The Catalytic Effect of Low Molecular Weight Acids on the Physicochemical and Dielectric Properties of Oil-Paper Insulation Systems.

In most industrialized countries, power transformers built several decades ago are approaching the end of their operational lifespan. The ongoing energy transition, focused on developing 100% renewable energy sources and accelerating global transportation electrification, further exacerbates these assets. Combined with rising electricity demand, there is an increasing risk of critical transformers' degradation acceleration. In this context, understanding the aging mechanisms of the insulation system inside these essential assets, which form the core of every energy network, becomes paramount for today's managers and engineers responsible for their operations. The acids generated through oil oxidation can be classified into two categories: low molecular weight acids (LMAs), which are inherently more hydrophilic and consequently have a greater impact on the degradation rate of solid insulation through hydrolysis, and high molecular weight acids (HMAs), which do not significantly contribute to the degradation of paper insulation. This study specifically addresses the impact of acids generated through oil oxidation-focusing on LMAs. New oil samples were infused with different ratios of LMAs before impregnation. The impregnated paper samples underwent thermal aging at 115 °C. Different physicochemical and dielectric properties were investigated. The investigations revealed that oils blended with formic acid exhibited more adverse effects on the insulation system compared to other LMAs. This information is essential for industry professionals seeking to mitigate the risks associated with transformer degradation and extend the lifespan of these critical assets during the energy transition.

[Severe dysphagia and erythrodermia in a 59-year-old man]. / Schwere Dysphagie und flammende Hautrötung bei einem 59-jährigen Patienten.

A 59-year-old man presented with a history of dysphagia and generalized myalgia and muscle weakness and a rash on the face, neck, and upper arms. Serum muscle enzymes, myoglobin, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were elevated and antinuclear antibodies positive. Electromyographic conduction studies showed pathological changes on arm and leg muscles and magnetic resonance imaging of the oral and neck muscles. A diagnosis of dermatomyositis with severe esophageal involvement was established. Treatment with prednisolone was started and methotrexate added. Enteral feeding with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was started and a therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) initiated, which caused a rapid improvement of the patient's ability to swallow. This case demonstrates a patient with polymyositis/dermatomyositis who showed steroid-resistant life-threatening esophageal impairment. IVIG resulted in a dramatic improvement of symptoms.

Sensory characteristics and consumer preference for meat from guinea fowl fed hevea seed meal or cashew nut meal supplemented diets.

This study is part of a series of studies on the possibility of substituting alternative protein source supplements to the diet of guinea fowl in order to improve food security in the fight against poverty on the African Continent. This study assesses the identified sensory characteristics of guinea fowl meat and consumer preferences to determine if the possible alternative supplements identified result in a product acceptable to consumers and if consumer preference was evident. Indigenous guinea fowl or selected breed (Galor animals) were fed a control diet C, a commercial diet I (diet used for guinea fowl in Côte d'Ivoire), or one of 2 experimental diets N (diet C supplemented with 15% cashew nut meal) or diet H (diet C supplemented with 15% detoxified hevea seed meal). Meat samples were assessed by 120-trained people using 18 sensory attributes. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that meats from guinea fowl fed diet C or diet I were clearly distinguished from guinea fowl fed N or H diets and that meat of indigenous guinea fowl or Galor animals were also clearly distinguished. The results of the hierarchical group analysis showed that meat from guinea fowl fed diet H was the preferred guinea fowl meat. A first partial least squares regression PLSR1 identified the relationships between guinea fowl meat samples, their sensory attributes and consumer preference and showed that 82.6% of the sensory data of the first 2 principal components accounted for 95.5% of the preference. The PLSR2 identified the relationships between guinea fowl samples, their sensory attributes, and their biochemical characteristics and showed that the fat content of the meat determined the intensity of flavor, odor, juiciness, and tenderness of the meat. Our results showed that meat from birds fed diet H was preferred, and thus emphasized the existence of a place for the use of hevea seed meal in guinea fowl diet in Côte d'Ivoire.

Performance of guinea fowl fed hevea seed meal or cashew nut meal as a partial substitute for soya bean meal.

Guinea fowl production is increasing in developing countries and has a crucial role in the fight against poverty. However, the feed cost is very high, especially the soya bean meal cost, and farmers cannot afford to buy commercial feed. Consequently, animals do not receive feed adapted to their nutritional needs and they exhibit poor performance. The aim of this paper is to partially substitute soya bean meal by local by-products, discarded, in abundant supply and not used in human nutrition. French Galor guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) and local African guinea fowl (150 birds per breed) were reared for 16 weeks and fed the same starter diet for the initial 4 weeks. From 4 weeks of age, experimental birds from each breed were randomly assigned to three grower isoproteic and isolipidic dietary treatments, each containing five replications (floor pens); each replication included 10 birds of the same breed. The guinea fowl of each breed were fed either control grower diet using soya bean meal as the protein supplement GS, or trial grower diet GN (soya bean meal supplement partially substituted by 15% cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale) meal) or trial grower diet GH (soya bean meal supplement partially substituted by 15% hevea seed (Hevea brasiliensis) meal). The results indicated that hevea seed meal contained a high content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (21.2% of total fatty acids (FAs)). The use of hevea seed meal in guinea fowl grower diet was found to exert no adverse effect on growth performance and carcass yield. However, the use of cashew nut meal led to negative effects on performance like daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Therefore, cashew nut meal cannot be considered as a suitable partial substitute for soya bean meal in diets. The use of hevea seed meal led to a very low abdominal fat proportion and low blood triglyceride and cholesterol content. Additionally, inclusion of dietary hevea seed meal resulted in guinea fowl meat enriched in PUFAs, especially n-3 FAs, thereby significantly improving the nutritional value.

Effect of Hevea brasiliensis seed meal or Euphorbia heterophylla seed supplemented diets on performance, physicochemical and sensory properties of eggs, and egg yolk fatty acid profile in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).

A total of 144 French selected breed (Galor) female guinea fowl (GF) of 42 wk of age were enrolled for a feeding trial of 15, 30, and 45 D duration. The birds were randomly assigned to 18 cages, each containing 8 birds. A total of 3 isonitrogenous and isocaloric dietary treatments were trialed, each diet comprising 6 replications (cages), which meant a total of 48 birds per diet. The GF were fed either a control diet C (commercial diet "FACI ponte 20", SIPRA, Ivory Coast, usually used for all poultry species) or the diet C supplemented with 5% Euphorbia heterophylla seeds (diet E) and the diet C supplemented with 5% Hevea seed meal (Hevea brasiliensis) (diet H). Animal performance were assessed for 3 periods (days 0 to 15, 0 to 30, and 0 to 45), and egg quality and composition were assessed at 15, 30, and 45 D of the trial. The results indicated no mortality during the trial. The laying rate was the highest (43.9%) with diet E and the lowest with diet C (32.5%), the laying rate with diet H being intermediate (38.5%). Diet E containing Euphorbia seeds led to a reduced cholesterol content of the eggs. Additionally, inclusion of Euphorbia seeds and, to a lesser extent, of the Hevea seed meal in the diet led to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid enriched GF eggs, with thereby, improved nutritional value. A sensory test did not find any difference between the 3 diets on trial.

Compared development of intermuscular and subcutaneous fat in carcass and primal cuts of growing pigs from 30 to 140kg body weight.

A total of twenty two Large White X Landrace castrated males were slaughtered at 30, 70, 110 or 140kg BW. Carcasses were weighed and cut into four primal cuts (belly, ham, loin, and shoulder). Each cut was weighed and dissected into bone, muscle, skin, and intermuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissues. Kidney fat was also taken and weighed. Kidney fat grew more rapidly than subcutaneous or intermuscular fat averaged over all four cuts. In the shoulder and loin, about one third of total adipose tissue was in the intermuscular fraction. In the belly, there was as much (in 30-110kg BW pigs) or more (in 140kg BW pigs) intermuscular than subcutaneous adipose tissue. In the ham, the intermuscular fraction of adipose tissue grew more slowly than the subcutaneous one, so that it represented less than one fourth of total ham adipose tissue in 140kg BW pigs. Intermuscular adipose tissue exhibited a lower lipid content than subcutaneous adipose tissue, whatever the body weight, but the differences in lipid content between the adipose tissues decreased with increasing weight. These results show that the relative development of intermuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissues differs according to anatomical location.

Effect of a linseed diet on lipid oxidation, fatty acid composition of muscle, perirenal fat, and raw and cooked rabbit meat.

Forty Californian×New Zealand rabbits (1kg initial body weight) were fed a control or a linseed isoenergetic diet containing 30g of extruded linseed/kg. Twenty rabbits for each dietary treatment were slaughtered at 11 weeks of age, at 35 days after the start of the experiment. Feeding the linseed diet increased (P<0.005) the content of 18:2n-3 in muscles, perirenal fat, and raw and cooked meat. The long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents were also increased (P<0.01) in the meat. The linseed diet produced a robust decrease in the n-6/n-3 ratio. Cooking did not alter n-3 PUFA more than saturated fatty acids (SFA) or monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). However, n-6 PUFA were altered by cooking. The oxidative stability of Longissimus dorsi was not affected by the linseed diet, even after 300min of forced-oxidation. Inclusion of linseed in rabbit diets is a valid method of improving the nutritional value of rabbit meat.

[Treatment of invasive candidiasis--recommendations of professional]. / Lécba invazivní kandidózy--doporucení odborných spolecností.

National working group representing clinicians (hematologists, oncologists, infection diseases and ICU specialists), microbiologists, and different special medical societies and working groups prepared evidence-based guidelines for the treatment established fungal infection--invasive candidiasis in the adult hematology and ICU patients. These guidelines updated those published in the Czech Republic in 2003-2004. Evidence criteria of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) were used for assessing the quality of clinical trials, and EORTC/MSG Consensus Group for definitions of invasive fungal disease.

[Treatment for invasiveness aspergillosis--recommendations of professionals]. / Lécba invazivní aspergilózy--doporucení odborných spolecností.

An increasing incidence of invasive aspergillosis is observed in most immunocompromised patients, and especially patients with acute leukemia and after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In order to decrease the mortality due to this infection, the clinicians need to optimise their treatment choice. The objective of these guidelines is to summarize the current evidence for treatment of invasive aspergillosis. The recommendations have been developed by an expert panel following an evidence-based search of literature with regard to current recommendation of European Conference in Infections in Leukemia and Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Diagnostic of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) farming in Ivory Coast.

In order to promote farming of guinea fowl and to diversify the sources of income of Ivorian farmers, a survey was conducted in 2016 in 15 regions (197 farmers) out of a total of 31 regions in Ivory Coast. The aims were 1) to establish a better knowledge of guinea fowl farming; 2) to assess the level of technical knowledge of farmers; and 3) to establish a global typology of farmers based on their socio-economic profile, the goal of the farming (sale or consumption), and their level of technical knowledge. The sampling was realized according to a snowball type design (chain referral sampling method) a non-probabilistic method where farmers were selected not from a sampling frame but from the friendship network of existing farmers of the sample. Guinea fowl farming was undertaken by persons from all the social levels with no distinctions due to sex, religion, ethnic group, or level of education. For farmers with more than 48 guinea fowl and farmers who were Muslims, farming was a source of income. Owners of guinea fowl under 60 yr old, Christians and atheists kept a part of their production for their own consumption and marketed the remainder of the flock. Incubation was primarily accomplished by a laying hen, with an estimated hatching rate of 72%. In our survey, 68.5% of the farmers had a good practical knowledge of guinea fowl farming. The identified weaknesses of guinea fowl farming in the regions where the survey took place were the absence of knowledge of guinea fowl farming and the poverty of farmers who could not afford incubators nor provide a good nutrition to their animals. The future development of this farming will have to take into account all these weaknesses that are also limitations to this development.

Failure of multiple antivirals to affect high HHV-6 DNAaemia resulting from viral chromosomal integration in case of severe aplastic anaemia.

We report a fifty-year-old woman presenting with severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) and prolonged high Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) variant A DNAeamia detected by quantitative PCR. Multiple antiviral treatments failed to affect the HHV6 DNAemia and subsequent immunosuppressive treatment reached only partial improvement as judged by bone marrow examinations. The patient remained dependent on thrombocyte transfusions and G-CSF treatment. After one year of steady high HHV6 DNA load in blood, viral chromosomal integration was proved by demonstrating the viral DNA in hair follicles. This condition appeared to be unconnected with, and to have no effect, on the original SAA.

Comparison of the lipid content and fatty acid composition of intermuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissues in pig carcasses.

Lipid contents and compositions were measured in 35 pigs from seven genotype-sex groups with large variations in body composition. The animals were slaughtered at 115kg live weight, and the left side was separated into four primal cuts: belly, ham, loin, and shoulder. Samples of adipose tissues were taken from flare fat and from subcutaneous and intermuscular adipose tissues in each of the four cuts. In the loin, the outer and inner layers of subcutaneous adipose tissue were sampled separately. Total lipid content was lower in intermuscular than in subcutaneous adipose tissue. It was the highest in flare fat. There was a gradient of decreasing unsaturation from the outer layer of subcutaneous adipose tissue, to the inner layer, to intermuscular adipose tissue, to flare fat. The monounsaturated fatty acid concentrations followed the same pattern. There was a statistically positive correlation between the linoleic acid concentration of the different adipose tissues and the half carcass muscle content.

Quantification of muscle, subcutaneous fat and intermuscular fat in pig carcasses and cuts by magnetic resonance imaging.

The aim of this study was to determine the suitability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to predict tissue composition of pig carcasses and cuts. Twenty-four pig carcasses were cut into the four primary cuts that were analyzed with a low field MRI imager before a total dissection. Images were then processed to identify and quantify pixels representing muscle, subcutaneous fat and intermuscular fat fractions. MRI provided a good prediction of muscle content in cuts and carcasses, with R(2) ranging from 0.970 to 0.997. The prediction was slightly less accurate for total fat (0.951⩽R(2)⩽0.986) or subcutaneous fat (0.918⩽R(2)⩽0.994). Finally, the prediction of intermuscular fat content in considering intermuscular fat classified pixels was acceptable only for the belly (R(2)=0.837).

Muscle and fat quantification in MRI gradient echo images using a partial volume detection method. Application to the characterization of pig belly tissue.

Complete dissection is the current reference method to quantify muscle and fat tissue on pig carcasses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an appropriate nondestructive alternative method that can provide reliable and quantitative information on pig carcass composition without losing the spatial information. We have developed a method to quantify the amount of fat tissue and muscle in gradient echo MR images. This method is based on the method proposed by Shattuck et al. [12]. It provides segmentation of pure tissue and partial volume voxels, which allows separation of muscle and fat tissue including the fine insertions of intermuscular fat. Partial volume voxel signal is expected to be proportional to the signals of pure tissue constituting them or at least to vary monotonously with the proportion of each tissue. However, it is not always the case with gradient echo sequence due to the chemical shift effect. We studied this effect on a fat tissue/muscle interface model with variable proportion of water in the fat tissue and variable TE. We found that at TE=8 ms, for a 0.2-T MRI system, the requirement of Shattuck's method were filled thanks to the presence of water in fat tissue. Moreover, we extended the segmentation method with a simple correction scheme to compute more accurately the proportions of each tissue in partial volume voxels. We used this method to evaluate the fat tissue and muscle on 24 pig bellies using a gradient echo sequence (TR 700 ms, TE 8 ms, slice thickness 8 mm, number of averages 8, flip angle 90 degrees , FOV 512 mm, matrix 512*512, Rect. FOV 4/8, 19 slices, space between slices 2 mm). The image analysis results were compared with dissection results giving a prediction error of the muscle content (mean=2.7 kg) of 88.9 g and of the fat content (mean=2.7 kg) of 115.8 g without correction of the chemical shift effect in the computation of partial volume fat content. The correction scheme improved these results to, respectively, 81.5 and 107.1 g.

Cloning of a novel putative G-protein-coupled receptor (NLR) which is expressed in neuronal and lymphatic tissue.

A novel G-protein-coupled receptor was isolated from mouse and rat neuronal and lymphatic tissues. The amino acid sequence of the rat receptor (rNLR) shows an overall homology of 80% to a recently cloned receptor from Burkitt's lymphoma cells (BLR1) which is exclusively expressed in lymphatic tissues [(1992) Eur. J. Immunol. 22, 2795]. Much less homology between rNLR and BLR1 was observed at the N-terminus (about 40%), whereas rNLR and the mouse homologue mNLR show 92% amino acid identity. Northern blot analysis of NLR revealed a predominant 5.5 kb mRNA species in various brain regions and neuronal cell lines, whereas in the spleen a 3 kb transcript is predominant. This distribution suggests a role of NLR in the nervous and immune systems.

Cloning and expression of a novel mouse somatostatin receptor (SSTR2B).

A mouse somatostatin (SS) receptor cDNA was cloned from neuroblastoma x glioma (NG108-15) cells. The sequence is almost identical to that of the mouse SSTR2 receptor [(1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 251)] but lacks about 300 nucleotides between transmembrane domain VII and the C-terminus. This spliced variant of SSTR2 (designated SSTR2B) encodes a protein which is 23 residues shorter than that predicted from the SSTR2 sequence, and differs in 15 amino acids at the C-terminus. mRNA corresponding to SSTR2B occurs in mouse tissues in higher abundance than that of SSTR2. SSTR2B binds SS peptides with high affinity when expressed in mammalian cells.

Stereoisomers of calcium antagonists which differ markedly in their potencies as calcium blockers are equally effective in modulating drug transport by P-glycoprotein.

The (-)-isomer of verapamil is 10-fold more potent as a calcium antagonist than the (+)-isomer. However, both enantiomers are equally effective in increasing cellular accumulation of anticancer drugs [Gruber et al., Int J Cancer 41: 224-226, 1988]. In addition to verapamil, there exists a wide variety of stereoisomers with phenylalkylamines and dihydropyridine structures which markedly differ in their potency as calcium antagonists. We have tested these drugs for their ability to increase intracellular accumulation of [3H]vinblastine ([3H]VBL) in a doxorubicin-resistant cell line (F4-6RADR) derived from the Friend mouse leukemia cell line (F4-6P) and in COS-7 monkey kidney cells. Both cell types express substantial amounts of multidrug resistance gene 1 mRNA and P-glycoprotein as revealed by RNA and immuno blot analysis. The enantiomers with phenylalkylamine structures [(+/-)-verapamil; (+/-)-devapamil; (+/-)-emopamil)] and with dihydropyridine structures [(+/-)-isradipine; (+/-)-nimodipine; (+/-)-felodipine; (+/-)-nitrendipine; (+/-)-niguldipine] increased [3H]VBL accumulation in both cell lines at micromolar concentrations. Although the stereoisomers of these drugs differ markedly in their potency as calcium channel blockers they were about equally effective in increasing VBL levels in the cells. There was no substantial difference in the potencies of the phenylalkylamine drugs in affecting cellular [3H]VBL transport. Major potency differences, however, were observed in the dihydropyridine drug series with the niguldipine isomers as the most effective drugs. Moreover, the niguldipine enantiomers were equally as effective in reversing VBL resistance in F4-6RADR cells as were the verapamil enantiomers. Since (-)-niguldipine (B859-35) displays a 45-fold lower affinity for calcium channel binding sites than (+)-niguldipine, but is equally potent in inhibiting drug transport by P-glycoprotein and in reversing drug resistance, it may be, in addition to (+)-verapamil, another useful candidate drug for the treatment of multidrug resistance in cancer patients.

Genomic defects in nonfamilial renal cell carcinoma. Possible specific chromosome change.

Using a newly developed combined method of enzymatic technique and short-term tissue culture, 30 tumor specimens from 26 patients with nonfamilial renal cell carcinoma were subjected to cytogenetic analysis. Of the 26 patients, 19 had chromosomally abnormal tumors, four (including two oncocytomas) were normal, and three did not grow. The modal chromosome numbers ranged from 44 to 98 (including two pseudotetraploids). Banding analysis revealed 38 clonal aberrations and ten nonclonal aberrations. Abnormalities were of structure and number. The most consistent clonal abnormality was a trisomy or tetrasomy chromosome 7 occurring in tumors from 15 of the 19 patients with cytogenetically abnormal tumors. In four cases, trisomy 7 was the only visible abnormality observed, and in an additional five it was the only abnormality in two or more cells. An abnormal chromosome 3 was found in ten (38%) of the cases. Two were trisomic for #3, two were monosomic, three were hyperdiploid, and three had interstitial deletions with breakpoints clustered from p11 to p25. In only one case was a deleted #3 the only abnormality observed in a clone of cells. Loss of the sex chromosome was seen in eight (35%) of the 23 chromosomally abnormal cases including all four (100%) patients with bilateral disease. One of the patients with bilateral disease had an abnormal clone with monosomy X as the only abnormality. These data suggest that trisomy or tetrasomy 7 more often represents the specific primary abnormality than abnormalities of either chromosome 3 or the sex chromosomes. From this, a model of chromosomal progression may be constructed for nonfamilial renal cell carcinoma, which could assist in pathologic classification and prognostic and therapeutic considerations.

Comparative study of in vitro lipogenesis in various adipose tissues in the growing domestic pig (Sus domesticus).

Activities of acetyl-CoA-carboxylase, malic enzyme and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase were measured in seven different anatomical sites in the growing pig (20-120 kg weight). The three enzyme activities increased up to 40-60 kg weight and then decreased, malic enzyme becoming the main producer of NADPH, irrespective of the adipose tissue. Subcutaneous adipose tissue of the neck area was much thicker and exhibited much lower lipogenic enzyme activities than backfat. Subcutaneous adipose tissue is heterogeneous in the pig with some areas exhibiting very low lipogenesis and high lipid deposition importing triglycerides from other areas with high lipogenesis. However, these conclusions based on the measurement of enzyme activity potentials need to be confirmed with measurements of actual activities.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase activity in adipose tissues and liver of growing Large White and Meishan pigs.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase activity was measured in adipose tissue (backfat and neckfat) and liver microsomes of Large White and Meishan pigs. Preliminary assays have shown that delta 9-desaturase activity cannot be measured on frozen tissues, because freezing involves a loss in activity of 40-50%. The specific activity of liver delta 9-desaturase was much lower than that of the adipose tissues in both breeds, indicating that the liver is not a major site of oleate synthesis in the pig. The hepatic delta 9-desaturase activity was higher in Meishan than in Large White pigs. However, delta 9-desaturase activity in the adipose tissue of Large White pigs was much higher than that of Meishan pigs, even though the percentage of oleate was slightly higher in the adipose tissues of the latter. This investigation has demonstrated that differences in fatty acid composition of adipose tissues between Large White and Meishan pigs cannot be attributed to differences in delta 9-desaturase activity at this stage of maturity. These results suggest that the higher oleate percentage in Meishan adipose tissues would result from a higher delta 9-desaturase activity at an earlier age.