Different durations of whole raw soybean supplementation during the prepartum period: Measures of cellular immune function in transition cows

The objective of this study was to evaluate different durations of whole raw soybean (WS) supplementation (diet rich in n-6 fatty acid) during the prepartum period on cellular immune function of dairy cows in the transition period and early lactation. Thirty-one Holstein cows were used in a completely randomized design and assigned to 4 experimental groups (G) [G90, G60, G30, and G0 (control)] supplemented with a diet containing 12% of WS from 90, 60, 30 and 0 d relative to the calving date, respectively. Cows were dried off 60 d before the expected calving date. After parturition, all cows were fed a diet containing 12% of WS until 84 DIM. Blood samples were collected before the morning feeding (d ?56 ± 2, ?28 ± 2, ?14 ± 2, ?7 ± 2, at the day of partum, 7 ± 2, 14 ± 2, 28 ± 2, and 56 ± 2 relative to parturition). Cell phenotyping and phagocytosis assays were carried out using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry technique. Duration of WS supplementation linearly increased the percentage of blood CD3⁺ cells, as well as increased the percentage of blood CD8⁺ cells in the postpartum period, notably in G30, whereas the lowest values were observed in G0. Further, the duration of WS supplementation linearly increased the reactive oxygen species median fluorescence intensity of CH138⁺ cells after phagocytizing Staphylococcus aureus in the postpartum period. Longer periods of WS supplementation linearly increased phagocytosis median fluorescence intensity of CH138⁺ cells in the prepartum period of cows. Duration of WS supplementation linearly increased the percentage of blood CD14⁺ cells producing reactive oxygen species when stimulated either by Staph. aureus or Escherichia coli in the postpartum period. In conclusion, longer periods of WS supplementation during late lactation and the dry period (beginning on d 90 of the expected calving date) alter the leukocyte population and improve neutrophil immune response in the postpartum period with no detrimental effects on cow performance.     

OWL‐based acquisition and editing of computer‐interpretable guidelines with the CompGuide editor

Computer‐Interpretable Guidelines (CIGs) are the dominant medium for the delivery of clinical decision support, given the evidence‐based nature of their source material. Therefore, these machine‐readable versions have the ability to improve practitioner performance and conformance to standards, with availability at the point and time of care. The formalisation of Clinical Practice Guideline knowledge in a machine‐readable format is a crucial task to make it suitable for the integration in Clinical Decision Support Systems. However, the current tools for this purpose reveal shortcomings with respect to their ease of use and the support offered during CIG acquisition and editing. In this work, we characterise the current landscape of CIG acquisition tools based on the properties of guideline visualisation, organisation, simplicity, automation, manipulation of knowledge elements, and guideline storage and dissemination. Additionally, we describe the CompGuide Editor, a tool for the acquisition of CIGs in the CompGuide model for Clinical Practice Guidelines that also allows the editing of previously encoded guidelines. The Editor guides the users throughout the process of guideline encoding and does not require proficiency in any programming language. The features of the CIG encoding process are revealed through a comparison with already established tools for CIG acquisition.     

Higher-Order Adaptive Finite Difference Methods for Fully Nonlinear Elliptic Equations

We introduce generalised finite difference methods for solving fully nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations. Methods are based on piecewise Cartesian meshes augmented by additional points along the boundary. This allows for adaptive meshes and complicated geometries, while still ensuring consistency, monotonicity, and convergence. We describe an algorithm for efficiently computing the non-traditional finite difference stencils. We also present a strategy for computing formally higher-order convergent methods. Computational examples demonstrate the efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility of the methods.     

Extracellular Vesicles in CNS Developmental Disorders

The central nervous system (CNS) is the most complex structure in the body, consisting of multiple cell types with distinct morphology and function. Development of the neuronal circuit and its function rely on a continuous crosstalk between neurons and non-neural cells. It has been widely accepted that extracellular vesicles (EVs), mainly exosomes, are effective entities responsible for intercellular CNS communication. They contain membrane and cytoplasmic proteins, lipids, non-coding RNAs, microRNAs and mRNAs. Their cargo modulates gene and protein expression in recipient cells. Several lines of evidence indicate that EVs play a role in modifying signal transduction with subsequent physiological changes in neurogenesis, gliogenesis, synaptogenesis and network circuit formation and activity, as well as synaptic pruning and myelination. Several studies demonstrate that neural and non-neural EVs play an important role in physiological and pathological neurodevelopment. The present review discusses the role of EVs in various neurodevelopmental disorders and the prospects of using EVs as disease biomarkers and therapeutics.     

Proteome changes in lamb semimembranosus muscles associated with the inclusion of sunflower cake in their diet

A diet based on sunflower cake for lambs was assayed in order to reuse biodiesel industrial by-products with the aim of reducing livestock costs and evaluating their influence on meat quality. To achieve these goals, sixteen male lambs were fed diets containing different levels of sunflower cake (control, 5%, 10% and 15%). Afterwards, their semimembranosus muscles were analysed by two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry and their functional protein association was examined using STRING. Structural and metabolic proteins in the lambs’ proteomes changed significantly according to their diet. Fifteen proteins showed significant changes caused by the inclusion of sunflower cake, and the most differentially abundant structural proteins were detected in 2-DE gels from the lambs. Differentially abundant metabolic proteins such as ENO3 (enolase 3), MDH1 (malate dehydrogenase) and ALDH1A1 (retinal dehydrogenase) have been proposed as biomarkers of quality parameters in other species.     

Determination of sensory thresholds of Mentha piperita L. essential oil in selected tropical fruit juices and efficacy of sensory accepted concentrations combined with mild heat to inactivate foodborne pathogens

This study determined the compromised acceptance threshold (CAT) and rejection threshold (RT) of Mentha piperita L. essential oil (MPEO) in cajá, guava and mango juices. The MPEO concentrations below the RT values were evaluated alone or combined with mild heat treatment (MHT; 54 °C) to inactivate ≥5-log₁₀ of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Enteritidis PT 4 in the same juices. The CAT of MPEO varied from 0.30 to 0.32 μL mL⁻¹, while the RT was 1.34 or 1.36 μL mL⁻¹ in the tested juices. Only concentrations of MPEO close, or higher than the RT caused ≥5-log₁₀ reductions in the tested pathogens in cajá, guava and mango juices. Combined with MHT, concentrations of MPEO below the RT reduced ≥5-log₁₀ of both pathogens in juices. These findings indicate that MPEO concentrations below the RT in combination with MHT is a feasible preservation technology to ensure the safety of tropical fruit juices.     

Bromine, Chlorine, and Iodine Determination in Soybean and its Products by ICP-MS After Digestion Using Microwave-Induced Combustion

A method for bromine, chlorine, and iodine determination in soybean and related products was developed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after digestion by microwave-induced combustion (MIC). Samples were pressed as pellets and combusted using pressurized oxygen (20 bar) and ammonium nitrate solution (50 μL of 6 mol L^?1) as the igniter. Analytes were absorbed in alkaline solution (100 mmol L^?1 NH₄OH), and a reflux step of 5 min, microwave power of 1,400 W, was applied after combustion in order to improve analyte recoveries. For Cl determination by ICP-MS, a dynamic reaction cell was used with ammonia as the reaction gas. The accuracy was evaluated using certified reference materials (CRMs) and spiked samples. Using MIC, the agreement with CRM values and spike recoveries was higher than 95 % for all analytes for certified reference materials of a similar composition (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), corn bran and NIST, whole milk). Limits of detection were 0.03, 1.2, and 0.002 μg g^?1 for Br, Cl, and I, respectively. The residual carbon content in the digests obtained after MIC procedure was lower than 0.5 %. Blanks were always negligible and no memory effects were observed. Digestion by MIC allowed processing up to eight samples by each run in 25 min with high efficiency of digestion providing a suitable medium for further bromine, chlorine, and iodine determination by ICP-MS.     

Evaluation of the interaction between sodium hypochlorite and several formulations containing chlorhexidine and its effect on the radicular dentin—SEM and push‐out bond strength analysis

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the presence of debris and smear layer after endodontic irrigation with different formulations of 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) and its effects on the push‐out bond strength of an epoxy‐based sealer on the radicular dentin. One hundred extracted human canines were prepared to F5 instrument and irrigated with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite and 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Fifty teeth were divided into five groups (n = 10), according to the final irrigation protocol with different 2% CHX formulations: G1 (control, no final rinse irrigation), G2 (CHX solution), G3 (CHX gel), G4 (Concepsis), and G5 (CHX Plus). In sequence, the specimens were submitted to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, in the cervical‐medium and medium‐apical segments, to evaluate the presence of debris and smear layer. The other 50 teeth were treated equally to a SEM study, but with the root canals filled with an epoxy‐based endodontic sealer and submitted to a push‐out bond strength test, in the cervical, middle, and apical thirds. G2, G3, G4, and G5 provided higher precipitation of the debris and smear layer than G1 (P < 0.05), but these groups were similar to each other (P > 0.05), in both segments. The values obtained in the push out test did not differ between groups, independent of the radicular third (P > 0.05). The CHXs formulations caused precipitation of the debris and smear layer on the radicular dentin, but these residues did not interfere in the push‐out bond strength of the epoxy‐based sealer. Microsc. Res. Tech. 77:17–22, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.