The basis for the high incidence of infectious complications in portal hypertension (PHT) remains unclear. The hypothesis that PHT induces bacterial translocation (BT) was tested in a rat model with or without mono-association with streptomycin resistant Escherichia coli C25 and with or without hypovolemic shock. PHT was achieved by partial portal vein ligation and three weeks later hypovolemic...

Dimensionally stable anodes (DSA) were polarized at different constant potential values for several days in garden compost. After an initial lag period ranging from 1 to 10.5 days, the current increased fast and then stabilized for days. Current densities higher than 100 mA m(-2) and up to 385 mA m(-2) were obtained with the sole organic matter contained in compost as substrate. Control experim...

Manipulation of the human gut microflora is being attempted as a means of introducing into the digestive tract new micro-organisms which are beneficial to the host or which are able to bring about advantageous changes to the equilibrium populations and metabolic activities of the indigenous flora. In theory, this can be achieved by ingestion of nutrients or growth substances specifically favour...

The present research addresses cultural variation in concepts of agency. Across two experiments, we investigate how Indigenous Ngöbe of Panama and US college students interpret and make inferences about nonhuman agency, focusing on plants as a critical test case. In Experiment 1, participants predicted goal-directed actions for plants and other nonhuman kinds and judged their capacities for int...

Sterile tissues of human subjects free from infection and malignancy were assessed for an antigen that cross-reacts with the enterobacterial common antigen (ECA). Extracts of heated homogenates (HE) and ethanol-soluble (ES) fractions of liver, kidney, muscle, and heart tissues were examined for their capacities to react with ECA antibodies, as measured by hemagglutination procedures, and to eli...

Species of Encephalartos, commonly known as bread trees, bread palms or cycads are native to Africa; the genus encompasses more than 60 species and represents an important component of the indigenous African flora. Recently, a leaf blight disease was noted on several E. altensteinii plants growing at the foot of Table Mountain in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens of South Africa. Preliminary i...

Macaronesia, which includes five mid-Atlantic archipelagos (Azores, Madeira, Selvagems, Canaries, and Cape Verdes), has been traditionally recognized as a distinct biogeographic unit whose circumscription has been intimately associated with the hypothesis that the flora is a relict of a formerly broadly distributed subtropical Tertiary flora. The concept of Macaronesia is revisited here using p...

Many microorganisms (including a number of important foodborne pathogens) can be present on raw fruits and vegetables. Since these products are frequently eaten raw, any pathogens present represent a potential risk to the consumer. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of a commercial produce wash with that of water for reducing the total bacterial population on lettuce when u...

OBJECTIVE In spite of the richness of the Brazilian biodiversity, no phytomedicines have been developed from this flora with the purpose of being used in psychiatric treatments. The objective of the present study was to document the use of plants with possible psychoactive effects in rituals performed by the Krahô Indians, who live in the cerrado savannahs biome in the central region of Brazil....