Evaluating Spanish pension expenditure under alternativa reform scenario

In this paper we evaluate the quantitative impact that a number ofalternative reform scenarios may have on the total expenditure for publicpensions in Spain. Our quantitative findings can be summarized in twosentences. For all the reforms considered, the financial impact of themechanical effect (change in benefits) is order of magnitudes larger thanthe behavioral impact or change in behavior. For the two Spanish reforms,we find once again that their effect on the outstanding liability of theSpanish Social Security System is essentially negligible: neither themechanical nor the behavioral effects amount to much for the 1997 reform,and amount to very little for the 2002 amendment.

Effect of irrigation water on the incidence of Salmonella spp. on lettuces produced by urban agriculture and sold on the markets in Dakar, Senegal

The aim of our survey was to assess the effect of irrigation water of the microbiological quality on the production chain of lettuce in the Dakar area. Microbiological analysis showed that 35% of irrigation water was contaminated by Salmonella spp. between the two water-types used for irrigation (groundwater and wastewater), no significant difference (p>0.05) in their degree of contamination was found. The incidence of different types of irrigation water on the contamination rate of lettuces from the farm (Pikine and Patte d'Oie) was not different either (p>0.05). However, the contamination rate of lettuce from markets of Dalifort and Grand-Yoff that were supplied by the area of Patte d'Oie was greater than those of Sham and Zinc supplied by Pikine (p<0.05). Comparison of serotypes of Salmonella isolated from irrigation water and lettuce showed that irrigation water may affect the microbiological quality of lettuce. Manures, frequently used as organic amendment in cultivating lettuce are another potential source of contamination. These results showed that lettuce may constitute effective vectors for the transmission of pathogens to consumers. Extensive treatment of the used wastewater and/or composting of manure could considerably reduce these risks.

Improving rainwater-use in Cabo Verde drylands by reducing runoff

Dryland agriculture in Cabo Verde copes with steep slopes, inadequate practices, irregular intense rain, recurrent droughts, high runoff rates, severe soil erosion and declining fertility, leading to the inefficient use of rainwater. Maize and beans occupy N80% of the arable land in low-input, low-yielding subsistence farming. Three collaborative field trialswere conducted in different agroecological zones to evaluate the effects ofwater-conservation techniques (mulching of crop residue, a soil surfactant and pigeon-pea hedges) combinedwith organic amendments (compost and animal or green manure) on runoff and soil loss. During the 2011 and 2012 rainy seasons, three treatments and one control (traditional practice) were applied to 44- and 24-m2 field plots. A local maize variety and two types of beanswere planted. Runoff and suspended sedimentswere collected and quantified after each daily erosive rainfall. Runoff occurred for rainfalls≥50mm(slope b10%, loamy Kastanozem),≥60mm(slope≤23%, silt–clay–loam Regosol) and≥40mm(slope≤37%, sandy loam Cambisol). Runoffwas significantly reduced only with themulch treatment on the slope N10% and in the treatment of surfactant with organic amendment on the slope b10%. Soil loss reached 16.6, 5.1, 6.6 and 0.4 Mg ha−1 on the Regosol (≤23% slope) for the control, surfactant, pigeon-pea and mulch/pigeon-pea (with organic amendment) treatments, respectively; 3.2, 0.9, 1.3 and 0.1 Mg ha−1 on the Cambisol (≤37% slope) and b0. 2Mg ha−1 for all treatments and control on the Kastanozem(b10% slope). Erosion was highly positively correlated with runoff. Mulch with pigeon-pea combinedwith an organic amendment significantly reduced runoff and erosion fromagricultural fields on steep slopes, contributing to improved use of rainwater at the plot level. Sustainable land management techniques, such as mulching with pigeon-pea hedges and an organic amendment, should be advocated and promoted for the semiarid hillsides of Cabo Verde prone to erosion to increase rainwater-use and to prevent further soil degradation.

Radionuclides and heavy metal contents in phosphogypsum samples in comparison to cerrado soils

Phosphogysum (PG) or agricultural gypsum, a solid waste from the phosphate fertilizer industry, is used as soil amendment, especially on soils in the Cerrado region, in Brazil. This material may however contain natural radionuclides and metals which can be transferred to soils, plants and water sources. This paper presents and discusses the results of physical and chemical analyses that characterized samples of PG and compares them to the results found in two typical soils of the Cerrado, a clayey and sandy one. These analyses included: solid waste classification, evaluation of organic matter content and of P, K, Ca, Mg, and Al concentrations and of the mineralogical composition. Natural radionuclides and metal concentrations in PG and soil samples were also measured. Phosphogypsum was classified as Class II A - Not Dangerous, Not Inert, Not Corrosive and Not Reactive. The organic matter content in the soil samples was low and potential acidity high. In the mean, the specific 226Ra activity in the phosphogypsum samples (252 Bq kg-1) was below the maximum level recommended by USEPA, which is 370 Bq kg-1 for agricultural use. In addition, this study verified that natural radionuclides and metals concentrations in PG were lower than in the clayey Oxisol of Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. These results indicated that the application of phosphogypsum as soil amendment in agriculture would not cause a significant impact on the environment.

Microbial and enzymatic activity in soil after organic composting

Microbial activity and biochemical properties are important indicators of the impact of organic composting on soil. The objective of this study was to evaluate some indicators of soil microbial and biochemical processes after application of compost (household waste). A Typic Acrustox, sampled at a depth of 10 cm under Cerrado biome vegetation, was evaluated in three treatments: control (soil without organic compost amendment) and soil with two doses of domestic organic compost (10 and 20 g kg-1 soil). The following properties were evaluated: released C (C-CO2): microbial respiration 15 days after incubation; microbial biomass C (MBC); total glucose (TG); metabolic quotient (qCO2); and enzyme activity of β-glucosidase and acid and alkaline phosphatase. The application of household compost, at doses of 10 and 20 g kg-1 Typic Acrustox, resulted in significant gains in microbial activity, organic C and C stock, as evidenced by increased MBC and TG levels. On the other hand, qCO2 decreases indicated greater microbial diversity and more efficient energy use. The addition of compost, particularly the 20 g kg-1 dose, strongly influenced the enzyme β-glucosidase and phosphatase (acid and alkaline). The β-glucosidase activity was significantly increased and acid phosphatase activity increased more than the alkaline. The ratio of β-glucosidase to MBC was greater in the control than in the composted treatments which suggests that there were more enzymes in the control than in the substrate or that the addition of compost induced a great MBC increase.

Water-soluble nutrients in aerial plant parts of peanut and white oat as affected by lime and gypsum application

Lime and gypsum influence nutrient availability and uptake, as well as the content of organic acids in the aerial plant parts. These changes, quantified by plant analysis of soluble nutrients, may potentiate the effect of soil amendment, ensuring the sustainability of the no-tillage system. In this sense the effect of lime and gypsum surface application on the content of water-soluble nutrients in peanut and oat residues was evaluated. The experiment was conducted on an Oxisol in Botucatu (SP) in the growing seasons 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. It was arranged in a randomized block design in split plots with four replications, where lime rates represented the plots and presence or absence of gypsum application the subplots. Peanut was grown in summer and white oat in the winter in the entire experimental area. Gypsum applied to peanut increased soluble Ca only in the first season, due to the short period between product application and determination of soluble nutrient contents in the plant extract. Liming of peanut and oat increased soluble Ca, Mg, K contents, did not alter Cu content and reduced Zn, Mn and Fe contents in both years of cultivation. Gypsum on the other hand reduced the electrical conductivity of peanut (2004/2005 and 2005/2006) and white oat (2004/2005).

Assessment of letrozole and tamoxifen alone and in sequence for postmenopausal women with steroid hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: the BIG 1-98 randomised clinical trial at 8·1 years median follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer have persistent, long-term risk of breast-cancer recurrence and death. Therefore, trials assessing endocrine therapies for this patient population need extended follow-up. We present an update of efficacy outcomes in the Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 study at 8·1 years median follow-up. METHODS: BIG 1-98 is a randomised, phase 3, double-blind trial of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer that compares 5 years of tamoxifen or letrozole monotherapy, or sequential treatment with 2 years of one of these drugs followed by 3 years of the other. Randomisation was done with permuted blocks, and stratified according to the two-arm or four-arm randomisation option, participating institution, and chemotherapy use. Patients, investigators, data managers, and medical reviewers were masked. The primary efficacy endpoint was disease-free survival (events were invasive breast cancer relapse, second primaries [contralateral breast and non-breast], or death without previous cancer event). Secondary endpoints were overall survival, distant recurrence-free interval (DRFI), and breast cancer-free interval (BCFI). The monotherapy comparison included patients randomly assigned to tamoxifen or letrozole for 5 years. In 2005, after a significant disease-free survival benefit was reported for letrozole as compared with tamoxifen, a protocol amendment facilitated the crossover to letrozole of patients who were still receiving tamoxifen alone; Cox models and Kaplan-Meier estimates with inverse probability of censoring weighting (IPCW) are used to account for selective crossover to letrozole of patients (n=619) in the tamoxifen arm. Comparison of sequential treatments to letrozole monotherapy included patients enrolled and randomly assigned to letrozole for 5 years, letrozole for 2 years followed by tamoxifen for 3 years, or tamoxifen for 2 years followed by letrozole for 3 years. Treatment has ended for all patients and detailed safety results for adverse events that occurred during the 5 years of treatment have been reported elsewhere. Follow-up is continuing for those enrolled in the four-arm option. BIG 1-98 is registered at clinicaltrials.govNCT00004205. FINDINGS: 8010 patients were included in the trial, with a median follow-up of 8·1 years (range 0-12·4). 2459 were randomly assigned to monotherapy with tamoxifen for 5 years and 2463 to monotherapy with letrozole for 5 years. In the four-arm option of the trial, 1546 were randomly assigned to letrozole for 5 years, 1548 to tamoxifen for 5 years, 1540 to letrozole for 2 years followed by tamoxifen for 3 years, and 1548 to tamoxifen for 2 years followed by letrozole for 3 years. At a median follow-up of 8·7 years from randomisation (range 0-12·4), letrozole monotherapy was significantly better than tamoxifen, whether by IPCW or intention-to-treat analysis (IPCW disease-free survival HR 0·82 [95% CI 0·74-0·92], overall survival HR 0·79 [0·69-0·90], DRFI HR 0·79 [0·68-0·92], BCFI HR 0·80 [0·70-0·92]; intention-to-treat disease-free survival HR 0·86 [0·78-0·96], overall survival HR 0·87 [0·77-0·999], DRFI HR 0·86 [0·74-0·998], BCFI HR 0·86 [0·76-0·98]). At a median follow-up of 8·0 years from randomisation (range 0-11·2) for the comparison of the sequential groups with letrozole monotherapy, there were no statistically significant differences in any of the four endpoints for either sequence. 8-year intention-to-treat estimates (each with SE ≤1·1%) for letrozole monotherapy, letrozole followed by tamoxifen, and tamoxifen followed by letrozole were 78·6%, 77·8%, 77·3% for disease-free survival; 87·5%, 87·7%, 85·9% for overall survival; 89·9%, 88·7%, 88·1% for DRFI; and 86·1%, 85·3%, 84·3% for BCFI. INTERPRETATION: For postmenopausal women with endocrine-responsive early breast cancer, a reduction in breast cancer recurrence and mortality is obtained by letrozole monotherapy when compared with tamoxifen montherapy. Sequential treatments involving tamoxifen and letrozole do not improve outcome compared with letrozole monotherapy, but might be useful strategies when considering an individual patient's risk of recurrence and treatment tolerability. FUNDING: Novartis, United States National Cancer Institute, International Breast Cancer Study Group.

Growth, nodulation and nitrogen fixation of cowpea in soils amended with composted tannery sludge

Tannery wastes generation is increasing every year and a suitable method for tannery sludge management is necessary in order to decrease this environmental problem. The composting is recognized as a suitable method for sludge recycling.. The effect of tannery sludge compost (TSC) rates on growth, nodulation and N fixation of cowpea was investigated. Sandy and clayey soils were amended with TSC at rates of 0, 7.5, 15, 30, and 60 t ha-1. The shoot dry weight of cowpea plants 45 days after emergence (DAE) was greater in the TSC-amended than in the unamended soil. In the sandy soil, nodule dry weight increased with TSC application 45 DAE. In the clayey soil, 45 DAE, nodule dry weight decreased with TSC amendment levels greater than 7.5 t ha-1 compared to the unamended control. The application of TSC increased N accumulation in the cowpea plants. The results suggest that cowpea responds differently to TSC depending on the amendment rate and initial soil type.

Application of alkaline waste from pulp industry to acid soil with pine

In Brazil extensive areas are covered with pine forests, planted for pulp and paper production. This industry generates solid alkaline waste, such as dregs. The application of this dregs to forest soils is an alternative for soil acidity correction and plant nutrient supply, as well as a solution for its proper disposal. The purpose of this study was to compare the residual effect of surface application of dregs and dolomitic lime on (a) changes in the physical and chemical properties of an acidic soil and (b) pine tree development. The experiment was carried out in 2004 in Bocaina do Sul, Santa Catarina, consisting of the application of increasing dreg and lime rates to a Pinus taeda L. production area, on a Humic Cambisol, in a randomized block design with four replications and 10 x 10 m plots. The treatments consisted of levels of soil acidity amendments corresponding to the recommendations by the SMP method to reach pH 5.5 in the 0-20 cm layer, as follows: no soil amendment; dregs at 5.08 (1/4 SMP), 10.15 (1/2 SMP) and 20.3 Mg ha-1 (1 SMP); and lime at 8.35 (1/2 SMP) and 16.7 Mg ha-1 (1 SMP). Soil layers were sampled in 2010 for analyses of soil chemical and physical properties. The diameter at breast height of the 6.5 year old pine trees was also evaluated. Surface application of dregs improved soil chemical fertility by reducing acidity and increasing base saturation, similar to liming, especially in surface layers. Dregs, comparable to lime, reduced the degree of clay flocculation, but did not affect the soil physical quality. There was no effect of the amendments on increase in pine tree diameter. Thus, the alternative to raise the pH in forest soils to 5.5 with dregs is promising for the forestry sector with a view to dispose of the waste and increase soil fertility.

Characterization and nutrient release from silicate rocks and influence on chemical changes in soil

The expansion of Brazilian agriculture has led to a heavy dependence on imported fertilizers to ensure the supply of the growing food demand. This fact has contributed to a growing interest in alternative nutrient sources, such as ground silicate rocks. It is necessary, however, to know the potential of nutrient release and changes these materials can cause in soils. The purpose of this study was to characterize six silicate rocks and evaluate their effects on the chemical properties of treated soil, assessed by chemical extractants after greenhouse incubation. The experimental design consisted of completely randomized plots, in a 3 x 6 factorial scheme, with four replications. The factors were potassium levels (0-control: without silicate rock application; 200; 400; 600 kg ha-1 of K2O), supplied as six silicate rock types (breccia, biotite schist, ultramafic rock, phlogopite schist and two types of mining waste). The chemical, physical and mineralogical properties of the alternative rock fertilizers were characterized. Treatments were applied to a dystrophic Red-Yellow Oxisol (Ferralsol), which was incubated for 100 days, at 70 % (w/w) moisture in 3.7 kg/pots. The soil was evaluated for pH; calcium and magnesium were extracted with KCl 1 mol L-1; potassium, phosphorus and sodium by Mehlich 1; nickel, copper and zinc with DTPA; and the saturation of the cation exchange capacity was calculated for aluminum, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, and overall base saturation. The alternative fertilizers affected soil chemical properties. Ultramafic rock and Chapada mining byproduct (CMB) were the silicate rocks that most influenced soil pH, while the mining byproduct (MB) led to high K levels. Zinc availability was highest in the treatments with mining byproduct and Cu in soil fertilized with Chapada and mining byproduct.

Effects of surface application of calcium-magnesium silicate and gypsum on soil fertility and sugarcane yield

Lime application recommendations for amendment of soil acidity in sugarcane were developed with a burnt cane harvesting system in mind. Sugarcane is now harvested in most areas without burning, and lime application for amendment of soil acidity in this system in which the sugarcane crop residue remains on the ground has been carried out without a scientific basis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in soil acidity and stalk and sugar yield with different rates of surface application of calcium, magnesium silicate, and gypsum in ratoon cane. The experiment was performed after the 3rd harvest of the variety SP 81-3250 in a commercial green sugarcane plantation of the São Luiz Sugar Mill (47º 25' 33" W; 21º 59' 46" S), located in Pirassununga, São Paulo, in southeast Brazil. A factorial arrangement of four Ca-Mg silicate rates (0, 850, 1700, and 3400 kg ha-1) and two gypsum rates (0 and 1700 kg ha-1) was used in the experiment. After 12 months, the experiment was harvested and technological measurements of stalk and sugar yield were made. After harvest, soil samples were taken at the depths of 0.00-0.05, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0.20, 0.20-0.40, and 0.40-0.60 m in all plots, and the following determinations were made: soil pH in CaCl2, organic matter, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, H+Al, Al, Si, and base saturation. The results show that the application of gypsum reduced the exchangeable Al3+ content and Al saturation below 0.05 m, and increased the Ca2+ concentration in the whole profile, the Mg2+ content below 0.10 m, K+ below 0.4 m, and base saturation below 0.20 m. This contributed to the effect of surface application of silicate on amendment of soil acidity reaching deeper layers. From the results of this study, it may be concluded that the silicate rate recommended may be too low, since the greater rates used in this experiment showed greater reduction in soil acidity, higher levels of nutrients at greater depths and an increase in stalk and sugar yield.

BIOCHAR: PYROGENIC CARBON FOR AGRICULTURAL USE - A CRITICAL REVIEW

Biochar (carbonized biomass for agricultural use) has been used worldwide as soil amendment and is a technology of particular interest for Brazil, since its "inspiration" is from the historical Terra Preta de Índios(Amazon Dark Earth), and also because Brazil is the world's largest charcoal producer, generating enormous residue quantities in form of fine charcoal and due to the availability of different residual biomasses, mainly from agroindustry (e.g., sugar-cane bagasse; wood and paper-mill wastes; residues from biofuel industries; sewage sludge etc), that can be used for biochar production, making Brazil a key actor in the international scenario in terms of biochar research and utilization). In the last decade, numerous studies on biochar have been carried out and now a vast literature, and excellent reviews, are available. The objective of this paper is therefore to deliver a critical review with some highlights on biochar research, rather than an exhaustive bibliographic review. To this end, some key points considered critical and relevant were selected and the pertinent literature "condensed", with a view to guide future research, rather than analyze trends of the past.

Iowa Power Fund Board Project Report Update, July 29, 2009

Amana Farms is using an anaerobic digestion, which is a two-stage digester that converts manure and other organic wastes into three valuable by-products: 1) Biogas – to fuel an engine/generator set to create electricity; 2) Biosolids - used as a livestock bedding material or as a soil amendment; 3) Liquid stream - will be applied as a low-odor fertilizer to growing crops. (see Business Plan appendix H) The methane biogas will be collected from the two stages of the anaerobic digestion vessel and used for fuel in the combined heat and power engine/generator sets. The engine/generator sets are natural gasfueled reciprocating engines modified to burn biogas. The electricity produced by the engine/generator sets will be used to offset on-farm power consumption and the excess power will be sold directly to Amana Society Service Company as a source of green power. The waste heat, in the form of hot water, will be collected from both the engine jacket liquid cooling system and from the engine exhaust (air) system. Approximately 30 to 60% of this waste heat will be used to heat the digester. The remaining waste heat will be used to heat other farm buildings and may provide heat for future use for drying corn or biosolids. The digester effluent will be pumped from the effluent pit at the end of the anaerobic digestion vessel to a manure solids separator. The mechanical manure separator will separate the effluent digested waste stream into solid and liquid fractions. The solids will be dewatered to approximately a 35% solid material. Some of the separated solids will be used by the farm for a livestock bedding replacement. The remaining separated solids may be sold to other farms for livestock bedding purposes or sold to after-markets, such as nurseries and composters for soil amendment material. The liquid from the manure separator, now with the majority of the large solids removed, will be pumped into the farm’s storage lagoon. A significant advantage of the effluent from the anaerobic digestion treatment process is that the viscosity of the effluent is such that the liquid effluent can now be pumped through an irrigation nozzle for field spreading.

Engineering Study Automating Iowa's Speed Monitoring Program, HR-228, 1983

Excessive speed on State and County highways is recognized as a serious problem by many Iowans. Speed increases both the risk and severity of accidents. Studies conducted by the FHWA and NHTSA have concluded that if average speeds were increased by five MPH, fatalities would increase by at least 2,200 annually. Along with the safety problems associated with excessive speed are important energy considerations. When the national speed limit was lowered to 55 MPH in 1974, a tremendous savings in fuel was realized. The estimated actual savings for automobiles amounted to 2.2 billion gallons, an average of 20.75 gallons for each of the 106 million automobiles registered in 1975. These benefits prompted the Federal-Aid Amendment of 1974 requiring annual State enforcement certification as a prerequisite for approval of Federal-aid highway projects. In 1978, the United States D.O.T. recommended to Congress significant changes in speed limit legislation designed to increase compliance with the national speed limit. The Highway Safety Act of 1978 provides for both withholding Federal-aid highway funds and awarding incentive grants based on speed compliance data submitted annually. The objective of this study was to develop and make operational, an automatic speed monitoring system which would have flexible capabilities of collecting accurate speed data on all road systems in Iowa. It was concluded that the Automatic Speed Monitoring Program in Iowa has been successful and needed data is being collected in the most economical manner possible.

Författningsändring och problemlösning: en studie av kvalificerade majoriteter i 34 stater

Abstract: Constitutional amendment and problem-solving: supermajorities in 34 states.