Effect of stripe clearing on 4 grasses species and 2 broadleaves of caldenal

En la Región del Espinal, Distrito del Caldén, en la provincia de San Luis existe un fuerte proceso de agriculturización con la consecuente pérdida de remanentes de bosque nativo, peligro de conservación de especies nativas e invasión de especies exóticas. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar el efecto del desmonte en franjas sobre 6 especies del caldenal (4 gramíneas y 2 latifoliadas). El estudio se realizó en un campo a 15 km. al norte de la ciudad de Villa Mercedes (San Luis), sometido a un desmonte en franjas para uso agrícola en el año 2003. En 5 sitios ubicados en franjas remanentes de bosque nativo y 5 en bosque nativo sin desmonte, se trazaron transectas de 39 m de longitud, dirección NS y a lo largo de la misma se registraron las especies presentes en 14 unidades de muestreo de 1 m2. Los datos se analizaron utilizando IBM SPSS Statistics 19, mediante Métodos No Paramétricos, U de Mann-Whitney. El análisis estadístico mostró diferencias significativas (p<0.05) en Digitaria californica, Pappophorum pappiferum, Salsola kali y Cestrum parqui. El estudio demostró que el cultivo entre franjas de bosque nativo produjo un cambio en la frecuencia de poáceas nativas y de latifoliadas.In the region of “Espinal”, Calden Distrct in the province of San Luis there is a strong agriculturization process with the consequent loss of native forest remnants, conserving endangered native species and invasion of exotic species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the stripe clearing on 6 species of caldenal (4 grasses and 2 broa- dleaves). The study was conducted in a field 15 km to the north of the city of Villa Mercedes (San Luis), subjected to a strip-clearing for agricultural use, in the year 2003. On 5 sites into native forest remnants stripes and 5 into without clearing native forest, 39 m long tran- sects were laid, N-S direction, and along the same were recorded the presente species in 14 sampling units of 1 m2. Data were analyzed by IBM SPSS Statistics 19, through non- parametric methods, Mann-Whitney U. Statistical analysis showed significant differences (p <0.05) in Digitaria californica, Pappophorum pappiferum, Salsola kali and Cestrum par- qui. The study showed that the cultivation of native forest between stripes was a change in the frequency of native grasses and broadleaves.Fil: Ruiz, O. M.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentina;Fil: Luna, H. R.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentina;Fil: Bacha, Emmanuel Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - CONICET - San Luis; Argentina; Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentina;Fil: Pedranzani, H.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentina;Fil: Gabutti, E.G.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentina

SCSBRS 113 - Tio Taka: cultivar de arroz irrigado obtida através de seleção recorrente.

O objetivo deste trabalho é mostrar e discutir os principais resultados que levaram ao lançamento da SCSBRS 113 ? TioTaka para plantio em Santa Catarina e apresentar a metodologia utilizada no desenvolvimento da referida cultivar

Contribution of windfarms to ancillary services

International audienceIn the last décade, wind energy has expericnced a substantial growth in Europe with an increase in génération capaciiy from 2,5 GW in 1995 to 34 GW at (lie end of 2004 This incTease has raised new probîems and constraints which led System opéra tors, electric utilities, governments or regulatory boards to define lechnical requirements for the grid connection of wind farms and more generaily of distributed génération (DG) units. At flrst, the requirements for wind fanns were rather "soft" (at least softer than for other DG units) and were mainîy intended to limit the "disturbances" caused by wind energy on power quality and grid opération. But with the ever increasing developmenl of wind power, the impacts on the grids become more and more significant leading to the définition of more and more "scvcrc" requiremcnts, In parltcular, wind farms (WF) arc now more and more often askcd to provide some son of anciilary services such as contribution to voltage/réactive power control and rrequency/active power control. This paper focuscs on the possible provision of such anciilary services by wind faims. Regarcling réactive power and voltage contTOl:-Doubly-fed Induction GÊaerarors (DFIG) and Synchronous or Induction GeneratoTS with full power électron ics interfaces (SIG) can liave réactive power control capabilities (both in production and absorption) depending on the rating of their power electronics converters. Thèse capabilities {characterized by a fast dynamie respon.se) can be used to perform voltage control. Moreover, if required, extemal reactive power compensation device.s niay also be installed.-Classical Induction G encrât ors (OG) do not hâve such réactive power control capahilities and therefore require externat devices for reactive power and voltage control.-Simulations carried oui show that WFs with voltage control capabilîties can significantly sustaîn the network voltage in case of grid events and mus may efficiently support the power System stability.Regard ing frequency control: the resuits show that when the Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) is full y loaded (maximum active power génération], appre-priate use or the pitch control may enabic the WTG (DFIG, SIG or CIG) to contribute to frequency control. In case of partial toad. the contribution to frequency conlrol can be achieved either by "disoplimizing'" the wind energy conversion by mcans of aie pitch control. or by setting a non-optimal rotor speed for DFIG or SIG. However, a judicious way to use variable speed ge&eratCffS may also be looperate them as mertial flywheels

A multidimensional program including standing exercises, health education, and telephone support to reduce sedentary behavior in frail older adults:Randomized clinical trial

Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multidimensional program including home-based standing exercises, health education, and telephone support for the reduction of sedentary behavior in community-dwelling frail older adults. The secondary aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and adherence of the program. Study design: A single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Methods: A total of 43 frail older adults were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention consisted of combined strategies including home-based standing exercises, health education, and telephone support for 16 weeks for frail older adults. The control group received orientation regarding the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Sedentary behavior was evaluated by total sedentary time, accumulated sedentary time in bouts of at least 10 min, and by the break in sedentary time, measured by an accelerometer used for at least 600 min/day for 4 days. Safety was assessed by self-reporting of possible adverse events. Adherence was assessed based on the number of days in which standing exercises were performed by the participants. Repeated measures ANOVA and Tukeys post hoc test were used to analyze the collected data. Results: The intervention group reduced the sedentary time by 30 min/day (p= 0.048), but without significant maintenance after 30 days of the program. Of the total number of participants, 82% (n = 14) of the intervention group participants showed more than 70% adherence to the program. The main adverse effects faced by the intervention group participants were tiredness (53%; n = 9) and lower limb pain (47%; n = 8). Conclusions: The multidimensional program reduced sedentary behavior, was safe, and showed satisfactory adherence in frail older adults

A qualitative emancipatory inquiry into relationships between people with mental disorders and health professionals

Introduction: A therapeutic alliance with people is essential for the efficacy of treatments. However, the traditional paternalistic values of the Mediterranean society may be incompatible with patient autonomy. Aim: To explore the therapeutic relationship from the perspective of people diagnosed with mental disorders with health professionals, including nurses. Methods: This emancipatory research was performed through focus groups, with people with mental disorders who had a variety of diagnoses and experiences of acute and community‐based mental health services and other healthcare services. Data were analysed using the content analysis method. Results: Four main themes emerged: stereotypes and prejudice; quality of interactions and treatment; emotional and behavioural impacts; and demands. Discussion: According to the participants' descriptions, health professionals are not exempt from prejudice against persons with psychiatric diagnoses. They reported experiencing abuse of power, malpractice, and overmedication. Thus, in the Mediterranean culture, professional attitudes may represent a barrier for an appropriate therapeutic alliance, and people with mental disorders do not feel involved in making decisions about their health. Implications for practice: Knowing how people with mental disorders perceive their interactions with health professionals and the effects is necessary to move the care model towards more symmetric relationships that facilitate a therapeutic alliance

Survival and Clinical Course at Fontan After Stage One Palliation With Either a Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt or a Right Ventricle to Pulmonary Artery Conduit

ObjectivesWe sought to determine whether the type of shunt used at stage one palliation (S1P) affected the survival and the perioperative course through Fontan completion.BackgroundAlthough improved surgical and interstage survival have been demonstrated with the use of the right ventricle to pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduit compared with a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (BTS) at S1P, it is unknown whether this effect will be observed in long-term follow-up.MethodsAll patients who underwent a S1P during 2002 and 2003 (n = 80) at our institution were included for analysis. Patients were followed until death or June 1, 2007. Perioperative variables at Fontan completion were recorded.ResultsFor the entire cohort, cumulative survival for those who underwent a RV-PA conduit (n = 34) was 79.4% at 3 years compared with 65.8% in the modified BTS group (n = 46) (log-rank = 0.31). At Fontan (n = 44), when compared with those who had received a modified BTS, those who had a RV-PA conduit placed at S1P had no difference in the median duration of ventilation (21 h [range 10 to 96 h] vs. 26.5 h [range 7 to 204 h], p = 0.09) or hospital stay (9 days [range 5 to 29 days] vs. 10 days [range 6 to 48 days], p = 0.89), although length of stay in the intensive care unit was shorter (2 days [range 0 to 6 days] vs. 4 days [range 1 to 25 days], p = 0.01). Sixty-seven percent of the RV-PA conduit group had at least one PA intervention 3 years after S1P compared with 42.8% in the modified BTS group (log-rank = 0.11).ConclusionsNonstatistically significant trends toward improved cumulative survival and increased PA interventions were demonstrated in patients who had a RV-PA conduit placed at S1P. Longitudinal follow-up of larger groups of randomized patients is required to determine the influence of the RV-PA conduit on long-term outcomes

Ergosterol Effect on the Desaturation of 14C-Cis-Vaccenate in Tetrahymena

Supplement of ergosterol to the growth medium of the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis W leads to incorporation of the foreign sterol within cell membranes and suppression of synthesis of the native sterol-like compound tetrahymanol, as well as to changes in the fatty acid compositions of several major classes of membrane lipid. Alteration of fatty acid composition is thought to represent a regulatory mechanism whereby optimum membrane fluidity is maintained when the slightly dissimilar foreign sterol is added into the phospholipid bilayer of the membranes. The present study, using several different conditions of growth temperature, substrate concentrations and incubation time, and ergosterol concentrations and exposure time, is an attempt to provide evidence supporting a hypothetical regulatory mechanism. This mechanism proposes that there is a feedback regulation by membrane-bound sterol on an enzyme or enzymes involved in synthesis of the long chain fatty acids contained in membrane phospholipid. Such a mechanism could account for the balance between sterol and fatty acid content of membrane. The data presented here show that a statistically significant increase in desaturation of 14C-cis-vaccenate can be demonstrated in Tetrahymena cell cultures whose membranes contain the foreign sterol, when growth temperature is maintained at 20° or 29.5°. Tetrahymena desaturated 14C-cis-vaccenate substrate in both ergosterol supplemented and normal cultures. The 14C labeled product, 6,11-18:2 was recovered and separated by silver nitrate-Unisil column chromatography

Mitochondrial Bioenergetic Alterations in Mouse Neuroblastoma Cells Infected with Sindbis Virus: Implications to Viral Replication and Neuronal Death

The metabolic resources crucial for viral replication are provided by the host. Details of the mechanisms by which viruses interact with host metabolism, altering and recruiting high free-energy molecules for their own replication, remain unknown. Sindbis virus, the prototype of and most widespread alphavirus, causes outbreaks of arthritis in humans and serves as a model for the study of the pathogenesis of neurological diseases induced by alphaviruses in mice. In this work, respirometric analysis was used to evaluate the effects of Sindbis virus infection on mitochondrial bioenergetics of a mouse neuroblastoma cell lineage, Neuro 2a. The modulation of mitochondrial functions affected cellular ATP content and this was synchronous with Sindbis virus replication cycle and cell death. At 15 h, irrespective of effects on cell viability, viral replication induced a decrease in oxygen consumption uncoupled to ATP synthesis and a 36% decrease in maximum uncoupled respiration, which led to an increase of 30% in the fraction of oxygen consumption used for ATP synthesis. Decreased proton leak associated to complex I respiration contributed to the apparent improvement of mitochondrial function. Cellular ATP content was not affected by infection. After 24 h, mitochondria dysfunction was clearly observed as maximum uncoupled respiration reduced 65%, along with a decrease in the fraction of oxygen consumption used for ATP synthesis. Suppressed respiration driven by complexes I- and II-related substrates seemed to play a role in mitochondrial dysfunction. Despite the increase in glucose uptake and glycolytic flux, these changes were followed by a 30% decrease in ATP content and neuronal death. Taken together, mitochondrial bioenergetics is modulated during Sindbis virus infection in such a way as to favor ATP synthesis required to support active viral replication. These early changes in metabolism of Neuro 2a cells may form the molecular basis of neuronal dysfunction and Sindbis virus-induced encephalitis