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Background: Non-time-consuming and easy-to-administer dietary assessment tools specific for pregnancy are needed., Objectives: The aim of this validation study nested in the IMPACT BCN (Improving Mothers for a better PrenAtal Care Trial BarCeloNa) trial is to determine the concurrent validity of the 17-item pregnancy-adapted Mediterranean diet score (preg-MEDAS) and to analyze whether changes in the preg-MEDAS score were associated with maternal favorable dietary and cardiometabolic changes after 3 mo of intervention in pregnant women., Methods: Dietary data was collected in 812 participants using the preg-MEDAS and a 151-item validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at baseline (19-23 wk gestation) and final visit (31-34 wk gestation). Concurrent preg-MEDAS validity was evaluated by Pearson and intraclass correlation coefficients, κ statistic, and Bland-Altman methods., Results: The preg-MEDAS had a good correlation with the FFQ (r = 0.76 and intraclass correlation coefficient 0.75). The agreement of each of the preg-MEDAS items ranged from 40.9% to 93.8% with a substantial agreement mean concordance (κ = 0.61). A 2-point increase in preg-MEDAS was associated with a decrease in maternal mean and systolic blood pressure (β: -0.51 mmHg; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.97, -0.04 mmHg and -0.87 mmHg; 95% CI: -1.48, -0.26 mmHg, respectively)., Conclusions: The preg-MEDAS displays good validity for assessing adherence to the Mediterranean diet, allowing detection of dietary changes over time. In addition, changes observed in preg-MEDAS are significantly associated with a decrease in maternal blood pressure. Therefore, we propose preg-MEDAS as a rapid and simple dietary assessment tool during pregnancy. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03166332., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To characterize the clonal complexity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infections considering factors that help maximize the detection of coexisting strains/variants., Methods: Genotypic analysis by Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive-Unit-Variable-Number Tandem-Repeats (MIRU-VNTR) was performed directly on 70 biopsy specimens from two or more different tissues involving 28 tuberculosis cases diagnosed post-mortem in Mozambique, a country with a high tuberculosis burden., Results: Genotypic data from isolates collected from two or more tissues were obtained for 23 of the 28 cases (82.1%), allowing the analysis of within-patient diversity. MIRU-VNTR analysis revealed clonal diversity in ten cases (35.7%). Five cases showed allelic differences in three or more loci, suggesting mixed infection with two different strains. In half of the cases showing within-host diversity, one of the specimens associated with clonal heterogeneity was brain tissue., Conclusions: Direct MTB genotyping from post-mortem tissue samples revealed a frequent within-host Mycobacterium tuberculosis diversity, including mixed and polyclonal infections. Most of this diversity would have been overlooked if only standard analysis of respiratory specimens had been performed., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Dengue fever (DENF), chikungunya (CHIK), and Zika are responsible for the majority of the burden caused by vector-borne diseases (VBDs); which are produced by viruses primarily transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. Aedes have become prolific in urban areas due to a combination of climate change, rapid urbanization, increased human mobility, and globalization, causing the three VBDs to emerge in novel regions. Community knowledge can provide detailed insights about the spatial heterogeneity of disease risk and rates within a particular region, improving public health interventions. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) surveys are used to shed light on at-risk communities' understanding of the vector, the pathogen, prevention and treatment strategies. Little is known how KAP varies among diseases, and among neighborhoods within a city. Understanding KAP variation among co-circulating VBDs at a fine-level, especially differences between endemic and emerging diseases, can improve targeted interventions, education programs, and health policy. We administered KAP surveys to 327 individuals in healthcare centers and selected neighborhoods in Cali, Colombia in June 2019. We utilized generalized linear models (GLMs) to identify significant predictors of KAP. Our findings suggest that knowledge is related to community characteristics (e.g. strata), while attitudes and practices are more related to individual-level factors. Access to healthcare also forms significant predictor of residents participating in preventative practices. The results can be leveraged to inform public health officials and communities to motivate at-risk neighborhoods to take an active role in vector surveillance and control, while improving educational and surveillance resources in Cali, Colombia., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) infect over one billion people and are responsible for over one million deaths each year, globally. Chikungunya (CHIK) and Dengue Fever (DENF) are emerging VBDs due to overpopulation, increases in urbanization, climate change, and other factors. Colombia has recently experienced severe outbreaks of CHIK AND DENF. Both viruses are transmitted by the Aedes mosquitoes and are preventable with a variety of surveillance and vector control measures (e.g. insecticides, reduction of open containers, etc.). Spatiotemporal statistics can facilitate the surveillance of VBD outbreaks by informing public health officials where to allocate resources to mitigate future outbreaks. We utilize the univariate Kulldorff space-time scan statistic (STSS) to identify and compare statistically significant space-time clusters of CHIK and DENF in Colombia during the outbreaks of 2015 and 2016. We also utilize the multivariate STSS to examine co-occurrences (simultaneous excess incidences) of DENF and CHIK, which is critical to identify regions that may have experienced the greatest burden of VBDs. The relative risk of CHIK and DENF for each Colombian municipality belonging to a univariate and multivariate cluster is reported to facilitate targeted interventions. Finally, we visualize the results in a three-dimensional environment to examine the size and duration of the clusters. Our approach is the first of its kind to examine multiple VBDs in Colombia simultaneously, while the 3D visualizations are a novel way of illustrating the dynamics of space-time clusters of disease., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This work determines the capacity of uranophane, one of the long-term uranyl secondary solid phases formed on the spent nuclear fuel (SNF), to retain radionuclides (cesium and strontium) released during the dissolution of the SNF. Sorption was fast in both cases, and uranophane had a high sorption capacity for both radionuclides (maximum sorption capacities of 1.53·10 -5  mol m -2 for cesium and 3.45·10 -3  mol m -2 for strontium). The high sorption capacity of uranophane highlights the importance of the formation of uranyl silicates as secondary phases during the SNF dissolution, especially in retaining the release of radionuclides not retarded by other mechanisms such as precipitation., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: Decompensated cirrhosis patients have an elevated incidence of early readmission, mortality and economic burden. The aims of HEPACONTROL were to reduce early readmission and to evaluate its impact on mortality and emergency department visits., Patients and Methods: Quasi-experimental study with control group which compared two cohorts of patients discharged after being admitted for cirrhosis-related complications. A prospective cohort (n=80), who followed the HEPACONTROL program, which began with a follow-up examination seven days after discharge at the Hepatology Unit Day Hospital and a retrospective cohort of patients (n=112), who had been given a standard follow-up. Outcome variables that were compared between both groups were early readmission rates, the number of emergency department visits post-discharge, financial costs and mortality., Results: The rate of early readmission was lower in the group with HEPACONTROL (11.3% vs 29.5%; P=.003). Also, the mean number of visits to the emergency department post-discharge (1.10±1.64 vs 1.71±2.36; P=.035), mortality at 60days (3.8% vs 14.3%; P=.016), and the cost of early readmission were all lower compared with the group with standard follow-up (P=.029)., Conclusions: HEPACONTROL decreases the incidence of early readmission the rate of emergency department visits and mortality at 60days in patients with decompensated cirrhosis, and it is cost-effective., (Copyright © 2017 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The construction and evaluation of a Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC)-based continuous flow potentiometric microanalyzer to simultaneously monitor potassium, chloride and nitrate ions in samples from an on-board water recycling process expected to be installed in future manned space missions is presented. The main goals accomplished in this work address the specific required characteristics for a miniaturized on-line monitoring system to control water quality in such missions. To begin with, the integration of three ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) and a reference electrode in a compact microfluidic platform that incorporates a simple automatic autocalibration process allows obtaining information about the concentration of the three ions with optimal analytical response characteristics, but moreover with low reagents consumption and therefore with few waste generation, which is critical for this specific application. By a simple signal processing (signal removal) the chloride ion interference on the nitrate electrode response can be eliminated. Furthermore, all fluidics management is performed by computer-controlled microvalves and micropumps, so no manual intervention of the crew is necessary. The analytical features provided by the microsystem after the optimization process were a linear range from 6.3 to 630 mg L -1 and a detection limit of 0.51 mg L -1 for the potassium electrode, a linear range from 10 to 1000 mg L -1 and a detection limit of 1.58 mg L -1 for the chloride electrode and a linear range from 10 to 1000 mg L -1 and a detection limit of 3.37 mg L -1 for the nitrate electrode with a reproducibility (RSD) of 4%, 2% and 3% respectively. Sample throughput was 12 h -1 with a reagent consumptions lower than 2 mL per analysis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: The early hospital readmission of patients with decompensated cirrhosis is a current problem. A study is presented on the incidence, the impact on mortality, and the predictive factors of early hospital readmission., Patients and Methods: On the study included 112 cirrhotic patients, discharged after some decompensation between January 2013 and May 2014. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of early readmission and mortality., Results: The early readmission rate was 29.5%. The predictive factors were male gender (OR: 2.81; 95% CI: 1.07-7.35), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-sodium score ≥15 (OR: 3.79; 95% CI 1.48-9.64), and Charlson index ≥7 (OR: 4.34, 95% CI 1.65-11.4). This model enabled patients to be classified into low or high risk of early readmissions (13.6% vs. 52.2%). The mortality rate was significantly higher among patients with early readmission (73% vs. 35%) (p<.0001). After adjusting for the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-sodium score, Charlson index, dependence in activities of daily living, educational status, and number of medications on discharge, the early readmission was independently associated with mortality., Conclusions: Early hospital readmission is common, and is independently associated with mortality. Male gender, MELD-Na ≥15, and Charlson index ≥7 are predictors of early readmission. These results could be used to develop future strategies to reduce early readmission., (Copyright © 2017 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: It is known that infants with viral respiratory infections severe enough to require hospital admission have a high risk of developing recurrent wheezing. Few data have been published on unselected populations. The main aim of this study was to analyse symptomatic and asymptomatic respiratory viral infections during the first year of life in a cohort of infants, recruited at birth, and the development of recurrent wheezing., Patients and Methods: A total of 302 newborns were recruited. A nasopharyngeal aspirate was taken when the patients had a respiratory infection, as well as in the visits for vaccination at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months. RT-nested PCR assays were performed to detect 16 viruses., Results: A total of 1293 samples were analysed (1005 healthy controls and 288 respiratory infections). Samples taken during routine check-ups were positive in 30.8% of cases, while those with respiratory infection were positive in 77.8%, P  < .001 (OR: 3, 95% CI: 2.4-3.8). A total of 239 (79%) infants had at least 1 positive respiratory viral infection detected. The most frequent virus (71%) was rhinovirus (RV). Recurrent wheezing was found in 27 (11%) children during their first year of life (1.2 episodes, SD 2.9). Recurrent wheezing was present in 58.3% of patients admitted to hospital during their first viral infection, vs. 8.6% of infants when the first infection was mild or who had asymptomatic viral detection, P  < .001 (OR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.05-4.5)., Conclusions: In our series, severe respiratory infections leading to hospitalisation in the first months of life are risk factors for developing wheezing, but not in the case of mild RV infections., (© 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Dengue fever has gradually re-emerged across the global South, particularly affecting urban areas of the tropics and sub-tropics. The dynamics of dengue fever transmission are sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, as well as local demographic and socioeconomic factors. In 2010, the municipality of Cali, Colombia, experienced one of its worst outbreaks, however the outbreak was not spatially homogeneous across the city. In this paper, we evaluate the role of socioeconomic and environmental factors associated with this outbreak at the neighborhood level, using a Geographically Weighted Regression model. Key socioeconomic factors include population density and socioeconomic stratum, whereas environmental factors are proximity to both tire shops and plant nurseries and the presence of a sewage system (R 2 =0.64). The strength of the association between these factors and the incidence of dengue fever is spatially heterogeneous at the neighborhood level. The findings provide evidence to support public health strategies in allocating resources locally, which will enable a better detection of high risk areas, a reduction of the risk of infection and to strengthen the resilience of the population., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Infectious diseases have complex transmission cycles, and effective public health responses require the ability to monitor outbreaks in a timely manner. Space-time statistics facilitate the discovery of disease dynamics including rate of spread and seasonal cyclic patterns, but are computationally demanding, especially for datasets of increasing size, diversity and availability. High-performance computing reduces the effort required to identify these patterns, however heterogeneity in the data must be accounted for. We develop an adaptive space-time domain decomposition approach for parallel computation of the space-time kernel density. We apply our methodology to individual reported dengue cases from 2010 to 2011 in the city of Cali, Colombia. The parallel implementation reaches significant speedup compared to sequential counterparts. Density values are visualized in an interactive 3D environment, which facilitates the identification and communication of uneven space-time distribution of disease events. Our framework has the potential to enhance the timely monitoring of infectious diseases., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Viral respiratory infections cause major morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. We have performed a prospective study in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to determine the incidence of respiratory infections, their impact and the epidemiology and outcome in high risk neonates., Patients and Methods: From September 2011 to May 2013 a prospective study was conducted in all preterm infants <32 weeks gestational age and in all term newborns admitted to NICU for any pathology that was anticipated to have an admission exceeding two weeks. A nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) was collected the first day of life and weekly until discharge for virologic study with polymerase chain reaction. When these babies presented respiratory symptoms a new NPA was collected at this moment. A clinical form was filled by the physician., Results: A total of 60 infants were analysed: 30 (50%) had a gestational age <32 weeks and 36 (60%) weighed less than 1500 g. We collected a total of 256 nasopharyngeal aspirate samples, 24 of them being positive (9.3%). These 24 positive samples corresponded to 13 infants in our cohort (21.6% of the patients). Of them, 9 were symptomatic and had 11 episodes of infection (2 patients had two different episodes with negative control between them). The most frequently identified virus was rhinovirus in (19) 79% of cases. The most frequent clinical data was the presence or increase in apneas (75%) and the need for oxygenotherapy., Conclusions: HRV infections are prevalent in the NICU, and preterm infants have a high risk of infections with clinical relevance., (Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España S.L. All rights reserved.)

Freezability differences between boar ejaculates exist, but there is no useful method to predict the ejaculate freezability before sperm cryopreservation takes place. In this context, the present study sought to determine whether the amounts of small heat-shock protein 10 (also known as outer dense fiber protein 1) (ODF1/HSPB10) and voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2) may be used as boar sperm freezability markers. With this aim, 26 boar ejaculates were split into two fractions: one for protein extraction and the other for cryopreservation purposes. Ejaculates were subsequently classified into two groups (good freezability ejaculates [GFE] and poor freezability ejaculates [PFE]) based on viability and sperm motility assessments after 30 and 240 minutes of after thawing. Although the VDAC2 amounts, analyzed through Western blot, were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in GFE (1.15 ± 0.18 density mm(2)) than in PFE (0.16 ± 0.03 density mm(2)), no significant differences were observed in ODF1/HSPB10 between both groups (i.e., 1.97 ± 0.38 density mm(2) in GFE vs. 1.87 ± 1.54 density mm(2) in PFE). In addition, principal component and multiple regression analyses indicated that the component explaining most of the variance (78.41%) in ejaculate freezability at 240 minutes after thawing resulted to be significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with VDAC2 content. This result revealed that the amounts of VDAC2 but not those of ODF1/HSPB10 may be used to predict the freezability of a given boar ejaculate before starting cryopreservation procedures., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The authors had for aim to characterize influenza B strains having circulated in Tunisia to identify new mutations and compare them with reference strains., Methods: The epidemiological surveillance of influenza allowed identifying 19 patients with symptoms related to respiratory infection, who had been infected by influenza B strains isolated in several regions of Tunisia in 2009-2010 and in 2010-2011. Laboratory identification and detection of mutations in the segment encoding hemagglutinin of influenza viruses was performed by real time PCR and sequencing., Results: The two influenza B Tunisian strains of the 2009-2010 season belonged to the Victoria lineage, whereas 2010-2011 season strains belonged to B/Victoria/2/87 and B/Yamagata/16/88 lineages with a dominance of the Yamagata lineage (76%). This study allowed identifying amino acid substitutions: T121A, S150I, N165Y, T181A, G183R, D196N, S229D, M251V and K253R in the B/Yamagata lineage; L58P, N75K, K109N, N165K, S172P and K257R into the B/Victoria lineage. These mutations were specific of Tunisian groups of variants. Most influenza B-Yamagata lineage viruses (69%) were associated with severe cases., Conclusion: Molecular analysis of the various influenza B strains circulating in Tunisia is useful to detect new mutations that can modify the phenotype of influenza strains., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the incidence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), and risk factors for tuberculosis skin test (TST) conversion among Healthcare workers (HCWs) during a 20-year follow-up period., Design: Prospective cohort analysis. Surveillance was conducted from January 1, 1988, to December 31, 2007., Setting: 600-bed tertiary referral hospital in Barcelona, Spain., Participants: HCWs in risk for occupational tuberculosis (TB) exposure, with negative baseline TST, direct contact with patients and/or biological samples and at least one follow-up visit with TST., Methods: TST is performed in HCWs with no previous history of TB or no previous positive TST. When TST is negative this test is performed once a year in high-risk workers, or at least every 2 years according to the hospital's guidelines. In all cases an interview questionnaire to gather information on possible risk factors was performed., Results: The study included 614 HCWs, 27% worked in areas of risk for TB exposure. Annual incidence rate had decreased from 46.8 per 100 person-years in 1990 to 1.08 per 100 person-years in 2007. Cumulative incidence was higher in HCWs who work in high-risk areas (p = 0.004) and in time periods from 1990 to 1995, and from 1996 to 2001 (p < 0.0001). Cox regression model showed a hazard ratio of 1.55 (CI 95%; 1.05-2.27) in high-risk workers, adjusted by gender, age and professional status., Conclusions: Incidence of LTBI among HCWs is high, although it decreased throughout the follow-up period. It is crucial to maintain surveillance programs in HCWs., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The main aim of the present study was to determine whether differences in the amounts of free cysteine residues in sperm nucleoproteins, which are a direct marker of the integrity of the disulfide bonds between nucleoproteins, existed between good (GFE) and poor boar freezability ejaculates (PFE) during the different steps of the freeze-thawing process. The analyzed steps were: (1) immediately before starting cryopreservation (17 °C), (2) at the end of the cooling step (5 °C), and (3) 30, and (4) 240 minutes after thawing. In addition, the present study also sought to determine whether GFE and PFE differed in the amounts of peroxides and superoxides generated during freeze-thawing as an overall measure of the boar sperm reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation rate. According to our results, PFE present lower resistance than GFE to cryopreservation-induced alterations of disulfide bonds between nucleoproteins, because levels of cysteine free residues were higher in PFE than in GFE at 30 and 240 minutes after thawing. On the other hand, no significant differences were observed between GFE and PFE in ROS levels during freeze-thawing. In conclusion, PFE are less resistant than GFE to cryopreservation not only in terms of sperm motility and membrane integrity, but also in the integrity of nucleoprotein structure. However, this difference between PFE and GFE in the resistance of the nucleoprotein structure to freeze-thawing is not linked with concomitant changes in ROS levels., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The holding time (HT) is the period during which an ejaculate, either in a raw or diluted state, is held at 17°C before further processing for cold-storage. In boars, the HT positively influences select sperm quality parameters of semen cooled from 15 to 5°C, a range in temperature during which plasma membrane remodeling occurs. Objective insight into the effect of HT on plasma membrane organization remains unknown. Therefore, the present work sought to elucidate if HT contributes to minimizing alterations in boar sperm plasma membrane fluidity at the initial step of the cooling process in a cryopreservation practice (holding at 5°C) and in relation with select sperm quality parameters. Nineteen ejaculates from five boars were collected and processed according to different treatments: T1) Fresh diluted semen, 0h at 17°C; T2) Fresh diluted semen, 24h at 17°C (HT); T3) Sperm from T1 in a lactose-egg yolk (LEY) extender, 3h at 5°C; T4) Sperm from T2 in LEY, 3h at 5°C; T5) Sperm from T1 in LEY, 24h at 5°C; T6) Sperm from T2 in LEY, 24h at 5°C. Sperm motility was assessed using CASA, and sperm plasma membrane integrity and fluidity were evaluated by flow cytometry with dual labeling (M540/YO-PRO®-1). Results demonstrated that the lack of exposure to a HT (T5) results in reduced sample motility compared to those having a HT (T6), with sperm exposed to HT exhibiting less plasma membrane fluidity. Collectively, these results provide empirical evidence that incorporation of a HT in semen processing protects boar sperm against cold injury through maintenance of lipid architecture of the plasma membrane., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The number of straws thawed has been largely neglected in reports of boar sperm cryopreservation. Whereas previous studies confirm the effect of sperm concentration on function and survival of thawed boar spermatozoa, it is still unknown whether, for a same concentration, total number of sperm in the thawing solution affects its mechanics. The present trial sought to define good boar sperm thawing practices by checking if a minimal number of straws as well as the percentage of air volume in the thawing tube should be stated or not to decrease variability from one trial to another. In a first assay, three tubes with different numbers of thawed straws were compared in terms of motility and membrane integrity: control (C, four straws), T1.1 (two straws), and T1.2 (one straw). In a second parallel assay, the sperm motility was evaluated when one straw was thawed in a tube containing 86.67% of air volume (T2.1), and when the tube contained < 1% air volume (T2.2). In all treatments the final concentration of sperm in Beltsville thawing solution (BTS) was 1:3 (v:v) and quality parameters were assessed 4 h after thawing. Results showed the number of straws does affect motility parameters but not the membrane integrity, whereas less air volume in the tube nonsignificantly minimizes data deviation among replicates. In conclusion, it is recommended the use of four straws at 1:3 (v:v) to maintain motility records in boar sperm thawing practices as well as to be provided with vials that fit the sperm volume., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mammalian spermatozoa acquire functionality during epididymal maturation and ability to penetrate and fertilize the oocyte during capacitation. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of epididymal maturation, ejaculation and capacitation on phosphotyrosine content of sperm proteins. Western blot, immunocytochemical and flow cytometry analyses demonstrated that epididymal maturation in vivo is associated with a progressive loss of phosphotyrosine residues of the sperm head followed by a subtle increase after in vitro capacitation. As cells pass from caput to cauda epididymis, tyrosine phosphorylation becomes confined to a triangular band over the posterior part of midacrosome region, whereas in vitro capacitation causes a spread labeling over the whole head. Different bands with phosphotyrosine residues were detected during epididymal maturation and after in vitro capacitation: 1) 93, 66 and 45 kDa bands with specific phosphotyrosine expression in immature spermatozoa; 2) 76, 23 and 12 kDa bands with specific phosphotyrosine expression in mature spermatozoa, being significantly increased in their expression after in vitro capacitation; 3) 49, 40, 37, 30, 26 and 25 kDa constitutive bands that increased their phosphotyrosine expression after maturation and/or in vitro capacitation; and 4) 28 and 20 kDa bands with a specific phosphotyrosine expression in in vitro capacitated spermatozoa. These results provided integral novel data of expression and location of phosphotyrosine residues during epididymal maturation, ejaculation and in vitro capacitation of boar spermatozoa. Two new constitutive proteins bands of 26 and 25 kDa with phosphotyrosine residues were also identified., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In a previous study we reported that the immunolabelling of GLUT3, HSP90AA1, and Cu/ZnSOD proteins on boar sperm did not show differences between good and poor freezability ejaculates, in terms of a qualitative analysis based on location and reactivity of these proteins at 17 degrees C and at 240 min post-thaw. Since predicting the ejaculate freezability is considerably important in sperm cryopreservation procedures, the objective of the present study was to quantify the expression of these three proteins in good and poor freezability ejaculates. For this purpose, 10 ejaculates from 9 Piétrain boars were cryopreserved and their sperm quality assessed in the three main steps of the freezing process (17 degrees C, 5 degrees C, and 240 min post-thaw). After this assessment, the 10 ejaculates were clustered for freezability on the basis of their sperm progressive motility and membrane integrity at 240 min post-thaw. From the whole ejaculates, only four good and four poor freezability ejaculates displaying the most divergent values were selected for a western blot assay using sperm samples coming from the three mentioned freezing steps. Protein levels through densitometry were significantly different between good and poor freezability ejaculates for Cu/ZnSOD at 240 min post-thaw (P

Strontium-90 is considered the most important radioactive isotope in the environment and one of the most frequently occurring radionuclides in groundwaters at nuclear facilities. The uranyl peroxide studtite (UO2O2 . 4H2O) has been observed to be formed in spent nuclear fuel leaching experiments and seems to have a relatively high sorption capacity for some radionuclides. In this work, the sorption of strontium onto studtite is studied as a function of time, strontium concentration in solution and pH. The main results obtained are (a) sorption is relatively fast although slower than for cesium; (b) strontium seems to be sorbed via a monolayer coverage of the studtite surface, (c) sorption has a strong dependence on ionic strength, is negligible at acidic pH, and increases at neutral to alkaline pH (almost 100% of the strontium in solution is sorbed above pH 10). These results point to uranium secondary solid phase formation on the spent nuclear fuel as an important mechanism for strontium retention in a high-level nuclear waste repository (HLNW)., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Grape stalk wastes generated in the wine production process were used for the removal of nickel (II) from aqueous solution. The experimental breakthrough curves were obtained in fixed-bed columns. Experiments we carry out in order to evaluate the influence of inlet metal concentration (30 and 70 mg L(-1)) and the regeneration process in a double sorption cycle. The CXTFIT code was used to fit the experimental data and to determine the transport and sorption parameters of the convective-dispersive equation (CDE) and the two-site deterministic non-equilibrium (TSM/CDE) model by adjusting the models to the experimental breakthrough curves (BTC). The results showed that bed capacity as well as transport and sorption parameters were affected by the initial metal concentration, at the highest Ni(II) concentration the grape stalks column saturated quickly leading to earlier breakthrough. The sorption capacity of the sorbent was slightly reduced in a double sorption cycle, while the recovery of the metal in the desorption step was ranging between 80% and 85% in both cycles.

The objective of this work was to look for useful predictive indicators of the potentially "good" or "poor" ability of a boar ejaculate to sustain cryopreservation by assessing both the conventional sperm quality parameters (Study 1) and the immunolabeling of three proteins involved in the physiology of the sperm cell: GLUT3, HSP90AA1 and Cu/ZnSOD (Study 2). Study 1 was carried out in three different steps during the cryopreservation process of the sperm-rich fraction of 29 Piétrain boar ejaculates (17 degrees C, 5 degrees C, and 240min postthaw). These ejaculates were clustered based on sperm quality parameters analyzed at 240min postthaw, obtaining 16 good freezability ejaculates (GFEs) and 13 poor freezability ejaculates (PFEs). The sperm linearity (LIN) and the straightforward (STR) indexes at 5 degrees C showed higher hyperactivated movement in the PFEs than in the GFEs, which suggests that analyzing these sperm kinematic parameters could be a useful tool for predicting the potential freezability of an ejaculate. This statement was demonstrated by grouping the 29 ejaculates into two clusters (A and B) based on LIN and STR values assessed after 30 min at 5 degrees C, which resulted in around 72% of coincidence with the GFE and PFE groups. Study 2, performed at 17 degrees C and 240 min postthaw, revealed no differences between GFEs and PFEs in the immunolabeling of the three proteins within a same step, in terms of location and reactivity, although reactivity was generally weaker at 240 min postthaw in both groups. Additional studies on Western blot are currently being carried out with the objective to quantify the expression of the three proteins in GFEs and PFEs in the three steps of the cryopreservation process.

Due to the higher stability of the spent nuclear fuel (mainly composed of UO2) under reducing conditions, and in order to enhance the retention/retardation of some key radionuclides, the olivine rock from the Lovasjärvi intrusion has been proposed as a potential redox-active backfill-additive in deep high-level nuclear waste (HLNW) repositories. In this work, two different approaches have been undertaken in order to establish the redox buffer capacity of olivine rock: (1) The capacity of the rock to respond to changes in pH or pe has been demonstrated and the final (pH, pe) coordinates agree with the control exerted by the system Fe(II)/Fe(III). (2) The rate of consumption of oxygen has been determined at different pH values. These rates are higher than the ones reported in the literature for other solids, what would point to the possibility of using this rock as an additive to the backfill material in a HLNW.

This study was designed to assess the effects of exposing boars to an artificial photoperiod on semen quality in terms of sperm concentration, sperm vitality, sperm motility and acrosome integrity. We also determined biochemical semen plasma variables, such as total protein concentration, phosphorylated tyrosine residues and fructose, glucose and sorbitol contents, along with their effects on the fertility, prolificacy and libido of the boars. Three groups of 10 males were kept for 3 months under experimental conditions of 24, 12 and 0 h of artificial light, and a constant temperature of 21 +/- 1 degrees C and 60-75% humidity. The animals were fed a nutritious diet and subjected to semen collection twice per week. Semen samples were analyzed throughout the entire experimental period. Our results indicate that, while the extreme photoperiods (0 and 24 h of light) affected semen quality in terms of sperm concentration, acrosome integrity and semen volume, its fertilizing capacity was only significantly reduced under conditions of absolute darkness. Sperm motility was found to be a poor indicator of fertilizing ability, while other sperm factors, such as acrosome integrity or other functional variables seemed to behave better. The photoperiod was found to affect the production of accessory sex gland secretions more than their composition. In addition, light effects on fertility, prolificacy and libido seemed to be achieved through independent mechanisms.

Boar sperm from the proximal caput epididymis were co-incubated with 1, 4, 7, 10 and 14-day old caput, corpus and cauda epididymal cultures for 24, 48 and 72 h. Boar kidney epithelial cells (LLC-PK1) and ECM alone were used as negative controls. Sperm motility, morphology and membrane integrity were studied to evaluate boar sperm maturation in vitro. Our results showed that epithelial cell monolayers (10, 14-day old) create a suitable microenvironment for the survival of proximal caput sperm and the maintenance of sperm motility over a 72 h period. Moreover, corpus epididymal tubule fragments in culture (1, 4-day old) are capable of promoting the migration of the cytoplasmic droplet along the sperm tail after 24h of co-incubation.

Two colonial types (1 and 2) of Escherichia coli are represented predominantly in cultures isolated from turkey poults with poult enteritis and mortality syndrome (PEMS). Biotype codes determined using two systems (BBL: 36570 and 34560 for colony types 1 and 2, respectively; API-20E: 5144572 and 5144512 for colony types 1 and 2, respectively) clearly establish these organisms as E. coli. These isolates were not clearly divergent from the general profile for E. coli, but colony type 2 differs from colony type 1 with regard to its negative reactions for ornithine decarboxylase and the fermentation of dulcitol, rhamnose, sucrose, and melibiose, suggesting that it is atypical. Colony type 1 is nonserotypable and nonmotile, whereas colony type 2 is serotyped as O136: motile because it has H antigens associated with flagella. Capsular antigens were not found, but thin capsules were seen on cells from both colony types in stained preparations. Cultural morphology was different with colony type 1 having a circular, mucoid, raised morphology and colony type 2 having an irregular, flat, rough morphology. Colony type 1 has a doubling time at 37 C of about 20 min, whereas colony type 2 doubles in 30 min. Furthermore, colony type 1 is a potent colicin producer, but colony type 2 is not a colicin producer. Both E. coli isolates have resistance profiles for multiple antibiotics. Each strain responds to third generation fluoroquinolone antibiotics by changing their biotypes and become resistant after culturing once in their presence. These E. coli are proposed as possible etiological links in the complex series of events that take place in poults susceptible to PEMS.

To date, no definitive etiology has been described for Poult Enteritis and Mortality Syndrome (PEMS). However, two atypical Escherichia coli colony types are isolated consistently from moribund and dead poults afflicted with PEMS. To test the infectivity of these E. coli strains, poults were placed into floor pens in three isolation treatment rooms: 1) CONTROL: no bacterial challenge, 2) E. coli colony Types 1 or 2 posthatch oral challenge: 10(8) cfu/per poult at 1 d, and 3) E. coli colony Types 1 or 2 posthatch oral challenge: 10(8) cfu/per poult at 6 d. Daily intramuscular injections of cyclophosphamide (100 micrograms per poult) from 1 to 5 d posthatch were given to half of the poults in each treatment. Atypical E. coli challenge caused BW depression, and cyclophosphamide treatment exacerbated the response. All E. coli-challenged poults developed diarrhea similar to PEMS. Mortality was increased by both atypical E. coli colony types, but at 21 d E. coli colony Type 2 caused greater mortality than colony Type 1. With cyclophosphamide treatment, mortality was exacerbated with both colony types, but colony Type 2 at 1 d caused the greatest mortality. Ultrastructural damage to ileum epithelium cell microvilli and subcellular organelles indicated that part of the BW depression could be attributed to malabsorption of nutrients. It was concluded that the atypical E. coli colony Types 1 and 2 play a significant role in the PEMS disease.

The data that have been presented indicate that the in ovo use of competitive exclusion (CE) agents is feasible for both chickens and turkeys. However, there are many pitfalls that await the use of in ovo application of CE agents, including the use of nonspecies-specific intestinal microbes and the use of harmful proteolytic, gas-producing and toxin-producing intestinal microbes. Of the potential CE agents that have posthatch application, only Lactobacillus reuteri has been shown to be safe and effective in terms of not affecting hatchability and in having a prolonged effect in the hatched chick or poult. Lactobacillus reuteri administration in ovo increases its rate of intestinal colonization and decreases the colonization of Salmonella and Escherichia coli in both chicks and poults. Additionally, mortality due to in-hatcher exposure to E. coli or Salmonella is reduced with in ovo L. reuteri. Use of antibiotics in ovo may preclude the use of co-administered CE agents, but Gentamicin and L. reuteri are a compatible mixture when administered in ovo in separate compartments. Nevertheless, the intestinal morphology can be affected by both the CE agent and by antibiotics. Lactobacillus reuteri both in ovo and ex ovo will increase villus height and crypt depth, and Gentamicin in ovo causes a shortening and blunting of the villus. Both Gentamicin and L. reuteri in ovo suppress potentially pathogenic enteric microbes, but with diminished antibiotic effects shortening and blunting of the intestinal villi does not correct itself. Goblet cell numbers increase significantly on the ileum villus of chicks treated with Gentamicin in ovo, and this is presumably due to the increase in potentially pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal tract. Diminishing antibiotic effects posthatch would then negatively affect the absorption of nutrients and reduce growth at least in a transitory manner. Thus, L reuteri administration in ovo singly or in combination with Gentamicin followed by L reuteri via drinking water or feed appears to have potential to control many enteric pathogens in poultry. Additional work in the use of in ovo CE cultures is mandated because there is a world-wide movement to reduce antibiotic use in poultry due to increased microbial resistance to antibiotics. Use of naturally occurring intestinal bacterial cultures, either in mixed culture or as single well-defined cultures, has potential for immediate use in the poultry industry.