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In the present work, different ashless detergent/dispersant additives based on propylene oxide (PO) were prepared via reaction of propylene oxide with different tertiary amines and the products which obtained were reacted with different organic acids. The structures of the prepared compounds were confirmed using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) for determination of molecular weight. All the prepared compounds were found to be soluble in lubricating oil. The efficiency of the prepared compounds as antioxidants and detergent/dispersant additives for lubricating oil was investigated. It was found that the additives have excellent power of dispersion, detergency and the most efficient additives as antioxidant those prepared by using n,n-dimethyloctadecylamine and di-n-butyl dithio phosphoric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper was designed to analyze the effect of ochratoxin A (OTA) contaminated feed on the growth outcomes, certain serum biochemical, histopathology, and OTA residue in the dorsal muscle, liver, and kidney in Nile tilapia. Also, to improve the drastic effect of OTA through dietary supplementation of hydrated sodium aluminum silicates nanoparticles or nano copper. For performing the present study, 270 fish were randomly allotted into 6 equal groups according to ochratoxin and nanoparticles of hydrated sodium aluminum silicates or copper oxide. The results indicated that supplementation of two levels of both nanoparticles (aluminum silicate or copper) as a mycotoxin adsorbent could prevent ochratoxicosis in Nile tilapia fish. In addition, they maintained optimal growth performance, feed efficiency without bad effect on serum profiles and vital organs function of fish in a dose-dependent manner. Histopathologically, the most interesting finding was the precipitation of calcium salts known as nephrocalcinosis, within the tubules, upon the degenerative tubules and tunica intima and media of the blood vessels in the control positive group. These pathological lesions were mitigated by nanoparticle supplementation. Thus increase the safety of fish products. • Dietary ochratoxin badly affect fish performance and health. • Dietary ochratoxin leads to nephrocalcinosis. • Dietary nanoparticles ameliorate side effects of ochratoxin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The current gold standard method in the clinical assessment of swallowing is the visual inspection of videofluoroscopic frames. Specific clinical measurements are estimated based on various anatomical and bolus positional information with respect to time (or frame number). However, due to the subjective nature of visual inspection clinicians face intra- and inter-observer repeatability issues and bias when making these estimations. The correct demarcations of reference lines highlighting the positions of important anatomical landmarks would serve as a visual aid and could also be used in conjunction with bolus detection methods to objectively determine these desirable measurements. In this paper, we introduce and test the reliability of applying a 16-point Active Shape Model as a deformable template to demarcate the boundaries of salient anatomical boundaries with minimal user input. A robust end and corner point detection algorithm is also used to provide image information for the suggested movement of the template during the fitting stage. Results show the model deformation constraints calculated from a training set of images are clinically coherent. The Euclidean distances between the fitted model points against their corresponding target points were measured. Test images were taken from two different data sets from frames acquired using two different videofluoroscopy units. Overall, fitting was found to be more reliable on the vertebrae and inferior points of the larynx compared to the superior laryngeal points and hyoid bone, with the model always fitting the C7 vertebra with discrepancies no higher than a distance of 23 pixels (3.2% of the image width, approximately 7.6mm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Animal studies, human brain imaging and more recently Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) suggest a role for the cerebellum in human swallowing. Moreover, paired-pulse cerebellar-cortical TMS delivered in rapid succession (50–200ms intervals) facilitates pharyngeal motor cortex excitability (Jayasekeran et al., 2011). Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if longer trains of rTMS can induce long-lasting changes in pharyngeal cortical excitability that may prove to be therapeutically useful for dysphagia after stroke. Materials and methods: In 17 healthy adults (6 female, age range 18–61 yrs), anatomical MR brain scans were acquired. Thereafter participants were intubated with an intraluminal catheter to record pharyngeal electromyography and underwent TMS cortical mapping with neuronavigation to co-localise pharyngeal motor representation bilaterally, hand motor cortex and the cerebellar site which evoked the largest pharyngeal motor response. Subjects were then randomised to receive one of 5 neuronavigated cerebellar rTMS interventions (Sham, 1Hz, 5Hz, 10Hz and 20Hz, at least 1week apart) to the cerebellar site evoking the largest baseline pharyngeal responses to single-pulse cerebellar TMS. Bihemispheric pharyngeal cortical excitability (ipsilateral and contralateral cortex to cerebellum site) was measured at baseline and for up to 1h post cerebellar rTMS intervention. Abductor pollicis brevis (APB) recordings were used as control. Interventional data were compared to sham using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Cerebellar rTMS was tolerated well and delivered at an average intensity of 55% of stimulator output. Compared to Sham, 10Hz cerebellar rTMS increased pharyngeal cortical excitability (F (1,16)=8.3, ∗ p =0.01), with maximal size and durational effects seen primarily in the contralateral pharyngeal cortex (+72%, ∗∗ p =0.02, Fig. 1). By contrast, 1Hz (F (1,16)=0.3, p =0.60), 5Hz (F (1,16)=0.5, p =0.48), and 20Hz rTMS (F (1,16)=1.3, p =0.27) cerebellar conditioning did not significantly alter pharyngeal excitability compared to Sham. APB responses were not significantly different to sham after any intervention. Conclusions: Our data show for the first time that high-frequency (10Hz) cerebellar stimulation can produce long-lasting increases in human pharyngeal motor cortex excitability, with larger and longer-lasting effects of the intervention primarily seen in the contralateral projection. Hence 10Hz cerebellar rTMS may play a therapeutic role in the treatment of dysphagia after hemispheric stroke. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]