Search

We revisit the subject of Be star candidates towards the Magellanic Clouds, previously studied by the authors using SPM4 proper motions. We obtain GAIA DR2 parallaxes and proper motions for 2357 and 994 LMC and SMC Be candidates, respectively. Parallaxes and proper motions vs. color V-I easily reveal the presence of the redder galactic contaminant foreground, as concluded in our previous work, but this time we do find a few red Be stars candidates consistent with being true Magellanic objects. A membership assessment to each Magellanic Cloud is done for each Be candidate, based on the distribution of their parallaxes and proper motions. From a compilation of published catalogues of spectroscopically confirmed Be stars, we found that 40 (LMC) and 64 (SMC) of these Be candidates, are in fact Be stars. Near infrared IRSF JHKs magnitudes were obtained for about 70% the Be stars candidates with GAIA DR2 astrometric data. Mid-infrared SAGE IRAC 3.6, 4.5, 5.8 and 8.0 $\mu$m magnitudes were obtained for about 85% as well. 6 LMC and 7 SMC confirmed Be stars show optical, near- or mid-infrared colours redder than what has been typically measured for Classical Be stars. Several of the Be candidates follow those redder-than-expected colours distributions suggesting the existence of more red Magellanic Be stars., Comment: Slight change in title, two new more authors, 15 pages, 12 figures, accepted by MNRAS

Using GAIA EDR3 catalog, we present the detailed analysis of the two-component Milky Way stellar disk in the solar neighborhood. To determine the kinematical properties of the thin and of the Thick disks, we select the complete sample of about 278,000 evolved red giant branch (RGB) stars distributed in the cylinder of 1 kpc radius and 0.5 kpc height centered at the Sun. We measured the following mean velocities and dispersions for the thin and the Thick disks, respectively: [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text]. Errors in mean velocities and dispersions are all less than 1[Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text]. Same values were computed on much smaller subsamples of our Gaia data with RAVE DR5 [Fe/H] values, from which a metallicity selection was added. Results are basically the same. We find that up to 500 pc height above/below the galactic plane, Thick disk stars comprise about half the stars of the disk. We also find evidence of a substructure in [Formula: see text] versus [Formula: see text] in the thick disk population mostly that would give support to the accretion scenario for the formation of the thick disk.

Hot-iron disbudding, the process of cauterizing the horn buds of calves or goat kids at an early age to prevent horn growth, is routinely practiced in dairy production. The wounds take weeks to heal and are painful to touch throughout this time. Possible strategies to hasten the healing of disbudding wounds are not well understood, but the type of iron used may be an important factor to consider. When evaluating strategies to hasten healing, a within-subjects design may be preferable, but laterality effects might act as a potential source of variation and confounding in this type of experiment. Our objectives were to compare healing after disbudding with 2 commercially available irons, and to determine whether wounds healed differently on the left versus the right side of the head. Ten Holstein calves 4 to 10 d of age were disbudded using the Rhinehart X50A electric disbudder (Rhinehart Development Corp., Spencerville, IN) on one horn bud and the Portasol gas disbudder (Portasol USA, Elmira, OR) on the other; side (left vs. right) was balanced between treatments. We scored wounds daily for the presence of 6 tissue types: attached necrotic tissue, detached necrotic tissue, exudate, granulation, crust, and epithelium. Surface temperature and size of the wound were measured twice-weekly using thermal and digital photographs, respectively. The type of iron used did not affect latency to re-epithelialize, which took on average (mean ± standard deviation) 53 ± 3 d and 55 ± 3 d for Portasol and Rhinehart wounds, respectively (range: 40-70 d). However, compared with Portasol wounds, those from the Rhinehart had fewer days of granulation tissue and tended to have more days of detached necrotic tissue. The Portasol tip had a smaller total surface area than the Rhinehart, which may have resulted in a less severe burn, causing the necrotic tissue to fall off sooner. The left side tended to re-epithelialize faster than the right side (mean ± standard error: left 51 ± 3 d; right 57 ± 3 d) and have fewer days of crust. Left-sided wounds were also cooler and tended to be smaller than those on the right. To assess the external validity of these laterality effects in our primary experiment (experiment A), we analyzed wound healing data from 2 other disbudding studies, one on calves (experiment B) and one on goat kids (experiment C). We observed laterality effects in the opposite direction in Experiment B, but negligible effects in experiment C, indicating that the differences in laterality had low external validity; the biological meaning of this asymmetry is unclear. Nonetheless, if using a within-subjects design, asymmetries in wound healing should be considered to avoid confounding effects. In conclusion, wounds from both irons took 7 to 8 wk to heal, on average; other strategies to accelerate healing should be explored.

The presence of nitrogen-enriched stars in globular clusters provides key evidence for multiple stellar populations (MPs), as has been demonstrated with globular cluster spectroscopic data towards the bulge, disk, and halo. In this work, we employ the VVV Infrared Astrometric Catalogue (VIRAC) and the DR16 SDSS-IV release of the APOGEE survey to provide the first detailed spectroscopic study of the bulge globular cluster UKS~1. Based on these data, a sample of six selected cluster members was studied. We find the mean metallicity of UKS~1 to be [Fe/H]$=-0.98\pm0.11$, considerably more metal-poor than previously reported, and a negligible metallicity scatter, typical of that observed by APOGEE in other Galactic globular clusters. In addition, we find a mean radial velocity of $66.1\pm12.9$ km s$^{-1}$, which is in good agreement with literature values, within 1$\sigma$. By selecting stars in the VIRAC catalogue towards UKS~1, we also measure a mean proper motion of ($\mu_{\alpha}\cos(\delta)$, $\mu_{\delta}$) $=$ ($-2.77\pm0.23$,$-2.43\pm0.16$) mas yr$^{-1}$. We find strong evidence for the presence of MPs in UKS~1, since four out of the six giants analysed in this work have strong enrichment in nitrogen ([N/Fe]$\gtrsim+0.95$) accompanied by lower carbon abundances ([C/Fe]$\lesssim-0.2$). Overall, the light- (C, N), $\alpha$- (O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti), Fe-peak (Fe, Ni), Odd-Z (Al, K), and the \textit{s}-process (Ce, Nd, Yb) elemental abundances of our member candidates are consistent with those observed in globular clusters at similar metallicity. Furthermore, the overall star-to-star abundance scatter of elements exhibiting the multiple-population phenomenon in UKS~1 is typical of that found in other global clusters (GCs), and larger than the typical errors of some [X/Fe] abundances. Results from statistical isochrone fits in the VVV colour-magnitude diagrams indicate an age ..., Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables, A&A (in press)

We revisit the subject of Be star candidates towards the Magellanic Clouds, previously studied by the author susing SPM4 proper motions. We obtain GAIA DR2 parallaxes and proper motions for 2357 and 994 LMC and SMC Be candidates, respectively. Parallaxes and proper motions vs. color V-I easily reveal the presence of the redder galactic contaminant foreground, as concluded in our previous work, but this time we do find a few red Be stars candidates consistent with being true Magellanic objects. A membership assessment to each Magellanic Cloud is done for each Be candidate, based on the distribution of their parallaxes and proper motions. Near-infrared IRSF JHKs magnitudes were obtained for about 70% the Be stars candidates with GAIA DR2 astrometric data. Several Magellanic Be candidates are redder in optical an near-infrared than what is expected for Classical Be stars.

Despite their close proximity, the complex interplay between the two Magellanic Clouds, the Milky Way, and the resulting tidal features, is still poorly understood. Recent studies have shown that the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) has a very extended disk strikingly perturbed in its outskirts. We search for recent star formation in the far outskirts of the LMC, out to ~30 degrees from its center. We have collected intermediate-resolution spectra of thirty-one young star candidates in the periphery of the LMC and measured their radial velocity, stellar parameters, distance and age. Our measurements confirm membership to the LMC of six targets, for which the radial velocity and distance values match well those of the Cloud. These objects are all young (10-50 Myr), main-sequence stars projected between 7 and 13 degrees from the center of the parent galaxy. We compare the velocities of our stars with those of a disk model, and find that our stars have low to moderate velocity differences with the disk model predictions, indicating that they were formed in situ. Our study demonstrates that recent star formation occurred in the far periphery of the LMC, where thus far only old objects were known. The spatial configuration of these newly-formed stars appears ring-like with a radius of 12 kpc, and a displacement of 2.6 kpc from the LMC's center. This structure, if real, would be suggestive of a star-formation episode triggered by an off-center collision between the Small Magellanic Cloud and the LMC's disk., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The nutritional properties of jucara fruit are similar to those of acai fruit, rich in bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential. This cross-over study evaluated the effects of the acute consumption of jucara juice in eleven healthy volunteers. Blood samples were collected before and 1, 2, and 4 h after juice or water (control) intake to measure the ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), uric acid, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lipid hydroperoxides (LH). Repeated measures analysis of variance verified that the treatment increased the FRAP (p = 0.02) and the enzymatic activity of GPx (p = 0.02). In addition, there was a significant treatment–time interaction, and a decrease in LH (p = 0.02) was observed over time after the ingestion of jucara juice. Based on these results, further studies should be carried out to evaluate the clinical effects of jucara juice consumption, particularly regarding its antioxidant potential in humans.

We present a proper motion investigation of a sample of Be star candidates towards the Magellanic Clouds, which has resulted in the identification of separate populations, in the Galactic foreground and in the Magellanic background. Be stars are broadly speaking B-type stars that have shown emission lines in their spectra. In this work, we studied a sample of 2446 and 1019 Be star candidates towards the LMC and SMC respectively, taken from the literature and proposed as possible Be stars due to their variability behaviour in the OGLE-II I band. JHKs magnitudes from the IRSF catalog and proper motions from the SPM4 catalog, were obtained for 1188 and 619 LMC and SMC Be stars candidates, respectively. Color-color and vector-point diagrams were used to identify different populations among the Be star candidates. In the LMC sample, two populations with distinctive infrared colours and kinematics were found, the bluer sample is consistent with being in the LMC and the redder one with belonging to the Milky Way disk. This settles the nature of the redder sample which had been described in previous publications as a possible unknown subclass of stars among the Be candidates in the LMC. In the SMC sample, a similar but less evident result was obtained, since this apparent unknown subclass was not seen in this galaxy. We confirm that in the selection of Be stars by their variability, although generally successful, there is a higher risk of contamination by Milky Way objects towards redder B$-$V and V$-$I colors., 8 pages, 7 figures

We provide two comprehensive catalogues of positions and proper motions in the area of open cluster Blanco 1. The main catalogue, CtlgM, contains 6271 objects down to V similar to 18.5 and covers a circular similar to 11 deg2 area. The accuracy of CtlgM proper motions, at about 0.3-0.5 mas yr-1 for well-measured stars, permits an excellent segregation between the cluster and field stars. The vector-point diagram of proper motions indicates an estimated total of similar to 165 cluster members among the stars in our sample, while 314 stars with Sigma(mu) = 1 per cent. We also explored the astrometric potential of the Catalogue of Objects and Measured Parameters from All Sky Surveys (COMPASS) data base in order to obtain additional proper motions for fainter stars in the area of Blanco 1. This effort produced the second catalogue of proper motions, CtlgD, containing 11 598 objects down to V similar to 21. A total of 4273 objects are common between the two catalogues. The accuracy of proper motions in CtlgD ranges from 1.0 to 6 mas yr-1. A combination of both proper-motion catalogues was instrumental in confirming that Blanco 1 contains a large population of M dwarfs (similar to 150 down to M5 V - the limit of our survey). In many respects, Blanco 1 is a scaled down 'twin' of the Pleiades. The noted discrepancy between the distance from a new Hipparcos parallax of Blanco 1 and the cluster's photometric distance, at least partially, might be due to the apparent correlation between parallax and proper motion in right ascension for the ensemble of cluster members.

The most accurate 6D phase-space information from the Radial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) was used to integrate the orbits of 105 stars around the galactic globular cluster 47 Tucanae, to look for close encounters between them in the past, with a minimum distance approach less than the cluster tidal radius. The stars are currently over the distance range 3.0 kpc $, Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 2 table, Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The movement in the health care design field to focus on "patient-centered care" and "healing environments" is often reflected in the health care facilities' incorporation of features meant to mitigate the stressful nature of serious illness. These features may range from a resource center (to allow patients and families to properly educate themselves about their illness) to providing space in rooms so family members can remain with patients, to more ambient features such as soft lighting, water features, or healing gardens. Research has shown that such features can in fact have positive effects for patients and may reduce stress and speed physical healing. What is not as well understood is how (if at all) the medical staff uses these types of features. Good health care cannot be administered without health care professionals, but factors such as job stress and burnout can impair both the physical and psychological health of the staff. A supportive organizational environment is imperative, but this article will set out to show that a supportive physical environment can be just as necessary in influencing how the staff views their workplace as well as how they might fare with regard to their own health. This article will examine a subset of results from a recent employee satisfaction survey given at a medical center. Exploratory analysis and interpretation will begin to shed light on whether or not building design can have an impact (positive or negative) on staff satisfaction. This can potentially act as a springboard to guide future empirical research in the area of health care design and its impact on staff satisfaction and well-being. By analyzing findings from a recent employee satisfaction survey, we can begin to understand how the hospital staff perceives the design of their building and begin to determine if these perceptions might impact health outcomes among the employees.

We describe the discovery circumstances and photometric properties of 2000 EB173, now one of the brightest trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) with opposition magnitude m_R=18.9 and also one of the largest Plutinos, found with the drift-scanning camera of the QUEST Collaboration, attached to the 1-m Schmidt telescope of the National Observatory of Venezuela. We measure B-V = 0.99 +/- 0.14 and V-R = 0.57 +/- 0.05, a red color observed for many fainter TNOs. At our magnitude limit m_R = 20.1 +/- 0.20, our single detection reveals a sky density of 0.015 (+0.034, -0.012) TNOs per deg^2 (the error bars are 68% confidence limits), consistent with fainter surveys showing a cumulative number proportional to 10^0.5m_R. Assuming an inclination distribution of TNOs with FWHM exceeding 30 deg, it is likely that one hundred to several hundred objects brighter than m_R=20.1 remain to be discovered.

The San Fernando Zone of the Astrographic Catalogue is reduced to the HIPPARCOS system in order to test a reduction model previously presented by Abad (1993). A new method for the determination of eld distor- tion and magnitude or color dependent systematic errors on photographic plates is discussed.

No presente artigo temos por objetivo estudar comparativamente os projetos pedagógicos institucionais de três universidades da Região Sudeste do Brasil que participam do Projeto de Pesquisa intitulado “O significado de ser pedagogo para os alunos do novo curso de Pedagogia-Licenciatura”, com propósito de compreender o processo de construção dos respectivos projetos pedagógicos, a partir das exigências estabelecidas pelas Diretrizes Curriculares, aprovadas pela Resolução CNE/CP nº 1/2006. Definiram-se, para tanto, três categorias de análise como critérios para o estudo: a) o significado de ser pedagogo no projeto pedagógico; b) o projeto pedagógico e o currículo; e, c) a nova legislação e o projeto pedagógico. Como resultado reconheceu-se que o cuidado com a legislação é explicitado diferentemente em cada projeto pedagógico, dependendo fundamentalmente dos propositores. In this article we have for objective to study comparatively the pedagogical institutional projects of three universities in the Southeast Region of Brazil that are part of the research project called “The meaning of becoming a pedagogue to students taking the new course of Pedagogy (License)”. The purpose is to understand how pedagogic projects are pieced together in compliance to curricular directives passed by Resolution CNE/CP 1/2006. Three categories of analysis were set as criteria for the study: a) the meaning of becoming a pedagogue in the pedagogic project; b) the pedagogic project and the curriculum; c) new legislation and the pedagogic project. It was acknowledged that attention to and compliance with legislation is viewed in different ways in each pedagogic project, essentially due to the proposers’ conceptions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the cytoplast type and activation process on development of cloned embryos. Bovine oocytes (MII) or zygotes at the one-cell stage (IVF) were manually bisected and segregated in MII or IVF hemi-cytoplasts or hemi-karyoplasts. Adult skin cells from a bovine female were used as nucleus donors (SC). Experimental groups were composed of IVF embryos; parthenogenetic embryos; hand-made cloned (HMC) embryos; and reconstructed HMC embryos using IVF hemi-cytoplast + MII hemi-cytoplast + SC (G-I); IVF hemi-cytoplast + IVF hemi-cytoplast + SC (G-II); MII hemi-cytoplast + IVF hemi-karyoplast (G-III); and IVF hemi-cytoplast + IVF hemi-karyoplast (G-IV). Embryos from G-I to G-IV were allocated to subgroups as sperm-activated (SA) or were further chemically activated (SA + CA). Embryos from all groups and subgroups were in vitro cultured in the WOW system. Blastocyst development in subgroup G-I SA (28.2%) was similar to IVF (27.0%) and HMC (31.4%) controls, perhaps due to a to a more suitable activation process and/or better complementation of cytoplasmic reprogramming factors, with the other groups and subgroups having lower levels of development. No blastocyst development was observed when using IVF hemi-karyoplasts (G-III and G-IV), possibly due to the manipulation process during a sensitive biological period. In summary, the presence of cytoplasmic factors from MII hemi-oocytes and the sperm activation process from hemi-zygotes appear to be necessary for adequate in vitro development, as only the zygote-oocyte hemi-complementation was as efficient as controls for the generation of bovine cloned blastocysts.

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in dietary intake, anthropometric parameters and markers of oxidative stress in 40 women who underwent surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy for breast cancer.Pretreatment and post-treatment measurements included data collected through a food frequency questionnaire, weight and height to calculate the body mass index (BMI) and oxidative stress markers assessed from blood reduced glutathione (GSH), serum antioxidant capacity (AC), plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), serum lipid hydroperoxides (LH) and plasma carbonyls. Differences were compared using paired Student's t-test or paired Wilcoxon's test.A significant increase (P0.05) in the intake of the food groups: meat and eggs, dairy products, beans, oils and fats, as well as food from the subgroups: red meat, milk and other dairy products rich in fat, fruit rich in vitamin C and vegetable fats was found after treatments. There was a significant increase in body weight (P0.05), BMI (P0.05), levels of TBARS (P0.0001), LH (P0.005) and carbonyls (P0.0001) and a significant decrease of levels of AC (P0.005) and GSH (P0.0001).Breast cancer diagnosis and treatments were associated with dietary intake changes and increased body weight, BMI and oxidative stress. These potential changes have important implications for preventive nutrition counseling.

To assess the association between physiological, physical, lifestyle and nutritional variables and oxidative stress biomarkers in women with breast cancer.This cross-sectional study was conducted on 55 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The extent of oxidative stress was analyzed by the measurement of plasma lipid hydroperoxides (LH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyl, whole blood reduced glutathione (GSH) and serum antioxidant capacity (AC). Diet data were obtained from food frequency questionnaire. Linear regression was used to determine the association between the variables studied and oxidative stress biomarkers. The protein carbonyl data was not included in the linear regression analyses since the data did not show a normal distribution, even after logarithmic and other transformations.After adjusting for energy intake, the intake of chicken and high-fat dairy products was associated with increased levels of LH, while vitamin E intake was associated with decreased LH levels (R² = 23.8%). Intake of oils was associated with increased levels of TBARS (R² = 6.82%). Positive axillary lymph node status was associated with decreased levels of GSH (R² = 9.31%). Increasing age was directly associated with levels of AC, while animal fat, dairy product, and sweet food intakes were associated with low levels of AC (R² = 41.42%).Intake of chicken, vitamin E, dairy products (particularly high-fat dairy products), oils, animal fat, and sweet foods, along with axillary lymph node status and age, may be important determinants of oxidative stress in women with breast cancer.

On September 8, 2001 around 2 h UT, the largest uranian moon, Titania, occulted Hipparcos star 106829 (alias SAO 164538, a V = 7.2 , K0 III star). This was the first-ever observed occultation by this satellite, a rare event as Titania subtends only 0.11 arcsec on the sky. The star's unusual brightness allowed many observers, both amateurs or professionals, to monitor this unique event, providing fifty-seven occultations chords over three continents, all reported here. Selecting the best 27 occultation chords, and assuming a circular limb, we derive Titania's radius: R T = 788.4 ± 0.6 km ( 1 - σ error bar). This implies a density of ρ = 1.711 ± 0.005 g cm −3 using the value G M = ( 2.343 ± 0.006 ) × 10 11 m 3 s −2 derived by Taylor [Taylor, D.B., 1998. Astron. Astrophys. 330, 362–374]. We do not detect any significant difference between equatorial and polar radii, in the limit r eq − r po = − 1.3 ± 2.1 km , in agreement with Voyager limb image retrieval during the 1986 flyby. Titania's offset with respect to the DE405 + URA027 (based on GUST86 theory) ephemeris is derived: Δ α T cos ( δ T ) = − 108 ± 13 mas and Δ δ T = − 62 ± 7 mas (ICRF J2000.0 system). Most of this offset is attributable to a Uranus' barycentric offset with respect to DE405, that we estimate to be: Δ α U cos ( δ U ) = − 100 ± 25 mas and Δ δ U = − 85 ± 25 mas at the moment of occultation. This offset is confirmed by another Titania stellar occultation observed on August 1st, 2003, which provides an offset of Δ α T cos ( δ T ) = − 127 ± 20 mas and Δ δ T = − 97 ± 13 mas for the satellite. The combined ingress and egress data do not show any significant hint for atmospheric refraction, allowing us to set surface pressure limits at the level of 10–20 nbar. More specifically, we find an upper limit of 13 nbar ( 1 - σ level) at 70 K and 17 nbar at 80 K, for a putative isothermal CO2 atmosphere. We also provide an upper limit of 8 nbar for a possible CH4 atmosphere, and 22 nbar for pure N2, again at the 1 - σ level. We finally constrain the stellar size using the time-resolved star disappearance and reappearance at ingress and egress. We find an angular diameter of 0.54 ± 0.03 mas (corresponding to 7.5 ± 0.4 km projected at Titania). With a distance of 170 ± 25 parsecs, this corresponds to a radius of 9.8 ± 0.2 solar radii for HIP 106829, typical of a K0 III giant.

This paper investigates automatic speaker recognition systems, which can be used for security purposes. The speech signal is compressed using linear prediction analysis and recognized by neural networks. This neural network technique is presented for the task of speech recognition and speaker verification. This technique first uses pattern recognition to identify the speech, then it is used to distinguish each user from all other speakers (impostors). With this method, unknown speech can be accurately classified as user or impostor speech. The approach used is based on the following steps: extraction of spectral features; training of an initial neural network to identify the speech; extraction of LPC-reflection coefficients for each user, training of a secondary neural-network to identify the user; and classification of unknown speech as either user or impostor.

A human information processing system is composed of neurons switching at speeds about a million times slower than computer gates. Yet humans are more efficient than computers at computing complex tasks such as speech and visual interpretation. A neural network (NN) method was developed to reproduce one of the abilities and power of the human brain: speaker recognition. To realize this method, the input patterns used for this network were the reflection coefficients (k/sub p/) of the speech signal. The speech was analyzed using an autoregressive LPC technique and the k/sub p/s were found by applying the Levinson recursion algorithm. Next, a simple transformation of these input patterns onto a hypersphere in augmented space was made using a multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural model. The Kohonen approach is commonly used for computing a distance in multidimensional input space so that the input patterns are projected on a hypersphere with unit radius. Although this technique is very efficient for clustering of patterns, it has one significant drawback. By normalizing the input pattern, the information about its magnitude is lost. The proposed modified network has a relatively simple architecture but is shown to be very effective in performing speaker recognition.

We have measured the periods and light curves of 148 RR Lyrae variables from V=13.5 to 19.7 from the first 100 sq. degrees of the QUEST RR Lyrae survey. Approximately 55% of these stars belong to the clump of stars detected earlier by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. According to our measurements, this feature has ~10 times the background density of halo stars, spans at least 37.5 deg by 3.5 deg in right ascension and declination (>=30 by >=3 kpc), lies ~50 kpc from the Sun, and has a depth along the line of sight of ~5 kpc (1 sigma). These properties are consistent with the recent models that suggest it is a tidal stream from the Sgr dSph galaxy. The mean period of the type ab variables, 0.58 d, is also consistent. In addition, we have found two smaller over-densities in the halo, one of which may be related to the globular cluster Pal 5., 12 pages (including 4 figures). Accepted for publication in the ApJ Letters

The coordination of the cell cycle of the donor nucleus and the recipient cytoplasm is thought to be one of the major essential factors needed for successful development of cloned embryos and offspring from somatic cell populations. Cell cycle synchronization protocols used for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) vary in preference among groups, with the confluence inhibition by contact appearing to be one of the most widely used methods today. However, the relationship between the level of cell confluence in a culture dish at or near the plateau phase of growth and blastocyst yield following cloning by SCNT still needs to be better characterized. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of 3 distinct cell culture confluences before nuclear transfer and embryo aggregation on in vitro development of clone bovine embryos. In vitro-matured bovine COC were used for the production of clone embryos by handmade cloning, according to our established procedures (Ribeiro et al. 2009 Cloning Stem Cells 11). Oocytes were manually bisected following cumulus and zona removal. After selection of hemi-cytoplasts by DNA staining, 1 (50%) or 2 (100%) enucleated hemi-cytoplasts were paired with an adult Nelore skin somatic cell and then electrofused (15 V AC pre-pulse for 5 s, followed by a double 1.2 kV cm-1 DC pulse for 20 μs). Cells were selected from 1 out of 3 distinct culture confluences: (1) 70 to 80%; (2) 80 to 90%; and (3) >90%; assessed by morphological evaluation before the SCNT procedure. Reconstructed clone embryos and groups of zona-intact oocytes (parthenote controls) were activated in ionomycin and 6-DMAP. Clone embryos (100%) and hemi-embryos (50%) reconstructed from the 3 groups underwent IVC in the well of the well (WOW) system for 7 days, allocating 1 embryo (1 × 100%) or aggregating two hemi-embryos (2 × 50%) per WOW. After 11 replications, cleavage (Day 2) and blastocyst (Day 7) rates, on a per WOW basis, were compared using the chi-square test. Results are summarized in Table 1. Cleavage rates were similar for all groups. The aggregation scheme did not appear to have influenced, either positively or negatively, the developmental outcome to the blastocyst stage. However, blastocyst rates increased nonlinearly (7.0, 17.5, and 29.4%) with the increase in cell confluence. A highly confluent cell culture has already been shown to have a greater proportion of cells in G0/G1 than cycling cells at the log phase (>91% v. 59%; Sun et al. 2008 Zygote 16, 111-116). However, blastocyst development in this study was lower than anticipated for cells in the early plateau phase (70 to 80%), when predicting such development based on the expected G0/G1 proportion in that cell population. Table 1.In vitro development of bovine cloned embryos from distinct cell culture confluences and aggregation scheme This study was supported by FAPESP and CAPES/Brazil.

Despite the apparent success of cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), the efficiency in development to term remains low, with a high rate of losses occurring throughout pregnancy due to faulty reprogramming and conceptus abnormalities. As the ideal fusion-activation interval for optimal nuclear reprogramming after cloning is still ill-defined, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of 2 distinct fusion-activation intervals and embryo aggregation on in vitro development of cloned bovine embryos. Bovine COCs from slaughterhouse ovaries were used after IVM for the production of cloned embryos by handmade cloning, according to our established procedures (Ribeiro et al. 2009 Cloning Stem Cells, in press). Following cumulus and zona removal, oocytes were manually bisected, with hemi-cytoplasts selected by DNA staining. Two hemi-cytoplasts and an adult skin somatic cell were attached and fused with a 15V AC pre-pulse for 5 s, followed by a double 1.2 kV cm-1 DC pulse for 20 μs. Reconstructed embryos were activated in ionomycin exactly at 2 or 4 h post-fusion (2 hpf or 4 hpf), followed by an incubation in 6-DMAP for 4 h. Cloned embryos from both fusion-activation intervals were in vitro-cultured in the well of the well (WOW) system for 7 days, allocating one (1 × 100%) or two (2 × 100%) cloned embryos per WOW. Grade 1 Day-7 blastocysts were transferred to synchronous recipients. Cleavage (Day 2) and blastocyst (Day 7) rates, on a per WOW basis, and pregnancy (Days 30 and 150) rates were compared using the chi-square or the Fisher test, with results from 9 replications summarized in Table 1. Increasing the fusion-activation interval to 4 h decreased cleavage but not blastocyst rates in 1 × 100% embryos. Also, blastocyst rates were lower in 1 × 100% embryos activated 2 h post-fusion. In general, cleavage and blastocysts rates for 2 × 100% embryos (91.5 and 46.0%) were higher than for 1 × 100% embryo counterparts (74.4 and 31.3%), respectively, regardless of the activation time. In addition, blastocyst rates for 4 hpf-activated embryos (50.3%), based on cleavage, were higher than for 2 hpf-activated embryos (38.3%), irrespective of the aggregation scheme. Nonetheless, despite differences in in vitro development, pregnancy rates and conceptus development in the first half of pregnancy were similar between groups. A longer fusion-activation interval (4 hpf) or embryo aggregation (2 × 100%) increased blastocyst yield but did not improve in vivo development and pregnancy maintenance following the transfer to female recipients in cattle. Table 1.In vitro and in vivo development of cloned bovine embryos This study was supported by FAPESP and CAPES, Brazil.

The control of oxidative processes in in vitro production (IVP) systems by the use of additives may be an alternative approach to improve embryo cryotolerance. The aim of this study was to verify the effect of β-mercaptoethanol (βME) on the cryotolerance of bovine IVP embryos. In 7 replications, and following IVM-IVF, presumptive zygotes (n = 3735) were in vitro-cultured in SOF medium supplemented or not with 100 μm βME (IVC treatment), at 38.5°C and high humidity. The initial 24 h of IVC was performed in 5% CO2 in air, with the remaining 6 days of IVC carried out in 5% CO2, 5% O2, and 90% N2. On Day 7, resulting blastocysts and expanded blastocysts were vitrified in glass micropipettes in a solution with 20% ethylene glycol + 20% propylene glycol. After warming, embryos were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 sub-groups for an additional 72 h of IVC to the hatching blastocyst (HBL) stage, in fresh SOF medium supplemented or not with 100 μm βME (PVC treatment), at 38.5°C, high humidity and 5% CO2. Experimental groups were as follows: G1 (βME-free medium during IVC and PVC); G2 (βME only during PVC); G3 (βME only during IVC); and G4 (βME during IVC and PVC). Cleavage (Day 2) and blastocyst (Day 7) rates in the IVC treatment and hatching rates (Days 7 to 9) for the PVC treatment were analyzed by the chi-square test, for P < 0.05. Total cell number (TCN) estimated by fluorescence staining in HBL derived from vitrified and nonvitrified embryos was analyzed by ANOVA. The use of βME during IVC did not affect cleavage rates (βME-free, 1491/1858, 80.2% v. βME, 1522/1877, 81.1%), but negatively affected development to the blastocyst stage (βME-free, 813/1858, 43.8% v. βME, 525/1877, 28.0%). Following vitrification, however, βME supplementation during PVC improved hatching rates (G2, 58.1% and G4, 63.8%) compared with groups without the additive (G1, 36.6% and G3, 42.0%). In addition, the presence of βME either during IVC or PVC, or during both culture periods, increased TCN in HBL from vitrified embryos (Table 1). The use of βME during IVC, irrespective of the presence of βME during the PCV period, caused an increase in TCN in HBL in G3 + G4, with no effects on hatching rates (Table 1b), whereas the addition of βME during PVC, irrespective of the presence of βME during the IVC period, resulted in greater hatching rates and TCN in HBL in G2 + G4 than in G1 + G3 (Table 1). In conclusion, the addition of βME during the IVC period did not affect cleavage, but reduced blastocyst yield. Despite that, βME supplementation during the IVC period appeared to have increased the cryotolerance of the resulting blastocysts, expressed by greater TCN in HBL, whereas βME supplementation during the PVC period also improved embryo survival to the vitrification process, manifested by greater hatching rates and TCN in HBL. Table 1.Effect of βME on the cryotolerance of bovine IVP embryos This study was supported by a grant from CNPq/Brazil.

The aim of this study was to test the post-KR interval in the learning of a motor skill. The sample was constituted of thirty children, from 9 to 10 years old, distributed in three groups: G1 had post-KR interval free; G2 - received KR and after 5s started the next trial; and G3 - received KR and after 10s started the next trial; the verbal KR on the direction and magnitude of the error was given to the end of all the attempts. The task was to throw metal discs in a target arranged horizontally on a table, throughout two phases: acquisition (60 trials) and adaptation (10 trials). The measure of performance were the absolute, constant and variable error. The research questions were if very short intervals of post-KR may be do not benefit the adaptive process of the acquisition of skills, and if the control of the interval post-KR practiced by the learner himself could have positive effect in this process. The results suggested that the self-controlled post-KR interval can facilitate the learning of a discrete task in children.

The optical transient of the faint Gamma Ray Burst 990308 was detected by the QUEST camera on the Venezuelan 1-m Schmidt telescope starting 3.28 hours after the burst. Our photometry gives $V = 18.32 \pm 0.07$, $R = 18.14 \pm 0.06$, $B = 18.65 \pm 0.23$, and $R = 18.22 \pm 0.05$ for times ranging from 3.28 to 3.47 hours after the burst. The colors correspond to a spectral slope of close to $f_{\nu} \propto \nu^{1/3}$. Within the standard synchrotron fireball model, this requires that the external medium be less dense than $10^{4} cm^{-3}$, the electrons contain $> 20%$ of the shock energy, and the magnetic field energy must be less than 24% of the energy in the electrons for normal interstellar or circumstellar densities. We also report upper limits of $V > 12.0$ at 132 s (with LOTIS), $V > 13.4$ from 132-1029s (with LOTIS), $V > 15.3$ at 28.2 min (with Super-LOTIS), and a 8.5 GHz flux of $ 25.7$ and $K > 23.3$. The lack of a host galaxy likely implies that it is either substantially subluminous or more distant than a red shift of $\sim 1.2$.

ObjectivesPaediatric cancer is a leading cause of death for children. Children in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) were four times more likely to die than children in high-income countries (HICs). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the delivery of healthcare services worldwide, and exacerbated the disparity in paediatric cancer outcomes between LMICs and HICs.DesignA multicentre, international, collaborative cohort study.Setting91 hospitals and cancer centres in 39 countries providing cancer treatment to paediatric patients between March and December 2020.ParticipantsPatients were included if they were under the age of 18 years, and newly diagnosed with or undergoing active cancer treatment for Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Wilms’ tumour, sarcoma, retinoblastoma, gliomas, medulloblastomas or neuroblastomas, in keeping with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.Main outcome measureAll-cause mortality at 30 days and 90 days.Results1660 patients were recruited. 219 children had changes to their treatment due to the pandemic. Patients in LMICs were primarily affected (n=182/219, 83.1%). Relative to patients with paediatric cancer in HICs, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 12.1 (95% CI 2.93 to 50.3) and 7.9 (95% CI 3.2 to 19.7) times the odds of death at 30 days and 90 days, respectively, after presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic (pConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected paediatric oncology service provision. It has disproportionately affected patients in LMICs, highlighting and compounding existing disparities in healthcare systems globally that need addressing urgently. However, many patients with paediatric cancer continued to receive their normal standard of care. This speaks to the adaptability and resilience of healthcare systems and healthcare workers globally.