workers, an issue rarely discussed by lay citizens. Overall, our findings highlight several disconnects between the expectations of the lay citizens, and farmers and their advisors. We suggest that dairy farmers and agricultural advisors should both reflect on the desires of the lay public in what they view to be an ideal dairy farm, as this may help bridge some of the current disconnects.     

Plasma polymer coated surfaces for serum-free culture of limbal epithelium for ocular surface disease

The potential use of plasma polymer coatings as substrates for serum-free expansion of limbal epithelial cells was investigated. Preliminary studies using a human corneal epithelial cell line showed that acrylic acid-coated surfaces performed better than allyl amine and allyl alcohol coated surfaces in terms of cell metabolic activity and confluence as assessed using the MTT assay. Subsequently, the proliferation and maturity of primary human limbal epithelial cells in co-culture with growth arrested 3T3 fibroblasts on a range of acrylic acid plasma coated surfaces, octadiene plasma coated surfaces and tissue culture plastic was investigated using MTT and cytokeratin 3 immunostaining. The cells performed better in the presence of serum on all surfaces. However, the acrylic acid coated surfaces successfully sustained a serum-free fibroblast/epithelial cell co-culture. The metabolic activity of the epithelial cells was superior on the acrylic acid coated surfaces than on tissue culture plastic in serum-free conditions and their levels of differentiation were not significantly higher than in the presence of serum. These results suggest that these surfaces can be used successfully for the serum-free expansion of human limbal epithelial cells.     

Silicon nitride layers of various n-content: Technology, properties and structure

Two series of amorphous silicon nitride layers (a-SiN_x:H) were formed with Radio Frequency Chemical Vapor Deposition method (13.56 MHz) from a NH₃/SiH₄ gas mixture: the first one on Si (001) and the second on glass. The deposition process was repeated at various [NH₃]/[SiH₄] ratios, while the other parameters (pressure, plasma generator power, substrate temperature, total gas flow, and time) were kept constant. It has been confirmed in optical measurements that the refractive indexes decrease for the layers obtained at increasing [NH₃]/[SiH₄] ratios. Simultaneously, the position of the band assigned to Si-H stretching vibrations (at about 2100 cm^− 1) shifts towards higher frequencies. The observed dependencies were applied in evaluation of nitrogen and hydrogen contents in the respective layers. It has been shown that when [NH₃]/[SiH₄] increases from 0 (no silane flow) to 0.2 then the a-SiN_x:H layers of x = [N]/[Si] increasing between 0 and nearly 1.4 may be obtained. The obtained layers have the refractive indexes higher than 2.1 and lower than 2.7 which make them good materials for antireflective coatings on crystalline and multicrystalline silicon solar cells.     

Degenerative process and cell death in salivary glands of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) (Acari: Ixodidae) semi-engorged female exposed to the acaricide permethrin

Ticks are ectoparasites of great medical and veterinary importance around the world and synthetic chemicals such as permethrin have been used for their control. This study provides a cytochemistry analysis of both degenerative and cell death processes in salivary glands of the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus semi-engorged females exposed to 206, 1,031, and 2,062 ppm of permethrin. The results presented herein demonstrate that permethrin is a potent chemical acaricide that would act on the glandular tissue's morphophysiology in this tick species by eliciting severe changes in the acinus shape, intense vacuolation of the acinar cells' cytoplasm, marked glandular tissue disorganization, culminating in an advanced degenerative stage with consequent formation of many apoptotic bodies (cell death). In addition, permethrin induced major changes in the acinar cells' nucleus, such as a change both in its shape and size, chromatin marginalization, nuclear fragmentation, and appearance of picnotic nuclei, especially when the highest concentrations of the product were used. Thus, permethrin induced early degeneration of this tissue characterized by significant changes in the structure of acinar cells and production of enzymes related to the cell death process, in addition to interfering directly in the genetic material of these cells.     

WIRES: A Methodology for Developing Workflow Applications

Workflow management systems are becoming a relevant support for a large class of business applications, and many workflow models as well as commercial products are currently available. While the large availability of tools facilitates the development and the fulfilment of customer requirements, workflow application development still requires methodological guidelines that drive the developers in the complex task of rapidly producing effective applications. In fact, it is necessary to identify and model the business processes, to design the interfaces towards existing cooperating systems, and to manage implementation aspects in an integrated way. This paper presents the WIRES methodology for developing workflow applications under a uniform modelling paradigm – UML modelling tools with some extensions – that covers all the life cycle of these applications: from conceptual analysis to implementation. High-level analysis is performed under different perspectives, including a business and an organisational perspective. Distribution, interoperability and cooperation with external information systems are considered in this early stage. A set of “workflowability” criteria is provided in order to identify which candidate processes are suited to be implemented as workflows. Non-functional requirements receive particular emphasis in that they are among the most important criteria for deciding whether workflow technology can be actually useful for implementing the business process at hand. The design phase tackles aspects of concurrency and cooperation, distributed transactions and exception handling. Reuse of component workflows, available in a repository as workflow fragments, is a distinguishing feature of the method. Implementation aspects are presented in terms of rules that guide in the selection of a commercial workflow management system suitable for supporting the designed processes, coupled with guidelines for mapping the designed workflows onto the model offered by the selected system.     

Microstructure study of poly(isobutyl acrylate) and poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">sec</Emphasis>-butyl acrylate) by incremental analysis of <Superscript>13</Superscript>C NMR spectra

Microstructure of poly(isobutyl acrylate) (PiBuA) and poly(sec-butyl acrylate) (PsBuA), prepared by free radical and anionic polymerization, was investigated by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The carbonyl signal in the 100 MHz ¹³C NMR spectra of both homopolymers provided sufficient resolution to perform detailed analysis of distribution of configurational sequences at the pentad/heptad level. Application of Bernoulli and first order Markov statistics to determine probabilities of configurational sequences and incremental calculation to estimate chemical shifts of the individual sequences allowed for positive simulation of carbonyl signals.     

The Non-Erythropoietic EPO Analogue Cibinetide Inhibits Osteoclastogenesis In Vitro and Increases Bone Mineral Density in Mice

The two erythropoietin (EPO) receptor forms mediate different cellular responses to erythropoietin. While hematopoiesis is mediated via the homodimeric EPO receptor (EPOR), tissue protection is conferred via a heteromer composed of EPOR and CD131. In the skeletal system, EPO stimulates osteoclast precursors and induces bone loss. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still elusive. Here, we evaluated the role of the heteromeric complex in bone metabolism in vivo and in vitro by using Cibinetide (CIB), a non-erythropoietic EPO analogue that exclusively binds the heteromeric receptor. CIB is administered either alone or in combination with EPO. One month of CIB treatment significantly increased the cortical (~5.8%) and trabecular (~5.2%) bone mineral density in C57BL/6J WT female mice. Similarly, administration of CIB for five consecutive days to female mice that concurrently received EPO on days one and four, reduced the number of osteoclast progenitors, defined by flow cytometry as Lin⁻CD11b⁻Ly6C^hi CD115⁺, by 42.8% compared to treatment with EPO alone. In addition, CIB alone or in combination with EPO inhibited osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Our findings introduce CIB either as a stand-alone treatment, or in combination with EPO, as an appealing candidate for the treatment of the bone loss that accompanies EPO treatment.     

Film Blowing of Biodegradable Polymer Nanocomposites for Agricultural Applications

Films for agricultural applications, such as greenhouses films or mulching films are generally made of polyolefins such as linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) or low-density polyethylene. However, the use of biodegradable and/or compostable polymers is increasing, which enjoy the additional advantage that they can be left on the site since a fine life would be gradually assimilated to the underlying soil. Nevertheless, biodegradable polymeric films often do not have suitable mechanical performances. In this work, biodegradable polymer-based nanocomposite films are prepared by film blowing and compared with traditional LLDPE based nanocomposites. In particular, a biodegradable polymer blend and two different inorganic nanofillers (an organo-modified clay and a calcium carbonate with a hydrophobic coating) are used for the preparation of the nanocomposites. A detailed investigation of obtained materials is performed through rheological, mechanical, and optical characterizations. Adding nanofillers led to an increase of rigidity and tear strength of blown films without negatively affecting their ductility.     

Easy Preparation of Liposome@PDA Microspheres for Fast and Highly Efficient Removal of Methylene Blue from Water

Mussel-inspired chemistry was usefully exploited here with the aim of developing a high-efficiency, environmentally friendly material for water remediation. A micro-structured material based on polydopamine (PDA) was obtained by using liposomes as templating agents and was used for the first time as an adsorbent material for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. Phospholipid liposomes were made by extrusion and coated with PDA by self-polymerization of dopamine under simple and mild conditions. The obtained Liposome@PDA microspheres were characterized by DLS and Zeta potential analysis, TEM microscopy, and FTIR spectroscopy. The effects of pH, temperature, MB concentration, amount of Liposome@PDA, and contact time on the adsorption process were investigated. Results showed that the highest adsorption capacity was obtained in weakly alkaline conditions (pH = 8.0) and that it could reach up to 395.4 mg g⁻¹ at 298 K. In addition, adsorption kinetics showed that the adsorption behavior fits a pseudo-second-order kinetic model well. The equilibrium adsorption data, instead, were well described by Langmuir isotherm. Thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous (ΔG⁰ = −12.55 kJ mol⁻¹, ΔH⁰ = 13.37 kJ mol⁻¹) in the investigated experimental conditions. Finally, the applicability of Liposome@PDA microspheres to model wastewater and the excellent reusability after regeneration by removing MB were demonstrated.     

Multiple Functions for Secondary Metabolites in Encrusting Marine Invertebrates

We used three chemical fractions (spanning a wide range of polarities) from the extracts of four marine invertebrates, the spongesCrambe crambe andHemimycale columella and the ascidiansCystodytes dellechiajei andPolysyncraton lacazei, to test inhibition of cell division, photosynthesis, and settlement. We used assay organisms from the same habitat, seeking to determine whether a species may display diverse, ecologically relevant bioac-tivities and, if so, whether the same types of compound may be responsible for such activities. Cell division was strongly inhibited by the spongeC. crambe. A dichloromethane fraction fromC. crambe prevented development of sea urchinParacentrotus lividus eggs at a concentration of 10 μg/ml, as did the butanolic fraction, but at higher concentrations (50 and 100 μg/ml). At 50 μg/ml, the aqueous fraction ofC. crambe allowed cell division but prevented eggs from developing beyond the gastrula stage. Similar results were recorded with the dichloromethane fraction ofP. lacazei and from the aqueous fraction ofH. columella. Photosynthesis was unaffected by any of the species at 50 μg/ml. Larval settlement was inhibited by one or another fraction from the four species surveyed at a concentration of 50 μg/ml, althoughC. crambe exhibited the greatest amount of activity. We therefore found that various fractions displayed the same type of bioactivity, while compounds from the same fraction were responsible for multiple activities, suggesting that secondary metabolites are multiple-purpose tools in nature, which is relevant to our understanding of species ecology and evolution. Moreover, results showed that the assessment of the role of chemical compounds is significantly influenced by the assay organism, fractionation procedure, concentration, and duration of experiments. All these factors should be carefully considered when testing ecological hypotheses of the roles of chemically-mediated bioactivities.