Towards a universal sampling protocol for soil biotas in the humid tropics

This paper reviews the methods for the inventory of below-ground biotas in the humid tropics, to document the (hypothesized) loss of soil biodiversity associated with deforestation and agricultural intensification at forest margins. The biotas were grouped into eight categories, each of which corresponded to a major functional group considered important or essential to soil function. An accurate inventory of soil organisms can assist in ecosystem management and help sustain agricultural production. The advantages and disadvantages of transect-based and grid-based sampling methods are discussed, illustrated by published protocols ranging from the original "TSBF transect", through versions developed for the alternatives to Slash-and-Burn Project (ASB) to the final schemes (with variants) adopted by the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Below-ground Biodiversity Project (CSM-BGBD). Consideration is given to the place and importance of replication in below-ground biological sampling and it is argued that the new sampling protocols are inclusive, i.e. designed to sample all eight biotic groups in the same field exercise; spatially scaled, i.e. provide biodiversity data at site, locality, landscape and regional levels, and link the data to land use and land cover; and statistically robust, as shown by a partial randomization of plot locations for sampling.

First Report of the Iowa Library Commission 1900-1903

1900-1903 Iowa Library Commission Report made to the Governor of Iowa.

The lower quality of preventive care among forced migrants in a country with universal healthcare coverage.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between socio-demographic factors and the quality of preventive care and chronic care of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in a country with universal health care coverage. METHODS: Our retrospective cohort assessed a random sample of 966 patients aged 50-80years followed over 2years (2005-2006) in 4 Swiss university primary care settings (Basel/Geneva/Lausanne/Zürich). We used RAND's Quality Assessment Tools indicators and examined recommended preventive care among different socio-demographic subgroups. RESULTS: Overall patients received 69.6% of recommended preventive care. Preventive care indicators were more likely to be met among men (72.8% vs. 65.4%; p<0.001), younger patients (from 71.0% at 50-59years to 66.7% at 70-80years, p for trend=0.03) and Swiss patients (71.1% vs. 62.7% in forced migrants; p=0.001). This latter difference remained in multivariate analysis adjusted for gender, age, civil status and occupation (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.54-0.86). Forced migrants had lower scores for physical examination and breast and colon cancer screening (all p≤0.02). No major differences were seen for chronic care of CV risk factors. CONCLUSION: Despite universal healthcare coverage, forced migrants receive less preventive care than Swiss patients in university primary care settings. Greater attention should be paid to forced migrants for preventive care.

L'esquema universal de clústers de 2-seccions d'una família de superfícies

Generalitzem el concepte de clúster de punts d'una superfície a clúster de seccions d'una família de superfícies per passar al cas relatiu, és a dir, a clústers de B-punts d'una B-superfície. Llavors definim, amb una propietat universal, la família universal de clusters de 2-seccions d'una família de superfícies, que, en cas que existir, és un esquema que parametritza tots els clústers de 2-seccions d'una famíla de superfícies. Demostrem la seva existencia sota certes hipotesis i trobem que es pot construir en termes de blowups a partir del producte de la família universal de seccions de la fmília de superficies per si mateixa. Al final del treball hi ha tres exemples que mostren part de la teoria estudiada.

Gender stereotypes of personality : universal and accurate ?

Numerous studies have documented subtle but consistent sex differences in self-reports and observer-ratings of five-factor personality traits, and such effects were found to show well- defined developmental trajectories and remarkable similarity across nations. In contrast, very little is known about perceived gender differences in five-factor traits in spite of their potential implications for gender biases at the interpersonal and societal level. In particular, it is not clear how perceived gender differences in five-factor personality vary across age groups and national contexts and to what extent they accurately reflect assessed sex differences in personality. To address these questions, we analyzed responses from 3,323 individuals across 26 nations (mean age = 22.3 years, 31% male) who were asked to rate the five-factor personality traits of typical men or women in three age groups (adolescent, adult, and older adult) in their respective nations. Raters perceived women as slightly higher in openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness as well as some aspects of extraversion and neuroticism. Perceived gender differences were fairly consistent across nations and target age groups and mapped closely onto assessed sex differences in self- and observer-rated personality. Associations between the average size of perceived gender differences and national variations in sociodemographic characteristics, value systems, or gender equality did not reach statistical significance. Findings contribute to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of gender stereotypes of personality and suggest that perceptions of actual sex differences may play a more important role than culturally based gender roles and socialization processes.

Diagnostics VIH tardifs en 2009 en Suisse: motivation a un dépistage systématique du VIH [Late diagnoses of HIV infection in 2009 in Switzerland: towards a universal HIV testing?]

Individuals who are unaware of their HIV infection constitute a fragile and a critical population both from a personal and from a community-based point of view: if the infection is diagnosed too late, the outcome can be complicated by AIDS-defining diseases, whose prognosis may remain unfavourable even after the initiation of a potent antiretroviral therapy. These patients contribute to the virus spreading into the community, owing to a high viral load. It is now necessary to recognise the limits of a risk behaviour and disease-driven HIV screening policy. Since 2006, the American guidelines recommend a routine HIV testing for all patients age 13 to 64 years unless they specifically refuse the test (opt-out). In Switzerland, the recommendations remain so far risk-centred.

[2 lettres autographes signées de Jules Barbier à Henri Heugel, 1900]

18 janvier 1900. Solde son compte avec le "Ménestrel". - Papier à en-tête : "Au Ménestrel, 2 bis rue Vivienne. Paris". - 5 mars 1900. Au sujet de ses affaires avec Heugel : "Votre oncle m'a accoutumé à ne plus voir en lui qu'un éditeur. J'aime mieux m'en tenir là. Où l'humiliation commence, l'amitié est de trop." L'informe que le règlement qu'ils ont arrangé ne lui convient plus et demande un versement d'argent tous les mois. - Carte bordée de noir

Análise espacial dos fatores da equação universal de perda de solo em área de nascentes

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a perda de solo de área de nascentes da Microbacia do Córrego do Tijuco, SP. Foi utilizada a análise espacial dos fatores da equação universal da perda de solo (EUPS), em integração com análise de componentes principais e geoestatística. A perda de solo média, estimada para a área, foi de 118,5 Mg ha‑1 por ano, considerada alta. Próximo à zona urbana, houve alta interação dos fatores erosividade da chuva e práticas conservacionistas, o que evidencia grande perda de solo, em razão da concentração da água proveniente da camada impermeabilizada urbana, com alta velocidade de escoamento. Nos divisores de águas, a atuação da erodibilidade foi proeminente, em contraste com o fator topográfico. Foram observadas áreas com atuação conjunta destes fatores, inclusive em locais de inclinação suave, porém com alto potencial natural de erosão. A interação das análises multivariadas e geoestatística permite a estratificação da área, identifica locais com propriedades específicas quanto à perda de solo, e espacializa os fatores do processo erosivo e suas interações ao longo do relevo.

1.° Publii Terentii, Afri, comoediae sex ; decimo tertio saeculo exaratae. — 2.° D. Juvenalis satyrarum quarta, cujus initium desideratur, quinta, sexta, septima et pars octavae ; decimo saeculo exaratae. — 3.° Publii Virgilii Maronis aeneïdos libri tertii finis, quartus et quintus integri ; nono saeculo exarati. — 4.° Daretis Phrygii de excidio Trojano historia : interprete Cornelio Nepote, cujus praemittitur epistola ad Crispum Sallustium ; ea pars codicis saeculo eodem exarata. — 5.° Gregorii, Episcopi Turonensis, historiae Francorum liber primus ; eodem saeculo exaratus : finis desideratur. — 6.° Anonymi carmen cujus titulus : disputatio mundi et religionis ; decimo quarto saeculo exarata.

Colbertinus

Stereotypes of Age Differences in Personality Traits: Universal and Accurate?

Age trajectories for personality traits are known to be similar across cultures. To address whether stereotypes of age groups reflect these age-related changes in personality, we asked participants in 26 countries (N = 3,323) to rate typical adolescents, adults, and old persons in their own country. Raters across nations tended to share similar beliefs about different age groups; adolescents were seen as impulsive, rebellious, undisciplined, preferring excitement and novelty, whereas old people were consistently considered lower on impulsivity, activity, antagonism, and Openness. These consensual age group stereotypes correlated strongly with published age differences on the five major dimensions of personality and most of 30 specific traits, using as criteria of accuracy both self-reports and observer ratings, different survey methodologies, and data from up to 50 nations. However, personal stereotypes were considerably less accurate, and consensual stereotypes tended to exaggerate differences across age groups.

Molecular characterization of soybean cultivars by microsatellite markers with universal tail sequence

The objective of this work was to standardize a semiautomated method for genotyping soybean, based on universal tail sequence primers (UTSP), and to compare it with the conventional genotyping method that uses electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. Thirty soybean cultivars were genotypically characterized by both methods, using 13 microsatellite loci. For the UTSP method, the number of alleles (NA) was 50 (2-7 per marker) and the polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.40 to 0.74. For the conventional method, the NA was 38 (2-5 per marker) and the PIC varied from 0.39 to 0.67. The genetic dissimilarity matrices obtained by the two methods were highly correlated with each other (0.8026), and the formed groups were coherent with the phenotypic data used for varietal registration. The 13 markers allowed the distinction of all analyzed cultivars. The low cost of the UTSP method, associated with its high accuracy, makes it ideal for the characterization of soybean cultivars and for the determination of genetic purity.