Effect of fermented feed on the growth performance, health condition and immune response of white leg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of rice bran fermented with commercial probiotic bacteria in relation to the culture density, with a focus on its impacts on the performance, health, microbiota, immune and transcriptomic responses of Litopenaeus vannamei as well as water quality. The white leg shrimp, L. vannamei (PL12) with an average weight of 0.34± 0.041 g was obtained from Egypt's shrimp hatchery at Ghallioun project and cultivated in a stocking density of 150 and 200 animals/ m3. The shrimp were divided into three groups: three replicate each. Group I (G-I) was fed only on formulated feed (Control group), Group II (G-II) was fed on 50 % formulated feed and 50 % fermented feed and Group III (G-III) was fed on 100 % fermented feed. The results revealed that, the feed modification only considerably affected water temperature, but the stocking density significantly affected both the concentration of dissolved oxygen and the total ammonia nitrogen (P<0.05). The stocking density and feed fermentation had an impact on the individual / liter of the copepod presence in the culture bond. With 100% meal replacement, the maximum number of copepods was seen. High stocking density has resulted in a decrease in the number of copepods in the water. The phytoplankton decreased significantly as the food replacement increased. The highest growth performance was reported in shrimp larvae fed 100% formulated feed followed by 50% formulated feed and 50 % fermented feed then 100% fermented feed. The carbohydrate and the total ash percentage have increased while the crude protein content and fat content has decreased following the application of fermented feed. The application of fermented feed reduced the antioxidant capacity of L. vannamei while decreasing the expression of immune response genes and factors. In conclusion, using fermented feed may reduce the overall use of formulated feed and improve the health and immunity of shrimp larvae

Regional distribution of white matter hyperintensities in vascular dementia, Alzheimer's disease and healthy aging

Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) on MRI scans indicate lesions of the subcortical fiber system. The regional distribution of WMH may be related to their pathophysiology and clinical effect in vascular dementia (VaD), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy aging. Methods: Regional WMH volumes were measured in MRI scans of 20 VaD patients, 25 AD patients and 22 healthy elderly subjects using FLAIR sequences and surface reconstructions from a three-dimensional MRI sequence. Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient for interrater reliability of WMH volume measurements ranged between 0.99 in the frontal and 0.72 in the occipital lobe. For each cerebral lobe, the WMH index, i.e. WMH volume divided by lobar volume, was highest in VaD and lowest in healthy controls. Within each group, the WMH index was higher in frontal and parietal lobes than in occipital and temporal lobes. Total WMH index and WMH indices in the frontal lobe correlated significantly with the MMSE score in VaD. Category fluency correlated with the frontal lobe WMH index in AD, while drawing performance correlated with parietal and temporal lobe WMH indices in VaD. Conclusions: A similar regional distribution of WMH between the three groups suggests a common (vascular) pathogenic factor leading to WMH in patients and controls. Our findings underscore the potential of regional WMH volumetry to determine correlations between subcortical pathology and cognitive impairment. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Holography for Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theories from generalized dimensional reduction

We show that a class of Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton (EMD) theories are related to higher dimensional AdS-Maxwell gravity via a dimensional reduction over compact Einstein spaces combined with continuation in the dimension of the compact space to non-integral values (`generalized dimensional reduction'). This relates (fairly complicated) black hole solutions of EMD theories to simple black hole/brane solutions of AdS-Maxwell gravity and explains their properties. The generalized dimensional reduction is used to infer the holographic dictionary and the hydrodynamic behavior for this class of theories from those of AdS. As a specific example, we analyze the case of a black brane carrying a wave whose universal sector is described by gravity coupled to a Maxwell field and two neutral scalars. At thermal equilibrium and finite chemical potential the two operators dual to the bulk scalar fields acquire expectation values characterizing the breaking of conformal and generalized conformal invariance. We compute holographically the first order transport coefficients (conductivity, shear and bulk viscosity) for this system.Comment: v2, Important additions: (1) discussion of the entropy current, (2) postulated zeta/eta bound is generically violated. Some comments and references added, typos corrected. 50 page

Effect of Ultrasound Cavitation on lumbar hyperlordosis in Obese Postnatal Women with Diastasis Recti: A randomized controlled trial

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of ultrasound cavitation (UC) on lumbar hyperlordosis in obese postnatal women with diastasis recti. Subjects and Methods: Sixty obese multiparous women with diastasis rectus abdominis (DRA), their ages ranged from 25 to 35 years, their BMI was more than 30 Kg/ m2. All women had lumbar hyper lordosis, and their mode of delivery was normal vaginal delivery. All women were divided randomly into two equal groups (A & B). Each group consist of 30 women, Group A (control group) treated by low caloric diet regimen only (1600- 2000 Kcal/ day) designed by nutritionist throughout the whole treatment program for two months. Group B (study group) treated by ultrasound cavitation on the abdominal area for 30 minutes, twice weekly for two months in addition to low caloric diet regimen   for two months. The lumbar lordotic angle was measured using the spinal mouse before and after two months of treatment for each woman in both groups (A & B). Results: Within groups, there was statistically significant improvement post-treatment versus pre-treatment in lumbar lordotic angle) (p < 0.05), between groups; pre-treatment, there was no significant difference between both groups (A & B) in lumbar lordotic angle. While, post treatment, there was a significant difference between both groups (A & B) in lumbar lordotic angle (more decrease in group B). Conclusion: Using UC on the abdominal area was effective on reducing lumbar hyper lordosis in obese postnatal women with diastasis recti

Effect of Foot Refelexology on Preeclampsia

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of foot reflexology on mean arterial blood pressure, Serum Cortisol level, proteinuria and quality of life in pregnant women suffering from mild preeclampsia. Subjects and Methods: Sixty mild preeclamptic pregnant women were selected randomly from Out Patient Clinic of Obstetrics Department in Minia University Hospital in Minia to participate in this study. Their ages were between 20-36 years old. Their body mass index less than 35 kg/m2. They were divided randomly into two equal groups (A & B); Group A (control group): It comprised thirty pregnant women with mild preeclampsia who were treated by antihypertensive drugs only while group B (study group): It comprised thirty pregnant women with mild preeclampsia who were treated by antihypertensive drugs and foot reflexology sessions (25 minutes, 2 sessions weekly for 8 weeks). Assessment: Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), Serum Cortisol level and proteinuria were assessed before and after treatment for all patients in both groups (A&B), as well as quality of life was evaluated through World Health Organization quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL). Results: revealed that, between groups; pretreatment, there was insignificant difference between both groups A & B in MABP, serum cortisol level, proteinuria and WHOQOL questionnaire scores. While post treatment, there was significant difference between both groups A &B in MABP, serum cortisol level, proteinuria and WHOQOL questionnaire scores [in favor of group B (more decrease in MABP, serum cortisol level and proteinuria; and more increase in WHOQOL questionnaire scores)]. Conclusion: Foot reflexology is an effective modality in decreasing MABP, serum cortisol level and proteinuria, as well as enhancing the quality of life of mild preeclamptic pregnant women

Operando spectroscopy study of the carbon dioxide electro-reduction by iron species on nitrogen-doped carbon

The carbon–carbon coupling via electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide represents the biggest challenge for using this route as platform for chemicals synthesis. Here we show that nanostructured iron (III) oxyhydroxide on nitrogen-doped carbon enables high Faraday efficiency (97.4%) and selectivity to acetic acid (61%) at very-low potential (−0.5 V vs silver/silver chloride). Using a combination of electron microscopy, operando X-ray spectroscopy techniques and density functional theory simulations, we correlate the activity to acetic acid at this potential to the formation of nitrogen-coordinated iron (II) sites as single atoms or polyatomic species at the interface between iron oxyhydroxide and the nitrogen-doped carbon. The evolution of hydrogen is correlated to the formation of metallic iron and observed as dominant reaction path over iron oxyhydroxide on oxygen-doped carbon in the overall range of negative potential investigated, whereas over iron oxyhydroxide on nitrogen-doped carbon it becomes important only at more negative potentials

Effect of universal adhesives on microtensile bond strength to hybrid ceramic.

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of universal adhesives (UA) and silane on the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of resin cement to a hybrid ceramic Vita Enamic (VE). Methods VE specimens were acid etched using hydrofluoric acid (HF) and were assigned to three groups (n = 10) based on the applied bonding technique. In group 1 (S), a silane-based primer was used as a surface treatment prior to the application of a resin cement (Variolink Esthetic DC). In group 2, a silane-containing UA, Clearfil Universal Bond (CUB) was used for the surface treatment, and in group 3, A silane-free UA, Tetric N-Bond Universal (TNU) was used for surface treatment. Resin cement build-ups were prepared. The bonded specimens were sectioned into resin-ceramic beams. Half of the beams of each group were stored for 24 h at 37 °C and the other half were subjected to a thermo-cycling aging. The microtensile bond strength (μTBS) was measured at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Failure modes were assessed accordingly. Data were analyzed using a) two-way analysis of variance ANOVA followed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests between groups and b) independent t-test to detect differences (α = 0.05) for each group. The surface topographies of the ceramic surface were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy. Results The results showed that silane-based primer (S) application resulted in significantly higher (p < 0.05) μTBS values after 24 h and after thermocycling compared to both silane-containing UA (CUB) and silane-free UA (TNU). The μTBS values of all groups were significantly reduced after thermocycling. No statistically significant difference was observed between the μTBS of CUB and TNU after 24 h. However, TNU showed significantly higher μTBS after thermocycling. Different failure modes were observed, and adhesive failure was the most common in all groups. Marked surface topographic changes were observed following HF etching. Conclusion It is concluded that, the UAs tested cannot be recommended as substitutes to the silanization of Hybrid ceramic

Photosynthesis-dependent H₂O₂ transfer from chloroplasts to nuclei provides a high-light signalling mechanism

Chloroplasts communicate information by signalling to nuclei during acclimation to fluctuating light. Several potential operating signals originating from chloroplasts have been proposed, but none have been shown to move to nuclei to modulate gene expression. One proposed signal is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) produced by chloroplasts in a light-dependent manner. Using HyPer2, a genetically encoded fluorescent H2O2 sensor, we show that in photosynthetic Nicotiana benthamiana epidermal cells, exposure to high light increases H2O2 production in chloroplast stroma, cytosol and nuclei. Critically, over-expression of stromal ascorbate peroxidase (H2O2 scavenger) or treatment with DCMU (photosynthesis inhibitor) attenuates nuclear H2O2 accumulation and high light-responsive gene expression. Cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase over-expression has little effect on nuclear H2O2 accumulation and high light-responsive gene expression. This is because the H2O2 derives from a sub-population of chloroplasts closely associated with nuclei. Therefore, direct H2O2 transfer from chloroplasts to nuclei, avoiding the cytosol, enables photosynthetic control over gene expression

Subjective response to antipsychotic treatment and compliance in schizophrenia. A naturalistic study comparing olanzapine, risperidone and haloperidol (EFESO Study)

BACKGROUND: In order to compare the effectiveness of different antipsychotic drugs in the treatment of schizophrenia it is very important to evaluate subjective response and compliance in patient cohorts treated according to routine clinical practice. METHOD: Outpatients with schizophrenia entered this prospective, naturalistic study when they received a new prescription for an antipsychotic drug. Treatment assignment was based on purely clinical criteria, as the study did not include any experimental intervention. Patients treated with olanzapine, risperidone or haloperidol were included in the analysis. Subjective response was measured using the 10-item version of the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-10), and treatment compliance was measured using a physician-rated 4 point categorical scale. RESULTS: A total of 2128 patients initiated treatment (as monotherapy) with olanzapine, 417 with risperidone, and 112 with haloperidol. Olanzapine-treated patients had significantly higher DAI-10 scores and significantly better treatment compliance compared to both risperidone- and haloperidol-treated patients. Risperidone-treated patients had a significantly higher DAI-10 score compared to haloperidol-treated patients. CONCLUSION: Subjective response and compliance were superior in olanzapine-treated patients, compared to patients treated with risperidone and haloperidol, in routine clinical practice. Differences in subjective response were explained largely, but not completely, by differences in incidence of EPS

Post-mortem assessment in vascular dementia: advances and aspirations.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrovascular lesions are a frequent finding in the elderly population. However, the impact of these lesions on cognitive performance, the prevalence of vascular dementia, and the pathophysiology behind characteristic in vivo imaging findings are subject to controversy. Moreover, there are no standardised criteria for the neuropathological assessment of cerebrovascular disease or its related lesions in human post-mortem brains, and conventional histological techniques may indeed be insufficient to fully reflect the consequences of cerebrovascular disease. DISCUSSION: Here, we review and discuss both the neuropathological and in vivo imaging characteristics of cerebrovascular disease, prevalence rates of vascular dementia, and clinico-pathological correlations. We also discuss the frequent comorbidity of cerebrovascular pathology and Alzheimer's disease pathology, as well as the difficult and controversial issue of clinically differentiating between Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and mixed Alzheimer's disease/vascular dementia. Finally, we consider additional novel approaches to complement and enhance current post-mortem assessment of cerebral human tissue. CONCLUSION: Elucidation of the pathophysiology of cerebrovascular disease, clarification of characteristic findings of in vivo imaging and knowledge about the impact of combined pathologies are needed to improve the diagnostic accuracy of clinical diagnoses