Salt stress change chlorophyll fluorescence in mango

This study evaluated the tolerance of mango cultivars 'Haden', 'Palmer', 'Tommy Atkins' and 'Uba' grafted on rootstock 'Imbú' to salt stress using chlorophyll fluorescence. Plants were grown in modified Hoagland solution containing 0, 15, 30, and 45 mmol L-1 NaCl. At 97 days the parameters of the chlorophyll fluorescence (F0, Fm, Fv, F0/Fm, Fv/Fm, Fv'/Fm', ΦPSII = [(Fm'-Fs)/(Fm')], D = (1- Fv'/Fm') and ETR = (ΦPSII×PPF×0,84×0,5) were determined. At 100 days, the leaf emission and leaf area, toxicity and leaf abscission indexes were determined. In all cultivars evaluated, in different degree, there were decreases in photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, enhanced concentrations from 15 mmol L-1 NaCl. The decreases in the potential quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) were 27.9, 18.7, 20.5, and 27.4%, for cultivars 'Haden', 'Palmer', 'Tommy Atkins', and 'Uba', respectively, when grown in 45 mmol L-1 NaCl. It was found decreases in leaf emission and mean leaf area in all cultivars from 15 mmol L-1 NaCl. There were increases in leaf toxicity of 33.0, 67.5, 41.6 and 80.8% and in leaf abscission of 71.8, 29.2, 32.5, and 67.9% for the cultivars 'Haden', 'Palmer', 'Tommy Atkins', and 'Uba' respectively, when grown in 45 mmol L-1 NaCl. Leaf toxicity and leaf abscission were not observed in 15 mmol L-1 NaCl. The decrease in Fv/Fm ratio were accompanied by decreasing in leaf emission and increased leaf toxicity index, showing, therefore, the potential of chlorophyll fluorescence in the early detection of salt stress in mango tree.

Trace element monitoring in the ICU: quality and economic impact of a change in sampling practice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Trace elements (TE) are involved in the immune and antioxidant defences which are of particular importance during critical illness. Determining plasma TE levels is costly. The present quality control study aimed at assessing the economic impact of a computer reminded blood sampling versus a risk guided on-demand monitoring of plasma concentrations of selenium, copper, and zinc. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 2 cohorts of patients admitted during 6 months periods in 2006 and 2009 to the ICU of a University hospital. INCLUSION CRITERIA: to receive intravenous micronutrient supplements and/or to have a TE sampling during ICU stay. The TE samplings were triggered by computerized reminder in 2006 versus guided by nutritionists in 2009. RESULTS: During the 2 periods 636 patients met the inclusion criteria out of 2406 consecutive admissions, representing 29.7% and 24.9% respectively of the periods' admissions. The 2009 patients had higher SAPS2 scores (p = 0.02) and lower BMI compared to 2006 (p = 0.007). The number of laboratory determinations was drastically reduced in 2009, particularly during the first week, despite the higher severity of the cohort, resulting in à 55% cost reduction. CONCLUSIONS: The monitoring of TE concentrations guided by a nutritionist resulted in a reduction of the sampling frequency, and targeting on the sickest high risk patients, requiring a nutritional prescription adaptation. This control leads to cost reduction compared to an automated sampling prescription.

Demand-based structural change and balanced economic growth

[eng] We analyze the equilibrium of a multi-sector exogenous growth model where the introduction of minimum consumption requirements drives structural change. We show that equilibrium dynamics simultaneously exhibt structural change and balanced growth of aggregate variables as is observed in US when the initial intensity of minimum consumption requirements is sufficiently small. This intensity is measured by the ratio between the aggregate value of the minimum consumption requirements and GDP and, therefore, it is inversely related with the level of economic development. Initially rich economies benefit from an initially low intensity of the minimum consumption requirements and, as a consequence, these economies end up exhibiting balanced growth of aggregate variables, while there is structural change. In contrast, initially poor economies suffer from an initially large intensity of the minimum consumption requirements, which makes the growth of the aggregate variables unbalanced during a very large period. These economies may never exhibit simultaneously balanced growth of aggregate variables and structural change.

Demand-based structural change and balanced economic growth

[eng] We analyze the equilibrium of a multi-sector exogenous growth model where the introduction of minimum consumption requirements drives structural change. We show that equilibrium dynamics simultaneously exhibt structural change and balanced growth of aggregate variables as is observed in US when the initial intensity of minimum consumption requirements is sufficiently small. This intensity is measured by the ratio between the aggregate value of the minimum consumption requirements and GDP and, therefore, it is inversely related with the level of economic development. Initially rich economies benefit from an initially low intensity of the minimum consumption requirements and, as a consequence, these economies end up exhibiting balanced growth of aggregate variables, while there is structural change. In contrast, initially poor economies suffer from an initially large intensity of the minimum consumption requirements, which makes the growth of the aggregate variables unbalanced during a very large period. These economies may never exhibit simultaneously balanced growth of aggregate variables and structural change.

Attitudes Toward Organizational Change among Public Middle Managers

Positive attitudes toward change (PATC) are an important current issue in public organizations facing profound financial and managerial reforms. This study aims to identify social and organizational antecedents of PATC. The investigated population is composed of middle managers working in Swiss public hospitals (N = 720), which are currently being confronted by major reforms. Partial mediation effects of organizational commitment (OC) in the relationships between independent variables and PATC are also controlled. The findings show that perceived social support (work relationships with colleagues and supervisors) as well as perceived organizational support (employee voice and participation, information and communication, work-life balance) are positively and significantly related to PATC. Stress perception is shown to have a negative impact on PATC. This article provides valuable contributions with respect to antecedents of attitudes toward change in a population of public middle managers.

Coffee polyphenols change the expression of STAT5b and ATF-2 modifying cyclin D1 levels in cancer cells

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that coffee consumption reduces the risk of cancer, but the molecular mechanisms of its chemopreventive effects remain unknown. Objective: To identify differentially expressed genes upon incubation of HT29 colon cancer cells with instant caffeinated coffee (ICC) or caffeic acid (CA) using whole genome microarrays. Results: ICC incubation of HT29 cells caused the overexpression of 57 genes and the underexpression of 161, while CA incubation induced the overexpression of 12 genes and the underexpression of 32. Using Venn-Diagrams, we built a list of five overexpressed genes and twelve underexpressed genes in common between the two experimental conditions. This list was used to generate a biological association network in which STAT5B and ATF-2 appeared as highly interconnected nodes. STAT5B overexpression was confirmed at the mRNA and protein levels. For ATF-2, the changes in mRNA levels were confirmed for both ICC and CA, whereas the decrease in protein levels was only observed in CA-treated cells. The levels of cyclin D1, a target gene for both STAT5B and ATF-2, were dowregulated by CA in colon cancer cells and by ICC and CA in breast cancer cells. Conclusions: Coffee polyphenols are able to affect cyclin D1 expression in cancer cells through the modulation of STAT5B and ATF-2.

Tolerance and Relative Utility: Two Proposed Indices for Comparing Change in Clinical Measurement Noise Between Different Populations (Repeatability) or Measurement Methods (Agreement).

Reaching a consensus in terms of interchangeability and utility (i.e., disease detection/monitoring) of a medical device is the eventual aim of repeatability and agreement studies. The aim of the tolerance and relative utility indices described in this report is to provide a methodology to compare change in clinical measurement noise between different populations (repeatability) or measurement methods (agreement), so as to highlight problematic areas. No longitudinal data are required to calculate these indices. Both indices establish a metric of least to most effected across all parameters to facilitate comparison. If validated, these indices may prove useful tools when combining reports and forming the consensus required in the validation process for software updates and new medical devices.

New Climate Change Related EC Directives and Their Interrelations to Green Electricity and Certificate Practices

Työn päätavoite on tutkia vihreän sähkön ja sertifikaattien kaupan ja EY:n uusien ilmastonmuutosta koskevien direktiivien ja direktiiviehdotusten välisiä yhteyksiä. Tutkimuksessa käsitellään direktiiviä sähköntuotannosta uusiutuvilla energialähteillä ja direktiiviehdotuksia Euroopan Unionin alueen päästökaupasta sekä yhdistetyn sähkön ja lämmön tuotannon lisäämisestä. Työ keskittyy erään suomalaisen metsäteollisuusyrityksen toimiin ilmastonmuutoksen hidastamiseksi. Tutkimus keskittyy pääosin EU:n suunnitelmaan aloittaa Unionin jäsenvaltioiden välinen päästökauppa, koska tämä järjestelmä tulee toteutuessaan olemaan teollisuuden kannalta merkittävä. Tilannetta on analysoitu neljän sellu- ja paperitehtaan hiilidioksidipäästölaskelmien avulla. Työssä kehitettyjä laskumalleja voidaan käyttää avuksi yhtiön muilla tehtailla. Tämän lisäksi työssä on luotu malli energiainvestointien arvioimiseksi tulevaisuudessa ottamalla päästöoikeuden hinnan vaikutus huomioon. Päästökaupan vaikutukset pohjoismaisilla vapautuneilla sähkömarkkinoilla on analysoity, koska teollinen sähkönhankinta on suuresti riippuvainen tästä markkinasta. Suomen metsäteollisuuden oma yhdistetty sähkön ja lämmön tuotanto erityisesti uusiutuvista energialähteistä tulee olemaan entistäkin tärkeämpää tiukentuvassa toimintaympäristössä. Tällä hetkellä on käynnissä kokeilu lisäarvon saamiseksi omalle sähköntuotannolle. Tällä haetaan kokemuksia ja valmiutta tulevaa päästökauppaa varten.

Phylogeny and biogeography of Primula sect. Armerina: implications for plant evolution under climate change and the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

BACKGROUND: The historical orogenesis and associated climatic changes of mountain areas have been suggested to partly account for the occurrence of high levels of biodiversity and endemism. However, their effects on dispersal, differentiation and evolution of many groups of plants are still unknown. In this study, we examined the detailed diversification history of Primula sect. Armerina, and used biogeographic analysis and macro-evolutionary modeling to investigate a series of different questions concerning the evolution of the geographical and ecological distribution of the species in this section. RESULTS: We sequenced five chloroplast and one nuclear genes for species of Primula sect. Armerina. Neither chloroplast nor nuclear trees support the monophyly of the section. The major incongruences between the two trees occur among closely related species and may be explained by hybridization. Our dating analyses based on the chloroplast dataset suggest that this section began to diverge from its relatives around 3.55 million years ago, largely coinciding with the last major uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Biogeographic analysis supports the origin of the section in the Himalayan Mountains and dispersal from the Himalayas to Northeastern QTP, Western QTP and Hengduan Mountains. Furthermore, evolutionary models of ecological niches show that the two P. fasciculata clades have significantly different climatic niche optima and rates of niche evolution, indicating niche evolution under climatic changes and further providing evidence for explaining their biogeographic patterns. CONCLUSION: Our results support the hypothesis that geologic and climatic events play important roles in driving biological diversification of organisms in the QTP area. The Pliocene uplift of the QTP and following climatic changes most likely promoted both the inter- and intraspecific divergence of Primula sect. Armerina. This study also illustrates how niche evolution under climatic changes influences biogeographic patterns.

Psychotherapy for Personality Disorders in a Natural Setting: A Pilot Study over Two Years of Treatment.

Long-term assessment of the effects of psychotherapy for personality disorders (PDs) in a natural environment is an important task. Such research contributes to enlarge the practice-based evidence, embedded in broad collaborations between clinicians and researchers in psychotherapy for PDs. The present pilot study used rigorous assessment procedures and incorporated feedback loops of outcome information to the therapists in demonstrating the effects of psychotherapy for PD in a natural setting. The number of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), criteria for any PD was the primary outcome (along with psychological distress, depression, impulsiveness, and quality of life as secondary measures), assessed at intake, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of psychotherapy for N = 13 patients with PD. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. Results demonstrated a large pre-post effect (d = 2.22) for the observer-rated measure (primary outcome), and small to medium effects for the secondary outcomes; these results were corroborated by a steady decrease of symptoms over all five time points, which was significant for several outcomes. These results add a piece to the literature by demonstrating the effects of long-term psychotherapy for PDs in increasingly diverse contexts and suggest that practice-oriented research can be carried out in a collaborative and systematic manner.

Análisis de la motivación al cambio en sujetos que han realizado un programa formativo en violencia doméstica

Esta investigación consiste en la evaluación de la motivación al cambio en un grupo de 116 agresores que realizan un programa formativo en materia de violencia doméstica (VIDO) como medida penal alternativa. El objetivo principal de esta investigación es determinar en qué grado se produce un cambio motivacional como consecuencia de la participación en el programa formativo. Con este propósito, se evalúa el riesgo de los individuos (mediante la evaluación de riesgo realizada por los delegados judiciales), sus necesidades criminògenas (mediante datos sociodemográficos y de carrera criminal), las características clínicas de personalidad medidas con el Inventario de evaluación de la Personalidad (PAI) y su motivación para el cambio (a través de la Escala de Estadios de cambio). Los resultados indican que los cambios en el nivel de motivación de los sujetos no se deben a los efectos del programa formativo. Sin embargo, se encuentran cambios significativos cuando la motivación se analiza en relación a las características del PAI. Estos resultados sugieren la existencia de diferentes perfiles de maltratadores de pareja que se deben tener en cuenta a la hora de planificar el programa formativo para conseguir la máxima eficacia de las intervenciones y el cambio terapéutico de los individuos.

On the Adoption of Partial Least Squares in Psychological Research: Caveat Emptor

The partial least squares technique (PLS) has been touted as a viable alternative to latent variable structural equation modeling (SEM) for evaluating theoretical models in the differential psychology domain. We bring some balance to the discussion by reviewing the broader methodological literature to highlight: (1) the misleading characterization of PLS as an SEM method; (2) limitations of PLS for global model testing; (3) problems in testing the significance of path coefficients; (4) extremely high false positive rates when using empirical confidence intervals in conjunction with a new "sign change correction" for path coefficients; (5) misconceptions surrounding the supposedly superior ability of PLS to handle small sample sizes and non-normality; and (6) conceptual and statistical problems with formative measurement and the application of PLS to such models. Additionally, we also reanalyze the dataset provided by Willaby et al. (2015; doi:10.1016/j.paid.2014.09.008) to highlight the limitations of PLS. Our broader review and analysis of the available evidence makes it clear that PLS is not useful for statistical estimation and testing.

Climate change impacts on lakes: an integrated ecological perspective based on a multi-faceted approach, with special focus on shallow lakes

Freshwater ecosystems and their biodiversity are presently seriously threatened by global development and population growth, leading to increases in nutrient inputs and intensification of eutrophication-induced problems in receiving fresh waters, particularly in lakes. Climate change constitutes another threat exacerbating the symptoms of eutrophication and species migration and loss. Unequivocal evidence of climate change impacts is still highly fragmented despite the intensive research, in part due to the variety and uncertainty of climate models and underlying emission scenarios but also due to the different approaches applied to study its effects. We first describe the strengths and weaknesses of the multi-faceted approaches that are presently available for elucidating the effects of climate change in lakes, including space-for-time substitution, time series, experiments, palaeoecology and modelling. Reviewing combined results from studies based on the various approaches, we describe the likely effects of climate changes on biological communities, trophic dynamics and the ecological state of lakes. We further discuss potential mitigation and adaptation measures to counteract the effects of climate change on lakes and, finally, we highlight some of the future challenges that we face to improve our capacity for successful prediction.

Identiteetti ja luopuminen perheyrityksen sukupolvenvaihdoksessa

Tutkimus on perheyrittäjyystutkimusta, se käsittelee perheyrityksessä tapahtunutta sukupolvenvaihdosta sekä siihen liittyvää luopumisen prosessia. Poikkitieteellisenä lähestymistapana käytetään sosiologisia ja psykologisia katsantokantoja identiteetin rakentumisesta ja sen muuttumisesta. Luopumiskäsitettä lähestytään perheyrittäjän identiteetin rakentumisen ja muuttumisen kautta. Tutkimus etsii vastausta neljään kysymykseen: 1. Millainen on perheyrittäjän identiteetti? 2. Miten perheyrityksen sukupolvenvaihdos vaikuttaa identiteettiin? 3. Mitä luopuminen tarkoittaa sukupolvenvaihdoksessa? 4. Mitä sukupolvenvaihdoksessa todellisuudessa tapahtuu? Tutkimuksessa paneudutaan luopujan ja jatkajan näkökulmiin, joita tarkastellaan elämänkertatarinoiden avulla. Tutkimuksen aineisto koostuu viidestä yrityksestä, joissa jollakin tasolla on sukupolvenvaihdos toteutettu. Tutkimuksessa on haastateltu kolmeatoista henkilöä. Tutkimuksen perusteella voidaan todeta, että perheyrittäjän identiteetti on hyvin kompleksinen ja vaikeasti lähestyttävä asia. Perheyrittäjän persoona on vahva ja perhe sekä yritys vaikuttavat oleellisesti sen muotoutumiseen. Individuaalisuus jää usein familistisen näkemyksen jalkoihin. Sukupolvenvaihdos vaikutti sekä luopujan että jatkajan identiteettiin ratkaisevasti. Luopujat kohtasivat kriisin miettiessään yrityksensä tulevaisuutta ja moni jatkaja puolestaan muutti elämäänsä radikaalisti siirtyessään perheyrityksen jatkajaksi. Työstä luopuminen osoittautui tutkimuksessa kriittisimmäksi tekijäksi, etenkin luopujien näkökulmasta katsottuna. Jatkajille se merkitsi oman jo mahdollisen muun uran ja työpaikan vaihtumista perheyritykseen. Luopujille se teoriassa tarkoitti eläkkeelle siirtymistä. Tutkituissa yrityksissä kukaan luopujista ei kuitenkaan ole lopettanut työn tekoa. He ovat jokapäiväinen näky yrityksessä ja enemmän tai vähemmän aktiivisesti mukana yrityksen toiminnoissa. Tämä aiheuttaa sukupolvien yhteentörmäystä ja konflikteja, tämä seikka vie paljon energiaa yrityksessä tehtävältä työltä. Työ on yrittäjälle erittäin vahva ja merkitsevä identiteetin perusta, jonka muuttaminen tai siitä luopuminen on vaikeaa.