Chemical and biological properties of phosphorus-fertilized soil under legume and grass cover (Cerrado region, Brazil)

The use of cover crops has been suggested as an effective method to maintain and/or increase the organic matter content, while maintaining and/or enhancing the soil physical, chemical and biological properties. The fertility of Cerrado soils is low and, consequently, phosphorus levels as well. Phosphorus is required at every metabolic stage of the plant, as it plays a role in the processes of protein and energy synthesis and influences the photosynthetic process. This study evaluated the influence of cover crops and phosphorus rates on soil chemical and biological properties after two consecutive years of common bean. The study analyzed an Oxisol in Selvíria (Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil), in a randomized block, split plot design, in a total of 24 treatments with three replications. The plot treatments consisted of cover crops (millet, pigeon pea, crotalaria, velvet bean, millet + pigeon pea, millet + crotalaria, and millet + velvet bean) and one plot was left fallow. The subplots were represented by phosphorus rates applied as monoammonium phosphate (0, 60 and 90 kg ha-1 P2O5). In August 2011, the soil chemical properties were evaluated (pH, organic matter, phosphorus, potential acidity, cation exchange capacity, and base saturation) as well as biological variables (carbon of released CO2, microbial carbon, metabolic quotient and microbial quotient). After two years of cover crops in rotation with common bean, the cover crop biomass had not altered the soil chemical properties and barely influenced the microbial activity. The biomass production of millet and crotalaria (monoculture or intercropped) was highest. The biological variables were sensitive and responded to increasing phosphorus rates with increases in microbial carbon and reduction of the metabolic quotient.

Coberturas vegetais e doses de nitrogênio em trigo sob sistema plantio direto

The application of conservation practices in production systems is essential to the sustainability of the agricultural production capacity. The use of different cover crops can reduce the need of topdressing nitrogen fertilizers in wheat crops. This study aimed at evaluating the influence of cover crops residues (millet, sunn hemp, pigeon pea, millet + sunn hemp, millet + pigeon pea and fallow ground), grown previously to the summer crop (rice), and topdressing nitrogen doses (0 kg ha-1, 25 kg ha-1, 50 kg ha-1, 75 kg ha-1, 100 kg ha-1 and 125 kg ha-1), in the development and yield of wheat under no-tillage system. The experiment was carried out in Selvíria, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, in a Red Oxisol, in 2009/2010 and 2010/2011. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a 6x6 factorial scheme. The cover crops developed during August/October (2009/2010) and September/November (2010/2011), previously to the summer crop, with the chemical desiccation performed respectively at 73 and 55 days after sowing. The wheat (winter) was sown in May, in both periods, and harvested at 113 (2009/2010) and 106 (2010/2011) days after emergence. The cover crops residues of pigeon pea, sunn hemp and millet + sunn hemp, preceding wheat, provided higher wheat yields, relatively to the fallow ground. The wheat yield showed a quadratic response to the increase in the nitrogen availability, reaching higher yields with the nitrogen doses estimated in 113 kg ha-1 (2010) and 98 kg ha-1 (2011).

Métodos geoestatísticos na modelagem espacial do diâmetro médio do cristal da goethita

Uma das necessidades da agricultura de precisão é avaliar a qualidade dos mapas dos atributos dos solos. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho objetivou avaliar o desempenho dos métodos geoestatísticos: krigagem ordinária e simulação sequencial gaussiana na predição espacial do diâmetro médio do cristal da goethita com 121 pontos amostrados em uma malha de 1 ha com espaçamentos regulares de 10 em 10 m. Após a análise textural e da concentração dos óxidos de ferro, calcularam-se os valores do diâmetro médio do cristal da goethita os quais foram analisados pela estatística descritiva e geoestatística; em seguida, foram utilizadas a krigagem ordinária e a simulação sequencial gaussiana. Com os resultados avaliou-se qual foi o método mais fiel para reproduzir as estatísticas, a função de densidade de probabilidade acumulada condicional e a estatística epsilon εy da amostra. As estimativas E-Type foram semelhantes à krigagem ordinária devido à minimização da variância. No entanto, a krigagem deixa de apresentar, em locais específicos, o grau de cristalinidade da goethita enquanto o mapa E-Type indicou que a simulação sequencial gaussiana deve ser utilizada ao invés de mapas de krigagem. Os mapas E-type devem ser preferíveis por apresentar melhor desempenho na modelagem.

Modelagem geoestatística das incertezas da distribuição espacial do fósforo disponível no solo, em área de cana-de-açúcar

Phosphorus is one of the limiting nutrients for sugarcane development in Brazilian soils. The spatial variability of this nutrient is great, defined by the properties that control its adsorption and desorption reactions. Spatial estimates to characterize this variability are based on geostatistical interpolation. However, inherent uncertainties in the procedure of these estimates are related to the variability structure of the property under study and the sample configuration of the area. Thus, the assessment of the uncertainty of estimates associated with the spatial distribution of available P (Plabile) is decisive to optimize the use of phosphate fertilizers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of sequential Gaussian simulation (sGs) and ordinary kriging (OK) in the modeling of uncertainty in available P estimates. A sampling grid with 626 points was established in a 200-ha experimental sugarcane field in Tabapuã, São Paulo State. The sGs algorithm generated 200 realizations. The sGs realizations reproduced the statistics and the distribution of the sample data. The G statistic (0.81) indicated good agreement between the values of simulated and observed fractions. The sGs realizations preserved the spatial variability of Plabile without the smoothing effect of the OK map. The accuracy in the reproduction of the variogram of the sample data obtained by the sGs realizations was on average 240 times higher than that obtained by OK. The uncertainty map, obtained by OK, showed less variation in the study area than that obtained by sGs. Thus, the evaluation of uncertainties by sGs was more informative and can be used to define and delimit specific management areas more precisely.

Nutritional balance and yield for green manure orange trees

Intercropping could efficiently prevent soil nutrient losses caused by extensive agriculture. The present study aimed to assess the effect of green manure on the nutritional status of orange trees cultivar 'Pera' (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck). The plants were grafted on 'Cravo' lime trees and were then planted in a 7x4m space. Four different treatments corresponding to the evaluated green manures were employed: jack bean (JB) (Canavalia ensiformis DC), lablab (LL) (Dolichos lablab L.), pigeon pea (PP) (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp), and Brachiaria (BQ) (Brachiaria brizantha Hochst ex A. Rich. Stapf) as control. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in split-plot time, with six replicates, with four treatments (green manures) and two plants per evaluation. The nutritional status was assessed by using the DRIS method (Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System); the yield and the macro and micronutrient levels contained in green manures and in the control was also determined. The nutritional diagnosis indicated that, in the two years of experiment, plants treated with green manure showed better nutritional balance index compared to Brachiaria. This suggests that, over time, green manure can lead to better nutritional balance. Pigeon pea treatment showed the highest yields, compared to control, in the two evaluated crop cycles (2004/05 and 2005/06).

Simulation-based ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation training program

PURPOSE: To propose a simulation-based ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation skills' training program, during residency.METHODS: This study describes the strategies for learning the ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation on low-fidelity bench models. The preparation of bench models, educational goals, processes of skill acquisition, feedback and evaluation methods were also outlined. The training program was based on key references to the subject.RESULTS: It was formulated a simulation-based ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation teaching program on low-fidelity bench models.CONCLUSION: A simulation-based inexpensive, low-stress, no-risk learning program on low-fidelity bench models was proposed to facilitate acquisition of ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation skills by residents-in-training before exposure to the living patient.

Iron oxides as proxies for characterizing anisotropy in soil CO2 emission in sugarcane areas under green harvest

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Silk fibroin biopolymer films as efficient hosts for DFB laser operation

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effect of melatonin on tumor growth and angiogenesis in xenograft model of breast cancer

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Dengue-4 false negative results by Panbio (R) Dengue Early ELISA assay in Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Recombinant disintegrin targets alpha(v) beta(3) integrin and leads to mediator production

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Clay mineralogy and magnetic susceptibility of Oxisols in geomorphic surfaces

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Assessment of chemokine serum levels in epithelial ovarian cancer patients

Aims and background. The study was undertaken to investigate CCL2/MCP-1, CCL3/MIP-l alpha, CCL4/MIP-1 beta, CCL5/RANTES and CXCL8/IL-8 women with epithelial ovarian cancer.Methods and study design. Sixteen patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer and 18 healthy women with no evidence of malign neoplasia (control group) aged from 23 to 89 years (mean +/- SEM, 58.7 +/- 2.3) were included. The epithelial ovarian cancer patients underwent laparotomy and debulking surgery Chemokines serum levels were measured by cytometric bead array. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney and Kendall's tau. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant for all analyses.Results. The tumor staging (FIGO) was classified into: I in 4 cases (25%), III in 5 cases (31.3%) and stage IV in 7 cases (43.8%). Sera chemokine dosages of CCL2 /MCP-1 and CCL4/MIP-1 beta were lower in epithelial ovarian cancer patients than in the control group (P = 0.021 and P = 0.030, respectively). No significant difference between groups was observed in the levels of CCL3/MIP-l alpha, CCL5/RANTES and CXCL8/IL-8. No association between the chemokines analyzed and tumor stage was found. The serum level of CCL4/MIP-1 beta was correlated with CA-125.Conclusions. The study of serum levels of CCL2/MCP-1, CCL3/MIP-l alpha, CCL4/MIP-1 beta, CCL5/RANTES and CXCL8/IL-8 chemokines in epithelial ovarian cancer patients identified a down-regulation in CCL2/MCP-1 and CCL4/MIP-1 beta, which suggests that the two chemokines may play an important role in the pathophysiology of ovarian cancer.

Finasteride Inhibits Human Prostate Cancer Cell Invasion through MMP2 and MMP9 Downregulation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)