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Intraspecific variation in plants is expected to have profound impacts on the arthropod communities associated with them. Because sexual dimorphism in plants is expected to provide consistent variation among individuals of the same species, researchers have often studied the effect it has on associated arthropods. Nevertheless, most studies have focused on the effect of sexual dimorphism in a single or a few herbivores, thus overlooking the potential effects on the whole arthropod community. Our main objective was to evaluate effects of Buddleja cordata's plant‐sex on its associated arthropod community. We surveyed 13 pairs of male and female plants every 2 months during a year (June 2010 to April 2011). Every sampling date, we measured plant traits (water content and leaf thickness), herbivory, and the arthropod community. We did not find differences in herbivory between plant sex or through time. However, we found differences in water content through time, with leaf water‐content matching the environmental seasonality. For arthropod richness, we found 68 morphospecies associated with female and 72 with male plants, from which 53 were shared by both sexes. We did not observe differences in morphospecies richness; however, we found sex‐associated differences in the diversity of all species and differences on the diversity of the most abundant species with an interesting temporal component. During peak flowering season, male plants showed higher values on both parameters, but during the peak fructification season female plants showed the higher values on both diversity parameters. Our research exemplifies the interaction between plant‐phenology and plant‐sex as drivers of arthropod communities' diversity, even when plant sexual‐dimorphism is inconspicuous, and highlighting the importance of accounting for seasonal variation. We stress the need of conducting more studies that test this time‐dependent framework in other dioecious systems, as it has the potential to reconcile previous contrasting observations reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraspecific variation in plants is expected to have profound impacts on the arthropod communities associated with them. Because sexual dimorphism in plants is expected to provide consistent variation among individuals of the same species, researchers have often studied the effect it has on associated arthropods. Nevertheless, most studies have focused on the effect of sexual dimorphism in a single or a few herbivores, thus overlooking the potential effects on the whole arthropod community. Our main objective was to evaluate effects of Buddleja cordata's plant‐sex on its associated arthropod community. We surveyed 13 pairs of male and female plants every 2 months during a year (June 2010 to April 2011). Every sampling date, we measured plant traits (water content and leaf thickness), herbivory, and the arthropod community. We did not find differences in herbivory between plant sex or through time. However, we found differences in water content through time, with leaf water‐content matching the environmental seasonality. For arthropod richness, we found 68 morphospecies associated with female and 72 with male plants, from which 53 were shared by both sexes. We did not observe differences in morphospecies richness; however, we found sex‐associated differences in the diversity of all species and differences on the diversity of the most abundant species with an interesting temporal component. During peak flowering season, male plants showed higher values on both parameters, but during the peak fructification season female plants showed the higher values on both diversity parameters. Our research exemplifies the interaction between plant‐phenology and plant‐sex as drivers of arthropod communities' diversity, even when plant sexual‐dimorphism is inconspicuous, and highlighting the importance of accounting for seasonal variation. We stress the need of conducting more studies that test this time‐dependent framework in other dioecious systems, as it has the potential to reconcile previous contrasting observations reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isothermal molecular dynamics simulations were carried out with the embedded-atom method as a potential to predict the melting and crystallization temperatures of nanometric sized aluminum particles in the range of 2 – 4 nm . Simulated data predicted a decrease in the melting point T m of aluminum nanoparticles with an increase in their inverse radius r - 1 according to an almost linear law. The data obtained predicted a higher value of melting temperature compared to crystallization by Δ T = 272 K for a size of 4 nm and, Δ T = 193 K for 2 nm . The T m of the nanoparticles augmented with increasing size, from 720 K for 2 nm to 827 K for 4 nm . Furthermore, a linear extrapolation of the T m as a function of the inverse of the cubic root of the number of atoms yielded a melting temperature of aluminum of 947 ± 8 K , which is similar to previous estimations. Finally, when the number of atoms increased the number of face-centered cubic (FCC) structural units also increased, and the amorphous structure decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Ortopédica Mexicana is the property of Sociedad Mexicana de Ortopedia, AC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A solid solution with the formula CaWxMo1−xO4 (x = 0–1) was synthesized using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The effect of W6+ concentration was correlated with the solid solution's physicochemical properties. All the samples were characterized to analyze their structural, morphological, optical, and electrochemical properties, corroborating the solid solution formation and the changes caused by differences in W/Mo compositions. The samples grew in different morphologies, varying based on their composition and slightly reducing their bandgap. All solid solution compositions exhibited activity in simultaneous photocatalytic water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction reactions under UV irradiation without a cocatalyst or sacrificial agent. Various products were evolved, with carbon monoxide being the most abundant product generated in most of the samples. The largest amount of carbon monoxide (6.7 μmol) was obtained in the sample with the formula CaW0.8Mo0.2O4, and its superior performance can be attributed to the larger distortion in the cell due to the introduction of W6+ in higher concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Climacteric is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Scientia et Technica is the property of Scientia et Technica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We present a line-by-line differential analysis of a sample of 16 planet-hosting stars and 68 comparison stars using high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra gathered using Keck. We obtained accurate stellar parameters and high-precision relative chemical abundances with average uncertainties in T eff, log  g , [Fe/H], and [X/H] of 15 K, 0.034 cm s−2 , 0.012 dex, and 0.025 dex, respectively. For each planet host, we identify a set of comparison stars and examine the abundance differences (corrected for Galactic chemical evolution effect) as a function of the dust condensation temperature, T cond, of the individual elements. While we confirm that the Sun exhibits a negative trend between abundance and T cond, we also confirm that the remaining planet hosts exhibit a variety of abundance– T cond trends with no clear dependence upon age, metallicity, or T eff. The diversity in the chemical compositions of planet-hosting stars relative to their comparison stars could reflect the range of possible planet-induced effects present in these planet hosts, from the sequestration of rocky material (refractory poor) to the possible ingestion of planets (refractory rich). Other possible explanations include differences in the time-scale, efficiency and degree of planet formation, or inhomogeneous chemical evolution. Although we do not find an unambiguous chemical signature of planet formation among our sample, the high-precision chemical abundances of the host stars are essential for constraining the composition and structure of their exoplanets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cases of invasive Trichosporon infections have increasingly emerged; it is now the second leading cause of yeast bloodstream infections after Candida spp., particularly in the immunosuppressed population, where it often causes breakthrough fungemia with high mortality. Methods: We present a case report of a breakthrough Trichosporon asahii infection in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia and review all of the cases of breakthrough Trichosporon spp. infections published in the literature to date. Results: We extracted 68 cases of breakthrough Trichosporon spp. infections, wherein 95.5% patients had hematological malignancy, 61.8% of them occurred in the presence of echinocandins, 22% of triazoles, 13.2% of amphotericin and 3% of other combinations of antifungals. The most prevalent manifestation was fungemia (94%); 82.8% of these were associated with the presence of a central venous catheter. The overall mortality was 68.7%; the patients who survived recovered from the neutropenic event. Conclusions: Invasive trichosporonosis is an acute fatal condition that occurs in immunosuppressed patients, usually under antifungal selective pressure. Typically, neutropenia and its underlying diseases are associated with adverse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scientia et Technica is the property of Scientia et Technica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We conducted a high-precision elemental abundance analysis of the twin-star comoving pair HIP 34407/HIP 34426. With mean error of 0.013 dex in the differential abundances (Δ[X/H]), a significant difference was found: HIP 34407 is more metal rich than HIP 34426. The elemental abundance differences correlate strongly with condensation temperature, with the lowest for the volatile elements like carbon around 0.05 ± 0.02 dex, and the highest up to about 0.22 ± 0.01 dex for the most refractory elements like aluminium. Dissimilar chemical composition for stars in twin-star comoving pairs is not uncommon, thus we compile previously published results like ours and look for correlations between abundance differences and stellar parameters, finding no significant trends with average effective temperature, surface gravity, iron abundance, or their differences. Instead, we found a weak correlation between the absolute value of abundance difference and the projected distance between the stars in each pair that appears to be more important for elements that have a low absolute abundance. If confirmed, this correlation could be an important observational constraint for binary star system formation scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) prevalence survey was conducted using tuberculin skin test (TST) and Quantiferon test (QFT) in 1218 healthcare workers (HCWs) in Medellín, Colombia. In order to improve the prevalence estimates, a latent class model was built using a Bayesian approach with informative priors on the sensitivity and specificity of the TST. The proportion of concordant results (TST+,QFT+) was 41% and the discordant results contributed 27%. The marginal estimate of the prevalence P(LTBI+) was 62·1% [95% credible interval (CrI) 53·0–68·2]. The probability of LTBI+ given positive results for both tests was 99·6% (95% CrI 98·1–99·9). Sensitivity was 88·5 for TST and 74·3 for QFT, and specificity was 87·8 for TST and 97·6 for QFT. A high LTBI prevalence was found in HCWs with time-accumulated exposure in hospitals that lack control plans. In a context of intermediate tuberculosis (TB) incidence it is recommended to use only one test (either QFT or TST) in prevalence surveys or as pre-employment tests. Results will be useful to help implement TB infection control plans in hospitals where HCWs may be repeatedly exposed to unnoticed TB patients, and to inform the design of TB control policies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context: Cultivated lands have undergone a shift towards intensification and increased productivity, favoring provisioning services at the expense of regulating and cultural services. Cultivated lands have rarely been researched as a provider of cultural services. Objectives: The overarching goal of this study is to assess sense of place across cultivated lands. To do so, we used participatory mapping to elicit public knowledge of the past and present coverage of agricultural areas, as well as to reveal the public sense of place attached to cultivated lands and perceptions about future land-use pathways. Methods: This study was conducted in an agrarian and rural region of SE Madrid (Spain), where we did ecosystem service participatory mapping workshops with key stakeholders related to the agrarian sector: farming professionals, land-use decision-makers and planners and other local actors. Results: We identified linkages between cultivated lands and sense of place as a key cultural service. The locations most pinpointed for its sense of place overlapped with cultivated lands. The future land-use pathways that showed the highest agreement between the likelihood and interest in their promotion were the increases in green and/or protected areas and orchards. Extensive crops and urban areas the land-use pathways with the highest dissonance. Conclusions: The results encourage land planners and researchers to approach landscape values in relation to the sense of place. We concluded that cultivated lands present a sense of place, and this link has the possible to root society in agricultural landscape through the establishment of belongingness, stewardship and care connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The benchmark open cluster M 67 is known to have solar metallicity and an age similar to that of the Sun. It thus provides us with a great opportunity to study the properties of solar twins, as well as the evolution of Sun-like stars. Aims. Previous spectroscopic studies of M 67 reported possible subtle changes in stellar surface abundances throughout the stellar evolutionary phase, namely the effect of atomic diffusion. In this study we attempt to confirm and quantify more precisely the effect of atomic diffusion, and to explore the level of chemical (in)homogeneity in M 67. Methods. We presented a strictly line-by-line differential chemical abundance analysis of two groups of stars in M 67: three turn-off stars and three subgiants. Stellar atmospheric parameters and elemental abundances were obtained with very high precision using the Keck/HIRES spectra. Results. The subgiants in our sample show negligible abundance variations (≤0.02 dex), which implies that M 67 was born chemically homogeneous. We note that there is a significant abundance difference (~0.1–0.2 dex) between subgiants and turn-off stars, which can be interpreted as the signature of atomic diffusion. Qualitatively stellar models with diffusion agree with the observed abundance results. Some turn-off stars do not follow the general pattern, which suggests that in some cases diffusion can be inhibited, or they might have undergone some sort of mixing event related to planets. Conclusions. Our results pose additional challenges for chemical tagging when using turn-off stars. In particular, the effects of atomic diffusion, which could be as large as 0.1–0.2 dex, must be taken into account in order for chemical tagging to be successfully applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friendships formed in the course of scientific research are common and should be foregrounded in discussions of how the sciences are done. Inspired by the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge, I propose a 'symmetrical' analysis of friendships in both the social and natural sciences as a way of comparing knowledge-making practices. The research question that derives from this approach is: How are friendships with and between subjects generative of new forms of scientific knowledge and new types of relating? I provide an answer based on my experience of befriending a group of dendroclimatologists to whom I referred metaphorically as 'my chimps' in an analogy with the primatologist Jane Goodall's affectionate relation with her research subjects. In my case, befriending dendroclimatologists involved cultivating a curiosity about each other's research and worlds through different means. As a result, my work also came to matter to them and we produced it collaboratively. The instrumentalisation of friendships for the purpose of achieving a certain control and agreement with subjects and beings is, I argue, a normal aspect of knowledge formation, and should not be seen as unethical. If anything, befriending subjects promotes better research ethics as it generates a form of mutuality based on partial relatedness, constructive dissent and playfulness, rather than hybridity, totalising consensus and domination. Overall, my argument about friendship as a method in science seeks to criticise the ideal that isolation and indifference are at the heart of the way scientific knowledge, both social and natural, is and should be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the thorium (Th) abundance in a sample of 53 thin disc solar twins covering a wide range of ages. These data provide constrains on the mantle energy budget of terrestrial planets that can be formed over the evolution of the Galaxy's thin disc. We have estimated Th abundances with an average precision of 0.025 dex (in both [Th/H] and [Th/Fe]) through comprehensive spectral synthesis of a Th ii line present at 4019.1290 Å, using very high resolution (R =  115 000) high quality HARPS spectra obtained at the ESO La Silla Observatory. We have confirmed that there is a large energy budget from Th decay for maintaining mantle convection inside potential rocky planets around solar twins, from the Galactic thin disc formation until now, because the pristine [Th/H]ZAMSis super-solar on average under a uniform dispersion of 0.056 dex (varying from |$+$| 0.037 up to |$+$| 0.138 dex based on linear fits against isochrone stellar age). Comparing to neodymium (Nd) and europium (Eu), two others neutron-capture elements, the stellar pristine abundance of Th follows Eu along the Galactic thin disc evolution, but it does not follow Nd, probably because neodymium has a significant contribution from the s -process (about 60 per cent). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early Science and Technology Studies (STS) scholars recognized that the social construction of knowledge depends on skepticism's parasitic relationship to background expectations and trust. Subsequent generations have paid less empirical attention to skepticism in science and its relationship with trust. I seek to rehabilitate skepticism in STS – particularly, Merton's view of skepticism as a scientific norm sustained by trust among status peers – with a study of what I call 'civil skepticism'. The empirical grounding is a case in contemporary dendroclimatology and the development of a method ('Blue Intensity') for generating knowledge about climate change from trees. I present a sequence of four instances of civil skepticism involved in making Blue Intensity more resistant to critique, and hence credible (in laboratory experiments, workshops, conferences, and peer-review of articles). These skeptical interactions depended upon maintaining communal notions of civility among an increasingly extended network of mutually trusted peers through a variety of means: by making Blue Intensity complementary to existing methods used to study a diverse natural world (tree-ring patterns) and by contributing to a shared professional goal (the study of global climate change). I conclude with a sociological theory about the role of civil skepticism in constituting knowledge-claims of greater generality and relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gnathostoma turgidum is a nematode parasite that exploits the stomach of Virginian opossums, Didelphis virginiana, in Latin America. The opossum is the definitive host of G. turgidum in the wild. Intrahepatic growth and maturation of the parasite, subsequent migration to the stomach and spontaneous expulsion are common. However, the histopathological lesions caused by G. turgidum are poorly described. A better understanding of the life cycle of this parasite and the pathological changes in natural host–parasite interactions could help to clarify the progression of human infections caused by Gnathostoma binucleatum. The aim of this work was to study morphological changes in the liver and stomach of D. virginiana during natural infection and adult worm expulsion. Three opossums naturally infected with G. turgidum were captured from an endemic area of gnathostomosis. Three uninfected opossums captured from a non-endemic area were used as controls. The opossums were sacrificed at different stages of infection (March, May and December), and a histopathological study of their livers and stomachs was conducted. Injuries in livers were observed by histopathology – areas of necrosis and collagen septa were identified. Parasites caused nodules with necrosis on the periphery of lesions, and collagen fibres were also observed in stomachs. Collagen septa may be caused by antigenic remains of the parasite. Further immunological studies are necessary to verify that stimulation is caused by these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To assess the efficacy of rhamnolipid (mixture of monorhamnolipid and dirhamnolipid congeners), purified monorhamnolipid, dirhamnolipid and lactonic sophorolipid biosurfactants against pathogens important for oral hygiene. Methods and Results Acquired and produced biosurfactants were fully characterized to allow the antimicrobial activity to be assigned to the biosurfactant congeners. Antimicrobial activity was assessed using the resazurin-aided microdilution method. Mixed rhamnolipid JBR425 ( MR) and lactonic sophorolipids (LSLs) demonstrated the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration ( MIC) which ranged between 100 and 400 μg ml−1 against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, Actinomyces naeslundii, Neisseria mucosa and Streptococcus sanguinis. Combining these biosurfactants with standard antimicrobial agents namely chlorhexidine, sodium lauryl sulphate, tetracycline HCl and ciprofloxacin showed a dramatic drop in the MIC values. In addition, in vitro studies demonstrated the biosurfactants' ability to prevent and disrupt oral pathogens biofilms. The increased permeability of microorganisms treated with biosurfactant, as shown using bisbenzimide dye, in part explains the inhibition effect. Conclusion The results demonstrate that rhamnolipids and LSLs have the ability to inhibit oral pathogens both in planktonic and oral biofilm states. Significance and Impact of the Study The findings indicate the potential value of biosurfactants for both oral hygiene and the pharmaceutical industries since there is a serious need to reduce the reliance on synthetic antimicrobials and antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing pressure on the oceans from environmental change, there has been a global call for improved protection of marine ecosystems through the implementation of marine protected areas ( MPAs). Here, we used species distribution modelling ( SDM) of tracking data from 14 seabird species to identify key marine areas in the southwest Atlantic Ocean, valuing areas based on seabird species occurrence, seasonality and extinction risk. We also compared overlaps between the outputs generated by the SDM and layers representing important human threats (fishing intensity, ship density, plastic and oil pollution, ocean acidification), and calculated loss in conservation value using fishing and ship density as cost layers. The key marine areas were located on the southern Patagonian Shelf, overlapping extensively with areas of high fishing activity, and did not change seasonally, while seasonal areas were located off south and southeast Brazil and overlapped with areas of high plastic pollution and ocean acidification. Non-seasonal key areas were located off northeast Brazil on an area of high biodiversity, and with relatively low human impacts. We found support for the use of seasonal areas depending on the seabird assemblage used, because there was a loss in conservation value for the seasonal compared to the non-seasonal approach when using 'cost' layers. Our approach, accounting for seasonal changes in seabird assemblages and their risk of extinction, identified additional candidate areas for incorporation in the network of pelagic MPAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the Kalman Filter (KF) and Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy modeling technique are combined to extend the classical Kalman linear state estimation to the nonlinear field. The framework for such extension is given, and in this sense the discrete-time fuzzy Kalman filter (DFKF) is obtained. It will be shown that the fuzzy version gives some advantages when is compared with the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), which is the most typical extension of the KF to the nonlinear field. The proposed approach provides a significantly smaller processing time than the processing time of the EKF while the mean square error is also reduced. Finally, some examples, such as the Lorenz chaotic attractor and under actuated mechatronic system (pendubot), are used to compare the DFKF and EKF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background When available, fluoroscopic recordings are a relatively cheap, non-invasive and technically straightforward way to study gastrointestinal motility. Spatiotemporal maps have been used to characterize motility of intestinal preparations in vitro, or in anesthetized animals in vivo. Here, a new automated computer-based method was used to construct spatiotemporal motility maps from fluoroscopic recordings obtained in conscious rats. Methods Conscious, non-fasted, adult, male Wistar rats (n=8) received intragastric administration of barium contrast, and 1-2 hours later, when several loops of the small intestine were well-defined, a 2 minutes-fluoroscopic recording was obtained. Spatiotemporal diameter maps (Dmaps) were automatically calculated from the recordings. Three recordings were also manually analyzed for comparison. Frequency analysis was performed in order to calculate relevant motility parameters. Key Results In each conscious rat, a stable recording (17-20 seconds) was analyzed. The Dmaps manually and automatically obtained from the same recording were comparable, but the automated process was faster and provided higher resolution. Two frequencies of motor activity dominated; lower frequency contractions (15.2±0.9 cpm) had an amplitude approximately five times greater than higher frequency events (32.8±0.7 cpm). Conclusions & Inferences The automated method developed here needed little investigator input, provided high-resolution results with short computing times, and automatically compensated for breathing and other small movements, allowing recordings to be made without anesthesia. Although slow and/or infrequent events could not be detected in the short recording periods analyzed to date (17-20 seconds), this novel system enhances the analysis of in vivo motility in conscious animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stars in open clusters are expected to share an identical abundance pattern. Establishing the level of chemical homogeneity in a given open cluster deserves further study as it is the basis of the concept of chemical tagging to unravel the history of the Milky Way. M67 is particularly interesting given its solar metallicity and age as well as being a dense cluster environment. We conducted a strictly line-by-line differential chemical abundance analysis of two solar twins in M67: M67-1194 and M67-1315. Stellar atmospheric parameters and elemental abundances were obtained with high precision using Keck/High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer spectra. M67-1194 is essentially identical to the Sun in terms of its stellar parameters. M67-1315 is warmer than M67-1194 by ≈150 K as well as slightly more metal-poor than M67-1194 by ≈0.05 dex. M67-1194 is also found to have identical chemical composition to the Sun, confirming its solar-twin nature. The abundance ratios [X/Fe] of M67-1315 are similar to the solar abundances for elements with atomic number Z ≤ 30, while most neutron-capture elements are enriched by ≈0.05 dex, which might be attributed to enrichment from a mixture of asymptotic giant branch ejecta and r-process material. The distinct chemical abundances for the neutron-capture elements in M67-1315 and the lower metallicity of this star compared to M67-1194, indicate that the stars in M67 are likely not chemically homogeneous. This poses a challenge for the concept of chemical tagging since it is based on the assumption of stars forming in the same star-forming aggregate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the combined effects of population density and presence or absence of shelters on growth and physiological performance of the crayfishCambarellus montezumae. Three different densities—64, 144, and 208 crayfish per m2—with and without shelters were used. Growth; survival; metabolic rate; tissue glucose; and total lipid, triglyceride, nitrogen, and energy content were measured. Animals stocked at 64 and 144 per m2with shelter reached the highest body weight; those in groups without shelter had elevated levels of glucose (p < .05). Animals stocked at 144 per m2retained the most nitrogen and energy (p < .05). Overall, the combination of medium density with shelters produced the best performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Ginecología y Obstetricia de México is the property of Federacion Mexicana de Ginecologia y Obstetricia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We present a high-precision differential abundance analysis of 16 solar-type stars in the Hyades open cluster based on high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ≈ 350-400) spectra obtained from the McDonald 2.7-m telescope. We derived stellar parameters and differential chemical abundances for 19 elements (C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Ba) with uncertainties as low as ~0.01-0.02 dex. Our main results include: (1) there is no clear chemical signature of planet formation detected among the sample stars, i.e. no correlations in abundances versus condensation temperature; (2) the observed abundance dispersions are a factor of ≈1.5-2 larger than the average measurement errors for most elements; (3) there are positive correlations, of high statistical significance, between the abundances of at least 90 per cent of pairs of elements. We demonstrate that none of these findings can be explained by errors due to the stellar parameters. Our results reveal that the Hyades is chemically inhomogeneous at the 0.02 dex level. Possible explanations for the abundance variations include (1) inhomogeneous chemical evolution in the proto-cluster environment, (2) supernova ejection in the proto-cluster cloud and (3) pollution of metal-poor gas before complete mixing of the proto-cluster cloud. Our results provide significant new constraints on the chemical composition of open clusters and a challenge to the current view of Galactic archaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid organ transplantation is an accepted therapy for end-stage diseases of the kidneys, liver, heart, and lungs. Unfortunately, transplantation is associated with infectious complications. Here, we present a case report of Prototheca wickerhamii olecranon bursitis and review all of the cases in solid organ transplant ( SOT) recipients published in the literature to date. In our patient, the infection resolved with surgical therapy and limited antifungal therapy, and no symptoms have recurred over 24 months of follow-up. A review of the literature suggests that 50% of SOT recipients with Prototheca infection present with disseminated infection, and the overall mortality is 75%. More studies are required to determine the optimal management of protothecosis in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals within populations can use different resources, leading to ecological segregation and niche variation. This segregation could have direct impacts on the migratory strategy or breeding success, thus affecting the overall population and community dynamics and, ultimately, survival. In this study, we assessed the inter-annual and within individual foraging ecology of an endemic and highly threatened seabird species, the Desertas petrel P terodroma deserta, during the breeding and non-breeding phases. We combined 54 annual tracks (26 individuals; 2009-2013) obtained with light-level loggers (Global Location Sensing or GLS loggers) with stable isotope analyses (δ15N and δ13C) of blood (plasma and cells) and feathers. Wide-ranging tracking data show that this species is a generalist predator, able to adapt to very different habitats. All birds remained faithful to their selected non-breeding areas over the years leading to very high spatial, temporal and trophic consistency among years (i.e. usually with intra-correlation coefficient values, which is an index of repeatability of > 40%). During both the breeding and non-breeding seasons, individual birds showed narrow and segregated isotopic niches, indicating a high level of specialization and limited choice of prey and habitats. The conservation of a seabird with such a dispersive (species-level) yet consistent (individual-level) non-breeding distribution pattern represents a challenge in marine policy terms. On the one hand, such a consistent temporal and spatial pattern will help with defining core areas for conservation, which could be protected through specific management measures or by the establishment of marine protected areas. Yet, their relatively large size (on average 4000 km2) and extent over both national and international waters, where different legislative frameworks apply, will require the coordinated action by many nations, international organizations and multilateral environmental agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical abundance studies of the Sun and solar twins have demonstrated that the solar composition of refractory elements is depleted when compared to volatile elements, which could be due to the formation of terrestrial planets. In order to further examine this scenario, we conducted a line-by-line differential chemical abundance analysis of the terrestrial planet host Kepler-10 and 14 of its stellar twins. Stellar parameters and elemental abundances ofKepler-10 and its stellar twins were obtained with very high precision using a strictly differential analysis of high quality Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, Hobby-Eberly Telescope and Magellan spectra. When compared to the majority of thick disc twins, Kepler-10 shows a depletion in the refractory elements relative to the volatile elements, which could be due to the formation of terrestrial planets in the Kepler-10 system. The average abundance pattern corresponds to ~13 Earth masses, while the two known planets in Kepler-10 system have a combined ~20 Earth masses. For two of the eight thick disc twins, however, no depletion patterns are found. Although our results demonstrate that several factors [e.g. planet signature, stellar age, stellar birth location and Galactic chemical evolution (GCE)] could lead to or affect abundance trends with condensation temperature, we find that the trends give further support for the planetary signature hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term ‘Climategate’ refers to the episode in November 2009 when emails between climate scientists were stolen and published online. The content of this private correspondence prompted criticism from diverse commentators who cast doubts on the methods, claims, and members of the climate science community. In response, individual scientists and scientific institutions published statements responding to the allegations of scientific fraud. Gieryn's concept of ‘boundary-work’ can be used to analyse the rhetoric of scientists in situations where their legitimacy is disputed. More specifically, boundary-work can be used to analyse the responses of scientists in terms of: how they represent the attributes of science, what types of boundary-work they undertake (e.g. expulsion, expansion, and protection), and the professional interests that come into play. A boundary-work analysis of the commentaries published in the aftermath of Climategate reveals that scientists characterised climate science as consensual, asocial, and open. Scientists depicted climate science as consensual with the purpose of expelling dissenters and protecting areas of climate science from criticism. Scientists also described knowledge about climate as being ideally produced apart from society so that they could preserve their autonomy and exclude individuals who are accused of being ‘politically biased’. Scientists characterised climate science as necessarily open as the means to justify both existing and additional public funding for science and to avoid external corrective interventions against scientific opacity. Scientists and their critics alike interpreted the stolen emails as embarrassing deviations from the alleged social demands of a consensual, objective, and accessible science. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context. With high-precision radial velocity surveys reaching a sufficiently long time baseline, the domain of long-period planet detections has recently opened up. The search for Jupiter-like planets is especially important if we wish to investigate the prevalence of solar system analogs, but their detection is complicated by the existence of stellar activity cycles on similar timescales. Radial velocity data with sufficiently long-term instrumental precision and robust methods of diagnosing activity are crucial to the detection of extrasolar Jupiters. Aims. Through our HARPS survey for planets around solar twin stars, we have identified a promising Jupiter twin candidate around the star HIP11915. We characterize this Keplerian signal and investigate its potential origins in stellar activity. Methods. We carry out a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analysis of the radial velocity data. To examine the signal's origin, we employ a variety of statistical tests using activity diagnostics such as the Ca II H and K lines and line asymmetry tracers. Results. Our analysis indicates that HIP11915 hosts a Jupiter-mass planet with a 3800-day orbital period and low eccentricity. Although we cannot definitively rule out an activity cycle interpretation, we find that a planet interpretation is more likely based on a joint analysis of radial velocity and activity index data. Conclusions. The challenges of long-period radial velocity signals addressed in this paper are critical for the ongoing discovery of Jupiter-like exoplanets. If planetary in nature, the signal investigated here represents a very close analog to the solar system in terms of both Sun-like host star and Jupiter-like planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the role of the antiphospholipid autoantibodies (aPL) on the neuropsychological deficits in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, comparing groups of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS; n = 15), SLE with aPL (n = 12), and SLE without aPL (n = 27), and a healthy control group (n = 31). Methods: Patients fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology SLE classification criteria or the Sydney criteria for APS. All participants were woman, and groups were matched on age and education. A standardized cognitive examination classified patients as cognitively declined or impaired according to the American College of Rheumatology. Results: Differences between the groups were found in all of the studied variables, comprising attention and executive functions (sustained and selective attention, fluency, and inhibition), and memory (verbal and visual). Post-hoc analyses showed cognitive performance was equivalent between APS and SLE with aPL. Differences between SLE without aPL and control groups were found only in four of the 10 studied variables, while differences in all but two memory variables were found between SLE without aPL and control groups. Furthermore, cognitive deficit was three times more frequent in APS and SLE with aPL patients than for the control group (80%, 75%, and 16%, respectively), and two times more frequent compared to SLE patients without aPL (48%). Conclusions: Our results support the relationship between aPL and cognitive symptoms in SLE. Also, almost half of the patients with SLE and no aPL showed cognitive problems, pointing to the multifactorial causes of cognitive problems in SLE. Future research with larger sample size is guaranteed to replicate our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of mortality caused by neoplasias worldwide. Although cigarette smoking is the primary cause, not all smokers develop LC. Polymorphic variations in genes associated with carcinogen metabolism, DNA repair, and cell-cycle dysregulation may alter an individual risk of developing LC. A polygenic cancer model was proposed, which considers genetic susceptibility to cancer is a global mechanism and suggests that it might be defined by the contributions of low-risk alleles in several candidate genes. This study focused on the analysis of 15 polymorphisms in 12 low-penetrance genes in a case-control study of a sample of Mexican Mestizo population. Methods: A case-control study was performed with a total of 572 unrelated individuals, including 190 cases with a primary LC diagnosis and 382 healthy controls. The polymorphic status of the individuals was determined by TaqMan probe and RFLP techniques. The association between LC and genotype score (GS) was assessed by logistic regression. Results: The results suggests a protective effect of the genotypes Arg/Lys of AhR rs2066853 (odds ratio [OR] 0.55, p = 0.03), Ile/Val of CYP1A1 rs1048943 (OR 0.49, p = 0.009), Tyr/His of EPHX1 rs1051740 (OR 0.53, p = 0.03), and A/A of CCND1 rs603965 (OR 0.44, p = 0.02). Analyses using the GS suggest that average cases have a larger number of risk alleles than controls (Student's t test −4.85, p = 0.001; OR 1.25, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest significant differences between the GS for the cases and controls, which support the hypothesis underlying the additive and polygenic models for lung cancer risk depending on the polymorphisms in low-penetrance genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Elemental abundance studies of solar twin stars suggest that the solar chemical composition contains signatures of the formation of terrestrial planets in the solar system, namely small but significant depletions of the refractory elements. Aims. To test whether these chemical signatures of planets are real, we study stars which, compared to solar twins, have less massive convective envelopes (therefore increasing the amplitude of the predicted effect) or are, arguably, more likely to host planets (thus increasing the frequency of signature detections). Methods. We measure relative atmospheric parameters and elemental abundances of two groups of stars: a "warm" late-F type dwarf sample (52 stars), and a sample of "metal-rich" solar analogs (59 stars). The strict differential approach that we adopt allows us to determine with high precision (errors ~0.01 dex) the degree of refractory element depletion in our stars independently of Galactic chemical evolution. By examining relative abundance ratio versus condensation temperature plots we are able to identify stars with "pristine" composition in each sample and to determine the degree of refractory-element depletion for the rest of our stars. We calculate what mixture of Earth-like and meteorite-like material corresponds to these depletions. Results. We detect refractory-element depletions with amplitudes up to about 0.15 dex. The distribution of depletion amplitudes for stars known to host gas giant planets is not different from that of the rest of stars. The maximum amplitude of depletion increases with effective temperature from 5650 K to 5950 K, while it appears to be constant for warmer stars (up to 6300 K). The depletions observed in solar twin stars have a maximum amplitude that is very similar to that seen here for both of our samples. Conclusions. Gas giant planet formation alone cannot explain the observed distributions of refractory-element depletions, leaving the formation of rocky material as a more likely explanation of our observations. More rocky material is necessary to explain the data of solar twins than metal-rich stars, and less for warm stars. However, the sizes of the stars' convective envelopes at the time of planet formation could be regulating these amplitudes. Our results could be explained if disk lifetimes were shorter in more massive stars, as independent observations indeed seem to suggest. Nevertheless, to reach stronger conclusions we will need a detailed knowledge of extrasolar planetary systems down to at least one Earth mass around a significant number of stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative spiral-shaped bacterium that colonizes the gastric mucosa and is associated with gastric diseases. It may present a morphological adaptation when it is out of its natural environment, such as in water. The morphological adaptation is a coccoid form, which is a viable but non-culturable state (VNC) in which the DNA remains active and therefore infective. Due to the impossibility of culture by traditional methods in the VNC state, we developed a methodology that includes a molecular technique, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), which is capable of measuring the bacteria in both forms (helical and coccoidal) and therefore is able to measure a disinfection process and to estimate the resistance of the bacteria to ozone. The methodology developed measures the efficiency of the ozone disinfection when bacteria are in a VNC state only. Bacterial culture at 9 × 108 CFU/mL diluted in 40 mL reaction volumes were exposed to a wide range of CT values (0.11-15 mg min/L). The results show a 3.92-log reduction when treated with 15 mg min/L. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using qPCR for the quantification and detection of H. pylori, in coccoid form, in water systems treated with an ozone disinfection process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Studies reporting low prevalence of HPV in OSCC with declining age at presentation are increasing. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV in a group of OSCC cases and controls in a Mexican population. Methods The matched case-control study included 80 OSCC cases and 320 controls. HPV/ DNA presence was evaluated through PCR amplification using three sets of consensus primers for the L1 gene. A conditional logistic regression analysis was carried out for the matched OSCC cases and controls. Interactions between risk factors and OCSS were tested in the construction process of the models. Results HPV prevalence was 5% in OSCC cases and 2.5% in controls. HPV-detected types were 16, 18 and 56. According to conditional logistics regression model, an association was detected between HR- HPV and OSCC. All HR- HPV-positive OSCC cases corresponded to young patients (<45 years), non-smokers and non-alcohol drinkers. Conclusions The HR- HPV can be a contributing factor to oral carcinogenesis, especially in younger individuals without known risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this work was to determine the effect of ozone on the removal of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from a secondary effluent and its relation with the permeated flux behavior in an ultrafiltration membrane. To assess the ozone action, the DOM of the secondary effluent was fractionated into its hydrophobic, transphilic and hydrophilic fractions, using XAD-8 and XAD-4 resins. Ozone increased the hydrophilic fraction from 32% to 42%, and this percentage remained unchanged after ultrafiltration of the secondary effluent. Permeate flux dropped to 52% in the first hour of membrane operation, but when ozone was applied as a pretreatment, it could be maintained at 84% within the first hour. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this work, we present a simple, finite-difference method to approximate positive and bounded solutions of a parabolic partial differential equation with nonlinear diffusion, which describes the growth dynamics of colonies of bacteria. A theorem on the existence and uniqueness of positive and bounded solutions of the model considered is available in the standard literature; however, analytical solutions for this model are difficult to calculate in exact form. The linear approach used in this manuscript provides a convenient way to represent the method in vector form through the multiplication of the new approximations by a square matrix that, under suitable conditions, turns out to be an M-matrix. The facts that every M-matrix is invertible and that all the entries of their inverses are positive numbers, are employed to elucidate conditions, which guarantee that positive and bounded initial profiles evolve into positive and bounded new approximations. The method is relatively simple, the temporal step-size is variable in general, and its efficient computational implementation makes use of the stabilized bi-conjugate gradient method. We provide numerical simulations in order to evince that the method preserves the practice comprising the positive and the bounded characters of the approximations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The Sun shows abundance anomalies relative to most solar twins. If the abundance peculiarities are due to the formation of inner rocky planets, that would mean that only a small fraction of solar type stars may host terrestrial planets. Aims. In this work we study HIP 56948, the best solar twin known to date, to determine with an unparalleled precision how similar it is to the Sun in its physical properties, chemical composition and planet architecture. We explore whether the abundances anomalies may be due to pollution from stellar ejecta or to terrestrial planet formation. Methods. We perform a differential abundance analysis (both in LTE and NLTE) using high resolution (R ∼ 100 000) high S/N (600-650) Keck HIRES spectra of the Sun (as reflected from the asteroid Ceres) and HIP 56948. We use precise radial velocity data from the McDonald and Keck observatories to search for planets around this star. Results. We achieve a precision of σ ≈ 0.003 dex for several elements. Including errors in stellar parameters the total uncertainty is as low as σ ≃ 0.005 dex (1%), which is unprecedented in elemental abundance studies. The similarities between HIP 56948 and the Sun are astonishing. HIP 56948 is only 17 ± 7 K hotter than the Sun, and log g, [Fe/H] and microturbulence velocity are only +0.02 ± 0.02 dex, +0.02 ± 0.01 dex and +0.01 ± 0.01 km s-1 higher than solar, respectively. Our precise stellar parameters and a differential isochrone analysis shows that HIP 56948 has a mass of 1.02 ± 0.02 M☉ and that it is ∼1 Gyr younger than the Sun, as constrained by isochrones, chromospheric activity, Li and rotation. Both stars show a chemical abundance pattern that differs from most solar twins, but the refractory elements (those with condensation temperature Tcond >∼ 1000 K) are slightly (∼0.01 dex) more depleted in the Sun than in HIP 56948. The trend with Tcond in differential abundances (twins - HIP 56948) can be reproduced very well by adding ∼3 M☉ of a mix of Earth and meteoritic material, to the convection zone of HIP 56948. The element-to-element scatter of the Earth/meteoritic mix for the case of hypothetical rocky planets around HIP 56948 is only 0.0047 dex. From our radial velocity monitoring we find no indications of giant planets interior to or within the habitable zone of HIP 56948. Conclusions. We conclude that HIP 56948 is an excellent candidate to host a planetary system like our own, including the possible presence of inner terrestrial planets. Its striking similarity to the Sun and its mature age makes HIP 56948 a prime target in the quest for other Earths and SETI endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing of non-ceramic insulation can conduct into failures of the power system, where usually pollution plays an important role in the degradation process. These failures cannot be evaluated by applying IEC 61109 ageing tests, because such tests are considered as screening tests and up to now these tests are quite questionable. Therefore research of new test methods and diagnostic tools are needed to predict long-term performance of non-ceramic insulators. A non-standard method for insulation ageing is modified and used in this work to evaluate non-ceramic components of breakers, bushings and surge arresters. Different diagnostic tests are proposed to analyse the evolution in the degradation process of these apparatus. The results showed that the applied methodology and the proposed tests may evaluate in a more realistic way the performance of new non-ceramic insulating material used in electrical equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive a self-consistent set of atmospheric parameters and abundances of 17 elements for the red giant star Arcturus: Teff = 4286 ± 30 K, log g = 1.66 ± 0.05, and [Fe/H] = -0.52 ± 0.04. The effective temperature was determined using model atmosphere fits to the observed spectral energy distribution from the blue to the mid-infrared (0.44 to 10 µm). The surface gravity was calculated using the trigonometric parallax of the star and stellar evolution models. A differential abundance analysis relative to the solar spectrum allowed us to derive iron abundances from equivalent width measurements of 37 FeI and 9 FII lines, unblended in the spectra of both Arcturus and the Sun; the [Fe/H] value adopted is derived from FeI lines. We also determine the mass, radius, and age of Arcturus: M = 1.08 ± 0.06 M⊙, R = 25.4 ± 0.2 R⊙, and Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed Gyr. Finally, abundances of the following elements are measured from an equivalent width analysis of atomic features: C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and Zn. We find the chemical composition of Arcturus typical of that of a local thick-disk star, consistent with its kinematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Allan (ADEV) and Hadamard (HDEV) deviations are mathematical tools developed in the field of time and frequency metrology to define quantitatively the frequency instabilities of an oscillator; which consist of any unwanted departure from its nominal frequency value over a specified time interval. We use both deviations to analyze the stability of the heart interbeat rate for healthy subjects and patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) during wake and sleep periods. We find that the ADEV and HDEV profiles for the subjects in the CHF group exhibit remarkably different trends between wake and sleep periods, namely, larger dispersion between the results for each member of the group while the results for the healthy subjects show some uniformity across the members of the group. Moreover, we observe that the stability for both groups degrades for low scales during the sleep phase, being more significant for the CHF group. Both ADEV and HDEV statistics reveal that healthy data can be described by more uniform deviation values along several scales, particularly for the wake period, whereas CHF data shows important variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral Diseases (2011) 17, 771-778 DNA methylation is an important regulator of gene transcription, and its role in carcinogenesis has been a topic of considerable interest in the last few years. Of the all epigenetic modifications, methylation, which represses transcription of the promoter region of tumor suppressor genes leading to gene silencing, has been most extensively studied. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has long been known to be the endpoint of many genetic changes, not only genomic mutations but also abnormal epigenetic modifications, as such, promoter methylation, contribute to development of this tumors. Recent studies have shown that promoter methylation of tumor suppressor genes is an important factor in carcinogenesis of OSCC. Some of the main genes that frequently showed promoter methylation in OSCC are those that participate in diverse processes such as regulation of the cell cycle, DNA repair, proliferation, and apoptosis. The aim of this review is to assess the current state of knowledge regarding promoter methylation of diverse genes in OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atmospheric parameters of the components of the 16 Cygni binary system, in which the secondary has a gas giant planet detected, are measured accurately using high-quality observational data. Abundances relative to solar are obtained for 25 elements with a mean error of σ([X/H]) = 0.023 dex. The fact that 16 Cyg A has about four times more lithium than 16 Cyg B is normal considering the slightly different masses of the stars. The abundance patterns of 16 Cyg A and B, relative to iron, are typical of that observed in most of the so-called solar twin stars, with the exception of the heavy elements (Z > 30), which can, however, be explained by Galactic chemical evolution. Differential (A-B) abundances are measured with even higher precision (cr(A[X/H]) = 0.018 dex, on average). We find that 16 Cyg A is more metal-rich than 16 Cyg B by Δ[M/H] = +0.041 ± 0.007 dex. On an element-to-element basis, no correlation between the A-B abundance differences and dust condensation temperature (TC) is detected. Based on these results, we conclude that if the process of planet formation around 16 Cyg B is responsible for the observed abundance pattern, the formation of gas giants produces a constant downward shift in the photospheric abundance of metals, without a TC correlation. The latter would be produced by the for≈ῑmation of terrestrial planets instead, as suggested by other recent works on precise elemental abundances. Nevertheless, a scenario consistent with these observations requires the convective envelopes of ≃1 Mʘ stars to reach their present-day sizes about three times quicker than predicted by standard stellar evolution models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform a study of 62 solar analog stars to compute their effective temperatures (Teff) using the Balmer line wing fitting procedure and compare them with Teff values obtained using other commonly employed methods. We use observed Hα spectral lines and a fine grid of theoretical LTE model spectra calculated with the best available atomic data and most recent quantum theory. Our spectroscopic data are of very high quality and have been carefully normalized to recover the proper shape of the Hα line profile. We obtain Teff values with internal errors of about 25K. Comparison of our results with those from other methods shows reasonably good agreement. Then, combining Teff values obtained from four independent techniques, we are able to determine final Teff values with errors of about 10K. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction Consistent evidence has shown a positive association between air pollution and daily mortality among adults. Less is known about its effect on infant mortality and the modification of this association by socioeconomic status (SES).Objective To assess the association of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤10 μm (PM10) and ozone (O3) on infant mortality and its modification by SES. Methods We evaluated the relationship of 24 h mean PM10 and 1 h daily maximum O3 levels with 12 079 all-cause deaths (3903 respiratory deaths) among 1- to 11-month-old infants residing in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area between January 1997 and December 2005 using a case-crossover approach. The data were analysed using conditional logistic regression models, controlling for weather conditions and day of the week. Results Single-effect models showed, for all-cause mortality, increases of 5.5% (95% CI 1% to 10%) at lag1 and 6.6% (2% to 11.4%) at lag2; cumulative exposure models (0–2 days) showed an increase of 6.3% (0.01% to 32.7%). Respiratory mortality increased marginally at 5.3% (−0.02% to 13.2%) with a 1-day lag and 10% (2.1% to 18%) with a 2-day lag per increase of 38.7 μg/m3 (IQR) in PM10 levels. When data were stratified by SES (low, medium, and high), only infants with low and medium SES presented a significant increase in risk of all-cause mortality and respiratory mortality in relation to PM10. O3 was only significantly related to respiratory mortality in low SES. Conclusion Our results suggest that in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area, infants with lower SES (low to medium) are at higher risk of mortality when exposed to ambient PM10 and O3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mathematical model to predict the rhamnolipids production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa from oleic acid in a two phase liquid-liquid batch reaction system, was developed in this study. The model was based on two theoretical assumptions: 1) the convective oleic acid mass transfer is coupled to a bioreaction in the aqueous liquid bulk, and 2) the volume of the immiscible oleic acid drops and the saturation concentration at the interface are a function of rhamnolipids production. The model was able to accurately predict the experimental growth of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain, and the rhamnolipids production data with oleic acid as carbon source. This mathematical approach indicated a high correspondence between the saturation dimensionless profiles of oleic acid at the interface and the experimental profiles of surface tension difference. This modeling approach may constitute a useful tool in the design and scaling-up of bioreactors applied to the production of biosurfactants with immiscible carbon sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]