Abstract In the county of Pedra Lavrada - PB, various mineral occurrences of pegmatite are observed with prominence at Alto Dois Irmãos - PB, where quartz, feldspar and mica are mined. The understanding of mineral constituents is fundamental to define their industrial employment and to implement improvements in the beneficiation process. The proposal of this research is the detailed characterization and proof of that part of the ore (quartz) considered waste, presenting low poisoning (Fe2O3) and high silica (SiO2) content, to enable its industrial use. Besides that, to minimize the environmental impact through the reuse of this waste, and to determine the correct utilization of the milling equipment. For the pegmatite characterization, done were density determination tests, mineralogical identification by X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis by fluorescents X-rays and morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS). Then tests were done for the Work Index (WI) calculous and consequently the empirical determination of the dimensions (LxD) of the pebble mill. The sterile presented a medium density of 2.66g/cm³, majority chemical composition of silicon and oxygen and quartz as the main mineralogical stage, indicating that this material has high purity. The. The Work Index (WI) was 15.9 kwh/t showing that this material can be considered resistant to breaking in the grinding process. The necessary energy to the milling was defined in 11.52 kwh/st, that corresponds to 57.28 HP. This power allowed the mill selection with diammeter and length of 1.83m, that provides the production maximization and the energy saving.

Abstract Background Central venous catheters are essential for management of hospitalized patients, but their insertion is subject to complications that can make them unusable and/or cause patient morbidity. There are few data on the incidence of these complications and the variables associated with these outcomes in Brazil. Objectives To determine the incidence of mechanical complications and failures of short stay central venous catheters fitted by the vascular surgery service at a teaching hospital and identify variables associated with their occurrence. Methods This was a prospective cohort of 73 attempts to fit patients with a central venous catheter performed by the vascular surgery service at a teaching hospital from July to October of 2022. Results Mechanical complications occurred in 12 cannulation attempts (16.44%) and there were 10 failures (13.70%). The factors associated with mechanical complications were less experienced operators (p < 0.001), less specialized operators (p = 0.014), a failed attempt prior to requesting help from the vascular surgery service (p = 0.008), and presence of at least two criteria for difficulty (p = 0.007). Conclusions The local incidence of mechanical complications and central venous cannulation failures was similar to rates described in the international literature, but higher than rates in other Brazilian studies. The results suggest that the degree of experience of the person fitting the catheter, history of a failed prior attempt, and presence of at least two criteria for difficulty identified before the procedure were associated with worse outcomes.

Resumo Contexto Os acessos venosos centrais são essenciais no manejo de pacientes hospitalizados; contudo, a sua inserção está sujeita a complicações que podem dificultar seu uso e causar morbidade aos pacientes. No Brasil, dados acerca da incidência dessas complicações e das variáveis associadas com esse desfecho são escassos. Objetivos Determinar a incidência de complicações mecânicas e de falhas de acessos venosos centrais de curta permanência realizados no serviço de Cirurgia Vascular de um hospital de ensino, além de identificar as variáveis associadas com a sua ocorrência. Métodos Tratou-se de uma coorte prospectiva com 73 tentativas de acesso venoso central realizadas em pacientes assistidos pelo serviço de Cirurgia Vascular de um hospital de ensino entre julho e outubro de 2022. Resultados Complicações mecânicas ocorreram em 12 tentativas de acessos (16,44%), e falhas, em 10 tentativas (13,70%). Os fatores associados às complicações mecânicas foram menor experiência do operador (p < 0,001), menor grau de especialização do operador (p = 0,014), falha na tentativa de acesso precedente à solicitação de auxílio ao serviço de Cirurgia Vascular (p = 0,008) e presença de pelo menos dois critérios de dificuldade (p = 0,007). Conclusões A incidência local de complicações mecânicas e de falhas dos acessos venosos centrais foi semelhante à descrita na literatura internacional, mas foi superior à descrita em trabalhos brasileiros. Os resultados sugerem que o grau de experiência do executor do acesso, a história de falha em tentativa precedente e a presença de pelo menos dois critérios de dificuldade verificados antes do procedimento estão associados com piores desfechos.

Abstract Despite the enormous paleobotanical record on different islands of the Antarctic Peninsula, the evidence of insect activity associated with fossilized plants is scarce. Here we report the first evidence of insect-plant interaction from Cretaceous deposits, more precisely from a new locality at the Rip Point area, Nelson Island (Antarctic Peninsula). The macrofossil assemblage includes isolated Nothofagus sp. leaf impressions, a common component of the Antarctic paleoflora. Two hundred leaves were examined, of which 15 showed evidence of insect activity, displaying variations in size, shape, and preservation. Two types of interaction damage, galls and mines, were identified. A single specimen retained a circular scar recognized as galling scar, while meandering tracks were considered mines. These traces of herbivore insect activity, correspond to the oldest known record of this type of interaction of West Antarctica and the oldest record of insect-plant interaction in Nothofagus sp. reported so far.

Abstract The Alfeu-I lamproite is one of the few alkaline rock occurrences in the South of Brazil that represents the alkaline event related to the South Atlantic opening and the enormous magmatic activity that formed the Paraná basalts. Alfeu-I lamproite is a diatreme facies and exhibits an inequigranular texture with macrocrysts of mica, spinel, garnet, and ilmenite and microcrysts of mica, pyroxene, and rare olivine, all immersed in a groundmass of pyroxene, spinel, perovskite, rutile, ilmenite, and, more rarely, olivine. Major element compositions of Alfeu-I pyroxene, garnet, ilmenite, mica, and olivine were determined by electron microprobe analyses, and trace element concentrations of clinopyroxene, garnet, ilmenite, and mica were measured using laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry techniques. Temperature, pressure, and oxygen fugacity (fO2) conditions during the crystallization of Alfeu-I lamproite were calculated with the geothermobarometers and olivine, spinel, garnet, and orthopyroxene. The resulting mean equilibrium temperature ranges from 1375°C at 4 GPa to 1395°C at 5 GPa, whereas the fO2 points to ΔFMQ = +2.4 (at 4 GPa) and ΔFMQ = +2.2 (at 5 GPa). Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic data together with the trace element concentrations of minerals suggest that melting of a mantle source enriched in incompatible elements and volatiles due to previous subduction events occurred during the Gondwana breakup around 125 Ma ago. Fluids that may have originated from subducting slabs in the old subduction zone are probably the cause of the high fO2 conditions in Alfeu-I lamproite.

RESUMO Vários tipos de sementes têm sido introduzidos em formulações na indústria de alimentos, graças ao grande potencial que as proteínas vegetais apresentam. O baru, fruto disseminado no bioma cerrado, apresenta em sua castanha um alto valor nutricional. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar e analisar a cinética de secagem da farinha integral e desengordurada da amêndoa do baru em diferentes temperaturas. A farinha resultante da moagem das amêndoas foi desengordurada por éter de petróleo. As secagens foram realizadas nas temperaturas de 40, 50 e 60 °C. Os dados experimentais foram ajustados aos modelos matemáticos de Page, Henderson e Pabis, Midilli & Kucuk, Thompson e Aproximação da Difusão. Os resultados demonstraram notável efeito da temperatura do ar na cinética de secagem da farinha integral e desengordurada da amêndoa do baru. A farinha da amêndoa integral apresentou perdas de umidade mais lentas do que a farinha desengordurada. Segundo os parâmetros estatísticos de análises, os modelos de Midilli & Kucuk e Page foram os que obtiveram os melhores ajustes dos dados experimentais. Os valores de difusividade efetiva encontrados variaram de 8,02 × 10–10 a 19,90 × 10–10 m2 s-1 e para a energia de ativação foram de 22,39 e 39,37 KJ mol-1 para a amêndoa integral e desengordurada, respectivamente.

ABSTRACT Several types of seeds have been initially used in the food industry due to the great potential that vegetable proteins have. Baru is a fruit commonly found in the Cerrado biome, having a high nutritional value. This paper aimed to determine and analyze the drying kinetics of whole and defatted baru almond flours at different temperatures. The flour resulting from almond milling was defatted using petroleum ether. The drying processes were performed at temperatures of 40, 50 and 60 ºC. The mathematical models of Page, Henderson and Pabis, Midilli & Kucuk, Thompson and Approximation of Diffusion were fitted to the experimental data. The results showed a noticeable effect of air temperature on the drying kinetics of whole and defatted baru almond flours. According to the statistical parameters of analysis, the models Midilli & Kucuk and Page were the ones with the best fits to the experimental data. The effective diffusivity values found ranged from 8.02 × 10–10 to 19.90 × 10–10 m2 s-1 and for the activation energy were 22.39 and 39.37 KJ mol-1 for whole and defatted almonds, respectively.

RESUMO O objetivo neste trabalho foi estimar a dimensão dos blocos de observações da resistência à penetração, obtidas por um penetrômetro digital motorizado e o número de blocos considerando-se uma semiamplitude do intervalo de confiança entre 5 e 20% da média da resistência a penetração para diferentes faixas de profundidade do solo e diâmetros do cone de penetração. Os dados foram coletados em duas parcelas contrastantes de um experimento de "integração lavoura-pecuária" localizado em Abelardo Luz, SC. Foram demarcados 10 blocos e determinada a resistência à penetração em 20 pontos distanciados em 20 cm. Foi usado um "penetrômetro de solos digital e motorizado". Para estimar a média da resistência à penetração deve-se usar 12 blocos de quatro pontos por parcela experimental para uma semiamplitude do intervalo de confiança igual a 10% da média (1 - p = 0,95). Pode-se amostrar 20 pontos aleatórios por parcela para estimar a média da resistência à penetração para uma semiamplitude do intervalo de confiança igual a 10% da média (1- p = 0,95). O tamanho de amostra para a profundidade de 0-10 cm é maior do que nas faixas mais profundas (0-20, 0-30 e 0-40) e é menor para cones de diâmetro maior.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to estimate the size of blocks of observations of resistance to penetration, obtained by a motorized digital penetrometer, and the number of blocks with semi-amplitude of the confidence interval between 5 and 20% of the mean penetration resistance, for different soil depth ranges and cone diameters. Data were collected in two contrasting plots of a crop-livestock integration experiment, located in Abelardo Luz, SC, Brazil. Ten blocks were delimited and the resistance to penetration was determined in 20 points spaced by 20 cm, using a motorized digital soil penetrometer. To estimate the mean of resistance to penetration, 12 blocks of four points per experimental plot should be used for a semi-amplitude of the confidence interval equal to 10% of the mean (1 - p = 0.95). Twenty random points may be sampled to estimate mean of penetration resistance for a semiamplitude confidence interval of 10% of the man (1 - p = 0.95). The sample size for the layer of 0-10 cm is larger than in the deeper layers (0-20, 0-30 and 0-40 cm) and smaller for cones with larger diameter.

Loque americana é uma grave doença de propagação mundial em abelhas causada pelo Paenibacillus larvae. Extratos de plantas são conhecidos por diminuir ou inibir o crescimento dessa bactéria. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a atividade antimicrobiana dos extratos de Calendula. officinalis, Cariniana domestica, e Nasturtium officinale contra o P. larvae e avaliar a toxicidade dos extratos em abelhas. A atividade in vitro dos extratos contra P. larvae foi avaliada pelo método de microdiluição e as concentrações inibitórias mínimas (MICs) também foram determinadas. As concentrações utilizadas no ensaio de toxicidade foram estabelecidas baseadas nos valores de MIC e pelo método de aplicação por pulverização. O P. larvae foi suscetível aos extratos brutos de C. officinalis e N. officinale avaliados. Para a C. domestica, apenas as frações acetato de etila (EtAc) e butanólica (BuOH) tiveram atividade contra P. larvae. Análises de toxicidade em abelhas não mostraram toxidade para o extrato bruto de N. officinale e fração BuOH de C. domestica durante os 15 dias de tratamento, no entanto, ocorreram algumas mortes de abelhas durante os três primeiros dias de tratamento com C. officinalis e fração EtAc de C. domestica. Os resultados com essas espécies foram pela primeira vez descritos e mostraram que o extrato bruto de N. officinale e a fração BuOH de C. domestica ambos não apresentaram efeitos tóxicos nas concentrações testadas pelo método de aplicação por pulverização e podem ser uma alternativa útil para o tratamento ou prevenção da loque americana.

American foulbrood (AFB) is a serious worldwide spreading disease in bees caused by Paenibacillus larvae. Plants extracts are known to decrease or inhibit the growth of these bacteria. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of Calendula. officinalis, Cariniana domestica, and Nasturtium officinale extracts against the P. larvae and to evaluate the toxicity of the extracts in bees. In vitro activity against P. larvae of the extracts was evaluated by micro dilution method and the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were also determined. The concentrations used in the toxicity test were established based on the MIC values and by the spraying application method. The P. larvae was susceptible to the evaluated crude extract of C. officinalis and N. officinale. To C. domestica, only the ethyl acetate (EtAc) fraction and n-butanol (BuOH) fractions had activity against P. larvae. Toxicity analysis in bees showed no toxicity for N. officinale crude extract and for C. domestica BuOH fraction during 15 days of treatment, however, some deaths of bees occurred during the first three days of treatment with C. officinalis and C. domestica EtAc fraction. The results with these species were firstly described and showed that N. officinale crude extract and C. domestica BuOH fraction both presented not toxic effects in the concentration tested by the spraying application method, and can be a useful alternative for treatment or prevention of AFB.

Este estudo avaliou a resposta inflamatória aguda induzida por carragenina na bexiga natatóriade tilápia do Nilo suplementada com a mistura dos extratos naturais de própolis e Aloe barbadensis (1:1), nas concentrações de 0,5%, 1% e 2% na dieta durante o período de 15 dias. Trinta e seis peixes foram distribuídos em quatro tratamentos com três repetições: peixes suplementados com 0,5% da mistura dos extratos de própolis e Aloe (1:1) injetados na bexiga natatória com 500 µg de carragenina; peixes suplementados com 1% da mistura dos extratos de própolis e Aloe (1:1) injetados na bexiga natatória com 500 µg de carragenina; peixes suplementados com 2% da mistura dos extratos de própolis e Aloe (1:1) injetados na bexiga natatória com 500 µg de carragenina e peixes não suplementados injetados na bexiga natatória com 500 µg de carragenina. Seis horas após as injeções foram coletadas amostras de sangue e exsudato da bexiga natatória dos peixes. Foi observado aumento na contagem de leucócitos no exsudato da bexiga natatória de peixes suplementados com os extratos de própolis e Aloe injetados com carragenina. As células mais frequentes foram os macrófagos seguidos pelos leucócitos granulares, trombócitos e linfócitos. A suplementação com própolis e Aloe a 0,5% provocou aumento significativo no número de células no foco inflamatório, principalmente dos macrófagos, células responsáveis pela atividade fagocitária nos tecidos, agente da resposta imune inata nos peixes.

This study evaluated the acute inflammatory response induced by carrageenin in the swim bladder of Nile tilapia supplemented with the mixture of natural extracts of propolis and Aloe barbadensis (1:1) at a concentration of 0.5%, 1% and 2% in diet during 15 days. Thirty-six fish were distributed into four treatments with three replicates: fish supplemented with 0.5% of admix of extracts of propolis and Aloe (1:1) injected with 500 µg carrageenin; fish supplemented with 1% of admix of extracts of propolis and Aloe (1:1) injected with 500 µg carrageenin; fish supplemented with 2% of admix of extracts of propolis and Aloe (1:1), injected with 500 µg carrageenin and unsupplemented fish injected with 500 µg carrageenin. Six hours after injection, samples of blood and exudate from the swim bladder of fish were collected. It was observed an increase in the leukocyte count in the swim bladder exudate of fish supplemented with extracts of propolis and Aloe injected with carrageenin. The most frequent cells were macrophages followed by granular leukocytes, thrombocytes and lymphocytes. Supplementation with propolis and Aloe to 0.5% caused a significant increase in the number of cells on the inflammatory focus mainly macrophages, cells responsible for the phagocytic activity in tissues, agent of innate fish immune response.

Na mineração da bauxita no município de Paragominas-PA, são descartados no processo de beneficiamento rejeitos com teor de sólido de 33,5% e granulometria muito fina com D50 abaixo de 5 µm. Esses fatores contribuem para que esta suspensão formada basicamente por silico-aluminatos, com elevada concentração de argila caulinitica, apresente aumento na viscosidade e na tensão inicial de escoamento, fatores importantes durante o processo de bombeamento. Foi realizada análise granulométrica e determinadas as composições químicas e mineralógicas do material. Avaliou-se a utilização dos aditivos hexametafosfato de sódio e poliacrilamida 25% aniônica visando à diminuição da viscosidade. Os resultados mostram diminuição da viscosidade com a adição de 23,8 g/ton para a poliacrilamida e 101,75 g/ton para o hexametafosfato de sódio. A granulometria da polpa de bauxita descartada e o pH influenciam no comportamento dos aditivos reológicos.

In the bauxite mining in Parogominas, PA, Brazil, tailings are discarded in the processing with 33.5% of solids content and small particle size with D50 below 5 µm. These factors contribute to this suspension basically formed by silicoaluminates, with high concentrations of kaolinite clay, increase the viscosity and the yield stress, these factors are important during the pumping. It was performed granulometric analysis and determined the chemical and mineralogical composition of the material. It was studied the use of the sodium hexametaphosphate and polyacrylamide 25% anionic to decrease the viscosity. The result show that the viscosity decrease with use of 23.8 g/ton for the polyacrylamide and 101.75 g/ton for the sodium hexametaphosphate. The particle size and the pH have influence in the behavior of the additives.

Objetivou-se, neste estudo, obter a medida de regularidade (MR) do espaçamento entre plantas de milho e o número ótimo de plantas em sequência para estimar a MR em diferentes sistemas de manejo. No primeiro estudo foram avaliados os efeitos de quatro manejos da palha em parcelas principais, dois mecanismos sulcadores (disco duplo e haste sulcadora) em subparcelas e duas velocidades da máquina (4,5 e 7,0 km h-1) em subsubparcelas e no segundo se avaliaram quatro intensidades de pastejo em parcelas principais além de dois mecanismos sulcadores, em subparcelas. Foram avaliadas a produção de grãos e a distância entre as 40 plantas consecutivas no primeiro estudo e 18 plantas no segundo. Em cada unidade experimental foi calculada a média da distância entre as plantas e a MR. Procedeu-se à análise de variância com vista à produção de grãos, à média das distâncias e à MR, segundo o modelo de cada estudo. Para estimar a MR é suficiente usar as medidas das distâncias entre 26 plantas de milho para estudo de manejo de palha e 16 plantas de milho para o estudo do pastejo. A estatística, chamada medida de regularidade, pode ser usada para avaliar a exatidão de distribuição das sementes ou plantas de milho, passível de ser aplicada nos casos de laudo técnico de funcionamento de semeadoras.

This study was carried out aiming to obtain a measure of regularity (MR) of spacing of maize plants and the optimal number of plants to estimate the MR in different management systems. In the first study the effects of four straw managements in main plots, two mechanisms using furrowers (double disc and shank) in subplots, and two machine speeds (4.5 and 7.0 km h-1) in the subsubplots were evaluated. In the second study, four grazing intensities in main plots and two mechanisms with furrowers in subplots were assessed. The production of grain and the distance between the 40 plants in a row in the first study and 18 plants in the second study were evaluated. For each experimental unit, the mean distance between plants was observed and calculated MR. The analysis of variance for the grain yield, the mean distances and the MR was performed for the model of each study. To estimate MR, it is sufficient to use the measurements of the distances between 26 corn plants for management of straw study, and 16 corn plants for the study of grazing. The statistic called “measure of regularity” can be used to assess the accuracy of distribution of corn seeds or plants and it can be applied in cases of technical operation reports of seeders.

This aim of this work was to compare two methods for copper determination in insulating oils from power transformers by GFAAS. The first method was extraction induced by emulsion breaking, which determined the preconcentration of copper in an aqueous solution and exhibited a limit of quantification of 0.27 µg L-1. Also, a second method based on the direct introduction of samples into GFAAS in the form of detergent emulsions, prepared with Triton X-114 and HNO3, was investigated. In this case, the limit of quantification was 1.7 µg L-1. Seven samples of used oils were successfully analyzed by both methods.

This paper reports the evaluation of extraction strategies for the treatment of medicine samples to determine chromium and nickel by GFAAS. Different approaches for extraction were evaluated and the most efficient involved magnetic stirring. The metals were quantitatively extracted by stirring 0.20 g samples with 25 mL of 2.0 mol L-1 HCl solution for 60 min. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of Cr and Ni in tablets containing antibiotics and raw materials, with cephalexin and ciprofloxacin as active ingredients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program on cognition, quality of life, and neuropsychiatry symptoms in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease. METHOD: The present study was a single-blind, controlled study that was conducted at a university-based day-hospital memory facility. The study included 25 Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers and involved a 12-week stimulation and psychoeducational program. The comparison group consisted of 16 Alzheimer's patients in waiting lists for future intervention. INTERVENTION: Group sessions were provided by a multiprofessional team and included memory training, computer-assisted cognitive stimulation, expressive activities (painting, verbal expression, writing), physiotherapy, and physical training. Treatment was administered twice a week during 6.5-h gatherings. MEASUREMENTS: The assessment battery comprised the following tests: Mini-Mental State Examination, Short Cognitive Test, Quality of Life in Alzheimer's disease, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and Geriatric Depression Scale. Test scores were evaluated at baseline and the end of the study by raters who were blinded to the group assignments. RESULTS: Measurements of global cognitive function and performance on attention tasks indicated that patients in the experimental group remained stable, whereas controls displayed mild but significant worsening. The intervention was associated with reduced depression symptoms for patients and caregivers and decreased neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's subjects. The treatment was also beneficial for the patients' quality of life. CONCLUSION: This multimodal rehabilitation program was associated with cognitive stability and significant improvements in the quality of life for Alzheimer's patients. We also observed a significant decrease in depressive symptoms and caregiver burden. These results support the notion that structured nonpharmacological interventions can yield adjunct and clinically relevant benefits in dementia treatment.

A febre aftosa é uma das doenças mais temidas nos rebanhos em todo o mundo. A vacinação tem sido uma arma eficiente no controle da doença, no entanto há preocupações com as vacinas atualmente utilizadas incluindo a necessidade de instalações de alta segurança para a produção dessas vacinas e a falta de um teste de diagnóstico aprovado que faça distinção precisa entre animais vacinados dos infectados. Várias vacinas têm sido testadas contra a febre aftosa e uma dessas utiliza como vetor um vírus defectivo para replicação, derivado do adenovírus humano tipo 5 (Ad5), o qual contém as proteínas que compõe capsídeo do vírus da febre aftosa (P1-2A) e a protease 3C, protegeu completamente suínos contra o desafio de uma cepa homóloga (A12 e A24). Uma vacina com o Ad5-P1-2A+3C proveniente da cepa O1 Campos (Ad5-O1C), no entanto, somente induziu um baixo título de anticorpos neutralizantes específicos em testes de potência vacinal em suínos. O fator estimulante de colônias de granulócitos e macrófagos (GM-CSF) tem sido utilizado com sucesso na formulação de vacinas para estimular a resposta imune contra inúmeras doenças, incluindo HIV, Hepatite C e B. Na tentativa de melhorar a resposta imune específica contra a febre aftosa induzida pelo Ad5-O1C, suínos foram vacinados com Ad5-O1C juntamente com Ad5-GM-CSFporcino. Entretanto nas, condições utilizadas nesse teste, o GM-CSF suíno não melhorou a resposta imune do Ad5-O1C e adversamente afetou o nível de proteção de suínos desafiados com o vírus homólogo da febre aftosa.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is one of the most feared diseases of livestock worldwide. Vaccination has been a very effective weapon in controlling the disease, however a number of concerns with the current vaccine including the inability of approved diagnostic tests to reliably distinguish vaccinated from infected animals and the need for high containment facilities for vaccine production, have limited its use during outbreaks in countries previously free of the disease. A number of FMD vaccine candidates have been tested and a replication-defective human adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) vector containing the FMDV capsid (P1-2A) and 3C protease coding regions has been shown to completely protect pigs against challenge with the homologous virus (FMDV A12 and A24). An Ad5-P1-2A+3C vaccine for FMDV O1 Campos (Ad5-O1C), however, only induced a low FMDV-specific neutralizing antibody response in swine potency tests. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has been successfully used to stimulate the immune response in vaccine formulations against a number of diseases, including HIV, hepatitis C and B. To attempt to improve the FMDV-specific immune response induced by Ad5-O1C, we inoculated swine with Ad5-O1C and an Ad5 vector containing the gene for porcine GM-CSF (pGM-CSF). However, in the conditions used in this trial, pGM-CSF did not improve the immune response to Ad5-O1C and adversely affected the level of protection of swine challenged with homologous FMDV.

This paper focuses on recent results on the optical properties of self-assembled quantum dots involving type-I InGaAs/GaAs and type-II InP/GaAs interfaces. In the first part, we focus on the InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots, that were used to study the influence of a two-dimensional electron gas on the optical emission of single quantum dots. In the second part, we present the results on type-II InP/GaAs quantum dots. In this system, we observed an experimental evidence indicating that the model used to interpret the blue shift of the type-II quantum well optical emission cannot be applied to type-II quantum dots.