Neonatal handling reduces the number of cells in the medial preoptic area of female rats

Early-life events may induce alterations in neuronal function in adulthood. A crucial aspect in studying long-lasting effects induced by environmental interventions imposed to the animal several weeks before is finding a stable change that could be causally related to the phenotype observed in adulthood. In order to explain an adult trait, it seems necessary to look back to early life and establish a temporal line between events. The neonatal handling procedure is an experimental tool to analyze the long-lasting impact of early-life events. Aside from the neuroendocrine response to stress, neonatal handling also alters the functionality of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis. Reductions in ovulation and surge of the luteinizing hormone (LH) on the proestrous day were shown in female rats. Considering the importance of the medial preoptic area (MPA) for the control of ovulation, the present study aimed to verify the effects of neonatal handling on the numerical density and cell size in the MPA in 11-day-old and 90-day-old female rats. Cellular proliferation was also assessed using BrdU (5-bromo-2`-deoxyuridine) in 11-day-old pups. Results showed that neonatal handling induces a stable reduction in the number of cells and in the size of the cell soma, which were lower in handled females than in nonhandled ones at both ages. Cellular proliferation in the MPA was also reduced 24 h after the last manipulation. The repeated mother-infant disruption imposed by the handling procedure ""lesioned"" the MPA. The dysfunction in the ovulation mechanisms induced by the handling procedure could be related to that neuronal loss. The study also illustrates the impact of an environmental intervention on the development of the brain. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Briefing: Factored material properties and limit state loads-unlikely extreme or impossible pretense

In the limit state design (LSD) method each design criterion is formally stated and assessed using a performance function. The performance function defines the relationship between the design parameters and the design criterion. In practice, LSD involves factoring up loads and factoring down calculated strengths and material parameters. This provides a convenient way to carry out routine probabilistic-based design. The factors are statistically calculated to produce a design with an acceptably low probability of failure. Hence the ultimate load and the design material properties are mathematical concepts that have no physical interpretation. They may be physically impossible. Similarly, the appropriate analysis model is also defined by the performance function and may not describe the real behaviour at the perceived physical equivalent limit condition. These points must be understood to avoid confusion in the discussion and application of partial factor LSD methods.

Influence of fungal pathogens and environmental conditions on disease severity, flower fall and desiccation of harvested Geraldton waxflower - 2. Studies with commercial packages

Relationships were examined between environmental conditions mediated by packaging and handling and the deterioration of harvested Geraldton waxflower cv. 'Fortune Cookie'. Disease severity plus flower and leaf drop caused by inoculation with Botrytis cinerea were reduced by lowering handling temperatures to 0, 5 or 5/20 degreesC alternated daily, versus 20 degreesC. They were also reduced by inhibition of ethylene action with a silver thiosulfate pulse pretreatment. Additionally, treatments that enhanced water loss, such as packing dry, keeping forced air-cooling holes open and strategic placement of extra ventilation holes may also reduce disease severity and flower plus leaf fall. Inclusion of KMnO4-based Bloomfresh ethylene scrubbing sachets in packages did not reduce disease severity or lessen flower plus leaf fall. Thus, deterioration of waxflower packaged in commercial cartons can be minimised by keeping temperatures low, packing plant material dry, use of cartons with strategically placed ventilation holes and/or pretreatment with silver thiosulfate.

Beneficial effects of air inclusions on the performance of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) mouthguard material

Objective: To investigate the impact characteristics of an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) mouthguard material with regulated air inclusions, which included various air cell volumes and wall thickness between air cells. In particular, the aim was to identify the magnitude and direction of forces within the impacts. Method: EVA mouthguard material, A mm thick and with and without air inclusions, was impacted with a constant force impact pendulum with an energy of 4.4 J and a velocity of 3 m/s. Transmitted forces through the EVA material were measured using an accelerometer, which also allowed the determination of force direction and magnitude within the impacts. Results: Statistically significant reductions in the transmitted forces were observed with all the air inclusion materials when compared with EVA without air inclusions. Maximum transmitted force through one air inclusion material was reduced by 32%. Force rebound was eliminated in one material, and reduced second force impulses were observed in all the air inclusion materials. Conclusion: The regulated air inclusions improved the impact characteristics of the EVA mouthguard material, the material most commonly used in mouthguards world wide.

Effect of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) closed cell foam on transmitted forces in mouthguard material

Objectives: To compare transmitted forces through ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) mouthguard material and the same EVA material with gas inclusions in the form of a closed cell foam. Method: EVA mouthguard materials with and without foam gas inclusions and 4 mm thick were impacted with a constant force from an impact pendulum. Various porosity levels in the foam materials were produced by 1%, 5%, and 10% by weight foaming agent. The forces transmitted through the EVA after energy absorption by the test materials were measured with a force sensor and compared. Results: Only minor non-significant differences in transmitted forces through the EVA with and without foam were shown. Conclusions: The inclusion of gas in the form of a closed cell foam in 4 mm thick EVA mouthguard materials did not improve the impact performance of the EVA mouthguard material.

A design method for superconducting MRI magnets with ferromagnetic material

The emphasis of this work is on the optimal design of MRI magnets with both superconducting coils and ferromagnetic rings. The work is directed to the automated design of MRI magnet systems containing superconducting wire and both `cold' and `warm' iron. Details of the optimization procedure are given and the results show combined superconducting and iron material MRI magnets with excellent field characteristics. Strong, homogeneous central magnetic fields are produced with little stray or external field leakage. The field calculations are performed using a semi-analytical method for both current coil and iron material sources. Design examples for symmetric, open and asymmetric clinical MRI magnets containing both superconducting coils and ferromagnetic material are presented.

Rapid field calculations for the effect of ferromagnetic material in MRI magnet design

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnets have very stringent constraints on the homogeneity of the static magnetic field that they generate over desired imaging regions. The magnet system also preferably generates very little stray field external to its structure, so that ease of siting and safety are assured. This work concentrates on deriving, means of rapidly computing the effect of 'cold' and 'warm' ferromagnetic material in or around the superconducting magnet system, so as to facilitate the automated design of hybrid material MR magnets. A complete scheme for the direct calculation of the spherical harmonics of the magnetic field generated by a circular ring of ferromagnetic material is derived under the conditions of arbitrary external magnetizing fields. The magnetic field produced by the superconducting coils in the system is computed using previously developed methods. The final, hybrid algorithm is fast enough for use in large-scale optimization methods. The resultant fields from a practical example of a 4 T, clinical MRI magnet containing both superconducting coils and magnetic material are presented.

Influence of planting date, method of handling and seed size on supersweet sweet corn seed quality

A supersweet sweet corn hybrid, Pacific H5, was planted at weekly intervals (P-1 to P-5) in spring in South-Eastern Queensland. All plantings were harvested at the same time resulting in immature seed for the last planting (P-5). The seed was handled by three methods: manual harvest and processing (M-1), manual harvest and mechanical processing (M-2) and mechanical harvest and processing (M-3), and later graded into three sizes (small, medium and large). After eight months storage at 12-14degreesC, seed was maintained at 30degreesC with bimonthly monitoring of germination for fourteen months and seed damage at the end of this period. Seed quality was greatest for M-1 and was reduced by mechanical processing but not by mechanical harvesting. Large and medium seed had higher germination due to greater storage reserves but also more seed damage during mechanical processing. Immature seed from premature harvest (P-5) had poor quality especially when processed mechanically and reinforced the need for harvested seed to be physiologically mature.

Caixas receptoras de correspond??ncias confeccionadas com material recicl??vel

Os Correios t??m como miss??o facilitar as rela????es pessoais e empresariais mediante a oferta de servi??os de correios com ??tica, competitividade, lucratividade e responsabilidade social. Fundamentada em objetivos estrat??gicos, como o de obter padr??es de qualidade e produtividade requeridos pelas partes interessadas e aumentar a percep????o da sociedade em rela????o ?? atua????o da ECT como empresa socialmente respons??vel, a Ag??ncia de Conchas/DR/SPI implantou a????o socioambiental e educacional com a comunidade: a instala????o de caixas receptoras de correspond??ncia em suas resid??ncias, utilizando materiais recicl??veis. O projeto proporcionou ganhos significativos para a Ag??ncia e para os mun??cipes na presta????o de um servi??o com maior qualidade e agilidade a partir da melhoria gradativa das condi????es de entrega nos novos bairros atendidos pelo servi??o, al??m da satisfa????o e do reconhecimento da sociedade com a a????o de inclus??o social

Curso de administra????o de material

O material abrange os seguintes t??picos: t??cnicas modernas de administra????o de materiais;estrutura; funcionamento e desenvolvimento do organismo de material da Administra????o P??blica Federal

Mesa-redonda de pesquisa-a????o em gest??o por compet??ncias: material do participante

A Escola Nacional de Administra????o P??blica, ENAP, em parceria com a Canada School of Public Service, CSPS, vem implementando novas metodologias de abordagem de temas importantes para a melhoria da administra????o p??blica. Em 09 de novembro de 2004 foi instalada a primeira Mesa-redonda de Pesquisa-A????o, ferramenta de pesquisa que tem por objetivo reunir profissionais e especialistas para encontrar solu????es para os desafios enfrentados no servi??o p??blico. O resultado dos debates ?? a publica????o de um material que possa ser ??til a servidores e dirigentes no desempenho de tarefas ou na implementa????o de novas ferramentas de trabalho. A ENAP, cumprindo seu papel de auxiliar na difus??o de conhecimentos no setor p??blico federal, pretende realizar novas mesas periodicamente.

Mesa-redonda de pesquisa-a????o em educa????o a dist??ncia: material do participante

A Escola Nacional de Administra????o P??blica, ENAP, em parceria com a Canada School of Public Service, CSPS, vem implementando novas metodologias de abordagem de temas importantes para a melhoria da administra????o p??blica. Em 09 de novembro de 2004 foi instalada a primeira Mesa-redonda de Pesquisa-A????o, ferramenta de pesquisa que tem por objetivo reunir profissionais e especialistas para encontrar solu????es para os desafios enfrentados no servi??o p??blico. O resultado dos debates ?? a publica????o de um material que possa ser ??til a servidores e dirigentes no desempenho de tarefas ou na implementa????o de novas ferramentas de trabalho. A ENAP, cumprindo seu papel de auxiliar na difus??o de conhecimentos no setor p??blico federal, pretende realizar novas mesas periodicamente.