A study on the growth curve of and maximum profit from layer-type cockerel chicks

Attacks by adult stages of the soft tick Argas (Argas) neghmei (Acari: Argasidae) on inhabitants of the High Andean plateau of Argentina are reported. This is the first local report of this species, which was previously found in the north of Chile. Taxonomic differences between A. (A.) neghmei and other neotropical and exotic species of the genus are underlined. The status of the knowledge about the Argentine argasid fauna is briefly described.     

NMR spectroscopy of human post mortem cerebrospinal fluid: distinction of Alzheimer''s disease from control using pattern recognition and statistics

Mutations of ras oncogenes in 37 human stomach cancers and 13 adenomas were investigated with regard to the histological phenotypes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and/or direct sequencing of the PCR products. The ras mutation was found only in one case (2.7%), the histology of which was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. We found no mutation in stomach adenomas. The mutation consisted of a guanine-to-adenine transition in the first base of codon 13 of c-Ki-ras which replaced wild-type glycine with serine, indicating that a putative glycine-to-aspartic acid change is not necessarily the critical event for c-Ki-ras gene activation in codon 13. These results further confirm the infrequency of ras mutation in stomach tumors and also suggest that ras mutations are not specific to the differentiated type of stomach cancer.     

Hyperdynamic circulation of cirrhotic rats: role of substance P and its relationship to nitric oxide

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that excessive formation of nitric oxide (NO) is responsible for the hyperdynamic circulation observed in portal hypertension. Substance P is a neuropeptide partly cleared by the liver and causes vasodilatation through the activation of the endothelial NO pathway. However, there are no previously published data concerning the plasma level of substance P in cirrhotic rats and its relationship to NO. METHODS: Plasma concentrations of substance P and nitrate/nitrite (an index of NO production) were determined in control rats and cirrhotic rats with or without ascites using an enzyme-linked immununosorbent assay and a colorimetric assay, respectively. In addition, systemic and portal hemodynamics were evaluated by a thermodilution technique and catheterization. RESULTS: Cirrhotic rats with and without ascites had a lower systemic vascular resistance (2.6 +/- 0.2 and 3.9 +/- 0.4 mmHg ml(-1) x min x 100 g body weight, respectively) and higher portal pressure (14.6 +/- 0.6 and 11.3 +/- 1.8 mmHg) than control rats (6.5 +/- 0.3 mmHg x ml(-1) x min x 100 g BW and 6.8 +/- 0.2 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.05), and cirrhotic rats with ascites had the lowest systemic vascular resistance. Plasma levels of nitrate/nitrite progressively increased in relation to the severity of liver dysfunction (control rats, 2.7 +/- 0.5 nmol/ml; cirrhotic rats without ascites, 5.6 +/- 1.3 nmol/ml; cirrhotic rats with ascites, 8.3 +/- 2.2 nmol/ml; P < 0.05). Cirrhotic rats with ascites displayed higher plasma values of substance P (57.7 +/- 5.9 pg/ml) than cirrhotic rats without ascites (37.9 +/- 3.1 pg/ml, P < 0.05) and control rats (30.1 +/- 1.0 pg/ml, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma substance P values between control rats and cirrhotic rats without ascites (P > 0.05). No correlation was found between plasma levels of substance P and nitrate/nitrite (r = 0.318, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Excessive formation of NO may be responsible, at least partly, for the hemodynamic derangements in cirrhosis. Although substance P may not participate in the initiation of a hyperdynamic circulation in cirrhosis, it may contribute to the maintenance of the hyperdynamic circulation observed in cirrhotic rats with ascites.     

On the permeation rate of copper extraction through liquid membranes

The understanding of the permeation rate of metal ions through liquid membranes is important for the design of such systems. In this paper, the permeation rates of copper ions through liquid surfactant membranes, including interfacial reaction rates and the diffusion rate of the copper ion, were analyzed using a model based on a mobilized hollow spherical globule configuration. The analysis shows that the extracting reaction is dominant at the external interface of the membrane and the stripping reaction is dominant at the internal interface; this means the reactions at both interfaces are not in equilibrium during the course of extraction. It also shows that the extraction rate, the diffusion rate and the stripping rate are not of equal value, especially at the early stage of the run.     

Histomorphometric study in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome

There is agreement on the clinical diagnostic criteria for acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP/GBS) however, there is lack of consensus for detection of demyelination. In order to critically evaluate the prevailing criteria, sixty-six patients who fulfilled NINCDS criteria and had typical features of GBS were studied for electrophysiological abnormalities of peripheral nerves by using standard methods (median, common peroneal, sural and ulnar) between 1 to 12 weeks after the onset of symptoms. The commonest abnormality on motor nerve conduction study was prolonged distal latency (75%-83%) followed by reduction in CMAP amplitude (63%-82%), decreased velocity (48%-62%), conduction block (17%-39%) and f-wave abnormalities (37.8%-59%). Sensory conduction abnormalities were detected in over 20% of median, 25% of ulnar and 33% of sural nerves. All the patients had abnormality of at least two motor conduction parameters in one nerve when values beyond 2 SD of the mean were considered abnormal and over 70% of patients had three abnormalities in two nerves or two abnormalities in three nerves. Comparison with the prevailing criteria for demyelination revealed that the number of patients fulfilling them varied widely: Albers et al. (1985): 74.2%, Albers et al. (1989): 40.9% and Cornblath: 30.3%. We believe that the current criteria for detection of demyelination in acute neuropathy are too strict, underestimate the underlying pathology in GBS and need reassessment.     

Effect of Particle-Size Distribution on the Microstructural Evolution in the Intermediate Stage of Sintering

The effect of particle-size distribution on microstructural evolution in the intermediate stage of sintering of powder compacts was investigated. The evolution of pore channels was dominated by particle-size distribution but independent of sintering temperature. Moreover, a powder compact with a fine particle and uniform size distribution could prolong the intermediate stage of sintering, which in turn effectively inhibited grain growth. The mechanisms of evolution and pinch off of the pore channels of the powder compact with different particle-size distributions were discussed.     

Solar Photocatalytic Degradation of Textile Dyes in TiO2 Suspended Solutions

The degradation and decolourization of direct dye (Everdirect supra turguoise blue, FBL), acidic dye (Isolan orange S-RL) and vat dye (Indanthren red FBB) have been investigated by solar/TiO2 process. The effects of solution pH, dye concentration, dosage of TiO2 and nano-size of TiO2 have been studied. The increase in initial pH (3, 5 and 11) and dye concentration decrease the removal rate. The treatment for FBB and FBL dye solutions is more efficient than that of S-RL.Under optimum conditions, the color removal is found to be almost complete for FBB and FBL while that of S-RL also reaches 95%. Langmuir adsorption isotherm and modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model (L-H model) have been fitted to the experimental data and found to correlate the adsorption patterns as well as the kinetics of the dyes studied.