Avian infectious bronchitis is a highly contagious disease of the upper-respiratory tract caused by infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between innate and adaptive immune responses to IBV infection is a crucial element for further improvements in strategies to control IB. To this end, two chicken lines, selected for high (L10H line) and low (L10L line) serum concentration of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) were studied. In total, 32 birds from each line were used. Sixteen birds from each line were infected with IBV and sixteen were left uninfected. Eight uninfected and infected birds from each line were euthanized at 1 and 3 weeks post infection. RNA sequencing was performed on spleen samples from all 64 birds and differential gene expression analysis was performed for four comparisons: L10L line versus L10H line for uninfected birds at weeks 1 and 3, respectively, and in the same way for infected birds. Functional analysis was performed using Gene Ontology (GO) Immune System Process terms specific for Gallus gallus. Comparing uninfected L10H and L10L birds, we identified 1698 and 1424 differentially expressed (DE) genes at weeks 1 and 3, respectively. For the IBV-infected birds, 1934 and 866 DE genes were identified between the two lines at weeks 1 and 3, respectively. The two most enriched GO terms emerging from the comparison of uninfected birds between the two lines were “Lymphocyte activation involved in immune response” and “Somatic recombination of immunoglobulin genes involved in immune response” at weeks 1 and 3, respectively. When comparing IBV-infected birds between the two lines, the most enriched GO terms were “Alpha-beta T cell activation” and “Positive regulation of leukocyte activation” at weeks 1 and 3, respectively. Healthy birds from the two lines showed significant differences in expression profiles for subsets of adaptive and innate immunity-related genes, whereas comparison of the IBV-infected birds from the two lines showed differences in expression of immunity-related genes involved in T cell activation and proliferation. The observed transcriptome differences between the two lines indicate that selection for MBL had influenced innate as well as adaptive immunity.

BackgroundAvian infectious bronchitis is a highly contagious disease of the upper-respiratory tract caused by infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between innate and adaptive immune responses to IBV infection is a crucial element for further improvements in strategies to control IB. To this end, two chicken lines, selected for high (L10H line) and low (L10L line) serum concentration of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) were studied. In total, 32 birds from each line were used. Sixteen birds from each line were infected with IBV and sixteen were left uninfected. Eight uninfected and infected birds from each line were euthanized at 1 and 3 weeks post infection. RNA sequencing was performed on spleen samples from all 64 birds and differential gene expression analysis was performed for four comparisons: L10L line versus L10H line for uninfected birds at weeks 1 and 3, respectively, and in the same way for infected birds. Functional analysis was performed using Gene Ontology (GO) Immune System Process terms specific for Gallus gallus.ResultsComparing uninfected L10H and L10L birds, we identified 1698 and 1424 differentially expressed (DE) genes at weeks 1 and 3, respectively. For the IBV-infected birds, 1934 and 866 DE genes were identified between the two lines at weeks 1 and 3, respectively. The two most enriched GO terms emerging from the comparison of uninfected birds between the two lines were “Lymphocyte activation involved in immune response” and “Somatic recombination of immunoglobulin genes involved in immune response” at weeks 1 and 3, respectively. When comparing IBV-infected birds between the two lines, the most enriched GO terms were “Alpha-beta T cell activation” and “Positive regulation of leukocyte activation” at weeks 1 and 3, respectively.ConclusionsHealthy birds from the two lines showed significant differences in expression profiles for subsets of adaptive and innate immunity-related genes, whereas comparison of the IBV-infected birds from the two lines showed differences in expression of immunity-related genes involved in T cell activation and proliferation. The observed transcriptome differences between the two lines indicate that selection for MBL had influenced innate as well as adaptive immunity.

Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar as caracteristicas morfometricas e de rendimento da palma forrageira 'Gigante' submetida a diferentes tipos de adubacao orgânica, quimica e organomineral e configuracoes de plantio . O experimento foi instalado em LATOSSOLO Vermelho-Amarelo distrofico, num delineamento em blocos casualizados, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com tres repeticoes. As parcelas constituidas por duas configuracoes de plantio: 1) 24.0000 plantas ha -1 , dispostas em fileira tripla, no espacamento 3,00 x 1,00 x 0,25 m; 2) 26.666 plantas ha -1 , dispostas em fileira quadrupla, no espacamento 3,00 x 1,00 x 0,25 m; as subparcelas compostas por 12 tipos de adubacao orgânica, quimica e organomineral. Aos 650 DAP mensuraram-se altura da planta, numero, comprimento, largura e indice de area de cladodios, producao de materia verde e seca e teor de materia seca. As caracteristicas morfometricas, o teor de materia seca e a producao de massa verde e materia seca foram influenciadas pelas adubacoes (P<0,05), independentemente da configuracao utilizada. Das caracteristicas morfometricas apenas a largura e area do cladodio nao foram influenciadas pelas adubacoes. A ausencia de adubacao ou apenas 30 Mg ha -1 ano -1 de esterco bovino sao insuficientes para obter resultados satisfatorios com palma forrageira ‘Gigante’. Morphometric traits and yield of forage cactus 'Gigante' under different fertilization and planting settings Abstract : The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphometric characteristics and yield of 'Gigante' forage cactus subjected to different types of organic, chemical, and organic mineral fertilizers and planting configurations. The experiment was installed in a dystrophic Red-Yellow LATOSOL (Oxisol), in a randomized block design, in a split plot design parcel, with three replications. The plots consist of two plant configurations: 1) 24.0000 pl ha -1 , arranged in triple row, spaced 3.00 x 1.00 x 0.25 m; 2) 26,666 pl ha -1 , arranged in quadruple row, spaced 3.00 x 1.00 x 0.25 m. The subplots are composed of types of organic, chemical, and organic mineral fertilizers. On the 650th DAP were measured the plant height, number, length, width, cladode area index, fresh and dry matter yield and dry matter content. Morphometric characteristics, the dry matter content and the green mass and dry matter production were influenced by fertilization (P <0.05), regardless the configuration. From the morphometric features, only the width and cladode area were not affected by fertilization. The absence of fertilization or just 30 Mg ha -1 yr -1 of cattle manure is not enough to achieve satisfactory results with 'Gigante' forage cactus.

In this paper we study extensions between Cohen–Macaulay modules for algebras arising in the categorifications of Grassmannian cluster algebras. We prove that rank 1 modules are periodic, and we give explicit formulas for the computation of the period based solely on the rim of the rank 1 module in question. We determine $$\mathrm{Ext}^i(L_I, L_J)$$Exti(LI,LJ) for arbitrary rank 1 modules $$L_I$$LI and $$L_J$$LJ. An explicit combinatorial algorithm is given for the computation of $$\mathrm{Ext}^i(L_I, L_J)$$Exti(LI,LJ) when i is odd, and when i even, we show that $$\mathrm{Ext}^i(L_I, L_J)$$Exti(LI,LJ) is cyclic over the centre, and we give an explicit formula for its computation. At the end of the paper we give a vanishing condition of $$\mathrm{Ext}^i(L_I, L_J)$$Exti(LI,LJ) for any $$i>0$$i>0.

Aspiration, where food or liquid is allowed to enter the larynx during a swallow, is recognized as the most clinically salient feature of oropharyngeal dysphagia. This event can lead to short-term harm via airway obstruction or more long-term effects such as pneumonia. In order to non-invasively identify this event using high resolution cervical auscultation there is a need to characterize cervical auscultation signals from subjects with dysphagia who aspirate. In this study, we collected swallowing sound and vibration data from 76 adults (50 men, 26 women, mean age 62) who underwent a routine videofluoroscopy swallowing examination. The analysis was limited to swallows of liquid with either thin (<5 cps) or viscous (≈300 cps) consistency and was divided into those with deep laryngeal penetration or aspiration (unsafe airway protection), and those with either shallow or no laryngeal penetration (safe airway protection), using a standardized scale. After calculating a selection of time, frequency, and time-frequency features for each swallow, the safe and unsafe categories were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum statistical tests. Our analysis found that few of our chosen features varied in magnitude between safe and unsafe swallows with thin swallows demonstrating no statistical variation. We also supported our past findings with regard to the effects of sex and the presence or absence of stroke on cervical ausculation signals, but noticed certain discrepancies with regards to bolus viscosity. Overall, our results support the necessity of using multiple statistical features concurrently to identify laryngeal penetration of swallowed boluses in future work with high resolution cervical auscultation.

BackgroundAspiration, where food or liquid is allowed to enter the larynx during a swallow, is recognized as the most clinically salient feature of oropharyngeal dysphagia. This event can lead to short-term harm via airway obstruction or more long-term effects such as pneumonia. In order to non-invasively identify this event using high resolution cervical auscultation there is a need to characterize cervical auscultation signals from subjects with dysphagia who aspirate.MethodsIn this study, we collected swallowing sound and vibration data from 76 adults (50 men, 26 women, mean age 62) who underwent a routine videofluoroscopy swallowing examination. The analysis was limited to swallows of liquid with either thin (<5 cps) or viscous (≈300 cps) consistency and was divided into those with deep laryngeal penetration or aspiration (unsafe airway protection), and those with either shallow or no laryngeal penetration (safe airway protection), using a standardized scale. After calculating a selection of time, frequency, and time-frequency features for each swallow, the safe and unsafe categories were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum statistical tests.ResultsOur analysis found that few of our chosen features varied in magnitude between safe and unsafe swallows with thin swallows demonstrating no statistical variation. We also supported our past findings with regard to the effects of sex and the presence or absence of stroke on cervical ausculation signals, but noticed certain discrepancies with regards to bolus viscosity.ConclusionsOverall, our results support the necessity of using multiple statistical features concurrently to identify laryngeal penetration of swallowed boluses in future work with high resolution cervical auscultation.

Two different methods for deriving the density and isobaric heat capacity of liquids in the subcritical pressure range, from the speed of sound, are recommended. In each method, corresponding set of differential equations relating these properties is solved as the initial boundary value problem (IBVP). The initial values are specified at the lowest pressure of the range and the boundary values along the saturation line. In the first method, numerical integration is performed along the paths connecting the Chebyshev points of the second kind between the minimum and maximum temperature at each pressure. In the second method, numerical integration is performed along the isotherms distributed in the same way, with the temperature range being extended to the saturation line after each integration step. The methods are tested with the following substances: Ar, N2, CO2, and CH4. The results obtained for the density and isobaric heat capacity have the average absolute deviation from the reference data of 0.0005% and 0.0219%, respectively. These results served as the initial values for deriving the same properties in the transcritical pressure range up to the pressure approximately twice as large as the critical pressure. The results obtained in this pressure range have respective deviations of 0.0019% and 0.1303%.

Background and purpose — In preparing patients for total hip replacement surgery, providing thorough information helps to reduce anxiety, manage postoperative pain, prevent complications, and better engage patients in their rehabilitation. However, patient characteristics may have an influence on the ability to comprehend and assimilate the information given. We investigated differences in patients born in Sweden and those born outside Sweden regarding how they perceived the information given before THR, and if this was associated with different patient-reported outcomes one year after surgery. Patients and methods — From Sahlgrenska University Hospital, we recruited 150 patients born in Sweden and 50 patients born outside Sweden who were to undergo THR. We retrieved routinely collected data from the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register including basic demographic variables and patient-reported outcome measures, both preoperatively and at 1-year follow-up. In a separate survey carried out 1–2 weeks after surgery, patients were asked about the information provided in connection with the operation. Results — Patients born outside Sweden more frequently reported that they were poorly informed about possibilities to treat pain and about the operation itself. 1 year after the operation, patients born outside Sweden who, 1–2 weeks after the operation, had reported that they were poorly informed also reported having worse outcomes. Poorer results were found for the questions self-care and anxiety/depression in the EQ-5D questionnaire, pain on a visual analog scale (VAS), EQVAS, and EQ-5D index compared to those patients born in Sweden who had received at least some information of acceptable quality. Interpretation — One quarter of the patients were not satisfied with the information provided before and after THR. These patients more commonly reported perioperative anxiety and they were more often born outside Sweden. Poorly informed patients who had come from countries outside Sweden were more likely to report inferior outcome 1 year after the operation.

The Washington Consensus (WC) development approach consists of three macroeconomic and seven structural policies for transitional transformation of the economy. Proper implementation of the structural policies was important for qualitative changes in the economy. In this paper, we will explain and evaluate the implementation of seven structural policies, being: improvement of the legal system and governance, privatization, foreign direct investment (FDI), deregulation, redirecting public expenditures, trade liberalization and tax reform, over time. This paper will also make comparisons with other transitional countries in the region, in order to draw the lessons and make recommendations for the future development of B&H. It can be concluded that B&H has been stagnating in its economic development, and that B&H’s government must improve its tax system, governance, engage in the fight against corruption, speed up the business deregulation and privatization in order to accelerate the economic growth.