Abstract: We introduce a new class of continuous distributions called the generalized odd Lindley-G family. Four special models of the new family are provided. Some explicit expressions for the quantile and generating functions, ordinary and incomplete moments, order statistics and Rényi and Shannon entropies are derived. The maximum likelihood method is used for estimating the model parameters. The flexibility of the generated family is illustrated by means of two applications to real data sets.

This paper discusses an optimized media type evaporative cooling system called Outdoor Movable Media cooler which has been recently implemented on two 160 MW, V94.2 gas turbines of Kerman combined cycle power plant, Iran. The air cooling system can be applied to retrieve the lost power generation capability of gas turbine during hot months. System description is completely presented and optimizations such as making a movable media cooler are described. The moving ability of this system eliminates the power loss related to the conventional media coolers. Furthermore, experimental work including evaluation of humidity effect on the air filters operation is discussed and the results are presented. The cooling system performance curve shows the system capability of cooling the inlet air up to 19°C at the design condition. This cooling capacity leads to power augmentation up to 14% which is noteworthy in responding to the electricity demand in hot months, when air-conditioning loads are maximized. Considering several parameters, a cost analysis is done finally and payback period of the system is calculated.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of coated calcium butyrate (CCB) on calf performance and some blood parameters. Sixteen female Holstein calves with a mean age of 3 ± 1 d were divided into two equal groups and fed a milk replacer supplemented with 3 g of coated calcium butyrate (CCB)/day or with no coated calcium butyrate (NCB). The calves had free access to solid feed and water. Body weight was measured at days 3, 12, 24, 36 and 48 (weaning day). Respiratory rate and rectal temperature (within first 4 weeks of life), feed intake and faecal score (during the whole experimental period) were recorded daily. Rumen fluid was taken for volatile fatty acid (VFA) determination on days 33 and 48, and structural growth (rump height, withers height and hip width) was recorded on days 3, 24 and 48. Blood samples were collected on days 1, 12, 24, 36 and 48. Feed intake, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio and structural growth of calves were improved by CCB supplementation. There were no significant differences on rectal temperature, respiratory rate and faecal score between the treatments. Rumen concentration of total VFAs increased and the VFA profile was affected on days 33 and 48 by CCB supplementation. The supplementation of milk replacer of calves with coated calcium butyrate significantly increased serum concentrations of glucose, insulin and β-hydroxybutyrate. Serum concentration of cortisol in the CCB calves was numerically lower than in NCB. In conclusion, supplementation of calves' milk replacer with the coated calcium butyrate could improve calf performance.

An experiment with 200 day-old male broiler chickens was conducted to investigate the effect of the dietary supplementation of turmeric rhizome powder (TRP) on plasma lipoprotein concentrations, and the meat quality and fatty acid composition of the thigh muscle of the broilers. The four treatments were 0% (F.TRP), 0.25% (L.TRP), 0.50% (M.TRP) and 0.75% (H.TRP) TRP in the diets. The pH and the fat, protein, dry matter and ash concentrations of thigh meat did not show significant differences between treatments. There were no significant differences between treatments in the concentrations of plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-c) at three weeks, and for plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL-c) at three and six weeks of age. At week 6, the M.TRP- and H.TRP-fed birds showed lower plasma triglyceride and VLDL-c concentrations than the birds in the other treatments. At weeks 3 and 6 the concentration of plasma high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) of the M.TRP- and H.TRP-fed birds was significantly higher than that of the F.TRP-fed birds. At week 6, the H.TRP-fed birds had significantly lower concentrations of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in the thigh and total cholesterol in the plasma than the F.TRP-fed birds and the other birds. Moreover, a significantly higher thigh vaccenic acid concentration was indicated for the H.TRP-fed birds compared with the L.TRP- and F.TRP-fed birds. In orthogonal comparisons, TRP consumption reduced the concentration of plasma triglycerides and dry matter of thigh meat, as well as triglyceride, palmitic acid and total SFA concentrations, but increased the thigh meat protein and plasma HDL-c concentrations significantly, compared with the control. In conclusion, supplementation of TRP in broiler chickens diets can decrease the concentrations of SFAs and triglycerides in thigh meat and improve the meat quality as a result.

A candidíase disseminada é um problema sério de saúde publica decorrente da invasão por espécies de Candida, e Candida albicans em particular. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a eficiência do óleo essencial de Zataria multiflora e itraconazol na remoção de C. albicans das vísceras de camundongos BALB/c com candidíase disseminada. O óleo essencial de Zataria multiflora foi extraído empregando um aparelho do tipo Clevenger e analisado por cromatografia a gás e espectrometria de massa (GC-MS). Para os experimentos de remoção, camundongos (20-25g, n=8 por grupo) receberam óleo essencial nas doses de 30, 48 e 64 mg/kg e itraconazol na dose de 200 mg/kg via intraperitoneal (IP) por dois dias antes e após a inoculação intravenosa de 0,5 x 10(6) blastósporos de C. albicans. Os animais tratados foram sacrificados no vigésimo dia e 0,1g dos tecidos homogeneizados foram semeados em meios específicos. De acordo com o GC-MS, os principais componentes do óleo essencial foram carvacrol (61,29%) e timol (25,28%). Os resultados mostraram que a administração IP de 64 mg/kg de óleo essencial apresentou a eficiência mais alta na redução de C. albicans e resultou na redução de 39,5, 21,8, 141,5, 174 e 501 vezes na contagem média de C. albicans por 0,1g do fígado, baço, pulmões, cérebro e rins, respectivamente, quando comparado ao controle positivo. O itraconazol apresentou redução de C. albicans maior do que o óleo essencial na dose de 30mg/kg nos rins (P<0,02), cérebro (P<0,02) e baço (P<0,04) e menor no cérebro (P<0,01), pulmões (P<0,0005) e rins (P<0,0005) na dose de 64 mg/kg, enquanto não houve diferença entre esse droga e óleo essencial na dose de 48mg/kg. Estes resultados explicam a remoção aumentada de leveduras e a disseminação reduzida para as vísceras de camundongos tratados com Z. multiflora.

Disseminated candidiasis is a serious problem in public health that results from the invasion of Candida species, in particular Candida albicans. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of Zataria multiflora essential oil and itraconazole in clearing C. albicans from the visceral organs of BALB/c mice suffered from disseminated candidiasis. Zataria multiflora essential oil was extracted using Clevenger-type apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For clearance experiment, mice (20-25 g, N=8 per group) received essential oil at doses of 30, 48 and 64 mg/kg and itraconazole at dose of 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally (IP) 2 days before and after intravenous inoculation of 0.5×10(6) C. albicans blastospores. The treated animals were sacrificed on day 20, and 0.1 g of the tissue homogenates was plated onto specific media. In GC-Mass, the main components of the essential oil were carvacrol (61.29%) and thymol (25.18%). The results demonstrated that IP administration of 64 mg/kg of the essential oil had the highest efficacy in reducing C. albicans and produced 39.5, 21.8, 141.5, 174 and 501-fold reductions in mean CFUs per 0.1 gram in Candida infections of the liver, spleen, lungs, brain and kidneys, respectively, compared to positive control. Itraconazole showed significantly more responsiveness than the essential oil at dose of 30 mg/kg in clearing C. albicans from the kidneys (P<0.02), brain (P<0.02) and spleen (P<0.04), and less responsiveness than that of 64 mg/kg in clearing the organism from the brain (P<0.01), lungs (P<0.0005) and kidneys (P<0.0005), whereas no significant difference was observed between this drug and Z. multiflora at dose of 48 mg/kg. These data explain the increased rate of yeast clearance and reduced dissemination to the viscera of Z. multiflora treated mice.

O ânion de Preyssler, [NaP5W30O110]14-, catalisa a oxidação de aldeídos aromáticos aos correspondentes ácidos carboxílicos, na presença do agente oxidante peróxido de hidrogênio, sob irradiação de micro-ondas ou à temperatura de 70 °C. A atividade catalítica do catalisador de Preyssler, tanto em fase homogênea quanto suportado em sílica, foi comparada com a de algumas estruturas Keggin. Nossos dados indicam que o tungstopentafosfato de sódio 30, conhecido como ânion de Preyssler, o qual possui alta estabilidade hidrolítica (na faixa de pH de 0 a 12) e térmica, é o melhor catalisador, levando a bons rendimentos e alta seletividade. Sob irradiação de micro-ondas, esse poliânion suportado em SiO2 mostrou-se excelente catalisador das reações de aldeídos que apresentam baixo fator de perda, em 1-2 min (o fator de perda é uma medida da capacidade do material em dissipar energia). Os efeitos de vários parâmetros nos rendimentos dos ácidos carboxílicos foram estudados, tais como: tipo de catalisador, natureza do substituinte no aldeído e temperatura.

Preyssler's anion, with formula [NaP5W30O110]14-, catalyzes the oxidation of aromatic aldehydes to related carboxylic acids by hydrogen peroxide as oxidizing agent, under microwave irradiation, or at 70 ºC. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous Preyssler's catalysts (as H14[NaP5W30O110 ]) were used and had their activity compared with those of some Keggin structures. Our data indicate that Sodium30-tungsto pentaphosphate, the so-called Preyssler's anion, with high hydrolytic (pH=0-12) and thermal stability is the best catalyst with high yield and good selectivity. Under microwave irradiation, this polyanion supported on SiO2 was found to be an excellent catalyst for aldehydes with low loss factor in 1-2 min (the loss factor is a measure of the ability of the material to dissipate energy). The effects of various parameters, including catalyst type, nature of the substituent in the aldehyde and temperature, on the yield of the carboxylic acids were studied.