1,806 research outputs found
RIC-HSCT for MF/SS
No full textAdvanced-stage mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome (MF/SS) have a poor prognosis. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), particularly using a reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen, is a promising treatment for advanced-stage MF/SS. We performed RIC-HSCT in nine patients with advanced MF/SS. With a median follow-up period of 954days after HSCT, the estimated 3-year overall survival was 85.7% (95% confidence interval, 33.4-97.9%) with no non-relapse mortality. Five patients relapsed after RIC-HSCT; however, in four patients whose relapse was detected only from the skin, persistent complete response was achieved in one patient, and the disease was manageable in other three patients by the tapering of immunosuppressants and donor lymphocyte infusion, suggesting that graft-versus-lymphoma effect and "down-staging" effect from advanced stage to early stage by HSCT improve the prognosis of advanced-stage MF/SS. These results suggest that RIC-HSCT is an effective treatment for advanced MF/SS
Dermanyssus gallinae in layer farms in Kosovo: a high risk for salmonella prevalence
No full textBackground
The poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae (D.g.) is a serious ectoparasitic pest of poultry and potential pathogen vector. The prevalence of D. g. and the prevalence of Salmonella spp. within mites on infested laying poultry farms were investigated in Kosovo.
Findings
In total, 14 populated layer farms located in the Southern Kosovo were assessed for D. g. presence. Another two farms in this region were investigated 6 months after depopulation. Investigated flocks were all maintained in cages, a common housing system in Kosovo. A total of eight farms were found to be infested with D. g. (50%) at varying levels, including the two depopulated farms. The detection of Salmonella spp. from D. g. was carried out using PCR. Out of the eight layer farms infested with D. g., Salmonella spp. was present in mites on three farms (37.5%).
Conclusions
This study confirms the high prevalence of D. g. in layer flocks in Kosovo and demonstrates the link between this mite and the presence of Salmonella spp. on infested farms
Preparation of mono-sized epoxy/MF microcapsulesin the appearance of polyvinyl alcohol as co-emulsifier
No full textFor epoxy microcapsules embedded in concrete as mechanic-triggered self-healing adhesive, globular shape with uniform size is the basic requirement to ensure the solid shell broken and the liquid core released at a designed stress. In this paper, monodispersed melamine\u96formaldehyde (MF) resin-walled epoxy E-51 microcapsules were successfully fabricated in an in situ polycondensation process, in which a certain amount of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution was added as coemulsifier to control the microcapsules\u92 shape and size. Detail investigation shows, with the cooperation of PVA, the microcapsule morphologies and size distribution were ease to be adjusted by the parameters such as emulsifying agents, agitation rate, pH value and acidification time
Molecular detection of strain L47 of Aureobasidium pullulans, a biocontrol agent of postharvest diseases
No full textThe strain L47 of Aureobasidium pullulans is an effective biocontrol agent of postharvest diseases. When applied in the field before harvesting it requires a specific monitoring method to evaluate colonization and dispersal in the environment. The randomly amplified polymorphic DNA technique (RAPD) was used for a preliminary screening of A. pullulans genetic variability among 205 isolates. This approach allowed the selection of a 1.3-kb fragment (L4) present solely in isolates L47 and 633. In Southern blots, a digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled L4 amplicon specifically recognized the corresponding fragment present in the polymorphic pattern of L47 and 633. The L4 fragment was cloned, sequenced, and used to design two sequence-characterized amplification region (SCAR) primers and a 242-bp riboprobe, Both the SCAR primers and the 242-bp DIG-labeled riboprobe were highly specific for L47. In classical polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with a series of 10-fold dilutions of L47 DNA, the limit of detection was 20 pg/mul. The Ap13 primer was also modified to obtain a Scorpion primer for detecting a 150-bp amplicon by fluorescence emitted from a fluorophore through a self-probing PCR assay. This assay specifically recognized the target sequence of L47 strain over a number of other A. pullulans isolates in field-treated grape berry washings. The limit of detection was 10(5) cells per ml, i.e. 10 times higher than the limit of the CFU method. The method is also proposed as a way to demonstrate the ability of L47 strain to penetrate the epidermis of sweet cherry fruits and to track it in the mesocarp
ACT Family Violence Intervention Program review
No full textThis paper reports on a review of the Australian Capital Territory’s Family Violence Intervention Program, which provides an interagency response to family violence matters.
The scope of the review was to analyse the program’s activities and outcomes using 2007–08 data provided by participating agencies, supported by in-depth interviews with key stakeholders including victims whose matters had been finalised in court. After the completion of this report, additional data from 2008–09 and 2009–10 was made available by some Family Violence Intervention Program (FVIP) participating agencies. Although not within the scope of this evaluation, these data pointed to some preliminary improvements in the FVIP
Validation of an automated mite counter for Dermanyssus gallinae in experimental laying hen cages
No full textFor integrated pest management (IPM) programs to be maximally effective, monitoring of the growth and decline of the pest populations is essential. Here, we present the validation results of a new automated monitoring device for the poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae), a serious pest in laying hen facilities world-wide. This monitoring device (called an “automated mite counter”) was validated in experimental laying hen cages with live birds and a growing population of D. gallinae. This validation study resulted in 17 data points of ‘number of mites counted’ by the automated mite counter and the ‘number of mites present’ in the experimental laying hen cages. The study demonstrated that the automated mite counter was able to track the D. gallinae population effectively. A wider evaluation showed that this automated mite counter can become a useful tool in IPM of D. gallinae in laying hen facilities
NF membrane fouling by aluminum and iron coagulant residuals after coagulation-MF pretreatment
No full textThe effects of coagulant residuals on fouling of a nanofiltration (NF) membrane were investigated. Experiments were carried out with a laboratory-scale microfiltration (MF)-NF setup and a pilot MF-NF plant. In the laboratory-scale experiments, NF feed water was pretreated with poly-aluminum chloride (PACl) or alum followed by MF. NF membrane permeability declined when the feed water contained residual aluminum at 18 μg/L or more, but not when it was lower than 9 μg/L. When pretreated with ferric chloride, no substantial decline of NF membrane permeability was observed: residual iron did not affect the permeability. When SiO2 was added to the water before the pretreatment with PACl, the NF membrane permeability declined at about double the speed. Thermodynamic calculations and elemental analysis of foulants recovered from the membranes indicated that the majority of inorganic foulants were compounds composed of aluminum, silicate, and possibly potassium. In the pilot plant, NF feed was pretreated by PACl. Transmembrane pressure for NF doubled over 4.5 months of operation. Although the aluminum concentration in the NF feed was not high (30 μg/L), analysis of membrane foulants revealed excessive accumulation of aluminum and silicate, also suggesting that aluminum residuals caused the membrane fouling by alumino-silicates or aluminum hydroxide
Correction Factor on Dynamic Force in a Marsh Funnel Test for Tunneling
No full textThis paper presents an improvement on a previous model for predicting the Marsh funnel (MF) test that is used in slurry shield tunneling for evaluating the rheological properties of bentonite slurries. The improvement focuses on the prediction of the dynamic part for fluids with small MF times. The velocity profile of the Herschel-Bulkley fluid in a laminar pipe flow condition is first investigated and a correction factor is introduced in the improved model. Comparisons of results from experiments and calculations with the previous model confirm the improved performance over the existing model. The rheological parameters obtained from the improved model show good resemblance to those obtained from a laboratory viscometer. The work also provides a reference to similar applications such as fluid transportation through pipelines where dynamic pressure dominates and therefore should be correctly predicted considering its velocity profile in a laminar condition.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Offshore and Dredging Engineerin
Thermal analysis of a miniature magnetic fluid seal installed in an implantable rotary pump
No full textThe capacity of a magnetic fluid (MF) seal is decreased by increased MF temperature. A cooling system for MF is limited in a miniature MF seal installed in an implantable rotary pump. MF temperature in an MF seal installed in an implantable rotary pump was studied. The temperature of MF in a rotary pump was measured in vitro. Also, steady-state thermal analyses were conducted for an implantable rotary pump model. The results showed that (1) the decrease in magnetization of an MF due to increased temperature is negligible when the heat transfer coefficient of the seal housing is greater than 500 W/(m2·K) and (2) the increased temperature is mainly due to heat flux from the motor, and the magnitude of temperature increase due to viscous friction in the MF is low. In conclusion, an MF seal can be used in an implantable rotary pump from the standpoint of heat characteristics
Magnetic fluid seals working in liquid environments: Factors limiting their life and solution methods
No full textA magnetic fluid (MF) seal enables mechanical contact-free rotation of a shaft and hence has excellent durability. The performance of an MF seal, however, decreases in liquids. Factors limiting seal life are MF flowing away and mixing of MF with liquids. We developed an MF seal that had a "shield'' mechanism. Two types of shield were placed in MF seals installed in rotary pumps. Long-term durability tests were conducted. The MF seal with a shield having a small cavity space showed a longer life (207+ days), while the MF seal with a shield having a large cavity space failed after 28, 32 and 31 days. When a rotary pump is connected to an afterload, water flows into the cavity space of the shield through a concentric annulus and compresses air in the cavity. The water flow stops once the air pressure equilibrates the afterload pressure. Water remained in the entrance annulus and did not make contact with the MF in the case of the shield having a small cavity space, while water entered the cavity space and made contact with the MF in the case of the shield having a large cavity space. Less water in contact with the MF prolonged the seal life. In conclusion, the use of an optimally designed shield prolongs an MF seal life by preventing the MF from flowing away and mixing with liquids
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