Effect of cropping systems in no-till farming on the quality of a Brazilian Oxisol

The no-till system with complex cropping sequences may improve the structural quality and carbon (C) sequestration in soils of the tropics. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cropping sequences after eight years under the no-till system on the physical properties and C sequestration in an Oxisol in the municipality of Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, Brazil. A randomized split-block design with three replications was used. The treatments were combinations of three summer cropping sequences - corn/corn (Zea mays L.) (CC), soybean/soybean (Glycine max L. Merryll) (SS), and soybean-corn (SC); and seven winter crops - corn, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus L.), pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp), grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), and sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.). Soil samples were taken at the 0-10 cm depth after eight years of experimentation. Soil under SC and CC had higher mean weight diameter (3.63 and 3.55 mm, respectively) and geometric mean diameter (3.55 and 2.92 mm) of the aggregates compared to soil under SS (3.18 and 2.46 mm). The CC resulted in the highest soil organic C content (17.07 g kg-1), soil C stock (15.70 Mg ha-1), and rate of C sequestration (0.70 Mg ha-1 yr-1) among the summer crops. Among the winter crops, soil under pigeon pea had the highest total porosity (0.50 m³ m-3), and that under sunn hemp had the highest water stable aggregates (93.74 %). In addition, sunn hemp did not differ from grain sorghum and contained the highest soil organic C content (16.82 g kg-1) and also had the highest rate of C sequestration (0.67 Mg ha-1 yr-1). The soil resistance to penetration was the lower limit of the least limiting water range, while the upper limit was air-filled porosity for soil bulk densities higher than 1.39 kg dm-3 for all cropping sequences. Within the SC sequence, soil under corn and pigeon pea increased least limiting water range by formation of biopores because soil resistance to penetration decreased with the increase in soil bulk density.

Effects of a 5-h hilly running on ankle plantar and dorsal flexor force and fatigability.

This study aimed to examine the effects of a 5-h hilly run on ankle plantar (PF) and dorsal flexor (DF) force and fatigability. It was hypothesised that DF fatigue/fatigability would be greater than PF fatigue/fatigability. Eight male trail long distance runners (42.5 ± 5.9 years) were tested for ankle PF and DF maximal voluntary isokinetic contraction strength and fatigue resistance tests (percent decrement score), maximal voluntary and electrically evoked isometric contraction strength before and after the run. Maximal EMG root mean square (RMS(max)) and mean power frequency (MPF) values of the tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) and soleus (SOL) EMG activity were calculated. The peak torque of the potentiated high- and low-frequency doublets and the ratio of paired stimulation peak torques at 10 Hz over 100 Hz (Db10:100) were analysed for PF. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction strength of PF decreased from pre- to post-run (-17.0 ± 6.2%; P < 0.05), but no significant decrease was evident for DF (-7.9 ± 6.2%). Maximal voluntary isokinetic contraction strength and fatigue resistance remained unchanged for both PF and DF. RMS(max) SOL during maximal voluntary isometric contraction and RMS(max) TA during maximal voluntary isokinetic contraction were decreased (P < 0.05) after the run. For MPF, a significant decrease for TA (P < 0.05) was found and the ratio Db10:100 decreased for PF (-6.5 ± 6.0%; P < 0.05). In conclusion, significant isometric strength loss was only detected for PF after a 5-h hilly run and was partly due to low-frequency fatigue. This study contradicted the hypothesis that neuromuscular alterations due to prolonged hilly running are predominant for DF.

Soil Aggregation, Organic Carbon Concentration, and Soil Bulk Density As Affected by Cover Crop Species in a No-Tillage System

Soil aggregation and the distribution of total organic carbon (TOC) may be affected by soil tillage and cover crops. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of crop rotation with cover crops on soil aggregation, TOC concentration in the soil aggregate fractions, and soil bulk density under a no-tillage system (NTS) and conventional tillage system (CTS, one plowing and two disking). This was a three-year study with cover crop/rice/cover crop/rice rotations in the Brazilian Cerrado. A randomized block experimental design with six treatments and three replications was used. The cover crops (treatments) were: fallow, Panicum maximum, Brachiaria ruziziensis, Brachiaria brizantha, and millet (Pennisetum glaucum). An additional treatment, fallow plus CTS, was included as a control. Soil samples were collected at the depths of 0.00-0.05 m, 0.05-0.10 m, and 0.10-0.20 m after the second rice harvest. The treatments under the NTS led to greater stability in the soil aggregates (ranging from 86.33 to 95.37 %) than fallow plus CTS (ranging from 74.62 to 85.94 %). Fallow plus CTS showed the highest number of aggregates smaller than 2 mm. The cover crops affected soil bulk density differently, and the millet treatment in the NTS had the lowest values. The cover crops without incorporation provided the greatest accumulation of TOC in the soil surface layers. The TOC concentration was positively correlated with the aggregate stability index in all layers and negatively correlated with bulk density in the 0.00-0.10 m layer.

Changes in Soil Organic Carbon Fractions in Response to Cover Crops in an Orange Orchard

ABSTRACT The cultivation of cover crops intercropped with fruit trees is an alternative to maintain mulch cover between plant rows and increase soil organic carbon (C) stocks. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in soil total organic C content and labile organic matter fractions in response to cover crop cultivation in an orange orchard. The experiment was performed in the state of Bahia, in a citrus orchard with cultivar ‘Pera’ orange (Citrus sinensis) at a spacing of 6 × 4 m. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used. The following species were used as cover crops: Brachiaria (Brachiaria decumbes) – BRAQ, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) – MIL, jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) – JB, blend (50 % each) of jack bean + millet (JB/MIL), and spontaneous vegetation (SPV). The cover crops were broadcast-seeded between the rows of orange trees and mechanically mowed after flowering. Soil sampling at depths of 0.00-0.10, 0.10-0.20, and 0.20-0.40 m was performed in small soil trenches. The total soil organic C (SOC) content, light fraction (LF), and the particulate organic C (POC), and oxidizable organic C fractions were estimated. Total soil organic C content was not significantly changed by the cover crops, indicating low sensitivity in reacting to recent changes in soil organic matter due to management practices. Grasses enabled a greater accumulation of SOC stocks in 0.00-0.40 m compared to all other treatments. Jack bean cultivation increased LF and the most labile oxidizable organic C fraction (F1) in the soil surface and the deepest layer tested. Cover crop cultivation increased labile C in the 0.00-0.10 m layer, which can enhance soil microbial activity and nutrient absorption by the citrus trees. The fractions LF and F1 may be suitable indicators for monitoring changes in soil organic matter content due to changes in soil management practices.

Solvent vapours in incubators: a source of exposure among neonates?

Hygiene practices in neonatal units require the use of disinfecting solutions containing ethanol or isopropanol. Newly disinfected hands or soaked swabs introduced inside the incubators may emit vapours leading to alcohol exposures to the neonates. Alcohol emissions from hands and other occasional sources (e.g. soaked disinfecting swabs) lead to measurable levels of vapours inside incubators. Average isopropanol and ethanol concentrations ranging from 33.1 to 171.4 mg/m(3) (13.8 to 71.4 ppm) and from 23.5 to more than 146 mg/m3 (9.8 to > 6 ppm) respectively were measured inside occupied incubators (n = 11, measurement time about 230 min) in a neonatal unit of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois in Lausanne during regular activity. Exposure concentrations in a wide range of possible situations were then investigated by modeling using the one-box dispersion model. Theoretical modeling suggested typical isopropanol peaks and average concentrations ranging between 10(2) and 10(3) mg/m(3) (4.10(1) to 4.10(2)ppm), and 10(1) to 10(2) mg/m(3) (4 to 4.10(1) ppm), respectively. Based on our results we suggest several preventive measures to reduce the neonates' exposures to solvent vapours.

EGASP: the human ENCODE Genome Annotation Assessment Project

Background: Non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposons have contributed to shaping the structure and function of genomes. In silico and experimental approaches have been used to identify the non-LTR elements of the urochordate Ciona intestinalis. Knowledge of the types and abundance of non-LTR elements in urochordates is a key step in understanding their contribution to the structure and function of vertebrate genomes. Results: Consensus elements phylogenetically related to the I, LINE1, LINE2, LOA and R2 elements of the 14 eukaryotic non-LTR clades are described from C. intestinalis. The ascidian elements showed conservation of both the reverse transcriptase coding sequence and the overall structural organization seen in each clade. The apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease and nucleic-acid-binding domains encoded upstream of the reverse transcriptase, and the RNase H and the restriction enzyme-like endonuclease motifs encoded downstream of the reverse transcriptase were identified in the corresponding Ciona families. Conclusions: The genome of C. intestinalis harbors representatives of at least five clades of non-LTR retrotransposons. The copy number per haploid genome of each element is low, less than 100, far below the values reported for vertebrate counterparts but within the range for protostomes. Genomic and sequence analysis shows that the ascidian non-LTR elements are unmethylated and flanked by genomic segments with a gene density lower than average for the genome. The analysis provides valuable data for understanding the evolution of early chordate genomes and enlarges the view on the distribution of the non-LTR retrotransposons in eukaryotes.

Predictors of death among patients who completed tuberculosis treatment: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Mortality among patients who complete tuberculosis (TB) treatment is still high among vulnerable populations. The objective of the study was to identify the probability of death and its predictive factors in a cohort of successfully treated TB patients. Methods: A population-based retrospective longitudinal study was performed in Barcelona, Spain. All patients who successfully completed TB treatment with culture-confirmation and available drug susceptibility testing between 1995 1997 were retrospectively followed-up until December 31, 2005 by the Barcelona TB Control Program. Socio-demographic, clinical, microbiological and treatment variables were examined. Mortality, TB Program and AIDS registries were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier and a Cox regression methods with time-dependent covariates were used for the survival analysis, calculating the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Among the 762 included patients, the median age was 36 years, 520 (68.2%) were male, 178 (23.4%) HIV-infected, and 208 (27.3%) were alcohol abusers. Of the 134 (17.6%) injecting drug users (IDU), 123 (91.8%) were HIV-infected. A total of 30 (3.9%) recurrences and 173 deaths (22.7%) occurred (mortality rate: 3.4/100 person-years of follow-up). The predictors of death were: age between 4160 years old (HR: 3.5; CI:2.15.7), age greater than 60 years (HR: 14.6; CI:8.924), alcohol abuse (HR: 1.7; CI:1.22.4) and HIV-infected IDU (HR: 7.9; CI:4.713.3). Conclusions: The mortality rate among TB patients who completed treatment is associated with vulnerable populations such as the elderly, alcohol abusers, and HIV-infected IDU. We therefore need to fight against poverty, and promote and develop interventions and social policies directed towards these populations to improve their survival.

Sceaux détachés (originaux en cire), cachets, armoiries, jetons et médailles, dessinés ou gravés. XI 356 numéros (ex-libris armoriés, sceaux dessinés ou gravés, cachets, armoiries, dessins de jetons et médailles, etc.).

Contient : N° 53 Sceau de Catherine d'Alençon, duchesse de Bavière (1416) ; Nos 56 et 57 Sceaux de Jean, duc de Calabre et de Lorraine (31 octobre 1465) et de son fils aîné ; N° 58 Sceau de Marguerite, reine d'Angleterre (1470) ; N° 59 Sceau de Bernardin Bochetel, évêque de Rennes (1564) ; N° 61 « S. Petri, Dei gratia archiepiscopi Tholosani » [Pierre V de Lion ?] ; Nos 62 et 64 Sceau de Robert d'Alençon, comte du Perche (1370 et 1375) ; Nos 72 et 81 Médailles du roi René (dessins) ; N° 73 Sceau de Jeanne, reine de Jérusalem, Sicile et Aragon (1498), avec contre-sceau ; N° 74 Sceau et contre-sceau de Louis de France, duc d'Anjou et roi de Sicile ; N° 75 Sceau d'Isabelle, comtesse du Maine et de Guise (1462), avec contresceau ; N° 76 Sceau et contre-sceau de René d'Anjou, roi de Sicile et de Jérusalem ; N° 77 « [S. Nicolai] ducis Calabrie, Lotharingie, A[ndegavie]..., » avec contre-sceau ; N° 78 Sceau de Pierre, comte d'Alençon, seigneur de Fougères, vicomte de Beaumont (1378), avec contre-sceau ; Nos 79 et 82 Sceau et contre-sceau de Louis II, roi de Jérusalem et de Sicile et comte d'Anjou (1407 et 1408) ; Nos 80 et 88 Sceau et contre-sceau de Robert, comte d'Artois ; N° 84 « S. novum Ludovici, regis Fran. filii, ducis Andegavensis et comitis Cenomannensis, » avec contre-sceau (1374) ; N° 85 Sceau et contre-sceau de Catherine, fille aînée du duc d'Alençon, « comtesse de Montfort, dame de Sonois » ; N° 86 Sceau et contre-sceau de Charles, comte du Maine (1451) ; N° 87 « Scel René d'Anjou, chlr., baron et s. de Mézières et de Thury, » avec contre-sceau ; N° 89 Sceau de Yolande reine de Jérusalem et de Sicile (1428) ; N° 94 Sceau d'Henri de Carinthie, évêque de Troyes ; cf. vol. 3101, n° 8 ; N° 101 Sceau de Charles, comte d'Alençon (1361) ; N° 112 Sceau d'Antoine de Cravant, abbé de la Trinité de Vendôme ; cf. vol. 3113, n° 7 ; N° 113 « Sigillum Johannis, episcopi Silvanectensis » [Jean Neveu † 1499, ou Jean Calveau † 1522] ; N° 115 Sceau de Jean de Tinteniac du Percher, abbé de Saint-Aubin († 1525) ; N° 120 « Scel Pierre, bastart d'Alençon » (1419) ; N° 128 « Constras. Ludovici, regis condam Francor. filii, ducis Andegavie et comit. Cenamanie. » ; N° 154 Sceau de Mathieu, évêque de Troyes (1169-1180) ; N° 257 Sceau de René, duc d'Alençon (1478)

Alterations of Neuromuscular Function after the World's Most Challenging Mountain Ultra-Marathon

We investigated the physiological consequences of the most challenging mountain ultra-marathon (MUM) in the world: a 330-km trail run with 24000 m of positive and negative elevation change. Neuromuscular fatigue (NMF) was assessed before (Pre-), during (Mid-) and after (Post-) the MUM in experienced ultra-marathon runners (n = 15; finish time = 122.43 hours +/-17.21 hours) and in Pre- and Post- in a control group with a similar level of sleep deprivation (n = 8). Blood markers of muscle inflammation and damage were analyzed at Pre- and Post-. Mean +/- SD maximal voluntary contraction force declined significantly at Mid- (-13+/-17% and -10+/-16%, P<0.05 for knee extensor, KE, and plantar flexor muscles, PF, respectively), and further decreased at Post- (-24+/-13% and -26+/-19%, P<0.01) with alteration of the central activation ratio (-24+/-24% and -28+/-34% between Pre- and Post-, P<0.05) in runners whereas these parameters did not change in the control group. Peripheral NMF markers such as 100 Hz doublet (KE: -18+/-18% and PF: -20+/-15%, P<0.01) and peak twitch (KE: -33+/-12%, P<0.001 and PF: -19+/-14%, P<0.01) were also altered in runners but not in controls. Post-MUM blood concentrations of creatine kinase (3719+/-3045 Ul.1), lactate dehydrogenase (1145+/-511 UI.L-1), C-Reactive Protein (13.1+/-7.5 mg.L-1) and myoglobin (449.3+/-338.2 microg.L-1) were higher (P<0.001) than at Pre- in runners but not in controls. Our findings revealed less neuromuscular fatigue, muscle damage and inflammation than in shorter MUMs. In conclusion, paradoxically, such extreme exercise seems to induce a relative muscle preservation process due likely to a protective anticipatory pacing strategy during the first half of MUM and sleep deprivation in the second half.

Neuroanatomical and neuropsychological features of elderly euthymic depressed patients with early- and late-onset.

BACKGROUND: Whether or not cognitive impairment and brain structure changes are trait characteristics of late-life depression is still disputed. Previous studies led to conflicting data possibly because of the difference in the age of depression onset. In fact, several lines of evidence suggest that late-onset depression (LOD) is more frequently associated with neuropsychological deficits and brain pathology than early-onset depression (EOD). To date, no study explored concomitantly the cognitive profile and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patterns in euthymic EOD and LOD patients. METHOD: Using a cross-sectional design, 41 remitted outpatients (30 with EOD and 11 with LOD) were compared to 30 healthy controls. Neuropsychological evaluation concerned working memory, episodic memory, processing speed, naming capacity and executive functions. Volumetric estimates of the amygdala, hippocampus, entorhinal and anterior cingulate cortex were obtained using both voxel-based and region of interest morphometric methods. White matter hyperintensities were assessed semiquantitatively. RESULTS: Both cognitive performance and brain volumes were preserved in euthymic EOD patients whereas LOD patients showed a significant reduction of episodic memory capacity and a higher rate of periventricular hyperintensities compared to both controls and EOD patients. CONCLUSION: Our results support the dissociation between EOD thought to be mainly related to psychosocial factors and LOD that is characterized by increasing vascular burden and episodic memory decline.

Sex differences in urinary levels of several biological indicators of exposure: a human volunteer study

The aim of the study was to quantify the variability on biological indicators of exposure between men and women for three well known solvents: methyl ethyl ketone, 1-methoxy-2-propanol and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. Another purpose was to explore the effect of selected CYP2E1 polymorphisms on the toxicokinetic profile. Controlled human exposures were carried out in a 12m(3) exposure chamber for each solvent separately, during 6h and at half of the threshold limit value. The human volunteers groups were composed of ten young men and fifteen young women, including ten women using hormonal contraceptive. An analysis of variance mainly showed an effect on the urinary levels of several biomarkers of exposure among women due to the use of hormonal contraceptive, with an increase of more than 50% in metabolites concentrations and a decrease of up to 50% in unchanged substances concentrations, suggesting an increase in their metabolism rate. The results also showed a difference due to the genotype CYP2E1*6, when exposed to methyl ethyl ketone, with a tendency to increase CYP2E1 activity when volunteers were carriers of the mutant allele. Our study suggests that not only physiological differences between men and women but also differences due to sex hormones levels can have an impact on urinary concentrations of several biomarkers of exposure. The observed variability due to sex among biological exposure indices can lead to misinterpretation of biomonitoring results. This aspect should have its place in the approaches for setting limits of occupational exposure. [Authors]