941 resultados para land evaluate system


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The tumour suppressor p53 is commonly detected in tissues of companion animals by means of antibodies raised against the human protein. The following three-step procedure was devised to test the suitability of such antibodies for immunohistochemistry on canine tissues. (1) Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses on bacterially expressed recombinant canine protein to assess human-to-canine cross-reactivity. (2) Immunohistochemistry of cultured, UVB-irradiated canine keratinocytes to evaluate suitability for detection of endogenous p53. (3) Immunohistochemistry on tissue arrays to further substantiate suitability of the antibodies on a panel of normal and neoplastic human and canine tissues. Five of six antibodies cross-reacted with recombinant canine p53. Three of these (PAb122, PAb240, CM-1) also immunolabelled stabilized wild type p53 in cell cultures and elicited a consistent, characteristic labelling pattern in a subset of tumours. However, two alternative batches of polyclonal antibody CM-1 failed to detect p53 in cell cultures, while showing a characteristic labelling pattern of a completely different subset of tumours and unspecific labelling of normal tissues. The test system described is well suited to the selection of antibodies for immunohistochemical p53 detection. The results emphasize the need to include appropriate controls, especially for polyclonal antibodies.

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PURPOSE: To evaluate the expression and presence of surfactant protein (SP) A and SP-D in the lacrimal apparatus, at the ocular surface, and in tears in healthy and pathologic states. METHODS: Expression of mRNA for SP-A and SP-D was analyzed by RT-PCR in healthy lacrimal gland, conjunctiva, cornea, and nasolacrimal ducts as well as in a spontaneously immortalized conjunctival epithelial cell line (HCjE; IOBA-NHC) and a SV40-transfected cornea epithelial cell line (HCE). Deposition of SP-A and SP-D was determined by Western blot, dot blot, and immunohistochemistry in healthy tissues, in tears, aqueous humor, and in sections of different corneal abnormalities (keratoconus, herpetic keratitis, and Staphylococcus aureus-based ulceration). Cell lines were stimulated with different cytokines and bacterial components and were analyzed for the production of SP-A and SP-D by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The presence of SP-A and SP-D on mRNA and protein levels was evidenced in healthy lacrimal gland, conjunctiva, cornea, and nasolacrimal duct samples. Moreover, both proteins were present in tears but were absent in aqueous humor. Immunohistochemistry revealed the production of both peptides by acinar epithelial cells of the lacrimal gland and epithelial cells of the conjunctiva and nasolacrimal ducts, whereas goblet cells revealed no reactivity. Healthy cornea revealed weak reactivity on epithelial surface cells only. In contrast, SP-A and SP-D revealed strong reactivity in patients with herpetic keratitis and corneal ulceration surrounding lesions and in several immigrated defense cells. Reactivity in corneal epithelium and endothelium was also seen in patients with keratoconus. Cell culture experiments revealed that SP-A and SP-D are produced by both epithelial cell lines without and after stimulation with cytokines and bacterial components. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that SP-A, in addition to SP-D, is a peptide of the tear film. Based on the known direct and indirect antimicrobial effects of collectins, the surfactant-associated proteins A and D seem to be involved in several ocular surface diseases.

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AIM: This pilot study seeks to determine whether contact system activation (CSA) occurs in human sepsis patients and to characterise blood levels of the 47kD light chain of high-molecular weight kininogen (47kD HK). METHODS: Six consecutive patients with clinical suspicion of sepsis were evaluated on days 1, 2, 3 and 6-8 for 47kD HK blood levels expressed in U/ml of whole blood and as percent of total HK. 47kD HK was measured in whole blood by quantitative immunoblot analysis. RESULTS: On study day 1 or 2, analysis of 47kD HK in U/ml of whole blood identified CSA in 3/6 patients.When 47kD HK levels were expressed as percent of total HK, 4/6 patients were identified with CSA before day 3. The degree of CSA as assayed by the presence of 47kD HK correlated with the severity of the systemic inflammatory syndrome (SIRS), i.e. mean CSA increased progressively from basal levels in healthy controls (0.08 U/ml or 10.4%) to patients without SIRS (0.10 U/ml or 15.1%), to patients with sepsis (0.12 U/ml or 15.0%), and finally to patients in a combined category of severe sepsis and septic shock (0.13 U/ml or 17.4%). CONCLUSION: CSA, defined by increased 47kD HK, occurred early on in the course of sepsis in a subset of sepsis patients. 47kD HK levels, an indicator of bradykinin release, correlated with sepsis severity. Future larger studies will need to evaluate the role of 47kD HK as a biomarker for both prognosis and treatment response in human sepsis..

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The past decade has brought significant advancements in seasonal climate forecasting. However, water resources decision support and management continues to be based almost entirely on historical observations and does not take advantage of climate forecasts. This study builds on previous work that conditioned streamflow ensemble forecasts on observable climate indicators, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) for use in a decision support model for the Highland Lakes multi-reservoir system in central Texas operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). In the current study, seasonal soil moisture is explored as a climate indicator and predictor of annual streamflow for the LCRA region. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the correlation of fractional soil moisture with streamflow using the 1950-2000 Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) Retrospective Land Surface Data Set over the LCRA region. Correlations were determined by examining different annual and seasonal combinations of VIC modeled fractional soil moisture and observed streamflow. The applicability of the VIC Retrospective Land Surface Data Set as a data source for this study is tested along with establishing and analyzing patterns of climatology for the watershed study area using the selected data source (VIC model) and historical data. Correlation results showed potential for the use of soil moisture as a predictor of streamflow over the LCRA region. This was evident by the good correlations found between seasonal soil moisture and seasonal streamflow during coincident seasons as well as between seasonal and annual soil moisture with annual streamflow during coincident years. With the findings of good correlation between seasonal soil moisture from the VIC Retrospective Land Surface Data Set with observed annual streamflow presented in this study, future research would evaluate the application of NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) forecasts of soil moisture in predicting annual streamflow for use in the decision support model for the LCRA.

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Users of cochlear implants (auditory aids, which stimulate the auditory nerve electrically at the inner ear) often suffer from poor speech understanding in noise. We evaluate a small (intermicrophone distance 7 mm) and computationally inexpensive adaptive noise reduction system suitable for behind-the-ear cochlear implant speech processors. The system is evaluated in simulated and real, anechoic and reverberant environments. Results from simulations show improvements of 3.4 to 9.3 dB in signal to noise ratio for rooms with realistic reverberation and more than 18 dB under anechoic conditions. Speech understanding in noise is measured in 6 adult cochlear implant users in a reverberant room, showing average improvements of 7.9–9.6 dB, when compared to a single omnidirectional microphone or 1.3–5.6 dB, when compared to a simple directional two-microphone device. Subjective evaluation in a cafeteria at lunchtime shows a preference of the cochlear implant users for the evaluated device in terms of speech understanding and sound quality.

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Space Based Solar Power satellites use solar arrays to generate clean, green, and renewable electricity in space and transmit it to earth via microwave, radiowave or laser beams to corresponding receivers (ground stations). These traditionally are large structures orbiting around earth at the geo-synchronous altitude. This thesis introduces a new architecture for a Space Based Solar Power satellite constellation. The proposed concept reduces the high cost involved in the construction of the space satellite and in the multiple launches to the geo-synchronous altitude. The proposed concept is a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites that are smaller in size than the conventional system. For this application a Repeated Sun-Synchronous Track Circular Orbit is considered (RSSTO). In these orbits, the spacecraft re-visits the same locations on earth periodically every given desired number of days with the line of nodes of the spacecraft’s orbit fixed relative to the Sun. A wide range of solutions are studied, and, in this thesis, a two-orbit constellation design is chosen and simulated. The number of satellites is chosen based on the electric power demands in a given set of global cities. The orbits of the satellites are designed such that their ground tracks visit a maximum number of ground stations during the revisit period. In the simulation, the locations of the ground stations are chosen close to big cities, in USA and worldwide, so that the space power constellation beams down power directly to locations of high electric power demands. The j2 perturbations are included in the mathematical model used in orbit design. The Coverage time of each spacecraft over a ground site and the gap time between two consecutive spacecrafts visiting a ground site are simulated in order to evaluate the coverage continuity of the proposed solar power constellation. It has been observed from simulations that there always periods in which s spacecraft does not communicate with any ground station. For this reason, it is suggested that each satellite in the constellation be equipped with power storage components so that it can store power for later transmission. This thesis presents a method for designing the solar power constellation orbits such that the number of ground stations visited during the given revisit period is maximized. This leads to maximizing the power transmission to ground stations.

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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the ability of delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) and T2 mapping to evaluate the quality of repair tissue after microfracture. DESIGN: Twelve knees from 12 goats were studied. An osteochondral defect (diameter, 6mm; depth, 3mm) with microfracture was created in the weight-bearing aspect of both the medial and lateral femoral condyles. Goats were euthanized at 24 weeks (n=6) and 48 weeks (n=6) postsurgery. Pre-contrast R1 (R1pre) and post-contrast R1 (R1post) measurements for dGEMRIC and a pre-contrast T2 measurement for T2 mapping were performed with a 3T MR imaging system. MR imaging findings were compared with histological and biochemical assessments. RESULTS: In native cartilage, significant correlations were observed between the R1post and the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) concentration, as well as DeltaR1 (difference between the R1pre and R1post) and the GAG concentration (P<0.05). In repair tissue, a significant correlation was observed between DeltaR1 and the GAG concentration (P<0.05), but not between the R1post and the GAG concentration. In both repair tissue and native cartilage, no correlation was observed between T2 and the water concentration or between T2 and the hydroxyproline (HP) concentration. A zonal variation of T2 and a clear dependence of T2 on the angles relative to B0 were observed in native cartilage, but not in repair tissue. CONCLUSION: dGEMRIC with DeltaR1 measurement might be useful for the evaluation of the GAG concentration in repair tissue after microfracture. T2 mapping might be useful for the differentiation of repair tissue after microfracture from native cartilage; however, its potential to assess the specific biochemical markers in native cartilage as well as repair tissue may be limited.

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BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that a low clinical pretest probability may be adequate for excluding heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. However, for patients with intermediate or high pretest probability, laboratory testing is essential for confirming or refuting the diagnosis. Rapid assessment of anti-PF4/heparin-antibodies may assist clinical decision-making. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the performance of rapid ID-H/PF4-PaGIA. In particular, we verified reproducibility of results between plasma and serum specimens, between fresh and frozen samples, and between different ID-H/PF4-polymer lots (polystyrene beads coated with heparin/PF4-complexes). PATIENTS/METHODS: The samples studied were 1376 plasma and 914 corresponding serum samples from patients investigated for suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia between January 2000 and October 2008. Anti-PF4/heparin-antibodies were assessed by ID-H/PF4-PaGIA, commercially available ELISAs and heparin-induced platelet aggregation test. RESULTS: Among 914 paired plasma/serum samples we noted discordant results (negative vs. low-titre positive) in nine instances (1%; 95%CI, 0.4-1.6%). Overall, agreement between titres assessed in plasma vs. serum was highly significant (Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.975; P < 0.0001). Forty-seven samples tested both fresh and after freezing/thawing showed a good agreement, with one discordant positive/negative result (Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.970; P < 0.0001). Among 1376 plasma samples we noted a strikingly variable incidence of false negative results (none - 82%; 95%CI, 66-98%), depending on the employed ID-H/PF4-polymer lot. Faulty lots can be recognized by titrating commercial positive controls and stored samples of HIT-patients. CONCLUSION: Laboratories performing the assay should implement stringent internal quality controls in order to recognize potentially faulty ID-H/PF4-polymer lots, thus avoiding false negative results.

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Economic comparisons of income on highly erodible land (HEL) in Adams County were made utilizing five years of grazing data collected from a 13- paddock intensive-rotational grazing system and a four-paddock rotational-grazing system and four years of data collected from an 18-paddock intensive-rotational grazing system, all at the Adams County CRP Research and Demonstration Farm near Corning. Net income from the average grazing weight-gain of Angus-sired calves nursing crossbred cows was compared to the net income from grazing yearling steers, to the net income of eight NRCS-recommended crop rotations, and to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) option. Results of these comparisons show the 13-paddock intensive rotational grazing system with cow-calf pairs to be the most profitable alternative, with a net return of $19.86 per acre per year. The second most profitable alternative is the CRP option, with a net return of $13.09 per acre, and the third most profitable option is the fourpaddock rotation with cows and calves with a net return of $12.53 per acre. An 18-paddock system returned a net income of $2.47 per acre per year with cows and calves in 1993, but lost an average of $107.69 per acre each year in 1994 and 1995 with yearling steers. Each year, the steers were purchased high and sold low, contributing to the large loss per acre. The following recommended crop rotations all show net losses on these 9-14 % slope, Adair-Shelby Complex soils (ApD3): continuous corn; corn-soybean rotation; corn-soybean rotation with a farm program deficiency payment; corn-corn-corn-oats-meadow-meadow rotation with grass headlands; continuous corn to “T” with grass headlands and buffer strips; continuous corn to “T” with grass headlands, buffer strips, and a deficiency payment; corn-corn-oats-meadow rotation to “T”; and corn-soybeans-oats-meadow-meadow-meadow-meadow rotation to “T”. Per-acre yield assumptions of 90 bushels for corn, 30 bushels for soybeans, 45 bushels for oats, and four tons for alfalfa were used, with per-bushel prices of $2.40 on corn, $5.50 on soybeans, and $1.50 on oats. Alfalfa hay was priced at $40.00 per ton and grass hay at $33.33 per ton. The calf weight-gain in the cow/ calf systems was valued at $.90 per pound. All crop expenses except land costs were calculated from ISU publication Fm 1712, “Estimated Costs of Crop Production in Iowa - 1995.” Land costs were determined by using an opportunity cost and actual property tax figures for the land at the grazing site. In preparation for the end of the CRP beginning in 1996, further economic comparisons will be made after additional grazing seasons and data collection. This project is an interagency cooperative effort sponsored by the Southern Iowa Forage and Livestock Committee which has special permission from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to use CRP land for research and demonstration.

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Grazing yearling steers is one way to utilize the forages required for participation in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) after CRP contracts expire. In 1995, a stocker-steer intensive-rotational grazing study was conducted at the CRP Research and Demonstration Project near Corning, Iowa. A similar study was carried out in 1994. Seventy-five yearling crossbred steers grazed a 65- acre pasture that had been divided into 27 paddocks using electric fencing from May 4, 1995 to September 14, 1995. During this period, the 65-acre pasture system produced 9,975 animal-days of grazing and 11,403 pounds of gain. On a per-acre basis, this translates to 153.5 animal-days of grazing and 175.4 pounds of gain. The stocking rate was constant for the entire 133- day grazing season at 1.15 steers per acre. On May 4, 1995, the beginning of the grazing season, the average weight of the steers was 495.7 pounds. By the end of the grazing trial on September 14, 1995, the average weight of the steers had increased to 647.7 pounds. The average gain per steer during the 133-day grazing period was 152 pounds, and the average daily gain per steer was 1.14 pounds. The average bodyweight of the steers during the entire grazing season was 571.7 pounds.

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Two rotational-grazing systems, a 13-paddock and a 4-paddock, have been demonstrated on CRP land near Corning, Iowa since 1991 and this report summarizes the 2001 production data. Establishment of this project was to show economically feasible grass alternatives to row crops and CRP for steeply sloping (9% - 14% slope), highly-erodible land (HEL). Stocking rates were 1.57 and 1.72 acres per pair on the 13- and 4-paddock systems, respectively. In a 119 day grazing season calves gained 2.23 and 2.27 lbs/day for the 13- and 4-paddock systems, while cows gained 51.4 and 113.4 lbs, respectively. While some system hay growth was utilized to stave off drought conditions, there was a net hay gain of 11 and 5.5 bales of hay for the 13- and 4-paddock systems, respectively

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Animal production, hay production and feeding, and the yields and composition of forage from summer and winter grass-legume pastures and winter corn crop residue fields from a year-round grazing system were compared with those of a conventional system. The year-round grazing system utilized 1.67 acres of smooth bromegrass-orchardgrass-birdsfoot trefoil pasture per cow in the summer, and 1.25 acres of stockpiled tall fescue-red clover pasture per cow, 1.25 acres of stockpiled smooth bromegrass-red clover pasture per cow, and 1.25 acres of corn crop residues per cow during winter for spring- and fall-calving cows and stockers. First-cutting hay was harvested from the tall fescue-red clover and smooth bromegrass-red clover pastures to meet supplemental needs of cows and calves during winter. In the conventional system (called the minimal land system), spring-calving cows grazed smooth bromegrass-orchardgrass-birdsfoot trefoil pastures at 3.33 acres/cow during summer with first cutting hay removed from one-half of these acres. This hay was fed to these cows in a drylot during winter. All summer grazing was done by rotational stocking for both systems, and winter grazing of the corn crop residues and stockpiled forages for pregnant spring-calving cows and lactating fall-calving cows in the year-round system was managed by strip-stocking. Hay was fed to springcalving cows in both systems to maintain a mean body condition score of 5 on a 9-point scale, but was fed to fall-calving cows to maintain a mean body condition score of greater than 3. Over winter, fall-calving cows lost more body weight and condition than spring calving cows, but there were no differences in body weight or condition score change between spring-calving cows in either system. Fall- and spring-calving cows in the yearround grazing system required 934 and 1,395 lb. hay dry matter/cow for maintenance during the winter whereas spring-calving cows in drylot required 4,776 lb. hay dry matter/cow. Rebreeding rates were not affected by management system. Average daily gains of spring-born calves did not differ between systems, but were greater than fall calves. Because of differences in land areas for the two systems, weight production of calves per acre of cows in the minimal land system was greater than those of the year-round grazing system, but when the additional weight gains of the stocker cattle were considered, production of total growing animals did not differ between the two systems.

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A comparison was made between two different summer grazing systems. One system was the summer component of a year-round grazing system, involving the rotational stocking of smooth bromegrass--orchardgrass--birdsfoot trefoil pastures and winter stockpiles pastures with cowcalf pairs co-grazing with stocker yearlings at .75 animal units per acre. That system was compared with a minimal land system involving the rotational stocking of smooth bromegrass--orchardgrass-- birdsfoot trefoil summer pastures with cow-calf pairs grazing at .64 animal units per acre and hay removal from 25% of the pasture. Stocker yearlings or hay removal were used as management tools to remove excess forage and optimize forage quality. Hay was removed once from three fourths of the winter stockpiled pastures and one fourth of the allocated summer pastures. Cow-calf pairs grazing in the year-round system utilized on fourth of the winter stockpile pastures due to lack of forage, whereas cow-calf pairs grazing with hay removal were supplemented with harvested hay for two weeks during the summer. Grazing system did not affect cow body weight, condition score, or daily calf weight gain. Growing animal production per acre was affected by grazing system, with the minimal land system having a higher production level.

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The winter component of a year-round grazing system involving grazing of corn crop residues followed by grazing stockpiled grass-legume forages was compared at the McNay Research Farm with that of the winter component of a minimal land system that maintained cows in drylot. In the summers of 1995 and 1996, two and one cuttings of hay per year were harvested from two 15-acre fields containing “Johnston” low endophtye tall fescue and red clover. Two cuttings of hay in 1995 and one cutting in 1996 were harvested from two 15-acre fields of smooth bromegrass and red clover. Hay yields were 4,236 and 4,600 pounds of dry matter per acre for the tall fescue-red clover in 1995 and 1996, and 2,239 and 2,300 pounds of dry matter per acre for the smooth bromegrass-red clover in 1995 and 1996. Following grain harvest, four 7.5-acre fields containing corn crop residues were stocked with cows at midgestation at an allowance of 1.5 acres per cow. Forage yields at the initiation of corn crop grazing in 1995 and 1996 were 3,757 and 3,551 pounds of dry matter per acre for corn crop residues. Stockpiled forage yields were 1,748 and 2,912 pounds of dry matter for tall fescue-red clover and 1,880 and 2,187 pounds for smooth bromegrass-red clover. Corn crop residues and stockpiled forages were grazed in a strip stocking system. For comparison, 20 cows in 1995 and 16 cows in 1996 were placed in two drylots simultaneously with initiation of corn crop grazing, where they remained throughout the winter and spring grazing periods. Cows maintained in drylots or grazing corn crop residue and stockpiled forages were supplemented with hay as large round bales to maintain a body condition score of five. In both years, no seasonal differences in body weight and body condition score were observed between grazing cows or cows maintained in drylots, but grazing cows required 85% and 98% less harvested hay in years 1 and 2 than cows in drylot during the winter and spring. Because less hay was needed to maintain grazing cows, excesses of 12,354 and 5,244 pounds of hay dry matter per cow in 1995 and 1996 remained in the year-round grazing system. During corn crop grazing, organic matter yield decreased at 23.5 and 28.8 pounds of organic matter per day from grazed areas of corn crop residues in 1995 and 1996. Organic matter losses due to weathering were 6.8, 10.3, and 12.7 pounds per day in corn crop residue, tall fescue-red clover and smooth bromegrass-red clover in 1995 and 12.1, 10.7, and 12.1 in 1996. Organic matter losses from grazed and ungrazed areas of tall fescue-red clover and smooth bromegrass-red clover during stockpiled grazing were 6.9, 6.9, and 2.1, 2.9 in 1995 and 13.4, 4.3, and +6.9, 4.4 pounds per day in 1996.

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A comparison was made between two different summer grazing systems at the McNay Research Farm. One system was the summer component of a year-round grazing system, involving the rotational stocking of smooth bromegrass-orchardgrass-birdsfoot trefoil pastures and winter stockpile pastures with cow-calf pairs co-grazing with stocker yearlings at .75 animal units per acre. That system was compared with a minimal land system involving the rotational stocking of smooth bromegrass-orchardgrass-birdsfoot trefoil summer pastures with cow-calf pairs grazing at .64 animal units per acre and hay removal from 25% of the pasture. Stocker yearlings or hay removal were used as management tools to remove excess forage and optimize forage quality. Hay was removed once from three fourths of the winter stockpiled pastures in 1996 (Yr. 1) and all the pasture in 1997 (Yr. 2). One hay removal occurred on one fourth of the allocated summer pastures in Year 1 and one half of the pastures in Year 2. In Year one, cow-calf pairs grazing in the year-round system utilized one fourth of the winter stockpile pastures due to a lack of forage on the summer pastures, whereas in Year 2 cowcalf pairs grazed winter stockpile pastures to remove forage as a second cutting of hay. Cow-calf pairs grazing with hay removal were supplemented with harvested hay for two weeks during the summer of Year 1 due to lack of grazable forage; in Year 2, no supplementation was needed. Grazing system did not affect cow body weight, condition score, or daily calf gain in either year. Growing animal production per acre was affected by grazing system, with the minimal land system having a higher production level in Year 1 and Year 2. The year-round system also produced more net winter forage than did the minimal land system in Year 1. Differences in forage yield and quality were only observed between winter stockpile forages of tall fescue-red clover and smooth bromegrass-red clover and summer pastures during the months of June, July, and August.