New osseous soft markers for trisomy 13, 18 and 21

INTRODUCTION For ultrasonographic diagnosis of a fetal trisomy so-called "soft markers" (=ultrasonographically detectable morphological variants) are used. Detection of a certain number of them increases the diagnostic certainty of a fetal trisomy. Up to now there are very few diagnostically accepted osseous soft markers for trisomy. Hence potential osseous soft markers applicable for first and second trimester ultrasound screening for trisomy 21, 18 or 13 were studied. METHODS Postmortal fetal X-rays (ap, lateral) of 358 fetuses (trisomy 21: n = 109, trisomy 18: n = 46; trisomy 13: n = 38, control group: n = 165). RESULTS Not yet described but with trisomy 21 statistically associated soft markers were un-timely os sternale ossification, delayed os sacrum ossification, shortened os maxillare, reduced os maxillare-jaw-corner distance, augmented orbita height, premature os calcaneus ossification, bell-shaped thorax, coronal clefts, trend to wider binocular as well as wider intraocular distances; for trisomy 18: elevated clavicula slope, reduced number of ribs, bell-shaped thorax, coronal clefts, reduced os maxillare-jaw-corner distance, shortened ramus mandibulare, shortened os metacarpale IV and V, augmented ratio between biparietal diameter and (osseus and soft-tissue) shoulder width; for trisomy 13: longer os nasale, elevated clavicula slope, premature sternum, delayed os sacrum ossification, delayed/premature cranium ossification, reduced number of ribs, coronal clefts, reduced os maxillare-jaw-corner distance, shortened ramus mandibulare, augmented orbita height, shortened os metacarpale V and a tendency for a shortened os metacarpale IV. CONCLUSION We found several not yet published osseous soft markers statistically associated with trisomy 21, 18 and 13, which can help to ensure sonographically these aneuploidy diagnoses.

Visual-auditory differences in duration discrimination of intervals in the subsecond and second range

A common finding in time psychophysics is that temporal acuity is much better for auditory than for visual stimuli. The present study aimed to examine modality-specific differences in duration discrimination within the conceptual framework of the Distinct Timing Hypothesis. This theoretical account proposes that durations in the lower milliseconds range are processed automatically while longer durations are processed by a cognitive mechanism. A sample of 46 participants performed two auditory and visual duration discrimination tasks with extremely brief (50-ms standard duration) and longer (1000-ms standard duration) intervals. Better discrimination performance for auditory compared to visual intervals could be established for extremely brief and longer intervals. However, when performance on duration discrimination of longer intervals in the 1-s range was controlled for modality-specific input from the sensory-automatic timing mechanism, the visual-auditory difference disappeared completely as indicated by virtually identical Weber fractions for both sensory modalities. These findings support the idea of a sensory-automatic mechanism underlying the observed visual-auditory differences in duration discrimination of extremely brief intervals in the millisecond range and longer intervals in the 1-s range. Our data are consistent with the notion of a gradual transition from a purely modality-specific, sensory-automatic to a more cognitive, amodal timing mechanism. Within this transition zone, both mechanisms appear to operate simultaneously but the influence of the sensory-automatic timing mechanism is expected to continuously decrease with increasing interval duration.

LONGITUDINAL GROWTH PARAMETERS AND THEIR ECOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS (SEASONALITY)

The growth patterns of weight from birth through the first twelve months of life among rural Taiwanese infants were investigated with the following objectives: (i) compare each of the parameters of the Count model estimated for infants who were nutritionally at risk with those for a reference population from the United States; and (ii) within the Taiwanese infants, account for the variance in the growth patterns in the first and second six months of life on the basis of selected ecological factors.^ The significance between group differences were observed in the patterns of the weight growth in both linear growth and in the timing and the direction of velocity changes. A significant decline in growth velocity was observed among Taiwanese infants at about the fourth month of life. The decline is in keeping with a recent proposal made by J. C. Waterlow regarding the timing of change in growth velocity among nutritionally at risk populations in developing countries. The growth course of a nutritionally at risk infant during the first three months is apparently protected by the nurturance of the mother and innate biological properties of the infant.^ A highly significant portion of the growth variance in the second six months of life was accounted for by exogenous factors and biological factors related to the infant. Conversely, none of the growth variance in the first six months of life was accounted for by predictor variables. The most potent determinant of growth in the second six months of life was seasonality which represents a multiple environmental event.^ The model parameters estimated from the Count model represent different aspect of physical growth; yet the correlation coefficients between parameters b and c are high (r > .80). Clearly, the biological interpretation of the model parameters requires analysis of the whole function in the specific context of a given age period. ^

A cohort study of body fatness and coronary mortality in middle -aged men

Data from the Chicago Western Electric Study were used to investigate whether central fat distribution, as estimated by the ratio of subscapular-to-triceps skinfold, was associated with 25-year risk of death from coronary heart disease in a cohort of 1,945 middle-aged employed men. Subscapular-triceps skinfold ratio was found positively and significantly associated with risk of coronary death after adjustment for age and body mass index. The age-adjusted proportional hazards regression coefficient was 0.2078 with 95% confidence interval of 0.0087 to 0.4069. A difference of 1.1 in the subscapular-triceps skinfold ratio (the difference between the mean of the fifth quintile and of the first and second quintiles combined) was associated with a relative risk of 1.31 with 95% confidence interval of 1.06 to 1.62. The coefficient was decreased to 0.1961 (95% confidence interval of ($-$0.0028 to 0.3950) after adjustment for diastolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol and cigarette smoking as well as age and body mass index. At least some of the effect of central fat on coronary risk is probably mediated by blood pressure and serum lipids, but whether all of the effect can be accounted for blood pressure and serum lipids is uncertain.^ This study supports the concept that central fat distribution is a risk factor for 25-year risk of coronary death in middle-aged men. ^

(Table 1) First and last occurrences of the menardellid clade in sediments of ODP Site 154-925

Biostratigraphic and isotopic studies of planktic foraminifera suggest that early to middle Pliocene closure of the Central American Seaway caused vicariant speciation among previously cosmopolitan menardellid foraminifera. New morphospecies were restricted to the tropical Atlantic. Isotopic data suggest that newly evolved Atlantic menardellids were adapted to more oligotrophic conditions, living higher in the water column than ancestral forms and perhaps harboring photosymbionts. In the late Pliocene, all but one menardellid morphospecies became extinct. These extinctions coincided with a progressive increase in the amplitude of periodic climatic change and the end of isolated tropical Atlantic surface circulation as Northern Hemisphere glaciation intensified.

Haemolymph inorganic ion composition, physiology and behaviour dependent on temperature and ambient magnesium concentration in early life history stages of Paralomis granulosa (Decapoda, Anomura, Lithodidae)

Marine brachyuran and anomuran crustaceans are completely absent from the extremely cold (-1.8 °C) Antarctic continental shelf, but caridean shrimps are abundant. This has at least partly been attributed to low capacities for magnesium excretion in brachyuran and anomuran lithodid crabs ([Mg2+]HL = 20-50 mmol/L) compared to caridean shrimp species ([Mg2+]HL = 5-12 mmol/L). Magnesium has an anaesthetizing effect and reduces cold tolerance and activity of adult brachyuran crabs. We investigated whether the capacity for magnesium regulation is a factor that influences temperature-dependent activity of early ontogenetic stages of the Sub-Antarctic lithodid crab Paralomis granulosa. Ion composition (Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl-, [SO4]2-) was measured in haemolymph withdrawn from larval stages, the first and second juvenile instars (crabs I and II) and adult males and females. Magnesium excretion improved during ontogeny, but haemolymph sulphate concentration was lowest in the zoeal stages. Neither haemolymph magnesium concentrations nor Ca2+:Mg2+ ratios paralleled activity levels of the life stages. Long-term (3 week) cold exposure of crab I to 1 °C caused a significant rise of haemolymph sulphate concentration and a decrease in magnesium and calcium concentrations compared to control temperature (9 °C). Spontaneous swimming activity of the zoeal stages was determined at 1, 4 and 9 °C in natural sea water (NSW, [Mg2+] = 51 mmol/L) and in sea water enriched with magnesium (NSW + Mg2+, [Mg2+] = 97 mmol/L). It declined significantly with temperature but only insignificantly with increased magnesium concentration. Spontaneous velocities were low, reflecting the demersal life style of the zoeae. Heart rate, scaphognathite beat rate and forced swimming activity (maxilliped beat rate, zoea I) or antennule beat rate (crab I) were investigated in response to acute temperature change (9, 6, 3, 1, -1 °C) in NSW or NSW + Mg2+. High magnesium concentration reduced heart rates in both stages. The temperature-frequency curve of the maxilliped beat (maximum: 9.6 beats/s at 6.6 °C in NSW) of zoea I was depressed and shifted towards warmer temperatures by 2 °C in NSW + Mg2+, but antennule beat rate of crab I was not affected. Magnesium may therefore influence cold tolerance of highly active larvae, but it remains questionable whether the slow-moving lithodid crabs with demersal larvae would benefit from an enhanced magnesium excretion in nature.

Palynology and dinoflagellate counts of surface sediments, and sea surface conditions, of sites in the North Pacific

Palynological analyses were performed on 53 surface sediment samples from the North Pacific Ocean, including the Bering and Okhotsk Seas (37-64°N, 144°E-148°W), in order to document the relationships between the dinocyst distribution and sea-surface conditions (temperatures, salinities, primary productivity and sea-ice cover). Samples are characterized by concentrations ranging from 18 to 143816 cysts/cm**3 and the occurrence of 32 species. A canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was carried out to determine the relationship between environmental variables and the distribution of dinocyst taxa. The first and second axes represent, respectively, 47% and 17.8% of the canonical variance. Axis 1 is positively correlated with all parameters except to the sea-ice and primary productivity in August, which are on the negative side. Results indicate that the composition of dinocyst assemblages is mostly controlled by temperature and that all environmental variables are correlated together. The CCA distinguishes 3 groups of dinocysts: the heterotrophic taxa, the genera Impagidinium and Spiniferites as well as the cyst of Pentapharsodinium dalei and Operculodinium centrocarpum. Five assemblage zones can be distinguished: 1) the Okhotsk Sea zone, which is associated to temperate and eutrophic conditions, seasonal upwellings and Amur River discharges. It is characterized by the dominance of O. centrocarpum, Brigantedinium spp. and Islandinium minutum; 2) the Western Subarctic Gyre zone with subpolar and mesotrophic conditions due to the Kamchatka Current and Alaska Stream inflows. Assemblages are dominated by Nematosphaeropsis labyrinthus, Pyxidinopsis reticulata and Brigantedinium spp.; 3) the Bering Sea zone, depicting a subpolar environment, influenced by seasonal upwellings and inputs from the Anadyr and Yukon Rivers. It is characterized by the dominance of I. minutum and Brigantedinium spp.; 4) the Alaska Gyre zone with temperate conditions and nutrient-enriched surface waters, which is dominated by N. labyrinthus and Brigantedinium spp. and 5) the Kuroshio Extension-North Pacific-Subarctic Current zone characterized by a subtropical and oligotrophic environment, which is dominated by O. centrocarpum, N. labyrinthus and warm taxa of the genus Impagidinium. Transfer functions were tested using the modern analog technique (MAT) on the North Pacific Ocean (= 359 sites) and the entire Northern Hemisphere databases ( = 1419 sites). Results confirm that the updated Northern Hemisphere database is suitable for further paleoenvironmental reconstructions, and the best results are obtained for temperatures with an accuracy of +/-1.7 °C.

Seasonal fatty acid and fatty alcohol composition of Pseudocalanus minutus and Oithona similis in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard)

Seasonal lipid dynamics of various developmental stages were investigated in Pseudocalanus minutus and Oithona similis. For P. minutus, the dominance of 16:1(n?7), 16:4(n?3) and 20:5(n?3) fatty acids indicated a diatom-based nutrition in spring, whereas 22:6(n?3), 16:0, 18:2(n?6) and 18:1(n?9) pointed to a flagellate-based diet during the rest of the year as well as omnivorous/carnivorous low-level feeding during winter. The shorter-chain fatty alcohols 14:0 and 16:0 prevailed, also reflecting biosynthetic processes typical of omnivores or carnivores. Altogether, the lipid signatures characterized P. minutus as an opportunistic feeder. In contrast, O. similis had consistently high amounts of the 18:1(n?9) fatty acid in all stages and during all seasons pointing to a generally omnivorous/carnivorous/detritivorous diet. Furthermore, the fatty alcohol 20:1(n?9) reached high percentages especially in adult females and males, and feeding on Calanus faecal pellets is suggested. Fatty alcohols, as wax ester moieties, revealed significant seasonal variations in O. similis and a seasonal trend towards wax ester accumulation in autumn in P. minutus. P. minutus utilized its lipid deposits for development in the copepodite stages III and IV and for gonad maturation in CV and females during the dark season. However, CVs and females depended on the spring phytoplankton bloom for final maturation processes and reproduction. O. similis fueled gonad maturation and egg production for reproduction in June by wax esters, whereas reproduction in August/September co-occurred with the accumulation of new depot lipids. Both species revealed significantly higher wax ester levels in deeper (>50 m) as compared to surface (0-50 m) dwelling individuals related to a descent prior to overwintering.

Structural Changes and Formation of Rusta-shahr in Post-Revolutionary Rural Society in Iran

The following paper is based on the author's two-year research and fieldwork in Iran and examines the process of political and social changes since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the subsequent impact of the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88. This paper focuses on the transition of traditional, small villages into rusta-shahr or small rural cities and the first and second nation-wide elections of shoura or councils which were the first steps toward self-government. The author is guardedly optimistic regarding this democratic process but warns of possible future social unrest if changes are not more "balanced" between cities and rural areas and if the employment needs of the burgeoning younger generation are not met, political and social consequences may be catastrophic.

Simulation of academic performance rates, estimation of indicators of subjects and of a complete degree

The purpose of this paper is to present a program written in Matlab-Octave for the simulation of the time evolution of student curricula, i.e, how students pass their subjects along time until graduation. The program computes, from the simulations, the academic performance rates for the subjects of the study plan for each semester as well as the overall rates, which are a) the efficiency rate defined as the ratio of the number of students passing the exam to the number of students who registered for it and b) the success rate, defined as the ratio of the number of students passing the exam to the number of students who not only registered for it but also actually took it. Additionally, we compute the rates for the bachelor academic degree which are established for Spain by the National Quality Evaluation and Accreditation Agency (ANECA) and which are the graduation rate (measured as the percentage of students who finish as scheduled in the plan or taking an extra year) and the efficiency rate (measured as the percentage of credits which a student who graduated has really taken). The simulation is done in terms of the probabilities of passing all the subjects in their study plan. The application of the simulator to Polytech students in Madrid, where requirements for passing are specially stiff in first and second year subjects, is particularly relevant to analyze student cohorts and the probabilities of students finishing in the minimum of four years, or taking and extra year or two extra years, and so forth. It is a very useful tool when designing new study plans. The calculation of the probability distribution of the random variable "number of semesters a student has taken to complete the curricula and graduate" is difficult or even unfeasible to obtain analytically, and this is even truer when we incorporate uncertainty in parameter estimation. This is why we apply Monte Carlo simulation which not only provides illustration of the stochastic process but also a method for computation. The stochastic simulator is proving to be a useful tool for identification of the subjects most critical in the distribution of the number of semesters for curriculum vitae (CV) completion and subsequently for a decision making process in terms of CV planning and passing standards in the University. Simulations are performed through a graphical interface where also the results are presented in appropriate figures. The Project has been funded by the Call for Innovation in Education Projects of Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) through a Project of its school Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales ETSII during the period September 2010-September 2011.

Ice volume changes (1936-1990-2007) and ground-penetrating radar studies of Ariebreen, Hornsund, Spitsbergen

Ariebreen is a small (0.37 km2) valley glacier located in southern Spitsbergen. Our ground-penetrating radar surveys of the glacier show that it is less than 30 m thick on average, with a maximum thickness of 82 m, and it appears to be entirely cold. By analysing digital terrain models of the ice surface from different dates, we determine the area and volume changes during two periods, 1936-1990 and 1990-2007. The total ice volume of the glacier has decreased by 73% during the entire period 1936-2007, which is equivalent to a mean mass balance rate of -0.6190.17 m/yr w.eq. The glacier thinning rate has increased markedly between the first and second periods, from -0.5090.22 to -0.9590.17 m/yr w.eq.

Assessing Creativity In Engineering Students: A Comparative Between Degrees and Sudents In First And Last Year

An online open access test (CREAX self-assessment) has been used in this work so that students from degrees in engineering in the Universidad Polite¿cnica of Madrid (UPM) could self-assess their creative competence after several classroom activities. Different groups from the first year course have been statistically compared using data from their assessment. These first year students had different professors in the subject ?Technical Drawing? and belonged to several degrees in the UPM. They were as well compared regarding sex and a group of first year students was also compared to another last year group of the degree so as to observe possible differences in the achievement of this competence. Only one difference was detected concerning sex in one of the degrees. Among degrees, the higher marks obtained by students who had done specific exercises for the development of creativity in class is highlighted. Finally, a significantly high mark was observed in students during their last year of degree with respect to first year students. The tool CREAX has become very useful in the assessment of this competence in the UPM degrees in which it has been implemented.

Ammonia and methane gas emissions from pig slurry: variability induced through feeding strategies

Esta Tesis doctoral fue desarrollada para estudiar las emisiones de amoniaco (NH3) y metano (CH4) en purines de cerdos, y los efectos ocasionados por cambios en la formulación de la dieta. Con este propósito, fueron llevados a cabo tres estudios. El experimento 1 fue realizado con el objetivo de analizar los factores de variación de la composición de purines y establecer ecuaciones de predicción para emisiones potenciales de NH3 y CH4. Fueron recogidas setenta y nueve muestras de piensos y purines durante dos estaciones del año (verano y invierno) de granjas comerciales situadas en dos regiones de España (Centro y Mediterráneo). Se muestrearon granjas de gestación, maternidad, lactación y cebo. Se determinó la composición de piensos y purines, y la emisión potencial de NH3 y CH4. El contenido de nutrientes de los piensos fue usado como covariable en el análisis. La espectroscopia de reflectancia del infrarrojo cercano (NIRS) se evaluó como herramienta de predicción de la composición y potencial emisión de gases del purín. Se encontró una amplia variabilidad en la composición de piensos y purines. Las granjas del Mediterráneo tenían mayor pH (P<0,001) y concentración de cenizas (P =0,02) en el purín que las del Centro. El tipo de granja también afectó al contenido de extracto etéreo (EE) del purín (P =0,02), observando los valores más elevados en las instalaciones de animales jóvenes. Los resultados sugieren un efecto tampón de la fibra de la dieta en el pH del purín y una relación directa (P<0,05) con el contenido de fibra fecal. El contenido de proteína del pienso no afectó al contenido de nitrógeno del purín, pero disminuyó (P=0,003) la concentración de sólidos totales (ST) y de sólidos volátiles (SV). Se obtuvieron modelos de predicción de la emisión potencial de NH3 (R2=0,89) y CH4 (R2=0,61) partir de la composición del purín. Los espectros NIRS mostraron una buena precisión para la estimación de la mayor parte de los constituyentes, con coeficientes de determinación de validación cruzada (R2cv) superiores a 0,90, así como para la predicción del potencial de emisiones de NH3 y CH4 (R2cv=0,84 y 0,68, respectivamente). El experimento 2 fue realizado para investigar los efectos del nivel de inclusión de dos fuentes de sub-productos fibrosos: pulpa de naranja (PN) y pulpa de algarroba (PA), en dietas iso-fibrosas de cerdos de cebo, sobre la composición del purín y las emisiones potenciales de NH3 y CH4. Treinta cerdos (85,4±12,3 kg) fueron alimentados con cinco dietas iso-nutritivas: control comercial trigo/cebada (C) y cuatro dietas experimentales incluyendo las dos fuentes de sub-productos a dos niveles (75 y 150 g/kg) en una estructura 2 × 2 factorial. Después de 14 días de periodo de adaptación, heces y orina fueron recogidas separadamente durante 7 días para medir la digestibilidad de los nutrientes y el nitrógeno (N) excretado (6 réplicas por dieta) en cerdos alojados individualmente en jaulas metabólicas. Las emisiones de NH3 y CH4 fueron medidas después de la recogida de los purínes durante 11 y 100 días respectivamente. La fuente y el nivel de subproductos fibrosos afectó a la eficiencia digestiva de diferentes formas, ya que los coeficientes de digestibilidad total aparente (CDTA) para la materia seca (MS), materia orgánica (MO), fracciones fibrosas y energía bruta (EB) aumentaron con la PN pero disminuyeron con la inclusión de PA (P<0,05). El CDTA de proteína bruta (PB) disminuyó con la inclusión de las dos fuentes de fibra, siendo más bajo al mayor nivel de inclusión. La concentración fecal de fracciones fibrosas aumentó (P<0,05) con el nivel de inclusión de PA pero disminuyó con el de PN (P<0,01). El nivel más alto de las dos fuentes de fibra en el pienso aumentó (P<0,02) el contenido de PB fecal pero disminuyó el contenido de N de la orina (de 205 para 168 g/kg MS, P<0,05) en todas las dietas suplementadas comparadas con la dieta C. Adicionalmente, las proporciones de nitrógeno indigerido, nitrógeno soluble en agua, nitrógeno bacteriano y endógeno excretado en heces no fueron afectados por los tratamientos. Las características iniciales del purín no difirieron entre las diferentes fuentes y niveles de fibra, excepto para el pH que disminuyó con la inclusión de altos niveles de sub-productos. La emisión de NH3 por kg de purín fue más baja en todas las dietas suplementadas con fibras que en la dieta C (2,44 vs.1,81g de promedio, P<0,05). Además, purines de dietas suplementadas con alto nivel de sub-productos tendieron (P<0,06) a emitir menos NH3 por kg de nitrógeno total y mostraron un potencial más bajo para emitir CH4, independientemente de la fuente de fibra. El experimento 3 investigó los efectos de la fuente de proteína en dietas prácticas. Tres piensos experimentales fueron diseñados para sustituir una mescla de harina y cascarilla de soja (SOJ) por harina de girasol (GIR) o por DDGS del trigo (DDGST). La proporción de otros ingredientes fue modificada para mantener los contenidos de nutrientes similares a través de las dietas. El cambio en la fuente de proteína dio lugar a diferencias en el contenido de fibra neutro detergente ligada a proteína bruta (FNDPB), fibra soluble (FS) y lignina ácido detergente (LAD) en la dieta. Veinticuatro cerdos (ocho por dieta), con 52,3 o 60,8 kg en la primera y segunda tanda respectivamente, fueron alojados individualmente en jaulas metabólicas. Durante un periodo de 7 días fue determinado el balance de MS, el CDTA de los nutrientes y la composición de heces y orina. Se realizó el mismo procedimiento del experimento 2 para medir las emisiones de NH3 y CH4 de los purines de cada animal. Ni la ingestión de MS ni el CDTA de la MS o de la energía fueron diferentes entre las dietas experimentales, pero el tipo de pienso afectó (P<0.001) la digestibilidad de la PB, que fue mayor para GIR (0,846) que para SOJ (0,775), mientras que la dieta DDGST mostró un valor intermedio (0,794). La concentración fecal de PB fue por tanto influenciada (P<0,001) por el tratamiento, observándose la menor concentración de PB en la dieta GIR y la mayor en la dieta SOJ. La proporción de N excretado en orina o heces disminuyó de 1,63 en la dieta GIR hasta 0,650 en la dieta SOJ, como consecuencia de perdidas más bajas en orina y más altas en heces, con todas las fracciones de nitrógeno fecales creciendo en paralelo a la excreción total. Este resultado fue paralelo a una disminución de la emisión potencial de NH3 (g/kg purín) en la dieta SOJ con respecto a la dieta GIR (desde 1,82 a 1,12, P<0,05), dando valores intermedios (1,58) para los purines de la dieta DDGST. Por otro lado, el CDTA de la FS y de la fibra neutro detergente (FND) fueron afectados (P<0,001 y 0,002, respectivamente) por el tipo de dieta, siendo más bajas en la dieta GIR que en la dieta SOJ; además, se observó un contenido más alto de FND (491 vs. 361g/kg) en la MS fecal para la dieta GIR que en la dieta SOJ, presentando la dieta DDGST valores intermedios. El grado de lignificación de la FND (FAD/FND x 100) de las heces disminuyó en el orden GIR>DDGST>SOJ (desde 0,171 hasta 0,109 y 0,086, respectivamente) en paralelo a la disminución del potencial de emisión de CH4 por g de SV del purín (desde 301 a 269 y 256 mL, respectivamente). Todos los purines obtenidos en estos tres experimentos y Antezana et al. (2015) fueron usados para desarrollar nuevas calibraciones con la tecnología NIRS, para predecir la composición del purín y el potencial de las emisiones de gases. Se observó una buena precisión (R2cv superior a 0,92) de las calibraciones cuando muestras de los ensayos controlados (2, 3 y Antezana et al., 2015) fueron añadidas, aumentando el rango de variación. Una menor exactitud fue observada para TAN y emisiones de NH3 y CH4, lo que podría explicarse por una menor homogeneidad en la distribución de las muestras cuando se amplía el rango de variación del estudio. ABSTRACT This PhD thesis was developed to study the emissions of ammonia (NH3) and methane (CH4) from pig slurry and the effects caused by changes on diet formulation. For these proposes three studies were conducted. Experiment 1 aimed to analyse several factors of variation of slurry composition and to establish prediction equations for potential CH4 and NH3 emissions. Seventy-nine feed and slurry samples were collected at two seasons (summer and winter) from commercial pig farms sited at two Spanish regions (Centre and Mediterranean). Nursery, growing-fattening, gestating and lactating facilities were sampled. Feed and slurry composition were determined, and potential CH4 and NH3 emissions measured. Feed nutrient contents were used as covariates in the analysis. Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) was evaluated as a predicting tool for slurry composition and potential gaseous emissions. A wide variability was found both in feed and slurry composition. Mediterranean farms had a higher pH (P<0.001) and ash (P=0.02) concentration than those located at the centre of Spain. Also, type of farm affected ether extract (EE) content of the slurry (P=0.02), with highest values obtained for the youngest animal facilities. Results suggested a buffer effect of dietary fibre on slurry pH and a direct relationship (P<0.05) with fibre constituents of manure. Dietary protein content did not affect slurry nitrogen content (N) but decreased (P=0.003) in total solid (TS) and volatile solids (VS) concentration. Prediction models of potential NH3 emissions (R2=0.89) and biochemical CH4 potential (B0) (R2=0.61) were obtained from slurry composition. Predictions from NIRS showed a high accuracy for most slurry constituents with coefficient of determination of cross validation (R2cv) above 0.90 and a similar accuracy of prediction of potential NH3 and CH4 emissions (R2cv=0.84 and 0.68, respectively) thus models based on slurry composition from commercial farms. Experiment 2 was conducted to investigate the effects of increasing the level of two sources of fibrous by-products, orange pulp (OP) and carob meal (CM), in iso-fibrous diets for growing-finishing pig, slurry composition and potential NH3 and CH4 emissions. Thirty pigs (85.4±12.3 kg) were fed five iso-nutritive diets: a commercial control wheat/barley (C) and four experimental diets including two sources of fibrous by-products OP and CM and two dietary levels (75 and 150 g/kg) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. After a 14-day adaptation period, faeces and urine were collected separately for 7 days to measure nutrient digestibility and the excretory patterns of N from pigs (6 replicates per diet) housed individually in metabolic pens. For each animal, the derived NH3 and CH4 emissions were measured in samples of slurry over an 11 and 100-day storage periods, respectively. Source and level of the fibrous by-products affected digestion efficiency in a different way as the coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), fibre fractions and gross energy (GE) increased with OP but decreased with CM (P<0.05). Crude protein CTTAD decreased with the inclusion of both sources of fibre, being lower at the highest dietary level. Faecal concentration of fibre fractions increased (P<0.05) with the level of inclusion of CM but decreased with that of OP (P<0.01). High dietary level for both sources of fibre increased (P<0.02) CP faecal content but urine N content decreased (from 205 to 168 g/kg DM, P<0.05) in all the fibre-supplemented compared to C diet. Additionally, the proportions of undigested dietary, water soluble, and bacterial and endogenous debris of faecal N excretion were not affected by treatments. The initial slurry characteristics did not differ among different fibre sources and dietary levels, except pH, which decreased at the highest by-product inclusion levels. Ammonia emission per kg of slurry was lower in all the fibre-supplemented diets than in C diet (2.44 vs. 1.81g as average, P<0.05). Additionally, slurries from the highest dietary level of by-products tended (P<0.06) to emit less NH3 per kg of initial total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and showed a lower biochemical CH4 potential , independently of the fibre source. Experiment 3 investigated the effects of protein source in practical diets. Three experimental feeds were designed to substitute a mixture of soybean meal and soybean hulls (SB diet) with sunflower meal (SFM) or wheat DDGS (WDDGS). The proportion of other ingredients was also modified in order to maintain similar nutrient contents across diets. Changes in protein source led to differences in dietary content of neutral detergent insoluble crude protein (NDICP), soluble fibre (SF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL). Twenty-four pigs (eight per diet), weighing 52.3 or 60.8 kg at the first and second batch respectively, were housed individually in metabolic pens to determine during a 7-day period DM balance, CTTAD of nutrients, and faecal and urine composition. Representative slurry samples from each animal were used to measure NH3 and CH4 emissions over an 11 and or 100-day storage period, respectively. Neither DM intake, nor DM or energy CTTAD differed among experimental diets, but type of feed affected (P<0.001) CP digestibility, which was highest for SFM (0.846) than for SB (0.775) diet, with WDDGS-based diet giving an intermediate value (0.794). Faecal DM composition was influenced (P<0.001) accordingly, with the lowest CP concentration found for diet SFM and the highest for SB. The ratio of N excreted in urine or faeces decreased from SFM (1.63) to SB diet (0.650), as a consequence of both lower urine and higher faecal losses, with all the faecal N fractions increasing in parallel to total excretion. This result was parallel to a decrease of potential NH3 emission (g/kg slurry) in diet SB with respect to diet SFM (from 1.82 to 1.12, P<0.05), giving slurry from WDDGS-based diet an intermediate value (1.58). Otherwise, SF and insoluble neutral detergent fibre (NDF) CTTAD were affected (P<0.001 and P=0.002, respectively) by type of diet, being lower for SFM than in SB-diet; besides, a higher content of NDF (491 vs. 361 g/kg) in faecal DM was observed for SFM with respect to SB based diet, with WDDGS diet being intermediate. Degree of lignification of NDF (ADL/NDF x 100) of faeces decreased in the order SFM>WDDGS>SB (from 0.171 to 0.109 and 0.086, respectively) in parallel to a decrease of biochemical CH4 potential per g of VS of slurry (from 301 to 269 and 256 ml, respectively). All slurry samples obtained from these three experiments and Antezana et al. (2015) were used to develop new calibrations with NIRS technology, to predict the slurry composition and potential gaseous emissions of samples with greater variability in comparison to experiment 1. Better accuracy (R2cv above 0.92) was observed for calibrations when samples from controlled trials experiments (2, 3 and Antezana et al., 2015) were included, increasing the range of variation. A lower accuracy was observed for TAN, NH3 and CH4 gaseous emissions, which might be explained by the less homogeneous distribution with a wider range of data.

A repercussão periodontal e dentária decorrente da expansão rápida da maxila assistida cirurgicamente: estudo em modelos digitais

A expansão rápida da maxila assistida cirurgicamente (ERMAC) é um dos procedimentos de escolha para correção da deficiência transversal em pacientes adultos. Este estudo avaliou as alterações produzidas nos arcos dentais superiores e inferiores de 18 pacientes, sendo seis do sexo masculino e 12 do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 23,3 anos submetidos à ERMAC. Para cada paciente foram preparados três modelos de gesso, que foram digitalizados por meio do Scanner 3D, obtidos em diferentes fases: inicial, antes do procedimento operatório (T1); três meses pós-expansão (T2); seis meses pós-expansão (T3). Foram avaliadas as distâncias transversais do arcos dentários superior e inferior, a inclinação dentária dos dentes posteriores superiores, a altura da coroa clínica dos dentes posteriores do arco superior e foi observado se havia correlação entre a quantidade de inclinação dentária com o desenvolvimento de recessões gengivais. Para análise dos resultados foram utilizados a análise de Variância, o Teste de Tukey e o Teste de Correlação de Pearson, sendo que para a análise do erro sistemático intra-examinador foi utilizado o teste t pareado e para determinação do erro casual utilizou-se o cálculo do erro de Dahlberg. Com base na metodologia utilizada e nos resultados obtidos, pode-se concluir que: 1. com relação as alterações produzidas no sentido transversal do arco superior, obteve-se um aumento em todas as variáveis de T1 para T2 e uma manutenção dos valores em todas as variáveis de T2 para T3 demonstrando efetividade e estabilidade do procedimento; 2. no arco inferior não houve alterações transversais estatisticamente significantes, com exceção dos primeiros molares; 3. com relação às inclinações dentárias, observou-se um aumento desta de T1 para T2 em todos os dentes, porém, com significância estatística apenas para segundo molar e primeiro e segundo pré-molar do lado direito e primeiro molar e segundo pré-molar do lado esquerdo.; 4. a ERMAC não acarretou o desenvolvimento de recessões gengivais em nenhum dos tempos; 5. não houve correlação entre a quantidade de inclinação dentária e o desenvolvimento de recessões gengivais.(AU)