Evaluation of Efficacy of New and Existing Desiccants in Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik)

In western Canada, weeds resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have created an extensive challenge for many lentil (Lens culinaris L.) producers, particularly producers growing imidazolinone (IMI) resistant lentil. These resistant weed biotypes may not always impact the yield of the current lentil crop, but the resulting seedbank additions and subsequent spread of these resistant biotypes can have a long-lasting impact in successive growing seasons. An effective weed seedbank management program is important to reduce the impact of problem weeds and is vital for farming operations to remain profitable and sustainable in future seasons. This 3-year study at Saskatoon and Scott, Saskatchewan (2012-2014) evaluated the impact of several pre-harvest herbicides on juncea canola (Brassica juncea L.) and kochia (Kochia scoparia L.) dry-down, weed seed production, and the viability and vigour of the weed seeds. The field study examined the effects of different contact herbicides, tank mixed with two different rates of glyphosate (450 g a.i. ha-1 and 900 g a.i. ha-1), on weed dry-down, weed seed production and the viability and vigour of developing weed seeds. Five contact herbicides were evaluated: pyraflufen, flumioxazin, saflufenacil, glufosinate, and diquat. Diquat (415 g a.i. g ha-1) and glufosinate (600 g a.i. ha-1) applied alone or tank mixed with glyphosate provided greater dry-down of kochia and juncea compared to flumioxazin, pyraflufen, and saflufenacil. No herbicide treatment was able to significantly reduce seed production of either weed species. Although several treatments reduced the thousand seed weight (TSW) of kochia, only a high rate of glyphosate was effective at reducing juncea TSW. Growth cabinet studies showed that glyphosate and glufosinate applied alone or in a tank mix together significantly reduced kochia seedling vigour. The number of viable juncea seeds was reduced significantly when glyphosate or diquat was applied alone. Overall, glyphosate applied alone was just as effective at reducing seed germination and seedling vigour as tank-mixes with diquat or glufosinate. However, a tank mix of glufosinate and glyphosate as a pre-harvest herbicide treatment in lentil would be the best option to delay the development of glyphosate resistance in kochia and wild mustard. This tank mix would also reduce the viability and vigour of kochia seed additions into the seedbank, as well as provide plant dry-down of lentil and weedy material prior to harvest.

Cytolytic T lymphocyte recognition of the murine cytomegalovirus nonstructural immediate-early protein pp89 expressed by recombinant vaccinia virus

The murine immediate-early (IE) protein pp89 is a nonstructural virus- encoded phosphoprotein residing in the nucleus of infected cells, where it acts as transcriptional activator. Frequency analysis has shown that in BALB/c mice the majority of virus-specific CTL recognize IE antigens. The present study was performed to assess whether pp89 causes membrane antigen expression detected by IE-specific CTL. Site-directed mutagenesis has been used to delete the introns from gene ieI, encoding pp89, for subsequent integration of the continuous coding sequence into the vaccinia virus genome. After infection with the vaccinia recombinant, the authentic pp89 was expressed in cells that became susceptible to lysis by an IE-specific CTL clone. Priming of mice with the vaccinia recombinant sensitized polyclonal CTL that recognized MCMV- infected cells and transfected cells expressing pp89. Thus, a herpesviral IE polypeptide with essential function in viral transcriptional regulation can also serve as a dominant antigen for the specific CTL response of the host

Le Carbet – Bel-Event

Le diagnostic réalisé sur la commune du Carbet, au lieu-dit « Bel-Event », s’est révélé négatif. Aucune structure archéologique n’a été mise au jour, malgré 5 tessons coloniaux disséminés sur la parcelle. Seules une dizaine de traces plus ou moins circulaires, peu profondes, ont pu être repérées, mais leur interprétation demeure difficile : elles sont soit à rattacher à l’ancienne vocation agricole de la parcelle, soit à classer comme bioturbations

Improvements in readiness to change and drinking in primary care patients with unhealthy alcohol use: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The course of alcohol consumption and cognitive dimensions of behavior change (readiness to change, importance of changing and confidence in ability to change) in primary care patients are not well described. The objective of the study was to determine changes in readiness, importance and confidence after a primary care visit, and 6-month improvements in both drinking and cognitive dimensions of behavior change, in patients with unhealthy alcohol use. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of patients with unhealthy alcohol use visiting primary care physicians, with repeated assessments of readiness, importance, and confidence (visual analogue scale (VAS), score range 1-10 points). Improvements 6 months later were defined as no unhealthy alcohol use or any increase in readiness, importance, or confidence. Regression models accounted for clustering by physician and adjusted for demographics, alcohol consumption and related problems, and discussion with the physician about alcohol. RESULTS: From before to immediately after the primary care physician visit, patients (n = 173) had increases in readiness (mean +1.0 point), importance (+0.2), and confidence (+0.5) (all p < 0.002). In adjusted models, discussion with the physician about alcohol was associated with increased readiness (+0.8, p = 0.04). At 6 months, many participants had improvements in drinking or readiness (62%), drinking or importance (58%), or drinking or confidence (56%). CONCLUSION: Readiness, importance and confidence improve in many patients with unhealthy alcohol use immediately after a primary care visit. Six months after a visit, most patients have improvements in either drinking or these cognitive dimensions of behavior change

Le Vauclin – Mallevault, Le Soleil du Macabou

L’opération de diagnostic réalisée sur la parcelle cadastrale V765 de la commune du Vauclin, au lieu-dit « Soleil de Macabou », fait suite à un projet de construction d’un lotissement résidentiel. Malgré un contexte archéologique favorable, de par la présence aux alentours immédiats de deux habitations coloniales, mais aussi d’un site précolombien au nord, le diagnostic a donné des résultats limités. Les 49 sondages couvrent 10,2 % de la superficie totale de la parcelle concernée, et ont révé..