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We report a new sampling strategy for collecting representative samples of drill core. By splitting the core with a diamond saw into working and archive halves, the saw cuttings constitute a “channel” sample, the best subsample from which to obtain an average mineralogical and geochemical composition of a core. We apply this procedure to sampling core of the lower oceanic crust in the Hess Deep obtained during Expedition 345 of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (now International Ocean Discovery Program). Our results show that particles produced by sawing range from sand to clay sizes. Sand- and silt-sized cuttings can be sampled with a spatula, whereas clay-sized particles remained in suspension after 12 h and could be collected only by settling, aided by centrifuge. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Rietveld refinement show that phyllosilicates were fractionated into the clay-sized fraction. Thus, collection of both the sedimented fraction and the clay-sized suspended fraction (commonly > 15 wt % of the total) is necessary to capture the whole sample. The strong positive correlation between the recovered sample mass (in grams) and length of core cut demonstrates that this sampling protocol was uniform and systematic, with almost 1.4 g sediment produced per centimeter of core cut. We show that major-element concentrations of our channel samples compare favorably with the compositions of billet-sized samples analyzed aboard the JOIDES Resolution, but the results show that individual billet analyses are rarely representative of the whole core recovered. A final test of the validity of our methods comes from the strong positive correlation between the loss on ignition (LOI) values of our channel samples and the H2O contents calculated from the modal mineralogy obtained by X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement. This sampling procedure shows that grain-sized fractionation modifies both mineralogical and chemical compositions; nevertheless, this channel sampling method is a reliable method of obtaining representative samples of bulk cores. With the ever-increasing precision offered by modern analytical instrumentation, this sampling protocol allows the accuracy of the analytical results to keep pace.

Soil moisture estimates at high spatial and temporal resolution are of great value for optimizing water and agricultural management. To fill the gap between local ground observations and coarse spatial resolution remote sensing products, we use Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) and Sentinel-1 data together with a unique data set of ground-based soil moisture estimates by cosmic ray neutron sensors (CRNS) and capacitance probes to test the possibility of downscaling soil moisture to the sub-kilometre resolution. For a high-latitude study area within a highly heterogeneous landscape and diverse land use in Denmark, we first show that SMAP soil moisture and Sentinel-1 backscatter time series correlate well with in situ CRNS observations. Sentinel-1 backscatter in both VV and VH polarizations shows a strong correlation with CRNS soil moisture at higher spatial resolutions (20–400 m) and exhibits distinct and meaningful signals at different land cover types. Satisfactory statistical correlations with CRNS soil moisture time series and capacitance probes are obtained using the SMAP Sentinel-1 downscaling algorithm. Accounting for different land use in the downscaling algorithm additionally improved the spatial distribution. However, the downscaling algorithm investigated here does not fully account for the vegetation dependency at sub-kilometre resolution. The study suggests that future research focussing on further modifying the downscaling algorithm could improve representative soil moisture patterns at a fine scale since backscatter signals are clearly informative. Highlights. Backscatter produces informative signals even at high resolutions. At the 100 m scale, the Sentinel-1 VV and VH polarizations are soil moisture dependent. The downscaling algorithm is improved by introducing land-cover-dependent clusters. The downscaled satellite and CRNS soil moisture agree best at the agricultural site.

Karst groundwater systems are characterized by the presence of multiple porosity types. Of these, subsurface conduits that facilitate concentrated, heterogeneous flow are challenging to resolve geologically and geophysically. This is especially the case in evaporite karst systems, such as those present on the shores of the Dead Sea, where rapid geomorphological changes are linked to a fall in base level by over 35 m since 1967. Here we combine field observations, remote-sensing analysis, and multiple geophysical surveying methods (shear wave reflection seismics, electrical resistivity tomography, ERT, self-potential, SP, and ground-penetrating radar, GPR) to investigate the nature of subsurface groundwater flow and its interaction with hypersaline Dead Sea water on the rapidly retreating eastern shoreline, near Ghor Al-Haditha in Jordan. Remote-sensing data highlight links between the evolution of surface stream channels fed by groundwater springs and the development of surface subsidence patterns over a 25-year period. ERT and SP data from the head of one groundwater-fed channel adjacent to the former lakeshore show anomalies that point to concentrated, multidirectional water flow in conduits located in the shallow subsurface (< 25 m depth). ERT surveys further inland show anomalies that are coincident with the axis of a major depression and that we interpret as representing subsurface water flow. Low-frequency GPR surveys reveal the limit between unsaturated and saturated zones (< 30 m depth) surrounding the main depression area. Shear wave seismic reflection data nearly 1 km further inland reveal buried paleochannels within alluvial fan deposits, which we interpret as pathways for groundwater flow from the main wadi in the area towards the springs feeding the surface streams. Finally, simulations of density-driven flow of hypersaline and undersaturated groundwaters in response to base-level fall perform realistically if they include the generation of karst conduits near the shoreline. The combined approaches lead to a refined conceptual model of the hydrological and geomorphological processes developed at this part of the Dead Sea, whereby matrix flow through the superficial aquifer inland transitions to conduit flow nearer the shore where evaporite deposits are encountered. These conduits play a key role in the development of springs, stream channels and subsidence across the study area.

Abstract Background Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common food allergies among children. Whilst avoidance of cow's milk protein is the cornerstone of management, further treatment of symptoms including those affecting the gastrointestinal, skin and respiratory systems plus other allergic comorbidities, maybe required. This study aimed to quantify the wider economic impact of CMA and its management in the United Kingdom (UK). Methods We conducted a retrospective matched cohort study on children with CMA (diagnosis read code and/or hypoallergenic formula prescription for ≥3 months) examining healthcare data (medication prescriptions and healthcare professional contacts) from case records within The Health Improvement Network (A Cegedim Proprietary Database) in the UK. A comparative cost analysis was calculated based on healthcare tariff and unit costs in the UK. Results 6998 children (54% male; mean observation period 4.2 years) were included (n = 3499 with CMA, mean age at diagnosis 4.04 months; n = 3499 matched controls without CMA). Compared to those without CMA, medications were prescribed to significantly more children with CMA (p

Abstract We detail the sensitivity of the proposed liquid xenon DARWIN observatory to solar neutrinos via elastic electron scattering. We find that DARWIN will have the potential to measure the fluxes of five solar neutrino components: pp, $$^7$$ 7 Be, $$^{13}$$ 13 N, $$^{15}$$ 15 O and pep. The precision of the $$^{13}$$ 13 N, $$^{15}$$ 15 O and pep components is hindered by the double-beta decay of $$^{136}$$ 136 Xe and, thus, would benefit from a depleted target. A high-statistics observation of pp neutrinos would allow us to infer the values of the electroweak mixing angle, $$\sin ^2\theta _w$$ sin 2 θ w , and the electron-type neutrino survival probability, $$P_{ee}$$ P ee , in the electron recoil energy region from a few keV up to 200 keV for the first time, with relative precision of 5% and 4%, respectively, with 10 live years of data and a 30 tonne fiducial volume. An observation of pp and $$^7$$ 7 Be neutrinos would constrain the neutrino-inferred solar luminosity down to 0.2%. A combination of all flux measurements would distinguish between the high- (GS98) and low-metallicity (AGS09) solar models with 2.1–2.5 $$\sigma $$ σ significance, independent of external measurements from other experiments or a measurement of $$^8$$ 8 B neutrinos through coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering in DARWIN. Finally, we demonstrate that with a depleted target DARWIN may be sensitive to the neutrino capture process of $$^{131}$$ 131 Xe.

Effective porosity plays an important role in contaminant management. However, the effective porosity is often assumed to be constant in space and hence heterogeneity is either neglected or simplified in transport model calibration. Based on a calibrated highly parametrized flow model, a three-dimensional advective transport model (MODPATH) of a 1300 km2 coastal area of southern Denmark and northern Germany is presented. A detailed voxel model represents the highly heterogeneous geological composition of the area. Inverse modelling of advective transport is used to estimate the effective porosity of 7 spatially distributed units based on apparent groundwater ages inferred from 11 14C measurements in Pleistocene and Miocene aquifers, corrected for the effects of diffusion and geochemical reactions. By calibration of the seven effective porosity units, the match between the observed and simulated ages is improved significantly, resulting in a reduction of ME of 99 % and RMS of 82 % compared to a uniform porosity approach. Groundwater ages range from a few hundred years in the Pleistocene to several thousand years in Miocene aquifers. The advective age distributions derived from particle tracking at each sampling well show unimodal (for younger ages) to multimodal (for older ages) shapes and thus reflect the heterogeneity that particles encounter along their travel path. The estimated effective porosity field, with values ranging between 4.3 % in clay and 45 % in sand formations, is used in a direct simulation of distributed mean groundwater ages. Although the absolute ages are affected by various uncertainties, a unique insight into the complex three-dimensional age distribution pattern and potential advance of young contaminated groundwater in the investigated regional aquifer system is provided, highlighting the importance of estimating effective porosity in groundwater transport modelling and the implications for groundwater quantity and quality assessment and management.

Integration of contextual sensors into vehicle-borne mobile radiation detection systems delivers a rich description of the environment to inform estimates of the complex and variable gamma-ray signals observed in urban areas. Models based on these data streams could provide realistic inputs to urban radiological search algorithms and potentially improve the system's sensitivity to detect illicit radiological and nuclear materials. In this work, LiDAR and inertial data are combined using simultaneous localization and mapping techniques to create a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the surrounding scenery. Semantic segmentation of concurrently collected video imagery enables the division of the 3D model into distinct material categories. The radioactive flux of surfaces associated with these categories are inferred through maximum likelihood estimation maximization and the activity of the three most common isotopes (K-40, U-238 series, and Th-232 series) in the respective materials is predicted. The results, found to be in agreement with ground truth measurements performed at the facility, suggest that it is possible to quickly infer the composition of naturally occurring materials in structures that comprise a radiological scene. Such a capability could be used to inform radiological search algorithms and enable data-driven modeling of radiological search problems, which could facilitate system testing and operator training activities.

Growth in the online survey market may be increasing response burden and possibly jeopardizing higher response rates. This meta-analysis evaluated survey trends over one decade (2011-2020) to determine: (1) changes in survey publication rates over time, (2) changes in response rates over time, (3) typical response rates within health sciences education research, (4) the factors influencing survey completion levels, and (5) common gaps in survey methods and outcomes reporting. Study I estimated survey publication trends between 2011 and 2020 using articles published in the top three health sciences education research journals. Study II searched the anatomical sciences education literature across six databases and extracted study/survey features and survey response rates. Time plots and a proportional meta-analysis were performed. Per 2926 research articles, the annual estimated proportion of studies with survey methodologies has remained constant, with no linear trend (p > 0.050) over time (Study I). Study II reported a pooled absolute response rate of 67% (95% CI = 63.9-69.0) across 360 studies ("k"), totaling 115,526 distributed surveys. Despite response rate oscillations over time, no significant linear trend (p = 0.995) was detected. Neither survey length, incentives, sponsorship, nor population type affected absolute response rates (p [greater than or equal to] 0.070). Only 35% (120 of 339) of studies utilizing a Likert scale reported evidence of survey validity. Survey response rates and the prevalence of studies with survey methodologies have remained stable with no linear trends over time. We recommend researchers strive for a typical absolute response rate of 67% or higher and clearly document evidence of survey validity for empirical studies.

Periodontitis is a multifactorial disease, with participation of bacterial, environmental, and host factors. It results from synergistic and dysbiotic multispecies microorganisms, critical “keystone pathogens,” affecting the whole bacterial community. The purpose of this study was to review the role of Porphyromonas gingivalis in the immunopathogenesis of chronic periodontitis, with special attention paid to HmuY. The host response during periodontitis involves the innate and adaptive immune system, leading to chronic inflammation and progressive destruction of tooth-supporting tissues. In this proinflammatory process, the ability of P. gingivalis to evade the host immune response and access nutrients in the microenvironment is directly related to its survival, proliferation, and infection. Furthermore, heme is an essential nutrient for development of these bacteria, and HmuY is responsible for its capture from host heme-binding proteins. The inflammatory potential of P. gingivalis HmuY has been shown, including induction of high levels of proinflammatory cytokines and CCL2, decreased levels of IL-8, and increased levels of anti-HmuY IgG and IgG1 antibodies in individuals with chronic periodontitis. Therefore, the HmuY protein might be a promising target for therapeutic strategies and for development of diagnostic methods in chronic periodontitis, especially in the case of patients with chronic periodontitis not responding to treatment, monitoring, and maintenance therapy.

La provincia de Córdoba, Argentina, ha sufrido una gran expansión de su superficie cultivada, y con ello, de los volúmenes aplicados de plaguicidas. Éstos poseen un gran impacto ambiental y producen efectos adversos en seres vivos, incluido el hombre. El presente trabajo propuso caracterizar a una población de aplicadores terrestres de plaguicidas de Córdoba y describir los factores condicionantes de la exposición y adopción de medidas de protección, mediante el análisis de asociaciones con sus características sociodemográficas, sus prácticas laborales y uso de tecnologías. Se implementó un cuestionario autoadministrado en 629 sujetos de toda la provincia. Se obtuvo información acerca de uso de plaguicidas, hábitos de vida y valoración de la exposición actual y pasada a plaguicidas. El 30% de los trabajadores vive a menos de 100 m del cultivo más cercano y más de la mitad aplican anualmente hasta 5000 ha; el 60% no utiliza protección. Los sujetos con pareja conviviente usan mayor nivel de protección personal. El uso de maquinarias equipadas con filtro de carbono activado e implementación de receta firmada por ingeniero agrónomo se asociaron positivamente al uso de equipos de protección personal.The Province of Cordoba, Argentina, has suffered a great expansion of its cultivated surface and, accordingly, of the volume of pesticides applied. They have a strong environmental impact and produce adverse effects upon the living beings, including the human being. The objective of this study was to characterize a population of terrestrial applicators of pesticides from Cordoba and also to describe determinants of pesticide exposure and use of personal protective equipment in relation to their social and demographic characteristics, work practices and use of technologies. Six hundred twenty nine applicators completed a self reported questionnaire to assess pesticides use, life style and present and past occupational exposure to pesticides. Thirty percent of the workers reside less than 100 m from the nearest cultivated area and more than half of them spray up to 5000 ha per year. Sixty percent of them do not use personal protective equipment and those having a cohabiting partner apply pesticides wearing a higher level of personal protection. The use of enclosed cabs equipped with charcoal filter and prescription signed by a professional were positively associated with the use of personal protective equipment.

The water mass distribution in northern Fram Strait and over the Yermak Plateau in summer 1997 is described using CTD data from two cruises in the area. The West Spitsbergen Current was found to split, one part recirculated towards the west, while the other part, on entering the Arctic Ocean separated into two branches. The main inflow of Atlantic Water followed the Svalbard continental slope eastward, while a second, narrower, branch stayed west and north of the Yermak Plateau. The water column above the southeastern flank of the Yermak Plateau was distinctly colder and less saline than the two inflow branches. Immediately west of the outer inflow branch comparatively high temperatures in the Atlantic Layer suggested that a part of the extraordinarily warm Atlantic Water, observed in the boundary current in the Eurasian Basin in the early 1990s, was now returning, within the Eurasian Basin, toward Fram Strait. The upper layer west of the Yermak Plateau was cold, deep and comparably saline, similar to what has recently been observed in the interior Eurasian Basin. Closer to the Greenland continental slope the salinity of the upper layer became much lower, and the temperature maximum of the Atlantic Layer was occasionally below 0.5 °C, indicating water masses mainly derived from the Canadian Basin. This implies that the warm pulse of Atlantic Water had not yet made a complete circuit around the Arctic Ocean. The Atlantic Water of the West Spitsbergen Current recirculating within the strait did not extend as far towards Greenland as in the 1980s, leaving a broader passage for waters from the Atlantic and intermediate layers, exiting the Arctic Ocean. A possible interpretation is that the circulation pattern alternates between a strong recirculation of the West Spitsbergen Current in the strait, and a larger exchange of Atlantic Water between the Nordic Seas and the inner parts of the Arctic Ocean.Key words: Oceanography: general (Arctic and Antarctic oceanography; water masses) - Oceanography: physical (general circulation)

A simple method is proposed to partition a mixture of two populations in suspended particle size data. The method, termed here 'the differentiation method' is based on the function of the lognormal distribution. Suspended material in marine or estuarine situations often consists of difficult-to-interpret complex populations. The treatment of particle size data by the method described enables the confirmation of the lognormal law and also the demonstration of the occurrence of a combination of a number of populations which may not be distinguished by the classical Gaussian transformation or automatic methods. A simple combination of graphical and numerical techniques permits the decomposition and the easy determination of the various statistical parameters (median diameter, mean diameter, etc...). The method is applied to interpret observed size distributions of suspended particulate matter in the Seine estuary. The method enables the determination of the relative sizes of the constituent sub-populations that comprise the total suspended matter. In the example used to illustrate the method, particles are shown to be resuspended as a function of different hydrodynamic parameter.

Advanced small modular reactors (AdvSMRs) can complement the current fleet of large light-water reactors in the USA for baseload and peak demand power production and process heat applications (e.g., water desalination, shale oil extraction, hydrogen production). The day-to-day costs of AdvSMRs are expected to be dominated by operations and maintenance (O&M); however, the effect of diverse operating missions and unit modularity on O&M is not fully understood. These costs could potentially be reduced by optimized scheduling, with risk-informed scheduling of maintenance, repair, and replacement of equipment. Currently, most nuclear power plants (NPPs) have a “living” probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), which reflects the as-operated, as-modified plant and combine event probabilities with population- based probability of failure (POF) for key components. “Risk monitors” extend the PRA by incorporating the actual and dynamic plant configuration (equipment availability, operating regime, environmental conditions, etc.) into risk assessment. In fact, PRAs are more integrated into plant management in today’s NPPs than at any other time in the history of nuclear power. However, population-based POF curves are still used to populate fault trees; this approach neglects the time-varying condition of equipment that is relied on during standard and non-standard configurations. Equipment condition monitoring techniques can be used to estimate the component POF. Incorporating this unit-specific estimate of POF in the risk monitor can provide a more accurate estimate of risk in different operating and maintenance configurations. This enhanced risk assessment will be especially important for AdvSMRs that have advanced component designs, which do not have an available operating history to draw from, and often use passive design features, which present challenges to PRA. This paper presents the requirements and technical gaps for developing a framework to integrate unit-specific estimates of POF into risk monitors, resulting in enhanced risk monitors that support optimized operation and maintenance of AdvSMRs.

The involvement of toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), a receptor for bacterial DNA, in septic cardiac depression has not been clarified in vivo. Thus, the aim of the study was to test possible TLR9 inhibitors (H154-thioate, IRS954-thioate, and chloroquine) for their ability to protect the cardiovascular system in a murine model of CpG oligodeoxynucleotide- (ODN-) dependent systemic inflammation. Sepsis was induced by i.p. application of the TLR9 agonist 1668-thioate in C57BL/6 wild type (WT) and TLR9-deficient (TLR9-D) mice. Thirty minutes after stimulation TLR9 antagonists were applied i.v. Survival was monitored up to 18 h after stimulation. Cardiac mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was analyzed 2 h and 6 h after stimulation with 1668-thioate and hemodynamic parameters were monitored at the later time point. Stimulation with 1668-thioate induced a severe sepsis-like state with significant drop of body temperature and significantly increased mortality in WT animals. Additionally, there was a time-dependent increase of inflammatory mediators in the heart accompanied by development of septic heart failure. These effects were not observed in TLR9-D mice. Inhibition of TLR9 by the suppressive ODN H154-thioate significantly ameliorated cardiac inflammation, preserved cardiac function, and improved survival. This suppressive ODN was the most efficient inhibitor of the tested substances.

classical solution of a Bernoulli-type free boundary problem for the $p$-Laplace equation, $ 1 < p < infty $. In addition, we prove the existence of a classical solution in $N$ dimensions when $p = 2$ and, for $ 1 < p < infty $, results on uniqueness and starlikeness of the free boundary and continuous dependence on the fixed boundary and on the free boundary data. Finally, as an application of the trial free boundary method, we prove (also for $ 1 < p < infty $) that the free boundary is convex when the fixed boundary is convex.

Objective. To determine whether systemically administered TLR ligands differentially modulate pulmonary inflammation. Methods. Equipotent doses of LPS (20 mg/kg), CpG-ODN (1668-thioat 1 nmol/g), or LTA (15 mg/kg) were determined via TNF activity assay. C57BL/6 mice were challenged intraperitoneally. Pulmonary NFκB activation (2 h) and gene expression/activity of key inflammatory mediators (4 h) were monitored. Results. All TLR ligands induced NFκB. LPS increased the expression of TLR2, 6, and the cytokines IL-1αβ, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12p35/p40, CpG-ODN raised TLR6, TNF-α, and IL12p40. LTA had no effect. Additionally, LPS increased the chemokines MIP-1α/β, MIP-2, TCA-3, eotaxin, and IP-10, while CpG-ODN and LTA did not. Myeloperoxidase activity was highest after LPS stimulation. MMP1, 3, 8, and 9 were upregulated by LPS, MMP2, 8 by CpG-ODN and MMP2 and 9 by LTA. TIMPs were induced only by LPS. MMP-2/-9 induction correlated with their zymographic activities. Conclusion. Pulmonary susceptibility to systemic inflammation was highest after LPS, intermediate after CpG-ODN, and lowest after LTA challenge.

RESUMO: Um meio quimicamente definido para Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis é descrito. Foram testadas, simultaneamente, a influência de concentrações crescentes de misturas de aminoácidos essenciais, não essenciais e vitaminas, assim como a proporção de sais mono e dibásicos do tampão fosfato, sobre o crescimento de três cepas. Foi observado que o aumento da concentração de vitaminas levou a um maior crescimento, enquanto que o aumento da concentração de aminoácidos não se traduziu em aumento da população bacteriana. Quanto aos tampões utilizados, foi demonstrado que naqueles onde havia maior concentração de sais dibásicos ocorreu um maior desenvolvimento das culturas. O meio de cultura descrito permitiu o crescimento da bactéria e a secreção de proteínas livres de macromoléculas heterólogas, abrindo novas perspectivas para o estudo imunológico de C. pseudotuberculosis. PALAVRAS CHAVE :Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, meio sintético, proteínas. SUMMARY: A chemically defined medium for Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is described. We have tested simultaneously the influence of increasing concentrations of mixtures of essential, not essential amino acids and vitamins, as well as the ratio of phosphate buffer mono and dibasics salts, on the growth of three strains. It was observed that the increase of the vitamins concentration led to a better growth, while the increase of the amino acid concentration didnât increase the bacterial growth. It was demonstrated that the buffer with greater concentration of dibasics salts caused a higher development of the cultures. The culture medium described allowed the growth of the bacterium, and the secreted proteins, in macromolecules free conditions, opening new perspectives for immunologic studies of C. pseudotuberculosis. KEYWORDS:Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, synthetic medium, proteins

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a prevalência de anticorpos contra linfadenite caseosa (LC) em rebanhos ovinos comerciais do Distrito Federal (DF). Foram coletadas 1.028 amostras de soro entre março e junho de 2004, de todas as propriedades (32) do Distrito Federal com pelo menos 20 fêmeas adultas no rebanho. A soroprevalência da linfadenite caseosa foi determinada por ELISA com proteínas secretadas de Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Cinquenta por cento das 32 propriedades apresentaram pelo menos um animal soropositivo para o LC e a prevalência real para animais foi de 44,0% (IC 95: 41,0; 47,0), portanto, esses dados sugerem que a LC está presente em rebanhos ovinos comerciais no Distrito Federal.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate aspects of host immune response using an experimental infection model of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (CP) in C57/Black6 wild-type and knockout for nitric oxide (KO-NO) mice. 28 mice were evaluated: 4 wild-type controls; 10 wild-type infected with CP; 4 KO-NO controls; 10 KO-NO infected with CP. Infection procedures were carried out by intraperitoneal inoculation using 107. Infected C57/Black6 KO-NO mice began to die after the 5° day post-inoculation, up until the 14º day. Neutrophils were found in increased numbers in the infiltrate of KO-NO murine peritoneal cavities. Examination of splenic tissue revealed an accumulation of lymphocytes, predominantly CD8 T-cells, in experimental animal groups. KO-NO animals were found to have a predominance of granulomas 7 days post-inoculation, primarily in the lymph nodes. In addition, greater amounts of bacteria were recovered from the mesenteric lymph nodes of KO-NO mice. There was no statistically significant difference in the levels of total IgG and its subclasses 14 days post-inoculation between KO-NO and wild groups. The results suggest the importance of nitric oxide in the process of controlling CP infection, as KO-NO animals were observed to be markedly more affected by infection with this bacterium.