On contact p-spheres

We study invariant contact p-spheres on principal circle-bundles and solve the corresponding existence problem in dimension 3. Moreover, we show that contact p-spheres can only exist on (4n-1)-dimensional manifolds and we construct examples of contact p-spheres on such manifolds. We also consider relations between tautness and roundness, a regularity property concerning the Reeb vector fields of the contact forms in a contact p-sphere.Comment: 23 pages, to appear in Annales de l'Institut Fourier, Grenobl

insights by genetic characterization

Background Giardia duodenalis is a common flagellated protozoan parasite that infects the small intestine of a wide range of vertebrate hosts. This study aimed to determine whether tracing of G. duodenalis isolates by current genetic typing tools is possible using an exemplary set of samples from infected cattle, buffalo and children from the Ismailia province, Egypt. Method A total of 804 fecal samples from ruminant animals was collected from 191 herds and 165 samples from diarrheal children below the age of 10 years. Parasites were detected in these samples using the copro-antigen RIDA®QUICK test and by real-time PCR. Samples were then genetically characterized based on the triosephosphate isomerase, glutamate dehydrogenase and β-giardin genes. Results The prevalence of G. duodenalis was 53% in ruminants and 21% in symptomatic children and infection was not positively correlated with diarrheal symptoms. Sequence typing analysis confirmed predominance of B-type sequences (>67%) in humans and E-type sequences (>81%) in ruminants over A-type sequences. For 39 samples the complete sequence information of the three marker gene fragments could be derived. Integration of the concatenated sequence information of the three marker gene fragments with the spatial data of the respective sample revealed that identical or near identical (only up to 1 out of 1358 bp different) concatenated sequencing types were spatially related in 4 out of 5 cases. Conclusion The risk of zoonotic infection emanating from ruminants even in high prevalence areas is negligible. Genetic characterization indicated a predominant anthropogenic cycle of infection within the pediatric population studied. Integration of sequence typing data with information on geographic origins of samples allows parasite sub- population tracing using current typing tools

Epidemiology of Giardia duodenalis infection in ruminant livestock and children in the Ismailia province of Egypt: insights by genetic characterization

Background: Giardia duodenalis is a common flagellated protozoan parasite that infects the small intestine of a wide range of vertebrate hosts. This study aimed to determine whether tracing of G. duodenalis isolates by current genetic typing tools is possible using an exemplary set of samples from infected cattle, buffalo and children from the Ismailia province, Egypt. Method: A total of 804 fecal samples from ruminant animals was collected from 191 herds and 165 samples from diarrheal children below the age of 10 years. Parasites were detected in these samples using the copro-antigen RIDA®QUICK test and by real-time PCR. Samples were then genetically characterized based on the triosephosphate isomerase, glutamate dehydrogenase and β-giardin genes. Results: The prevalence of G. duodenalis was 53% in ruminants and 21% in symptomatic children and infection was not positively correlated with diarrheal symptoms. Sequence typing analysis confirmed predominance of B-type sequences (>67%) in humans and E-type sequences (>81%) in ruminants over A-type sequences. For 39 samples the complete sequence information of the three marker gene fragments could be derived. Integration of the concatenated sequence information of the three marker gene fragments with the spatial data of the respective sample revealed that identical or near identical (only up to 1 out of 1358 bp different) concatenated sequencing types were spatially related in 4 out of 5 cases. Conclusion: The risk of zoonotic infection emanating from ruminants even in high prevalence areas is negligible. Genetic characterization indicated a predominant anthropogenic cycle of infection within the pediatric population studied. Integration of sequence typing data with information on geographic origins of samples allows parasite sub-population tracing using current typing tools

Chemical dormancy and cool-season annual forage establishment method effects on overseeded bahiagrass

Warm-season perennial pastures are the base of livestock production systems in lower Alabama. To overcome the shortage in forage production during the late fall and winter months, during bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) dormancy, overseeding pastures with cool-season annuals can be used as an option for providing forage. Diverse forage mixtures of multiple forage species along with effective establishment methods could help increase production in this system, but few evaluations have been conducted in overseeded sods. The first objective of these studies was to evaluate forage mass and nutritive value of different cool-season forage mixtures overseeded in bahiagrass. The second objective was to evaluate cool-season annual production using different planting methods to overseeding bahiagrass sod treated with different herbicides to induce a chemical dormancy

Pregled vrednovanja cijepljenja pasa protiv bjesnoće (1988.-1992.) na Sveučilištu u Ibadanu u Nigeriji.

Registers, rabies vaccination records and some case notes of 755 dogs presented in the Small Animal and Preventive Veterinary Medicine Clinics of the University of Ibadan between January 1988 and December 1992 were analysed for anti-rabies vaccination coverage and booster immunization consistency. Two hundred and seventy-six (36.5%) of the 755 registered dogs were vaccinated against rabies during the 5-year period. One hundred and eighty-two (65.9%) of the 276 vaccinates obtained an adequate number of rabies vaccinations required for the dogs in respect of age. However, 149 (approx. 82%) of these adequately vaccinated dogs were in the primary (initial) age vaccination category. Also, 50 (59.5%) of the 84 dogs requiring booster vaccination in the dog population under study had received regular boosters. Inadequate vaccination coverage, urban rabies control problems and public health implications in Ibadan, the largest city in West Africa, are discussed.Analizirani su zapisnici o cijepljenju protiv bjesnoće i neke pojedinačne bilješke za 755 pasa u Klinici za male životinje i preventivnu veterinarsku medicinu Sveučilišta u Ibadanu u Nigeriji od siječnja 1988. do prosinca 1992. godine, da bi se utvrdila pokrivenost cijepljenjem protiv bjesnoće i dosljednost docjepljivanja. Tijekom pet godina protiv bjesnoće je cijepljeno 276 (36,5%) od 755 registriranih pasa. Odgovarajući broj cijepljenja s obzirom na dob obavljen je na 182 (65,9%) od 276 cijepljenih pasa. Međutim, odgovarajuće cijepljenih pasa, bilo je 149 (približno 82%) u prvotnoj dobi za cijepljenje. Od 84 psa, koji su trebali biti docijepljivani samo 50 (59,5%) ih je dobilo odgovarajuće doze dodatnog cjepiva. Razmatrani su nedovoljna pokrivenost pasa cijepljenjem, problemi kontrole urbane bjesnoće, te utjecaj na javno zdravlje u Ibadanu, najvećem gradu u zapadnoj Africi

IN-VITRO STUDIES OF PREDNISOLONE PRE-FORMULATIONS RELEASED FROM VARIOUS OINTMENT-BASES, FACTORS AFFECTING PENETRATION RATE AND PENETRATED AMOUNT

In this pre-formulation study, the effect of individual factors influencing the penetration rate of drugs incorporated in various topical vehicles has been in-vitro investigated. The water poor soluble prednisolone is chosen as a model drug. To increase the dissolution behavior of prednisolone (P), co-precipitates of it with polyvinyl-pyrrolidone25, (P/PVP25-coprs), polyethylene glycol6000, (P/PEG6000-coprs) and adsorbents with Aerosil200 (P/A-200-adsrob) were prepared and in-vitro tested. A significantly increased dissolution in purified water was obtained with the co-precipitate F1, consisting of 10-wt% prednisolone and 90-wt% PEG6000. As F1 was incorporated in various model-vehicles insignificant penetration profile was achieved. This effect was in fact due to the high concentration of PEG6000 in the vehicles, which has increased the bulk viscosity of the ointments, that resulted on the one hand in restricted drug particles movement between the phases and on the other between the external phase and the artificial membrane. In contrast, F2 consisted of 50-wt% Prednisolone and 50-wt.%/ PEG6000-copr, showed a slight increase in drug solubility compared to the corresponding physical mixture as well to pure P. As F2 was incorporated in aqueous emulsifying wool wax-base, (WHES) a greater penetration rate into the synthetic membranes has resulted, and no change in the crystal form of P could be observed throughout the study time period of 70 hours. All other pre-formulations, (prefs) showed negligible increase in the solubility of P. X-ray diffractions studies of prednisolone-PVP25-coprs and those of drug/Aerosil200-adsorbent, indicated changes in the crystal form of P into monohydrate, which probably happened during the co-precipitation and adsorption of the drug and also during the incorporation of the pre-formulations into ointments. This change was specifically due to the very few amount of water present in ethanol 96 %v/v used as solvent for the preparation of the P-co-precipitates and adsorbents (= prefs) and also due to water available in the external phase of all used o/w-emulsions type ointment-bases

Best-bet integrated strategies for containing drug-resistant trypanosomes in cattle

Background African animal trypanosomosis is a major constraint to the rearing of productive livestock in the sub-humid Sudan-Sahel zone of West Africa where cotton is grown. Trypanosomosis is mainly controlled using trypanocidal drugs, but the effective use of drugs is threatened by the development of widespread resistance. This study tested integrated best-bet strategies for containment and/ or reversal of trypanocide resistance in villages in south-east Mali where resistance has been reported. Methods Four sentinel villages each from an intervention area (along the road from Mali to Burkina Faso) and a control area (along the road from Mali to Côte d’Ivoire) were selected for the study. Tsetse control was based on deltamethrin-treated stationary attractive devices and targeted cattle spraying between March 2008 and November 2009. Trypanosome-positive cattle were selectively treated with 3.5 mg/kg diminazene aceturate. Strategic helminth control using 10 mg/kg albendazole was also undertaken. During the intervention, tsetse densities along drainage lines, trypanosome infections and faecal egg counts in risk cattle (3 to 12 months of age) were monitored. Results Catch reductions of 66.5 % in Glossina palpalis gambiensis and 90 % in G. tachinoides were observed in the intervention area. Trypanosome prevalence was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in the intervention area (2.3 %; 1.3-3.6 %) compared to the control area (17.3 %; 14.8-20.1 %). Albendazole treatment resulted in a faecal egg count reduction of 55.6 % and reduced trypanosome infection risk (2.9 times lower than in the placebo group) although not significantly (p > 0.05). Further studies are required before confirming the existence of albendazole resistant strongyles in the study area. Conclusion Integration of best-bet strategies in areas of multiple drug- resistance is expected to reduce trypanosome infection risk thus contributing to containment of trypanocidal drug resistance. Integrated best-bet strategies could therefore be considered a viable trypanosomosis control option especially in areas where multiple drug-resistance has been reported