Infestation of weed species in pre-planting of soybean in succession to winter crops

This study aimed to evaluate different crops and plant species planted after soybeans for one year, in terms of their potential to inhibit the occurrence of weed species. The following crops that were planted as second crop after soybeans were evaluated: (1) corn (Zea mays) planted at spacing of 90 cm between rows, intercropped with Brachiaria ruziziensis in the inter-rows; (2) sunflower (Helianthus annuus); (3) crambe (Crambe abyssinica); (4) radish (Raphanus sativus); (5) rapeseed (Brassica napus); and (6) winter fallow - no plantation after soybeans. Phytosociological characterization of weed species was carried out at the pre-planting of soybeans in the following cropping season. Estimations of relative abundance, relative frequence, relative dominance and Importance Value Index were made for each species present. Areas were also intra-characterized by the diversity coefficients of Simpson and modified Shannon-Weiner, and areas were compared using the Jaccard similarity coefficient for presence-only, by multivariate cluster analysis. In the short‑term (a single cropping season), cultivation of winter crops do contribute for lower occurrence of weed species at the pre-planting of soybeans on the subsequent cropping season. The suppressive effects depend both on the species grown in the winter and in the amount of straw left on the soil by these winter crops. Radish was more efficient in inhibiting the occurrence of weed species and rapeseed showed composition of infestation similar to that observed at the area under fallow.

Occurrence of weed species in Jatropha curcas intercropping systems

This study aimed to evaluate the level of infestation by weed species in a consolidated Jatropha plantation, as a function of the plant species grown in interrows. The experiment was installed in 2006 at the district of Itahum, city of Dourados, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, made possible through a partnership between Embrapa Western Agriculture and Paraiso Farm. Treatments consisted of (1) Jatropha in monocrop, with no plant at the interrrows; or the following plants cultivaded at the interrows of Jatropha: (2) Stylosanthes spp.; (3) Brachiaria ruziziensis; (4) Brachiaria ruziziensis + Stylosanthess pp.; (5) Brachiaria humidicola; (6) Panicum maximum cv. massai; (7) Cajanus cajan cv. anão; (8) Crotalaria spectabilis; (9) Crop rotation system 1 - (maize second crop -Crambe abyssinica - soybean - peanut); and (10) Crop rotation system 2 - (cowpea - radish - maize - cowpea) conducted for two years. Phytosociological characterization of weed species was accomplished in 2011 based on the Ecological Approach. Estimations of relative abundance, frequency, dominance and Importance Value Index were obtained. Areas were also characterized by the diversity coefficients of Simpson and modified Shannon-Weiner, and then grouped by cluster analysis. Areas with low soil coverage resulted in higher infestation levels; crop rotation in the interrows of Jatropha produced a significant reduction in weed infestation, but the lowest infestation levels were observed when grasses were grown intercropped with Jatropha. Lower diversity coefficients were associated with occurrence of the most troublesome weed species. In the first years after planting Jatropha, species of Brachiaria or a crop rotation involving species with high mulching ability and whose biomass exhibit a high C:N ratio, should be established in the interrows to avoid problems with weeds infestation.

Infestation of weed species in monocrop coffee or intercropped with banana, under agroecological system

We aimed with this study to compare weed infestation in coffee under two different cropping managements: conventional coffee grown alone, or intercropped with banana plantation in a year-round basis (late spring, late summer, late fall and late winter). The experiment was installed in 2009 under field conditions at the Escola Municipal Rural Benedita Figueiró de Oliveira, in the city of Ivinhema in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Assessments of weed occurrence were made three years after employment, on both cropping systems, and density, frequency, dominance and the importance value for each plant species in each system and season were quantified. Plant diversity within each system was estimated by Simpson and Shannon-Weiner indexes. Similarity between cropping systems were also assessed by the binary asymmetric similarity coefficient of Jaccard. Absolute infestation and spontaneous species differed between the two cropping systems in all seasons. Overall species diversity is higher in the monocrop compared with the intercrop, and it is associated in this study with the higher incidence of troublesome species. Areas were similar in terms of weed composition only in the Fall. Shading provided by the banana trees shows to be an efficient culture management aiming to suppress weeds in agro-ecological planting systems.

Monitoring human cytomegalovirus viral load in peripheral blood leukocytes of renal transplant recipients by a simple limiting dilution-PCR assay

To assess the clinical relevance of a semi-quantitative measurement of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA in renal transplant recipients within the typical clinical context of a developing country where virtually 100% of both receptors and donors are seropositive for this virus, we have undertaken HCMV DNA quantification using a simple, semi-quantitative, limiting dilution polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We evaluated this assay prospectively in 52 renal transplant patients from whom a total of 495 serial blood samples were collected. The samples scored HCMV positive by qualitative PCR had the levels of HCMV DNA determined by end-point dilution-PCR. All patients were HCMV DNA positive during the monitoring period and a diagnosis of symptomatic infection was made for 4 of 52 patients. In symptomatic patients the geometric mean of the highest level of HCMV DNAemia was 152,000 copies per 106 leukocytes, while for the asymptomatic group this value was 12,050. Symptomatic patients showed high, protracted HCMV DNA levels, whereas asymptomatic patients demonstrated intermittent low or moderate levels. Using a cut-off value of 100,000 copies per 106 leukocytes, the limiting dilution assay had sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 92%, a positive predictive value of 43% and a negative predictive value of 100% for HCMV disease. In this patient group, there was universal HCMV infection but relatively infrequent symptomatic HCMV disease. The two patient groups were readily distinguished by monitoring with the limiting dilution assay, an extremely simple technology immediately applicable in any clinical laboratory with PCR capability.

Suursaaren valtausoperaation valmistelut tammi-maaliskuussa 1942

Suursaaren merkitys merisodan käynnille Suomenlahdella oli kiistämätön. Saaren merkitys laivaston- ja ilmapuolustuksen tukikohtana oli huomattu Neuvostoliiton sodanjohdossa ja täs-tä johtuen Suursaari joutui neuvottelujen kohteeksi 1930-luvulla. Neuvostoliitolla olisi ollut mahdollisuus sulkea Suomenlahti hallitsemalla Suursaaren, Tytärsaaren, Lavansaaren ja Vi-ron rannikko niille sijoitetulla rannikkotykistöillä. Toisen maailmansodan aikana Neuvostolii-ton sodanjohto havaitsi tehneensä virheen luopuessaan Suursaaresta ja näin ollen päätti vallata sen takaisin. Aamulla 2. tammikuuta1942 neuvostoliittolaiset nousivat Suursaaressa maihin ja ajoivat riittämättömät suomalaisjoukot pois saaresta ilman suuria taisteluja. Eversti Pekka Enkaisen johtama 2. rannikkoprikaati sai tehtäväkseen vallata Suursaaren takai-sin. Valmistelut operaatiota varten aloitettiin välittömästi saaren menettämisen jälkeen. Maa-liskuun puolivälissä päämaja käski kenraali Aaro Pajaria ottamaan operaation johtovastuun ja muodostamaan samalla valtausoperaatiota varten taisteluosasto Pajarin. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on selvittää kuinka suomalaisjoukot toteuttivat Suursaaren val-tausoperaatioon liittyvät valmistelut alkuvuodesta 1942. Tutkimustehtävällä selvitetään kuin-ka operaation kannalta olennaiset toimet toteutettiin ennen hyökkäyksen alkamista 27. maa-liskuuta vuonna 1942. Toteutettuja valmisteluja verrataan osittain aikalaisiin oppaisiin ja esi-miesten antamiin käskyihin ja ohjeisiin. Tutkimus on asiakirjatutkimus ja tutkimusmenetelmänä on kvalitatiivinen sisältöanalyysi. Suurin osa tutkimuksen lähteistä on suomalaisia arkistolähteitä. Tärkeimpiä alkuperäislähteitä ovat Kansallisarkiston arkistolähteet. Hyödyllisimpiä näistä arkistolähteistä ovat Suursaaren sotatoimia koskevat taisteluosasto Pajarin asiakirjat, 2. rannikkoprikaatin sotapäiväkirjat ja muut asiakirjat ja lentolaivue 6:n sotapäiväkirjat liitteineen. Tutkimuksessa selvisi, että valmistelujen aikana kaikki toimet oli järjestelmällisesti ja tarkasti suunniteltuja sekä kontrolloituja. Toimintaa kehitettiin koko valmistelujen ajan havaittujen puutteiden tai ongelmien perusteella. Tutkituista aihekokonaisuuksista tiedustelu, koulutus, huolto ja tukitoimet liittyivät koko valmistelujen ajan kiinteästi toisiinsa. Tiedustelupartioiden ja ilmatiedustelun toiminta kehittyi koko ajan enemmän tietoa antavaksi. Huolto-organisaation vahvuutta kasvatettiin samassa suhteessa operaation joukkojen vahvuuden kanssa. Huoltojoukkojen vahvuus oli olosuhteisiin ja operaation vaativuuteen nähden osittain riittämätön. Tarkalla suunnittelulla ja kaikkien joukkojen tuella huolto-organisaatio onnistui toteuttamaan sille käsketyt tehtävät. Koulutus toteutettiin siten, että koulutusolosuhteet ja ai-heet olivat mahdollisimman samankaltaisia kuin mitä operaatio tulisi olemaan. Koulutuksessa painotettiin niitä asioita, jotka olivat joukoille uusia. Tukitoimissa painopisteenä oli joukkojen siirtojen toteutus ja huollon tukeminen.

Molecular characterization of DDX26, a human DEAD-box RNA helicase, located on chromosome 7p12

DEAD-box proteins comprise a family of ATP-dependent RNA helicases involved in several aspects of RNA metabolism. Here we report the characterization of the human DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX26. The gene is composed of 14 exons distributed over an extension of 8,123 bp of genomic sequence and encodes a transcript of 1.8 kb that is expressed in all tissues evaluated. The predicted amino acid sequence shows a high similarity to a yeast DEAD-box RNA helicase (Dbp9b) involved in ribosome biogenesis. The new helicase maps to 7p12, a region of frequent chromosome amplifications in glioblastomas involving the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. Nevertheless, co-amplification of DDX26 with EGFR was not detected in nine tumors analyzed.

Photic driving in the electroencephalogram of children and adolescents: harmonic structure and relation to the resting state

In order to identify latent bioelectrical oscillators, 15 normal subjects (aged 9-17 years, 8 males, 7 females) were subjected to intermittent photic stimulation. The EEG amplitude spectra corresponding to the 11 fixed frequencies of stimulation presented (3-24 Hz) were combined to form "profiles" of the driving reaction in the right occipital area. The driving response varied with frequency, and was demonstrable in 70-100% of cases (using as criterion peak amplitudes 20% larger than those of the neighbors). The strongest responses were observed at the frequency closest to the alpha peak of the resting EEG. A secondary profile maximum was in the theta band. In 10 subjects, this maximum exceeded half the alpha peak (with an average of 72.4% of the alpha peak), while in the resting spectra, theta amplitudes were much lower than the alpha maxima. This responsiveness in theta activity seems to be characteristic of prepubertal and pubertal subjects. The profiles and resting EEG spectra showed a highly significant Pearson's correlation, with the peak in the theta band of the profiles being the main difference observed between them. The correlation coefficient was significantly correlated with the ratio of the maxima in the theta and alpha bands (R = -0.77, P<0.001). The correlation coefficient between profile and resting spectrum may be a useful indicator in screening methods used to reveal latent cerebral oscillators. Profiles for the second and third harmonics were correlated with those of the first harmonic (fundamental frequency), when considering the corresponding EEG frequencies. Peak frequencies in all three profiles were close to those of the individual's background alpha rhythm, and peak amplitudes in higher harmonics were not much lower than those of the fundamental frequency (mean values of 84 and 63%, for second and third harmonics, respectively).

Sm14 gene expression in different stages of the Schistosoma mansoni life cycle and immunolocalization of the Sm14 protein within the adult worm

Sm14 is a 14-kDa vaccine candidate antigen from Schistosoma mansoni that seems to be involved in cytoplasmic trafficking of fatty acids. Although schistosomes have a high requirement for lipids, they are not able to synthesize fatty acids and sterols de novo. Thus, they must acquire host lipids. In order to determine whether Sm14 is present in different stages of the life cycle of the parasite, we performed RT-PCR. Sm14 mRNA was identified in all stages of the life cycle studied, mainly schistosomulum, adult worm and egg. Additionally, we used a rabbit anti-Sm14 polyclonal antibody in an indirect immunofluorescence assay to localize Sm14 in adult worm sections. The basal lamella of the tegument and the gut epithelium were strongly labeled. These tissues have a high flow of and demand for lipids, a finding that supports the putative role of Sm14 as an intracellular transporter of fatty acids from host cells.

Presence of ductal carcinoma in situ confers an improved prognosis for patients with T1N0M0 invasive breast carcinoma

We have retrospectively analyzed a series of 155 sequential cases of T1N0M0 ductal carcinomas of which 51 tumors had a ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) component for correlation between the presence of DCIS and clinicopathological variables, recurrence and patient survival. No correlations between the presence of DCIS and age, menopausal status, size, estrogen or progesterone receptors were found. High-grade infiltrative tumors tended not to present a DCIS component (P = 0.08). Patients with tumors associated with DCIS form a subgroup with few recurrences (P = 0.003) and good survival (P = 0.008). When tumors were classified by size, an association between large tumors (>1.0 cm) and increased recurrence and shortened overall survival was found. The presence of DCIS in this subgroup significantly reduced the relative risk of death.

Produção e desempenho de sementes de cultivares de alface em duas épocas de plantio

Estudos sobre a produção de sementes de alface em diferentes épocas de plantio podem fornecer subsídios para que o produtor utilize práticas adequadas de manejo, aumentando a possibilidade de sucesso no empreendimento, maximizando a produção e favorecendo o retorno econômico. As condições climáticas durante diferentes etapas de desenvolvimento das plantas podem exercer influência direta sobre o vigor das sementes produzidas. Sendo assim, objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar oito cultivares de alface quanto à qualidade fisiológica e à produção de sementes em ambiente protegido, nas condições de primavera/verão e outono/inverno, na região de Lavras - MG. As plantas foram avaliadas com relação às épocas de pendoamento e antese e produção de sementes. Após a colheita e beneficiamento, as sementes foram pesadas e submetidas aos testes de germinação, primeira contagem de germinação, velocidade de germinação a 20, 25, 30 e 35 ºC, emergência de plântulas e envelhecimento acelerado (41 ºC/48 e 72 horas). A produção de sementes de alface, na região de Lavras, em cultivo protegido deve ser realizada no outono/inverno para obtenção de maior produtividade e melhor qualidade das sementes, com utilização da cultivar Vera. A produção de sementes da cultivar Luisa no período do verão favorece sua capacidade de germinação sob condições de temperaturas elevadas. O plantio para produção de sementes das cultivares Lívia e Simpson na época primavera/verão e da cultivar Elisa na época outono/inverno não é recomendado para a região de Lavras - MG, por produzirem sementes de baixo vigor.

2004-05 Board of Trustees

The 2004-2005 Board of Trustees. Pictured here from left to right are: Front Row - Val Fleming; Dr. Patricia Teal; Wendy Staff; Dr. Norris Walker, Chair; Dr. David Atkinson, President and Vice Chancellor; Dr. Val Jaeger; Donna Scott; and Steven Lalinovich. Middle Row - Mike Farrell, Secretary to the University; Rudi Kroeker; Brandon Larry, President, Brock University Students' Union; Dr. Terry Boak, Vice-President, Academic and Provost; Mitzi Banders; Geeta Powell; Dr. Sid Segalowitz; Tom Gauld; Karin Jahnke-Haslam; and Dr. Mohammed Dore. Back Row - David Edwards, Immediate Past Chair; Bruce Wormald; Willy Heldbuechel, Vice-Chair; Brad Clarke; David Howes, Vice-Chair; Mark Steinman; Peter Partridge; Michael Sidenberg; Angelo Nitsopoulos; Steven Pillar, Vice President, Finance and Administration; Ron Dubien, Chief Information Officer. Absent from photo - Dr. Raymond Moriyama, Chancellor; Eleanor Ross; Jagoda Pike; Dr. Mary Frances Richardson; and Nick Brown.

1969-70 Hockey Team

1969-71 Brock Generals Hockey team. Members from left to right - Back row: Tom Kearney (Trainer), Al Kellogg (Coach), John Hull, Craig Morrison, Gregg Law, Frank Mucci, Dale Andreas, Eric Stevens, Serge Girrard, John Clarey, Wayne Kenyon, Reg Egilsson, Dusty Papke, Randy Oiling (Manager). Front row: Ron Powel, Barry Hopkins, Bruce Wormald, Miller Hicks, Fred Carter, Mike Nicholson, Dick Overholt, Chris Shott. Missing: John O'Brien, Barry Elliot.

1970-71 Hockey Team

1970-71 Brock Generals Hockey team. The members from left to right - Back row: Tom Kearney (trainer), Joel Finlay, Tony Grey, Gregg Carrigan, Craig Morrison, Pat Moroney, Rick Charron, Jim Swain, Bill Fuller, Barry Hopkins, Mike McNiven, Rick Sullivan, Ed Barszcz, Phil McCann, Randy Oiling (Manager), Al Kellogg (Coach). Front row: Wayne Butt, Ron Powell, Tim Goodman, Pat McCann, Arkell Farr, Dave Perrin, Gregg Law. Missing: Jeff Della Vedova.

Brock Hockey Team (1981-82)

Back Row: Paul Jackson (Asst. Coach), Paul DeGagne (Manager), Angelo Pontello, Yvan Prevost, Greg Foy, Ken Murray, Steve Ashfield, Rick Berard, Andy MacMillan, Kelly Toppazzini, Carl Van Bolderen, John Dakin, Loran Prentice, Joe Kenny (Trainer), Ron Anderson (Coach) Front Row: Logan Trafford, Mark Warren, Pat Gallagher, Phil Powers, Daryl Clancy, Ted Sawicki, Gord Christie, John Hogg, Brian Onifrichuk, Doug Riopelle, Shawn Barry Absent: Paul Hanley, Brad MacMillan, Rico Schirru, Mike Quinn (Asst. Coach)