Search for very high energy gamma-ray emission from pulsar-pulsar wind nebula systems with the MAGIC telescope

The MAGIC collaboration has searched for high-energy gamma-ray emission of some of the most promising pulsar candidates above an energy threshold of 50 GeV, an energy not reachable up to now by other ground-based instruments. Neither pulsed nor steady gamma-ray emission has been observed at energies of 100 GeV from the classical radio pulsars PSR J0205+6449 and PSR J2229+6114 (and their nebulae 3C58 and Boomerang, respectively) and the millisecond pulsar PSR J0218+4232. Here, we present the flux upper limits for these sources and discuss their implications in the context of current model predictions.

Glycogen content in the cerebral cortex increases with sleep loss in C57BL/6J mice.

We hypothesized that a function of sleep is to replenish brain glycogen stores that become depleted while awake. We have previously tested this hypothesis in three inbred strains of mice by measuring brain glycogen after a 6h sleep deprivation (SD). Unexpectedly, glycogen content in the cerebral cortex did not decrease with SD in two of the strains and was even found to increase in mice of the C57BL/6J (B6) strain. Manipulations that initially induce glycogenolysis can also induce subsequent glycogen synthesis thereby elevating glycogen content beyond baseline. It is thus possible that in B6 mice, cortical glycogen content decreased early during SD and became elevated later in SD. In the present study, we therefore measured changes in brain glycogen over the course of a 6 h SD and during recovery sleep in B6 mice. We found no evidence of a decrease at any time during the SD, instead, cortical glycogen content monotonically increased with time-spent-awake and, when sleep was allowed, started to revert to control levels. Such a time-course is opposite to the one predicted by our initial hypothesis. These results demonstrate that glycogen synthesis can be achieved during prolonged wakefulness to the extent that it outweighs glycogenolysis. Maintaining this energy store seems thus not to be functionally related to sleep in this strain.

Composition and cross-sectional area of muscle fibre types in relation to daily gain and lean and fat content of carcass in Landrace and Yorkshire pigs

Selostus: Lihassolutyypin ja lihassolun poikkipinta-alan yhteys sian kasvuun ja ruhon koostumukseen maatiaisessa ja yorkshiressa

To say or not to say: a qualitative study on the disclosure of their condition by human immunodeficiency virus-positive adolescents.

PURPOSE: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive adolescents face a number of challenges in dealing with their disease, treatment, and developmental tasks. This qualitative study describes some of the reasons why, and the extent to which, adolescents may or may not disclose their condition to others. METHODS: A semistructured interview lasting 40-110 minutes was conducted with each of 29 adolescents 12-20 years old, 22 female and seven male) living in Switzerland. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. The analysis of the content of interviews allowed us to identify salient topics (e.g., disclosure), which were then explored in detail. RESULTS: Of 29 participants, eight had not disclosed their condition to anyone outside the family, 19 had disclosed it to good friends, and 16 had disclosed it to some teachers. Four participants had engaged in public disclosure, and six of 10 sexually active teenagers disclosed their status to their partners. The attitudes toward disclosure among younger adolescents were mostly related to those of the parents, particularly the mother. Older adolescents, engaged in their search for autonomy, tended to decide independently what to say and to whom. Although foster/adoptive parents would often encourage disclosure, biological parents, especially HIV-positive mothers, insisted on not disclosing the adolescent's status for fear of stigma. CONCLUSION: The health care team should systematically address the issue of disclosure with the adolescent and his family (or foster parents), the aim being to balance the right of the adolescent and that adolescent's family to maintain privacy against the concerns of sexual partners, as well as the adolescent's interest in divulging HIV status to relatives, school staff, and friends.

Relationship between electrical conductivity and water content in peat growth medium

Tiivistelmä: Turvekasvualustan sähkönjohtavuuden ja vesipitoisuuden riippuvuus mitattuna TDR-käsimittarilla

Maize response to nitrogen fertilization timing in two tillage systems in a soil with high organic matter content

No-tillage systems, associated to black oat as preceding cover crop, have been increasingly adopted. This has motivated anticipated maize nitrogen fertilization, transferring it from the side-dress system at the stage when plants have five to six expanded leaves to when the preceding cover crop is eliminated or to maize sowing. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of soil tillage system and timing of N fertilization on maize grain yield and agronomic efficiency of N applied to a soil with high organic matter content. A three-year field experiment was conducted in Lages, state of Santa Catarina, from 1999 onwards. Treatments were set up in a split plot arrangement. Two soil tillage systems were tested in the main plots: conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT). Six N management systems were assessed in the split-plots: S1 - control, without N application; S2 - all N (100 kg ha-1) applied at oat desiccation; S3 - all N applied at maize sowing; S4 - all N side-dressed when maize had five expanded leaves (V5 growth stage); S5 - 1/3 of N rate applied at maize sowing and 2/3 at V5; S6 - 2/3 of nitrogen rate applied at maize sowing and 1/3 at V5. Maize response to the time and form of splitting N was not affected by the soil tillage system. Grain yield ranged from 6.0 to 11.8 t ha-1. The anticipation of N application (S2 and S3) decreased grain yield in two of three years. In the rainiest early spring season (2000/2001) of the experiment, S4 promoted an yield advantage of 2.2 t ha-1 over S2 and S3. Application of total N rate before or at sowing decreased the number of kernels produced per ear in 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 and the number of ears produced per area in 2001/2002, resulting in reduced grain yield. The agronomic efficiency of applied N (kg grain increase/kg of N applied) ranged from 13.9 to 38.8 and was always higher in the S4 than in the S2 and S3 N systems. Short-term N immobilization did not reduce grain yield when no N was applied before or at maize sowing in a soil with high organic matter content, regardless of the soil tillage system.

Web content accessibility guidelines: from 1.0 to 2.0

This poster explains the changes introduced in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 from WCAG 1.0 and proposes a checklist for adapting existing websites. Finally, it describes the most common criticisms of the WCAG and places them in the context of its origin and initial aims.

FY10 Recycled Content Plastic Bag and Soy Inks Report

As required by Iowa Code section 37.21, the following is a summary of purchasing activities for soy-based inks and recycled content plastic trash bags. The figures are for Fiscal Year 2010. The department currently has no equipment which will operate with soy ink. Iowa Code section 8A.315 required that a minimum of 50 percent of garbage can liner purchases shall be recycled content plastic garbage can liners. The department purchased $51.478.04 worth of recycled content plastic garbage can liners. The represents 93.9 percent of garbage can liners purchased.

Success of a general school-based physical activity intervention on bone mineral content depends on pubertal stage but not on gender

Aims: We performed a randomised controlled trial in children of both gender and different pubertal stages to determine whether a school-based physical activity (PA) program during a full schoolyear influences bone mineral content (BMC) and whether there are differences in response for boys and girls before and during puberty. Methods: Twenty-eight 1st and 5th grade classes were cluster randomised to an intervention (INT, 16 classes, n=297) and control (CON; 12 classes, n=205) group. The intervention consisted of a multi-component PA intervention including daily physical education during a full school year. Each lesson was predetermined, included about ten minutes of jumping or strength training exercises of various intensity and was the same for all children. Measurements included anthropometry (height and weight), tanner stages (by self-assessment), PA (by accelerometry) and BMC for total body, femoral neck, total hip and lumbar spine using dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Bone parameters were normalized for gender and tanner stage (pre- vs. puberty). Analyses were performed by a regression model adjusted for gender, baseline height, baseline weight, baseline PA, post-intervention tanner stage, baseline BMC, and cluster. Researchers were blinded to group allocation. Children in the control group did not know about the intervention arm. Results: 217 (57%) of 380 children who initially agreed to have DXA measurements had also post-intervention DXA and PA data. Mean age of prepubertal and pubertal children at baseline was 9.0±2.1 and 11.2±0.6 years, respectively. 47/114 girls and 68/103 boys were prepubertal at the end of the intervention. Compared to CON, children in INT showed statistically significant increases in BMC of total body (adjusted z-score differences: 0.123; 95%>CI 0.035 to 0.212), femoral neck (0.155; 95%>CI 0.007 to 0.302), and lumbar spine (0.127; 95%>CI 0.026 to 0.228). Importantly, there was no gender*group, but a tanner*group interaction consistently favoring prepubertal children. Conclusions: Our findings show that a general, but stringent school-based PA intervention can improve BMC in elementary school children. Pubertal stage, but not gender seems to determine bone sensitivity to physical activity loading.

Carbon content in Amazonian Oxisols after forest conversion to pasture

Soil plays an important role in the C cycle, and substitution of tropical forest by cultivated land affects C dynamic and stock. This study was developed in an area of expansion of human settlement in the Eastern Amazon, in Itupiranga, State of Pará, to evaluate the effects of native forest conversion to Brachiaria brizantha pasture on C contents of a dystrophic Oxisol. Soil samples were collected in areas of native forest (NF), of 8 to 10 year old secondary forest (SF), 1 to 2 year old SF (P1-2), 5 to 7 year old SF (P5-7), and of 10 to 12 year old SF (P10-12), and from under pastures, in the layers 0-2, 2-5 and 5-10 cm, to evaluate C levels and stocks and carry out separation of OM based on particle size. After deforestation, soil density increased to a depth of 5 cm, with greater increase in older pastures. Variation in C levels was greatest in the top soil layer; C contents increased with increasing pasture age. In the layers 2-5 and 5-10 cm, C content proved to be stable for the types of plant cover evaluated. Highest C concentrations were found in the silt fraction; however, C contents were highest in the clay fraction, independent of the plant cover. An increase in C associated with the sand fraction in the form of little decomposed organic residues was observed in pastures, confirming greater sensitivity of this fraction to change in soil use.

Effect of dietary crude protein and energy content on nitrogen utilisation, water intake and urinary output in growing pigs

Selostus: Rehun valkuais- ja energiapitoisuuden vaikutus sikojen typen hyväksikäyttöön, veden kulutukseen ja virtsan eritykseen

Utilisation of reactive lysine from meat and bone meals of different ash content by growing-finishing pigs

Selostus: Tuhkapitoisuuden vaikutus lihaluujauhon reaktiivisen lysiinin hyväksikäyttöön lihasioilla

Brief DISCERN, six questions for the evaluation of evidence-based content of health-related websites.

OBJECTIVE: To extract and to validate a brief version of the DISCERN which could identify mental health-related websites with good content quality. METHOD: The present study is based on the analysis of data issued from six previous studies which used DISCERN and a standardized tool for the evaluation of content quality (evidence-based health information) of 388 mental health-related websites. After extracting the Brief DISCERN, several psychometric properties (content validity through a Factor analysis, internal consistency by the Cronbach's alpha index, predictive validity through the diagnostic tests, concurrent validity by the strength of association between the Brief DISCERN and the original DISCERN scores) were investigated to ascertain its general applicability. RESULTS: A Brief DISCERN composed of two factors and six items was extracted from the original 16 items version of the DISCERN. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were more than acceptable for the complete questionnaire (alpha=0.74) and for the two distinct domains: treatments information (alpha=0.87) and reliability (alpha=0.83). Sensibility and specificity of the Brief DISCERN cut-off score > or =16 in the detection of good content quality websites were 0.357 and 0.945, respectively. Its predictive positive and negative values were 0.98 and 0.83, respectively. A statistically significant linear correlation was found between the total scores of the Brief DISCERN and those of the original DISCERN (r=0.84 and p<0.0005). CONCLUSION: The Brief DISCERN seems to be a reliable and valid instrument able to discriminate between websites with good and poor content quality. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The Brief DISCERN is a simple tool which could facilitate the identification of good information on the web by patients and general consumers.