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Em central de transferência de embriões, após os procedimentos de reconhecimento do cio em 37 vacas receptoras, através de quatro rufiões vasectomizados, observou-se que 83% delas apresentavam retorno ao cio e algum corrimento serofibrinoso. Nos exames bacteriológicos realizados nos lavados prepuciais dos rufiões foi isolado o Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis em todos, fato que, analisado associadamente com o retorno ao cio das vacas receptoras, é indicativo da ocorrência de campilobacteriose no plantel. Essa ocorrência demonstra a necessidade de medidas eficazes de planejamento de saúde animal, pela utilização de rufiões com desvio lateral do pênis. Uma vez impossibilitado o contato sexual, seria impedida a transmissão do agente durante o coito. Torna-se imperioso consignar que a prática da prevenção racional de enfermidades continua sendo o procedimento mais econômico para uma produtividade animal mais rentável.

Human ascariasis is a neglected tropical disease of great relevance to public health and is considered the most frequent helminthiasis in poor regions. Accurately diagnosing this parasite has been challenging due to limitations of current diagnostic methods. Immunoglobulin Y (IgY) technology is a very effective alternative for the production of highly specific and profitable antibodies. This study aimed to produce and apply anti- Ascaris suum IgY antibodies in the immunodiagnosis of human ascariasis. Five immunizations comprising total saline extract from A. suum adult life forms were given at 14-day intervals to Gallus gallus domesticus hens of the Isa Brown line. Eggs and blood samples were collected weekly and fortnightly, respectively, to monitor the production of antibodies. The specificity of antibodies was confirmed by dot-blot, kinetic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), avidity ELISA, immunoblotting and indirect immunofluorescence antibody tests. The application for disease diagnosis was performed through the detection of immune complexes in human serum samples by sandwich ELISA. Peaks of IgY anti- A. suum production occurred at weeks 6 and 8. IgY showed high avidity levels after the second dose of immunization, ranging from 64% to 93%, with a mean avidity index of 78.30%. Purified IgY recognized 12 bands of proteins from A. suum saline extract. Eggs, the uterine portion and cuticles of A. suum female adult are reactive in immunofluorescence. The detection of immune complexes showed diagnostic values of 80% sensitivity and 90% specificity. In conclusion, specific IgY have been shown to be a potential immunodiagnostic tool with promising future applications in human ascariasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Evaluating the winemaking stress tolerance of a set of both Saccharomyces eubayanus and Saccharomyces uvarum strains from diverse Patagonian habitats. Methods and Results Yeast strains growth was analysed under increasing ethanol concentrations; all of them were able to grow until 8% v/v ethanol. The effect of different temperature and pH conditions as well as at SO2 and hexose concentrations was evaluated by means of a central composite experimental design. Only two S. uvarum strains ( NPCC 1289 and 1321) were able to grow in most stress conditions. Kinetic parameters analysed ( μmax and λ) were statistically affected by temperature, pH and SO2, but not influenced by sugar concentration. The obtained growth model was used for predicting optimal growth conditions for both strains: 20°C, 0% w/v SO2 and pH 4·5. Conclusions Strains from human-associated environments ( chichas) presented the highest diversity in the response to different stress factors. Two S. uvarum strains from chichas demonstrated to be the most tolerant to winemaking conditions. Significance and Impact of the Study This work evidenced the potential use of two S. uvarum yeast strains as starter cultures in wines fermented at low temperatures. Saccharomyces eubayanus was significantly affected by winemaking stress conditions, limiting its use in this industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of nonextensive Tsallis statistics, sensible examples are employed in order to compare the variational method proposed in Phys. Rev. Lett. 80 (1998) 218 with the one in J. Phys. A 26 (1993) L893. These examples are such that they can be solved exactly. Thus, a comparison of the exact result with the approximated ones is possible. The analysis of these examples indicates that the calculation related to the first variational method is easier to work with than the other method. In particular, when one is trying to apply the last variational method, the calculation of the approximated case can be more cumbersome than solving the exact one. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]