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Abstract The study employed an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to predict the performance and emissions of a single-cylinder SI engine using blends of Gasoline, Ethanol, and Methanol (GEM) ranging from E10 to E50 equivalence, achieving less than 5% error compared to experimental values. Furthermore, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was utilized to optimize the engine’s performance, identifying the optimal operating conditions of 2992.9 rpm engine speed and an E20-equivalent GEM blend. Under these conditions, the engine exhibited a brake thermal efficiency (B_The) of 34.63%, a brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of 243.7 g/kW-hr, and minimal emissions of 1.5% CO, 108.13 ppm HC, and 1211.8 ppm NOx, with an overall desirability of 0.820, indicating a highly favorable combination of performance and emissions characteristics.

Midlife is a pivotal stage of adulthood, characterized by biological, psychological, and social transitions that often lead to a “midlife crisis.” This phenomenon, while not universal, manifests as a period of self-reflection, reassessment, and potential turmoil, influenced by personal and societal factors. This paper explores the complexities of midlife, including its impact on mental health, relationships, careers, and overall well-being. Key themes include the transition through ego mastery stages, the interplay of physical health, mortality awareness, and evolving roles, as well as gender-specific experiences. While midlife crises may result in emotional upheaval and dissatisfaction, they also offer opportunities for growth and self-discovery. Coping strategies, such as reframing challenges, seeking support, and prioritizing physical activity, are highlighted as transformative tools. The role of healthcare professionals in normalizing this experience and fostering resilience is emphasized. Ultimately, this study underscores midlife as both a challenging and enriching phase, inviting further research into its nuanced dynamics..

Substance P, a neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous system, is considered as a biomarker of pain due to its key role in nociception. But recent researches have proved the increased expression of Substance P and its receptors in human breast cancers and their role in its progression. Canine mammary glands and spontaneously occurring neoplasms in them are considered best models for human breast cancers. Hence as a preliminary study, the present research work was undertaken to assess the level of Substance P in dogs with mammary tumours in comparison to healthy dogs. From the dogs brought for ovariohysterectomy and mammary tumour resection, 20 female dogs were selected for the study. Signalment and detailed history regarding each dog were recorded. All the dogs were subjected to thorough preanaesthetic evaluation and were grouped into Group I (mammary tumour) and II (control group) with 10 dogs each. Blood was collected from all the dogs and serum was separated and stored at -20ºC for estimation of substance P. The same was performed using sandwich ELISA technique with canine specific Substance P ELISA kit. The values obtained for Group I and II were statistically analysed using independent t- test. The level of substance P was significantly higher in the dogs of Group I when compared to Group II Keywords: Substance P, mammary tumour, dogs

An incomplete right bundle branch block (RBBB) associated with coagulation disturbance in mitral valvular disease was diagnosed in a five-year-old female Dachshund. Morphologically moderate mitral valvular thickening and nodularity could be noticed on echocardiography. Prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombocytopaenia supported the probable underlying mechanism for myocardial infarction and RBBB. The animal showed clinical improvement after one month of therapy with enalapril and torasemide for mitral valve insufficiency.

Goal of the perspective: Stromal cell-derived factor-1 alpha CXCL12/SDF-1 has a substantial impact on the tumorigenicity in tobacco related oral cancer. Inhibition could help derive preventive and therapeutic approaches. Discussion: Binding energy score between CXCL12/SDF-1 and small molecule Hesperetin is indicative of a strong and stable interaction, significative of a high affinity for the chemokine. The specific molecular interactions, including hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions further contribute to the stable complex formation. Conclusion: Targeting molecular components of the NF-κB signaling pathway through inhibition of CXCL12/SDF-1 could serve as a vital therapeutic adjunct in management of tobacco associated oral cancer. Also topical drug delivery systems with Hesperetin can be planned in oral potentially malignant disorders.

The impact of fat on abdominal compression effectiveness in abdominal cancers was determined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Visceral and subcutaneous fat were delineated on T2W 3D MRI, and motion change with compression was measured on 2D cine MRI. Results from 16 participants showed no correlation between fat percentage, body mass index (BMI), and motion change. Median BMI was 28.7 (SD, 4.9). Mean motion reduction was 7.8 mm (IQR, 5.0; p = 0.001) with compression. While no direct link was found between fat, BMI, and compression effectiveness, abdominal compression remains crucial for motion management in radiotherapy planning, providing dosimetric benefits.

The OH-stretching infrared absorption spectrum of a tourmaline sample close to the foitite end-member is interpreted in the light of the density functional theory (DFT) modeling of iron-bearing Y3Z6 clusters in tourmaline. The iron-bearing clusters reflect the Al-rich and Na-deficient character of foitite and contain either two Fe2+ and one Al3+ or one Fe2+ and two Al3+ ions at the Y sites. The clusters are embedded in a tourmaline host structure with dravite composition. For the iron dimer models, the structural and vibrational properties corresponding to the ferromagnetic (FM) or anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) arrangement of the iron spins and the effect of vacancy ordering along the [001] axis are considered. A significant difference in the relaxed structure of the FM and AFM clusters is observed, stemming from the electron delocalization and Fe–Fe bonding interactions in the FM cluster. These bonding interactions are not allowed in the AFM cluster. In this case, the valence electrons with opposite spins remain separately localized on the two Fe atoms. The AFM configuration is more stable than the FM one in the theoretical models, provided that the description of the on-site Coulomb repulsion in Fe(3d) orbitals is improved within the DFT + U framework. Based on the theoretical results, the two bands at 3630 and 3644 cm−1 in the vibrational spectra of iron-rich and Na-deficient tourmalines are assigned to WOH groups associated with YFe22+YAl3+ environments with an AFM coupling of Fe ions and surrounded by one and two vacant X sites, respectively. The two major VOH bands of the experimental spectrum are interpreted on the same basis, and these interpretations are extrapolated to Mn-bearing tourmalines.

Environmental changes related to global warming are both a threat to cold-water fishes and simultaneously create favourable conditions for the spread of eurythermic or warm-water species. In both cases, it is necessary to develop conservation strategies supported by precise ecological data, including thermal requirements. In this study, we determined the upper thermal tolerance thresholds and the critical maxima for three small, non-commercial Eurasian freshwater fish species; i.e. lake minnow Eupallasella (=Rhynchocypris) percnurus, sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus and topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva using the Critical Thermal Method at different acclimation temperatures, i.e. 18, 23, 28, and 33°C (highest treatment for topmouth gudgeon only). We hypothesized that lake minnow would have the lowest thermal tolerance and the topmouth gudgeon the highest. The response to temperature rise and the upper thermal limits were species-specific and correlated with the acclimation temperature, but not with fish length. Sunbleak showed the lowest thermal tolerance, though at 28°C both E. percnurus and L. delineatus reached a similar critical thermal limit. Topmouth gudgeon showed distinctly higher upper thresholds of thermal tolerance and at the highest acclimation temperature the critical upper limit for the species was close to 42°C. The results obtained for L. delineatus were surprising as we predicted that this leuciscid fish would be more tolerant of high temperatures than E. percnurus. We discuss the results in relation to the threat of extinction and the risk of species spreading beyond their natural range in the context of a warming environment.

Desmoplastic reactions or desmoplasia, characterised by proliferation of fibrotic connective tissue around tumour cells, have been described as a prognostic indicator of malignancy in human breast cancers. Desmoplasia ultimately results in deposition of collagen that shows significant differences in its density and orientation at different stages of tumourigenesis. The different collagen patterns associated with tumours are referred to as tumour associated collagen signatures (TACS) and are identified as hallmarks in human tumourigenesis. The present study was aimed to demonstrate the presence of TACS in canine mammary tumours (CMTs). The desmoplastic reactions and collagen deposition occurring in association with CMTs were analysed using routine histopathological, special staining and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Thirty excisional biopsy samples collected from malignant CMTs were utilised for studying the progression of desmoplastic reactions occurring in the tumour associated stroma.

Cancer associated stroma (CAS) consists mainly of a cellular fraction comprising fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, inflammatory cells, immune cells, endothelial cells, adipocytes and extracellular matrix (ECM). Recent reports have shown that the cancer stroma including the cellular fraction and ECM undergo considerable reprogramming during the process of tumourigenesis. Though there are some studies on CAS of human breast cancers (HBCs), similar studies are very much limited in canine mammary tumours. Hence, the present study was undertaken to classify the stromal types associated with malignant canine mammary tumours(CMTs). The excisional biopsy samples from 50 numbers of CMTs presented to Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University hospitals at Mannuthy and Kokkalai during the period from November 2019 to December 2021 formed the study material. Histopathological stratification of cancer stroma was done using qualitative evaluation based on the stromal characteristics suggested for HBCs. Accordingly the cancer associated stroma in different tumour samples were classified as fibrotic stroma, inflammatory stroma and mixed stroma. Fibrotic stroma was further classified as mature/ sclerotic, intermediate and immature/desmoplastic types. The grade of tumours in relation to the type of stroma was also analysed and it was identified that with the exception of sclerotic stroma, all other stromal types could be observed in higher grades of CMTs. Desmoplastic and inflammatory stroma were predominantly seen associated with Grade II and Grade III tumours.

Canine mammary tumour is one among the prevalent life style diseases affecting dogs. Certain breeds of dogs are predisposed to mammary neoplasia indicating a possible role of genetic factors in the incidence of disease. Several candidate genes have been studied for its association with mammary tumour in dogs, of which Breast Cancer 2 is one among the genes responsible for the mammary tumour in dogs. In the current study, A4304G within exon 11 of Breast Cancer 2 gene was evaluated for its association with canine mammary tumour. The whole genomic DNA was extracted from 100 female dogs (50 mammary tumour affected dogs and 50 normal animals) above five years. Polymerase Chain Reaction- Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) confirmed the presence of the concerned polymorphism among the 100 female dogs under study. On statistical analysis a significant association of the missense variant A4304G with mammary tumour could not be obtained.

In 2021 JET exploited its unique capabilities to operate with T and D–T fuel with an ITER-like Be/W wall (JET-ILW). This second major JET D–T campaign (DTE2), after DTE1 in 1997, represented the culmination of a series of JET enhancements—new fusion diagnostics, new T injection capabilities, refurbishment of the T plant, increased auxiliary heating, in-vessel calibration of 14 MeV neutron yield monitors—as well as significant advances in plasma theory and modelling in the fusion community. DTE2 was complemented by a sequence of isotope physics campaigns encompassing operation in pure tritium at high T-NBI power. Carefully conducted for safe operation with tritium, the new T and D–T experiments used 1 kg of T (vs 100 g in DTE1), yielding the most fusion reactor relevant D–T plasmas to date and expanding our understanding of isotopes and D–T mixture physics. Furthermore, since the JET T and DTE2 campaigns occurred almost 25 years after the last major D–T tokamak experiment, it was also a strategic goal of the European fusion programme to refresh operational experience of a nuclear tokamak to prepare staff for ITER operation. The key physics results of the JET T and DTE2 experiments, carried out within the EUROfusion JET1 work package, are reported in this paper. Progress in the technological exploitation of JET D–T operations, development and validation of nuclear codes, neutronic tools and techniques for ITER operations carried out by EUROfusion (started within the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme and continuing under the Horizon Europe FP) are reported in (Litaudon et al Nucl. Fusion accepted), while JET experience on T and D–T operations is presented in (King et al Nucl. Fusion submitted).

This is a study of the personal profile of members in Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs), functioning under selected local self-governments of Kerala. BMCs constitute the grass root level institutional machinery for decentralized biodiversity governance. Five BMCs each from six districts, two each from the northern, central, and southern zones were selected purposively based on key informant technique. The selection of districts was based on criteria viz. indigenous cattle population, documentary evidence on native livestock of conservation value and expert guidance by subject matter specialists. Data regarding personal attributes of two hundred and forty members, eight each from thirty selected BMCs, procured through e-surveys and telephonic interviews were analyzed statistically. Results indicated dismal representation of women (37.08 per cent) as well as youth (21.25 per cent) in the committees. Another significant finding was the prevalence of political/ social workers among BMC members (61.66 per cent).The representation of stakeholder communities including those of farming, livestock and fisheries was minimal (17.08 per cent), whereas there was absolute absence of traditional knowledge holders and practitioners of indigenous medicine. Graduates and postgraduates together constituted nearly half of the respondents. All the members reported a working experience of five years in BMCs. The findings regarding training exposure in biodiversity management among BMC members revealed that a vast majority received not more than one training (79.58 per cent). Only a few had attended two or three training programmes (16.25 per cent).The Awards/recognitions received by individual members in biodiversity management was minimal (0.42 per cent), whereas at organizational level, 43.33 per cent of BMCs received only one and 3.33 per cent received more than one awards.

The rearing of chicken in India has undergone a drastic change from backyard production to commercial intensive farming. This has led to the use of antibiotics in therapy, metaphylaxis and as growth promoters. Escherichia coli are commensals that inhabit the gut of man and animals. The detection of virulent pathotypes of E. coli in chicken is a huge threat to human health. The present study assessed 200 retail chicken sold in central Kerala for the presence of virulent E. coli and studied the tetracycline susceptibility followed by detection of tetA and tetB gene. E. coli was detected in 64 per cent of the samples. The virulence genes, eaeA and aggR were detected in 52.2 and 3.9 per cent of the E. coli isolates, respectively. Tetracycline resistance by antibiotic susceptibility testing (ABST) was found in 30.84 per cent of the virulent isolates. The tetracycline efflux pump protein coding genes, tetA and tetB were detected in 56.67 and 25 per cent, respectively. The detection of drug resistant bacteria is a threat to public health as tetracycline is classified as a highly important antibiotic in human medicine.

Abstract Background Needle-related distress is a common yet poorly recognised and managed problem among haemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of this pilot study is to test the feasibility and acceptability of the INJECT Intervention—an innovative psychology-based intervention to empower patients to self-manage needle distress with the support of dialysis nurses. Methods This investigator-initiated, single-arm, non-randomised feasibility study will take place in a large dialysis service in Adelaide, Australia. Participants will include patients aged ≥ 18 years, commencing or already receiving maintenance HD, recruited through dialysis physicians and nursing staff as individuals believed to be at risk of needle distress. They will be screened for inclusion using the Dialysis Fear of Injection Questionnaire (DFIQ) and enrolled into the study if the score is ≥ 2. The multi-pronged intervention encompasses (i) psychologist review, (ii) patient self-management program and (iii) nursing education program. The primary aim is to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of the intervention from patient and dialysis nurse perspectives, including recruitment, retention, engagement with the intervention and completion. Secondary exploratory outcomes will assess suitability of various tools for measuring needle distress, evaluate acceptability of the nursing education program and measure cannulation-related trauma and vascular access outcomes. Conclusion The results will inform the protocol for larger trials addressing needle distress in HD patients. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12621000229875, approved 4 April 2021, https://www.anzctr.org.au/ .

Background: Patients who experience a pelvic cancer recurrence in or near a region that received initial radiotherapy, typically have few options for treatment. Organs at risk (OAR) have often reached their dose constraint limits leaving minimal dose remaining for standard re-irradiation (reRT). However, photon based stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has been utilised for reRT with promising initial results although meeting OAR constraints can be challenging. Proton beam therapy (PBT) could offer an advantage. Materials and methods: SABR plans used for treatment for ten pelvic reRT patients were dosimetrically compared to PBT plans retrospectively planned using the same CT and contour data. PBT plans were created to match the CTV dose coverage of SABR treatment plans with V100% ≥95%. An ‘as low as reasonably achievable’ approach was taken to OAR tolerances with consideration of OAR dose from the initial radiation (using equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions). Results: Dosimetric comparison of relevant OAR statistics showed a decrease in OAR dose using PBT over SABR in all patients, with equivalent target coverage. The largest statistically significant reduction was seen for the colon D0.5 cm3 with a median reduction from 13.1 Gy to 5.9 Gy. There were statistically significant dose reductions in the median dose to small bowel, sacral plexus and cauda equina. Conclusion: PBT has the potential for significant dose reductions for OARs in the pelvic reRT setting compared to SABR. However, it remains unclear if the magnitude of these OAR dose reductions will translate into clinical benefit.

Old world monkeys comprise 28 Langur species which belong to subfamily Colobinae under family Cercopithecidae. Nilgiri Langurs (Trachypithecus johnii) are endemic to the rain forests of the Western Ghats. The current study is an attempt at comparative phylogeny based on mitochondrial CYTB (mtCYTB) gene of Nilgiri Langur with other langurs. Faecal sample was collected from Nilgiri langur and the genomic DNA was isolated. The 1140 bp mitochondrial CYTB was amplified and sequenced using Sanger’s di-deoxy method. The amplified sequence along with the 27 sequences of Trachypithecus and Semnopithecus that were retrieved from the GenBank database were used for analysis. The phylogenetic tree was constructed by the maximum likelihood method in MEGA X. The analysis showed the clustering of Nilgiri langur with other langurs of the Semnopithecus sp. as a single clade.

The theoretical vibrational properties of a series of Fe- and Al-bearing lizardite models have been determined at the density functional theory level. Each periodic model displays a single cationic impurity substituted at an octahedral or tetrahedral site of a supercell of lizardite (Mg3Si2O5(OH)4) containing 162 atoms. The isovalent Fe2+ for Mg2+ substitution has been considered, as well as the heterovalent substitution of Fe3+ or Al3+ for Mg2+ or Si4+. Comparison of the theoretical absorption spectra with previously reported experimental spectra of natural and laboratory-grown lizardite samples allows us to propose an interpretation for most of the observed bands. Although the identification of specific bands related to octahedral Fe2+ in FTIR spectra is challenging, broad bands at 3584 and 3566 cm−1 reflect the occurrence of octahedral Al3+ and Fe3+, respectively, in the natural samples. These broad bands likely overlap with potential contribution related to tetrahedral Al3+. It is suggested that the modification of the H-bonding pattern related to the incorporation of trivalent ions at tetrahedral sites has an overall broadening effect on the interlayer-OH stretching bands of lizardite.

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α is a transcription factor stabilized by hypoxia by inducing or suppressing the homeostatic regulatory gene expression, enabling tissues and cells to survive despite fluctuations in environmental circumstances. As the name implies, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 is secreted not only as a cellular response to hypoxia but also in heat stress and oxidative stress. The goal of this work was to determine the molecular characterisation of the HIF-1α gene coding region as well as the differences in HIF-1αprotein primary structure between Vechur cattle and other cattle breeds in the online databases. Total RNA was isolated from blood samples of 6 Vechur cattle using the trizol reagent method, and full-length c sequences of the HIF-1α gene were sequenced. The base pair length of composite HIF-1αcDNA of Vechur cattle and encoding ORFis 3956 bp and 2469 bp respectively. The 5′UTR was recognized to be 279 bp in length. The start codon was identified at nucleotide 280–282, the stop codon UGA at 2746–2748 bp and a 1208 bp 3′UTR which included a poly-A tail of 27 adenine residues. In a comparative analysis of the cDNA, point transitions causing guanine to adenine (G>A) changes at 1211th and 2699th positions were noticed as a heterozygous condition in the whole 3956 bp sequence. These two SNVs in the coding regions were responsible for two amino acid changes in the deduced 823 amino acid sequence. Since the predicted amino acid arginine had been replaced with lysine at 311th and 807th positions, it showed 99.76 percent sequence identity with Bos taurus. The phylogenetic tree revealed that the HIF-1α protein of Vechur cattle had a lesser evolutionary distance from the same gene of related species emphasising the highly conserved nature of this particular protein. This structural variation observed in the present study should be evaluated on a larger population to assess its functional relevance for thermo-tolerance.

The infrared absorption spectrum of a natural antigorite sample from New Caledonia is compared to its theoretical counterpart computed for the pristine antigorite m=17 polysome within the density functional perturbation theory framework. The theoretical model reproduces most of the bands related to Si-O stretching in the 800–1300 cm−1 range, OH libration, hindered OH translation and SiO4 bending in the 400–800 cm−1 range, and OH stretching in the 3500–3700 cm−1 range. Most of the observed bands have a composite nature involving several vibrational modes contributing to their intensity, except the apical and one of the basal Si-O stretching bands whose intensity is carried by a single mode. The peculiarity of the antigorite structure favors a localization of the Si-O and OH stretching modes in specific regions of the unit cell. Weaker Si-O stretching bands experimentally observed at 1205 and 1130 cm−1 are related to the occurrence of 6- and 8-reversals in the antigorite structure, respectively. The distribution of OH bond lengths leads to an asymmetric distribution of frequencies consistent with the width and the shape of the experimentally observed OH stretching band. It also leads to a strong distribution of OH libration frequencies ranging from 600 to 830 cm−1 explaining the asymmetry of the band observed at 648 cm−1 in the antigorite spectrum.

In this study, we present a novel monitoring methodology that combines satellite retrievals and forecasts to detect local CH4 concentration anomalies worldwide. These anomalies are caused by rapidly changing anthropogenic emissions that significantly contribute to the CH4 atmospheric budget and by biases in the satellite retrieval data. The method uses high-resolution (7 km × 7 km) retrievals of total column CH4 from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on board the Sentinel 5 Precursor satellite. Observations are combined with high-resolution CH4 forecasts (∼ 9 km) produced by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) to provide departures (observations minus forecasts) at close to the satellite's native resolution at appropriate time. Investigating these departures is an effective way to link satellite measurements and emission inventory data in a quantitative manner. We perform filtering on the departures to remove the synoptic-scale and meso-alpha-scale biases in both forecasts and satellite observations. We then apply a simple classification scheme to the filtered departures to detect anomalies and plumes that are missing (e.g. pipeline or facility leaks), underreported or overreported (e.g. depleted drilling fields) in the CAMS emissions. The classification method also shows some limitations to detect emission anomalies only due to local satellite retrieval biases linked to albedo and scattering issues.

All public health ministries have implemented strategies to contain the spread of COVID-19 worldwide. Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 still represent the most effective weapon to combat the circulation of the virus, in order to decrease the impact of COVID-19 on the general health of the population, to prevent the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and avoid excessive hospitalization. However, the success of a vaccination campaign largely depends on the penetrance of the message addressed to general population, which takes on an even more strategic value when vaccine candidates suffer from chronic diseases. In this view, patients suffering from immune-mediated skin diseases could represent a “weak link in the vaccine chain.” Our main objective is to focus attention on four main elements in support of vaccination strategy in order to promote the patients’ awareness to be at highest risk of negative consequences in case of SARS-Cov-2 infection, and to build, strengthen and maintain trust in vaccines’ efficacy and safety.

The present study was envisaged for the detection of subclinical mastitis in 108 apparently healthy dairy cows of University Livestock Farm, Mannuthy and Livestock Research Station, Thiruvazhamkunnu. The quarter milk samples collected under sterile conditions were screened using California mastitis test, somatic cell counting and electrical conductivity. A high prevalence of 54 per cent was recorded in the present study. The results indicated the importance of maintaining proper hygienic practices inside farm and good udder health management to enhance quality milk production.

The extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) at genome wide level is crucial in determining the effectiveness of genomics tools in livestock breeding. The present population genomic study was conducted in native goat breeds of Kerala namely; Attapady Black goats (n=24) and Malabari goats (n=24) to characterise extent of LD within 40kbp marker interval using genome wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker data obtained by SNP50 BeadChip genotyping. Extent of LD between bi allelic markers was measured using correlation coefficient (r2). Mean r2 between adjacent SNP pairs across all autosomes within 40Kbp marker interval was low (Attapady Black: 0.1336; Malabari: 0.1284). The LD varied across autosomes in native goats. It was the highest for SNP pairs on Capra hircus autosome 6 (CHI 6) and the lowest for SNP pairs harboured in CHI 28 in Attapady Black goats and for SNP pairs in CHI 29 in Malabari goats. The low LD estimates indicate the genetically diverse nature of native goats. Current results also imply that denser SNP beadchip array with inter marker interval of below 40kbp would be desirable for effective genome wide association study (GWAS) and genomic selection in native goats.

Abstract Background Chorioamnionitis, inflammation of the chorion and amnion, which often results from intrauterine infection, is associated with premature birth and contributes to significant neonatal morbidity and mortality, including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Recently, we have shown that chronic chorioamnionitis is associated with significant structural enteric nervous system (ENS) abnormalities that may predispose to later NEC development. Understanding time point specific effects of an intra-amniotic (IA) infection on the ENS is important for further understanding the pathophysiological processes and for finding a window for optimal therapeutic strategies for an individual patient. The aim of this study was therefore to gain insight in the longitudinal effects of intrauterine LPS exposure (ranging from 5 h to 15 days before premature delivery) on the intestinal mucosa, submucosa, and ENS in fetal lambs by use of a well-established translational ovine chorioamnionitis model. Methods We used an ovine chorioamnionitis model to assess outcomes of the fetal ileal mucosa, submucosa and ENS following IA exposure to one dose of 10 mg LPS for 5, 12 or 24 h or 2, 4, 8 or 15 days. Results Four days of IA LPS exposure causes a decreased PGP9.5- and S100β-positive surface area in the myenteric plexus along with submucosal and mucosal intestinal inflammation that coincided with systemic inflammation. These changes were preceded by a glial cell reaction with early systemic and local gut inflammation. ENS changes and inflammation recovered 15 days after the IA LPS exposure. Conclusions The pattern of mucosal and submucosal inflammation, and ENS alterations in the fetus changed over time following IA LPS exposure. Although ENS damage seemed to recover after prolonged IA LPS exposure, additional postnatal inflammatory exposure, which a premature is likely to encounter, may further harm the ENS and influence functional outcome. In this context, 4 to 8 days of IA LPS exposure may form a period of increased ENS vulnerability and a potential window for optimal therapeutic strategies.

Vechur, the native cattle breed of Kerala, India is well-known for economically valuable phenotypic traits like disease resistance, adaptability to hot and humid tropical climatic conditions, low feed requirements and high quality milk. However, genomic information underlying these traits is rare. In the present study, the whole exome sequencing of a Vechur cow using Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform is reported. Comparison of sequences with Bos taurus reference genome assembly (UMD 3.1) identified 1,716,847 variants including 1,578,749 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and 138,098 Insertion/Deletions, of which 359,034 variants (20.91%) were novel. Detailed annotation of the identified variants showed that majority were situated in the intergenic region. Out of the 724,808 variants found inside the gene region, 107,880 were exonic variants. In the exonic variant, substantial proportion of non-synonymous (34.83%), frameshift (12.47%), nonsense (0.3%), start loss (0.06%) and stop loss (0.0009%) variants were identified. This information will provide a better understanding of genetic differences responsible for the peculiar phenotypic traits inherent to Vechur cattle

Goat rearing occupies an important place in augmenting the economy of our country. In India there are 23 well defined goat breeds and Kerala has two native breeds namely Malabari and Attappady Black, which vary significantly in milk production. Data on quantity of milk was collected from 100 Malabari and 70 Attappady Black goats. There was a significant influence of breed (p≤0.01) and parity (p≤0.05) on milk production. The average milk yield of Malabari goats was, 558.94 ± 4.21 ml per day, while for Attappady Black it was 340.22 ± 4.45 ml per day. Milk samples were collected from 54 Malabari and 35 Attappady black goats and significant difference was observed in fat per cent between two groups. Double digest restriction associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) is a modern reduced representation sequencing technique which is a powerful and inexpensive approach for identification of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) across populations. This technique was applied on two groups of Malabari and Attappady Black goats with differing milk production and the preliminary evaluation of results revealed SNPs in five major genes affecting milk production.

The Western honey bee (Apis mellifera L., Hymenoptera: Apidae) is a species of fundamental eco-nomic, agricultural and environmental importance. The aim of this study was to compare the preva-lence of some parasitic and viral pathogens in local honey bees from the Rodope Mountains and plain regions. To achieve this goal, molecular screening for two of the most distributed Nosema spp. and molecular identification of six honey bee viruses – Deformed wing virus (DWV), Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), Sacbrood virus (SBV), Kashmir bee virus (KBV), and Black queen cell virus (BQCV) was performed. Molecular analysis was carried out on 168 honey bee samples from apiaries situated in three different parts of the country where a mix of different honey bee subspecies were reared. In South Bulgaria (the Rhodope Mountains), a local honey bee called Apis mellifera rodopica (a local ecotype of A. m. macedonica) was bred, while in the other two regions (plains) different introduced subspecies existed. The results showed that the samples from the lowland regions in the country were outlined with the highest prevalence (70.5%) of N. ceranae, while those from the mountainous parts had the lowest rate (5.2%). Four of the honey bee viruses were identified – DWV (10/5.9%), followed by SBV (6/3.6%) and ABPV (2/1.2%), and one case of BQCV. In conclusion, the local honey bee A. m. rodopica (despite the higher number of sam-ples) has shown lower prevalence of both nosemosis and viral infections. Therefore, this honey bee has to be preserved as a part of the national biodiversity.

Abstract Background The dietary supplementation of yeast cell wall extracts (YCW) has been found to reduce pathogenic bacteria load, promote immunoglobulin production, prevent diseases by pro-inflammatory responses, and alter gut microbiota composition. This study evaluated growth and slaughter results, health, gut morphology, immune status and gut transcriptome of 576 male chickens fed two diets, i.e. C (control) or Y (with 250–500 g/t of YCW fractions according to the growth period). At 21 and 42 d the jejunum of 12 chickens per diet were sampled and stained with hematoxylin/eosin for morphometric evaluation, with Alcian-PAS for goblet cells, and antibodies against CD3+ intraepithelial T-cells and CD45+ intraepithelial leukocytes. The jejunum sampled at 42 d were also used for whole-transcriptome profiling. Results Dietary YCW supplementation did not affect final live weight, whereas it decreased feed intake (114 to 111 g/d; P ≤ 0.10) and improved feed conversion (1.74 to 1.70; P ≤ 0.01). Regarding the gut, YCW supplementation tended to increase villi height (P = 0.07); it also increased the number of goblet cells and reduced the density of CD45+ cells compared to diet C (P < 0.001). In the gut transcriptome, four genes were expressed more in broilers fed diet Y compared to diet C, i.e. cytochrome P450, family 2, subfamily C, polypeptide 23b (CYP2C23B), tetratricopeptide repeat domain 9 (TTC9), basic helix-loop-helix family member e41 (BHLHE41), and the metalloreductase STEAP4. Only one gene set (HES_PATHWAY) was significantly enriched among the transcripts more expressed in broilers fed diet Y. However, a total of 41 gene sets were significantly over-represented among genes up-regulated in control broilers. Notably, several enriched gene sets are implicated in immune functions and related to NF-κB signaling, apoptosis, and interferon signals. Conclusions The dietary YCW supplementation improved broiler growth performance, increased gut glycoconjugate secretion and reduced the inflammatory status together with differences in the gut transcriptome, which can be considered useful to improve animal welfare and health under the challenging conditions of intensive rearing systems in broiler chickens.

The rumen microbial community plays a critical role in methane emission from ruminants. However, there is a lack of data comparing the composition of the rumen methanogenic community of cattle breeds of Kerala. Present study was undertaken with the objective of assessing rumen methanogen composition and methane emission levels of crossbred and Vechur cattle. All the animals were fed with ration of 50:50 (forage: concentrate) diet on dry matter basis for a period of three weeks. Rumen liquor and rumen gas samples were collected. DNA isolated from rumen liquor using standard procedure were pooled genetic group wise and subjected to whole metagenome sequencing and further bioinformatics analysis. The concentrations of methane (percentage) in gas samples were determined using a methane analyser. Research findings revealed that bacteria was the most dominant and archaea was the second prominent domain found in rumen of both genetic groups. Phylum Euryarchaeota of the domain Archaea constitute methanogens. At family level, Methanomassiliicoccaceae, Methanomicrobiaceae, Methanobacteriaceae were the predominant methanogens in crossbred and Vechur rumen. Population of specific methanogens were found to be significantly different between genetic groups. Biodiversity indices displayed higher richness, evenness and diversity for rumen methanogens in Vechur cows compared to crossbred. Comparative analysis of methane emission levels in crossbred and Vechur confirmed the effect of genetic group on methane emission from rumen.

Vortioxetine is a novel multimodal antidepressant that modulates a wide range of neurotransmitters throughout the brain. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that vortioxetine exerts positive effects on different cognitive domains and neuroprotective effects. Considering the key role of microglial cells in brain plasticity and cognition, we aimed at investigating the effects of pretreatment with vortioxetine in modulating behavioral and molecular effects induced by an immune challenge: peripheral injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To this purpose, C57BL/6J male mice were first exposed to a 28-day standard diet or vortioxetine-enriched diet, which was followed by an acute immune challenge with LPS. Sickness symptoms and depressive-like behaviors (anhedonia and memory impairment) were tested 6 and 24 h after exposure to LPS, respectively. Moreover, the expressions of markers of immune activation and M1/M2 markers of microglia polarization were measured in the dorsal and ventral parts of the hippocampus. The pretreatment with vortioxetine did not affect both LPS-induced sickness behavior and anhedonia but prevented the deficit in the recognition memory induced by the immune challenge. At the transcriptional level, chronic exposure to vortioxetine did not prevent LPS-induced upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines 6 h after the immune challenge but rather seemed to potentiate the immune response to the challenge also by affecting the levels of expression of markers of microglia M1 phenotype, like cluster of differentiation (CD)14 and CD86, in an area-dependent manner. However, at the same time point, LPS injection significantly increased the expression of the M2 polarization inducer, interleukin 4, only in the hippocampus of animals chronically exposed to vortioxetine. These results demonstrate that a chronic administration of vortioxetine specifically prevents LPS-induced memory impairment, without affecting acute sickness behavior and anhedonia, and suggest that hippocampal microglia may represent a cellular target of this novel antidepressant medication. Moreover, we provide a useful model to further explore the molecular mechanisms specifically underlying cognitive impairments following an immune challenge.

SETs (Single-Electron-Transistors) arouse growing interest for their very low energy consumption. For future industrialization, it is crucial to show a CMOS-compatible fabrication of SETs, and a key prerequisite is the patterning of sub-20 nm Si Nano-Pillars (NP) with an embedded thin SiO2 layer. In this work, we report the patterning of such multi-layer isolated NP with e-beam lithography combined with a Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) process. The Critical Dimension (CD) uniformity and the robustness of the Process of Reference are evaluated. Characterization methods, either by CD-SEM for the CD, or by TEM cross-section for the NP profile, are compared and discussed.

Abstract Background The SCOPE trials (SCOPE 1, NeoSCOPE and SCOPE 2) have been the backbone of oesophageal RT trials in the UK. Many changes in oesophageal RT techniques have taken place in this time. The SCOPE trials have, in addition to adopting these new techniques, been influential in aiding centres with their implementation. We discuss the progress made through the SCOPE trials and include details of a questionnaire sent to participating centres. to establish the role that trial participation played in RT changes in their centre. Methods Questionnaires were sent to 47 centres, 27 were returned. Results 100% of centres stated their departmental protocol for TVD was based on the relevant SCOPE trial protocol. 4DCT use has increased from 42 to 71%. Type B planning algorithms, mandated in the NeoSCOPE trial, were used in 79.9% pre NeoSCOPE and now in 83.3%. 12.5% of centres were using a stomach filling protocol pre NeoSCOPE, now risen to 50%. CBCT was mandated for IGRT in the NeoSCOPE trial. 66.7% used this routinely pre NeoSCOPE/SCOPE 2 which has risen to 87.5% in the survey. Conclusion The results of the questionnaires show how participation in national oesophageal RT trials has led to the adoption of newer RT techniques in UK centres, leading to better patient care.

This work is dedicated to the study of the large-displacement behaviour of a spiral spring. Parameters that influence the local torsion stiffness of the beam that constitutes the spiral are varied and their effect is studied. Cross-sectional shape, orthotropic material orientation and prestress are the three classes of parameters that are varied. The effect that the local change in torsional stiffness has on the overall behaviour is illustrated in a linearised way by comparing in-plane and out-of-plane stiffnesses, and nonlinearly, by inspecting a graphical representation of the potential energy field of the system. Several embodiments composed of multiple spirals are showed to illustrate how the understanding of the nonlinear behaviour could be exploited in conceptual design of compliant mechanisms.