Measurement of energy and directional distribution of neutron ambient dose equivalent for the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction.

Double differential neutron fluence distributions were measured in the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction for proton beam energies 7, 9 and 12 MeV. Seven liquid scintillator based detectors were employed to measure neutron fluence distributions using the Time of Flight technique. Neutron ambient dose equivalents were determined from the measured fluence distribution using ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) recommended fluence to dose equivalent conversion coefficients. Neutron dose equivalents were also measured using a conventional BF3 detector based REM counter. Ambient dose equivalent measured by the REM counter is found to be in agreement with that determined from the neutron fluence spectra within their uncertainties. Angular distributions of the ambient dose equivalents were also determined from the measured fluence distributions at different angles.

Molecular epidemiology of goat pox viruses.

Goat pox disease outbreaks were observed in different places affecting Black Bengal Goats in West Bengal (WB) and Tellicherry, Vembur and non-descriptive breeds in Tamil Nadu (TN) causing severe lesions and mortality up to 30%. Clinical specimens from all the outbreaks were screened by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and confirmed the diseases as Goat Pox. Virus isolation in Vero cell line was done with randomly selected ten samples, cytopathic effects (CPE) characterized by syncytia and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were observed after several blind passages. Nucleotide sequence of complete p32 gene using randomly selected two isolates and three clinical specimens revealed presence of Goat pox virus (GTPV)-specific signature residues in all the sequences. Phylogenetic analysis using the present five sequences along with GenBank data of GTPV complete p32 gene sequences showed all the GTPV sequences cluster together except Pellor strain (NC004003) and FZ Chinese strain (KC951854). The five sequences either from WB or TN cluster more closely with GTPV isolates of Maharashtra state that were responsible for cross species outbreak of pox disease in both sheep (KF468759) and goats (KF468762) in India during the year 2010. All the Indian goat pox viruses, including the Mukteswar strain, isolated in 1946 and sequence reported in 2004 clustered together with the GTPVs causing the recent outbreaks. It was observed that GTPVs caused similar clinical manifestation irrespective of their geographical locations and breed characteristics, no variation observed among the Indian isolates based on p32 gene over the period of seventy years and disease outbreaks could not be observed or reported in vaccinated goats.

T-Box Genes in Human Development and Disease.

T-box genes are important development regulators in vertebrates with specific patterns of expression and precise roles during embryogenesis. They encode transcription factors that regulate gene transcription, often in the early stages of development. The hallmark of this family of proteins is the presence of a conserved DNA binding motif, the "T-domain." Mutations in T-box genes can cause developmental disorders in humans, mostly due to functional deficiency of the relevant proteins. Recent studies have also highlighted the role of some T-box genes in cancer and in cardiomyopathy, extending their role in human disease. In this review, we focus on ten T-box genes with a special emphasis on their roles in human disease.

Silk fibroin hydrogel as physical barrier for prevention of post hernia adhesion.

BACKGROUND: Adhesion formation remains a major complication following hernia repair surgery. Physical barriers though effective for adhesion prevention in clinical settings are associated with major disadvantages, therefore, needs further investigation. This study evaluates silk fibroin hydrogel as a physical barrier on polypropylene mesh for the prevention of adhesion following ventral hernia repair. STUDY DESIGN: Peritoneal explants were cultured on silk fibroin scaffold to evaluate its support for mesothelial cell growth. Full thickness uniform sized defects were created on the ventral abdominal wall of rabbits, and the defects were covered either with silk hydrogel coated polypropylene mesh or with plain polypropylene mesh as a control. The animals were killed after 1 month, and the adhesion formation was graded; healing response of peritoneum was evaluated by immunohistochemistry with calretinin, collagen staining of peritoneal sections, and expression of PCNA, collagen-I, TNFα, IL6 by real time PCR; and its adverse effect if any was determined. RESULTS: Silk fibroin scaffold showed excellent support for peritoneal cell growth in vitro and the cells expressed calretinin. A remarkable prevention of adhesion formation was observed in the animals implanted with silk hydrogel coated mesh compared to the control group; in these animals peritoneal healing was complete and predominantly by mesothelial cells with minimum fibrotic changes. Expression of inflammatory cytokines decreased compared to control animals, histology of abdominal organs, haematological and blood biochemical parameters remained normal. CONCLUSION: Therefore, silk hydrogel coating of polypropylene mesh can improve peritoneal healing, minimize adhesion formation, is safe and can augment the outcome of hernia surgery.

Effect of Different Dietary n-6 to n-3 Fatty Acid Ratios on the Performance and Fatty Acid Composition in Muscles of Broiler Chickens.

The objective of this study was to investigate the different dietary ratios of n-6 to n-3 (n-6/n-3) fatty acid (FA) on performance and n-6/n-3 FA in muscles of broiler chickens. A total of 300 one-day-old Cobb chicks were randomly assigned to 3 treatments of 10 replicates in each (10 birds/replicate). Birds were fed on a corn-soybean meal-based diet containing 1% oil during starter (day 1 to 21) and 2% oil during finisher (day 22 to 39) phases, respectively. Treatments of high, medium and low dietary n-6/n-3 FA were formulated by replacing rice bran oil with linseed oil to achieve n-6/n-3 FA close to >20:1, 10:1 and 5:1, respectively. Average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were similar (p>0.05) among the treatments. Serum glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations were not affected (p>0.05) by dietary treatments. In breast, concentration of C18:3n-3 was significantly greater (p = 0.001) for medium and low vs high n-6/n-3 FA, while concentrations of C20:5n-3, C22:6n-3, total n-3 FA, and n-6/n-3 FA were significantly higher for low vs medium, and medium vs high dietary n-6/n-3 FA. In contrast, concentrations of C18:2 and mono-unsaturated FA (MUFA) were lower for low vs high dietary n-6/n-3 FA. In thigh muscles, concentrations of C20:5n-3 were higher (p<0.05) for medium and low vs high dietary n-6/n-3 FA, and concentrations of C18:3n-3, C22:6, and n-3 FA were greater (p<0.05) for medium vs high, low vs medium dietary n-6/n-3 FA. However, concentrations of C18:1, MUFA, n-6/n-3 were lower (p<0.05) for low and medium vs high dietary n-6/n-3 FA. In conclusion, lowering the dietary n-6/n-3 FA did not affect the performance of chickens, but enhanced beneficial long-chain n-3 FA and decreased n-6/n-3 FA in chicken breast and thigh, which could be advantageous for obtaining healthy chicken products.

Thermoelectric properties of an ultra-thin topological insulator.

Thermoelectric coefficients of an ultra-thin topological insulator are presented here. The hybridization between top and bottom surface states of a topological insulator plays a significant role. In the absence of a magnetic field, the thermopower increases and thermal conductivity decreases with an increase in the hybridization energy. In the presence of a magnetic field perpendicular to the ultra-thin topological insulator, thermoelectric coefficients exhibit quantum oscillations with inverse magnetic field, whose frequency is strongly modified by the Zeeman energy and whose phase factor is governed by the product of the Landé g-factor and the hybridization energy. In addition to the numerical results, the low-temperature approximate analytical results for the thermoelectric coefficients are also provided. It is also observed that for a given magnetic field these transport coefficients oscillate with hybridization energy, at a frequency that depends on the Landé g-factor.

Effect of a novel microbial phytase on production performance and tibia mineral concentration in broiler chickens given low-calcium diets.

1. In a 42-d feeding trial, 264 one-d-old, as hatched, Cobb 400 broiler chickens (6 pens per group, n = 11 per pen in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement) were fed on two concentrations of dietary calcium (Ca) (9.0 and 7.5 g/kg in starter, 7.5 and 6 g/kg in grower phases) and supplemental phytase (0 and 500 U/kg diet). 2. During d 0-21, the high Ca + phytase diet improved body weight. During d 0-42, feed intake was increased by the low Ca diet and decreased by phytase supplementation. Feed conversion ratio during d 0-21 was improved by the high Ca + phytase diet. 3. At d 42, Ca in duodenal digesta was reduced by low dietary Ca and supplemental phytase. High dietary Ca reduced P in duodenal and jejunal digesta. Phytase reduced digesta P and increased serum P concentration. 4. Relative tibia length decreased with low dietary Ca and increased with phytase. The robusticity index of tibia was improved by the low Ca diet and phytase supplementation. Phytase supplementation increased tibia ash and concentrations of Ca, magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) in tibia. The low Ca diet increased Mg, Mn and Fe and reduced Cu and Zn in tibia. 5. It was concluded that 7.5 g Ca/kg during weeks 0-3 and 6 g Ca/kg during weeks 3-6 sustained broiler performance and bone ash, while phytase supplementation facilitated tibia mineralisation, particularly during the grower phase.

Democratic decay of 6Be exposed by correlations.

The interaction of an E/A=70-MeV (7)Be beam with a Be target was used to populate levels in (6)Be following neutron knockout reactions. The three-body decay of the ground and first excited states into the α+p+p exit channel were detected in the High Resolution Array. Precise three-body correlations extracted from the experimental data allowed us to obtain insight into the mechanism of the three-body democratic decay. The correlation data are in good agreement with a three-cluster-model calculation and thus validate this theoretical approach over a broad energy range.

Correlations in intermediate energy two-proton removal reactions.

We report final-state-exclusive measurements of the light charged fragments in coincidence with (26)Ne residual nuclei following the direct two-proton removal from a neutron-rich (28)Mg secondary beam. A Dalitz-plot analysis and comparisons with simulations show that a majority of the triple-coincidence events with two protons display phase-space correlations consistent with the (two-body) kinematics of a spatially correlated pair-removal mechanism. The fraction of such correlated events, 56(12)%, is consistent with the fraction of the calculated cross section, 64%, arising from spin S=0 two-proton configurations in the entrance-channel (shell-model) (28)Mg ground state wave function. This result promises access to an additional and more specific probe of the spin and spatial correlations of valence nucleon pairs in exotic nuclei produced as fast secondary beams.

A new unstable hemoglobin variant Hb Acharnes or [ß53(D4) Ala - Thr]: a case report.

Hb Acharnes or [ß53(D4) Ala - Thr] is a newly discovered unstable hemoglobin variant. It has been reported in very few literatures across the world and no cases have been reported from India till date. Hb Acharnes is known to interact with ß°-thalassemia to produce thalassemia intermedia and heterozygotes may present with borderline HbA2 levels. Here we report a rare case discovered during routine screening of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies in a 19 year old pregnant lady. To emphasize the diagnostic difficulties and importance of detection of a rare hemoglobin variant Hb Acharnes [ß53(D4) Ala - Thr] in an asymptomatic patient in West Bengal, India. The 19 year old asymptomatic pregnant lady P1+0, LMP - 21.01.2011 reported in antenatal OPD of Burdwan Medical College & Hospital, Burdwan, West Bengal, India for routine follow up. After proper antenatal check up her blood was collected as a routine screening for Thalassemia, EDTA blood was taken on 5th April 2011 and was subjected to Hemoglobin estimation by Cyanmethemoglobin method, Cell parameters in automated cell counter (SYSMEX KX21) and Hemoglobin analysis by HPLC in BIORAD VARIANT system. The patient was normal with respect to clinical examination and urinalysis. Routine blood counts revealed mild microcytic hypochromic anemia and on HPLC an unknown band (retention time 2.2 minutes, 21.2%, appearing as a shoulder of HbA0 band) of hemoglobin variant was discovered with normal level of HbF and HbA2. Hemoglobin analysis of her mother showed similar pattern while her father and her husband had normal Hb-HPLC pattern. The unknown hemoglobin variant was identified as Hemoglobin Acharnes or [ß53 (D4) Ala - Thr] by the Biorad laboratories upon consulting the standard chromatogram patterns for this particular hemoglobin variant. Only Haemoglobin Electrophoresis by conventional gel technique may miss the case and the HPLC pattern may be used as a standard control for identification.

Assessment of yeast cell wall as replacements for antibiotic growth promoters in broiler diets: effects on performance, intestinal histo-morphology and humoral immune responses.

The study compared the effects of an antibiotic growth promoter (AGP), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and yeast cell wall (YCW) on performance, microbiology and histo-morphology of the small intestine and humoral immune responses in Ross 308 broilers. The treatments (eight replicates/treatment, n = 12/replicate) were negative control (NC, without AGP), positive control (PC, supplemented with bacitracin methylene disalicylate, 400 mg/kg), Y and YCW (supplemented with yeast and YCW, respectively, 1000 mg/kg). Live weight at 42 days improved (p = 0.086) in the PC, Y and YCW groups. Feed conversion ratio was better (p = 0.039) in the YCW group compared with the other groups. Antibiotic growth promoter in the PC group shortened the villi in duodenum (p = 0.044). Mucosal Escherichia coli number was higher in the PC group (p < 0.001), whereas in the digesta E. coli number was lower (p = 0.001) in the PC, Y and YCW groups in relation to the NC. Mucosal Salmonella populations increased (p = 0.0001) in the PC group, whereas in the digesta, all treatments reduced the Salmonella (p = 0.0001). Following oral challenge with Salmonella pullorum, YCW increased E. coli numbers on the mucosa (p < 0.001) whereas in the digesta the Y group had lower (p < 0.0001) number of E. coli. In the digesta, Salmonella count was lower in the YCW group compared with the other treatments (p < 0.01). Yeast cell wall -treated birds exhibited better (p < 0.05) humoral immune response against Newcastle disease which was far more persistent over time than in any other treatments. It was concluded that the yeast and the yeast cell wall may have effects identical to BMD on performance of broilers and thus may constitute an effective replacement strategy in the dietary regimens for broiler chickens.

Thermal and X-ray diffraction analysis studies during the decomposition of ammonium uranyl nitrate.

Two types of ammonium uranyl nitrate (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·2H2O and NH4UO2(NO3)3, were thermally decomposed and reduced in a TG-DTA unit in nitrogen, air, and hydrogen atmospheres. Various intermediate phases produced by the thermal decomposition and reduction process were investigated by an X-ray diffraction analysis and a TG/DTA analysis. Both (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·2H2O and NH4UO2(NO3)3 decomposed to amorphous UO3 regardless of the atmosphere used. The amorphous UO3 from (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·2H2O was crystallized to γ-UO3 regardless of the atmosphere used without a change in weight. The amorphous UO3 obtained from decomposition of NH4UO2(NO3)3 was crystallized to α-UO3 under a nitrogen and air atmosphere, and to ß-UO3 under a hydrogen atmosphere without a change in weight. Under each atmosphere, the reaction paths of (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·2H2O and NH4UO2(NO3)3 were as follows: under a nitrogen atmosphere: (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·2H2O â†’ (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·H2O â†’ (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4 â†’ NH4UO2(NO3)3 â†’ A-UO3 â†’ Î³-UO3 â†’ U3O8, NH4UO2(NO3)3 â†’ A-UO3 â†’ α-UO3 â†’ U3O8; under an air atmosphere: (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·2H2O â†’ (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·H2O â†’ (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4 â†’ NH4UO2(NO3)3 â†’ A-UO3 â†’ Î³-UO3 â†’ U3O8, NH4UO2(NO3)3 â†’ A-UO3 â†’ α-UO3 â†’ U3O8; and under a hydrogen atmosphere: (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·2H2O â†’ (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4·H2O â†’ (NH4)2UO2(NO3)4 â†’ NH4UO2(NO3)3 â†’ A-UO3 â†’ Î³-UO3 â†’ α-U3O8 â†’ UO2, NH4 UO2(NO3)3 â†’ A-UO3 â†’ ß-UO3 â†’ α-U3O8 â†’ UO2.

Effects of hydrolysed Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and yeast cell wall components on live performance, intestinal histo-morphology and humoral immune response of broilers.

1. The effects of enzymatically hydrolysed whole Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast (HY) and the pellets of yeast cell wall (YCW) on production traits, the microbiology and histo-morphology of the small intestine, and humoral immune responses against Newcastle disease virus (NDV), of Ross 308 broilers were investigated. 2. The control group received a maize-soyabean meal based basal diet for 42 days. In the treated groups the basal diet was supplemented with 1 g/kg of HY and YCW. There were 8 replicate pens per group (n = 12 birds/pen). 3. HY and YCW supplementation improved live weight (P = 0·006) and FCR (P = 0·003) at 42-d as compared with the control group. 4. In the small intestine, Salmonella spp and Escherichia coli numbers were higher (P = 0·01) in the mucosa and lower (P = 0·01) in the digesta of the HY and the YCW fed groups at 25 d of age. Lactobacillus in the duodenal and jejunal digesta was higher (P < 0·05) in the HY and the YCW fed groups as compared with the control. 5. Following oral challenge with Salmonella pullorum, Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus increased (P < 0·05) in the mucosa and decreased in the digesta (P < 0·05) of the HY and YCW supplemented groups, relative to the control. 6. Supplementation of HY and YCW increased villus height in the jejunum (P = 0·02), width of villus in the ileum (P = 0·034) and number of goblet cells in villi of the jejunum (P = 0·006) and ileum (P = 0·01). 7. YCW increased antibody level against NDV at 21 and 42 d of age compared with the control and the HY supplemented diets (P < 0·05). 8. It was concluded that HY and YCW improved growth and feed efficiency in broilers, and considering the improvements in production traits and humoral immune responses, yeast cell wall may be a better dietary tool than the hydrolysed whole yeast cell as a performance enhancer for broilers.

Immunogenicity and safety of live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine: a multicentric study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate immunogenicity and tolerability of single dose live attenuated injectable hepatitis A vaccine in four metropolitan cities of India. METHODS: Live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine was administered to 505 children aged 18 to 60 months in four centers across India. Immunogenicity of the vaccine was assessed by estimation of anti-HAV antibody titer at 6 weeks and 6 months following administration of the vaccine. Safety evaluation of the vaccine was also done during the visits. RESULTS: At 6 weeks, 480 subjects (95%) came for the follow-up and 411 (81.4%) subjects reported at the end of 6 months. The geometric mean titer (GMT) of anti-HAV antibody of the subjects who did not have the seroprotective titer at the baseline were assessed at 6 weeks and 6 months which was 81.04 mIU/ml and 150.66 mIU/ml respectively. At 6 weeks, 95.1 % seroconverted and at the end of 6 months, 97.9 % had seroconverted. Both solicited and unsolicited vaccine-induced local and systemic adverse events were insignificant at all the centers, except swelling and induration in a few. CONCLUSION: Live attenuated injectable hepatitis A vaccine was immunogenic and tolerable with minimal reactogenecity, in this study of single dose schedule. Safety profile was also satisfactory in the study population.

Adsorption characteristics of Cu and Ni on Irish peat moss.

Peat has been widely used as a low cost adsorbent to remove a variety of materials including organic compounds and heavy metals from water. Various functional groups in lignin allow such compounds to bind on active sites of peat. The adsorption of Cu(2+) and Ni(2+) from aqueous solutions on Irish peat moss was studied both as a pure ion and from their binary mixtures under both equilibrium and dynamic conditions in the concentration range of 5-100mg/L. The pH of the solutions containing either Cu(2+) or Ni(2+) was varied over a range of 2-8. The adsorption of Cu(2+) and Ni(+2) on peat was found to be pH dependent. The adsorption data could be fitted to a two-site Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the maximum adsorption capacity of peat was determined to be 17.6 mg/g for Cu(2+) and 14.5mg/g for Ni(2+) at 298 K when the initial concentration for both Cu(2+) and Ni(2+) was 100mg/L, and the pH of the solution was 4.0 and 4.5, respectively. Column studies were conducted to generate breakthrough data for both pure component and binary mixtures of copper and nickel. Desorption experiments showed that 2mM EDTA solution could be used to remove all of the adsorbed copper and nickel from the bed.

Effects of dietary chromium supplementation on glucose tolerance and primary antibody response against peste des petits ruminants in dwarf Bengal goats ( Capra hircus).

An experiment was conducted to exploit the immune-modulation effect of trivalent chromium (Cr) for augmenting immunity against peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in dwarf black Bengal goats (Capra hircus). The goats (n = 6 per treatment group) either received a basal diet devoid of supplemental Cr (control) or were supplemented with 0.5 mg Cr as chromic chloride (+Cr) for 60 days. Live weight gain and feed conversion efficiency improved (P < 0.05) in the +Cr dietary group. Supplemental Cr did not affect the total number of monocytes, eosinophils and basophils (P > 0.1) although total leukocytes increased (P < 0.05) and the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes narrowed down (P < 0.05) in the +Cr dietary group. The effect of Cr supplementation on variables of the intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was inconclusive. Compared to the control group, the basal concentration of glucose (P < 0.05) and insulin (P < 0.001) was higher, clearance rate was slower (P < 0.05) and serum half-life was greater (P < 0.05) in the +Cr dietary group during the IVGTT. Over the duration of the experiment, serum concentration of insulin increased (P < 0.001) and that of cortisol decreased (P < 0.01) in the +Cr group, which also showed a relatively higher primary antibody (Ab) response against PPR on days 10 (P < 0.01) and 20 (P < 0.05) post-vaccination. In conclusion, the experiment indicated that supplementation of Cr as CrCl3, in the diet of non-stressed goats, may improve primary Ab response against PPR and help confer an augmented immunity to the disease besides promoting growth and feed conversion.

Suppression of high-p{T} neutral pion production in central Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt[S{NN}]=17.3 GeV relative to p+C and p+Pb collisions.

Neutral pion transverse momentum spectra were measured in p+C and p+Pb collisions at sqrt[S{NN}]=17.4 GeV at midrapidity (2.3 less than or approximately equal eta{lab} less than or approximately equal 3.0) over the range 0.7 less than or approximately equal p{T} less than or approximately equal 3.5 GeV/c. The spectra are compared to pi{0} spectra measured in Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt[S{NN}]=17.3 GeV in the same experiment. For a wide range of Pb+Pb centralities (N{part} less than or approximately equal 300), the yield of pi{0}'s with p{T} greater than or approximately equal 2 GeV/c is larger than or consistent with the p+C or p+Pb yields scaled with the number of nucleon-nucleon collisions (N{coll}), while for central Pb+Pb collisions with N{part}greater than or approximately equal 350, the pi{0} yield is suppressed.

Production and carcase traits in broiler chickens given diets supplemented with inorganic trivalent chromium and an organic acid blend.

1. The study was conducted to ascertain the effects of supplemental organic acids and chromium (Cr) on production and carcase traits of broiler chickens. 2. A total of 120 1-d-old broiler chicks were divided into 4 treatment groups in a 2 x 2 factorial design (each treatment group contained 6 replicates with 5 birds per replicate). 3. The diets were supplemented with an organic acid blend containing ortho-phosphoric, formic and propionic acid and calcium propionate (1 g/kg diet) and inorganic trivalent chromium (Cr(3+)) as chromic chloride hexahydrate (0.5 mg/kg diet) either independently or together as a combination for 35 d. 4. Individual supplementation of organic acids and Cr(3+) and their combination significantly improved the food conversion ratio, hot and dressed carcase weight and weight of the wholesale cuts compared to the control group of birds. 5. Organic acids, either independently or along with Cr(3+), increased total accretion of ash in carcase. Protein accretion was improved by dietary Cr(3+) and organic acid supplementation compared to the control group and a further improvement in this regard was observed when Cr(3+) and organic acid were supplemented together. Across the treatment groups meat fat content and fat accretion were lower in birds receiving dietary Cr(3+) supplementation. 6. Circulatory Cr(3+) and meat Cr(3+) concentration increased compared to the other treatment groups when Cr(3+) was supplemented to the birds. 7. It was concluded that, instead of individual supplementation, a combination of Cr(3+) and organic acids may improve the production and carcase traits of broilers more effectively presumably because of an additive effect.