Phyllochron and Leaf Lifespan of Four C4 Forage Grasses Cultivated in a Silvopastoral System

Silvopastoral systems are emerging as an option for more sustainable land use. However, the challenge is to optimize pasture production and the determine suitable management by understanding the growth and development of forages under trees canopy (Palma et al. 2007). In the silvopastoral system, trees change the environment that forages grow, and can influence the development of plants and, consequently, the sward dynamics. For instance, the light quantity (i.e. photon flux density) and quality (e.g. changes in red: far-red ratios) can vary as a result of the tree canopy (Beaudet et al. 2011). Phyllochron and leaf lifespan are morphogenetic processes that control growth and development of plants in a specific environment. These processes determine leaf area index and so the light interception by the sward (Lemaire and Chapman, 1996). These two characteristics can be used as tools for pasture management, and also are influenced by management practices, like nitrogen fertilization. However, there are few studies that evaluated these characteristics for forages cultivated under tree canopy (Paciullo et al. 2008), particularly when using the light interception (LI) as a criteria for cutting frequency. Under full sun, rotational stocking using 95% canopy LI has been recommended to use C4 species to their fullest potential and optimize ruminant weight gains on pasture (Silva and Carvalho, 2003). The aim of our work was to determine both the shading (five-year-old plantation of Eucalyptus dunni) and nitrogen availability effect on phyllochron and leaf lifespan of four C4 forage grasses species in a sub-tropical region, managed using the 95% light interception criteria to determine cutting frequency

Interactive Tree and N Supply Effect on Root Mass of Two Annual Pasture Grasses

A major aim of integrated crop livestock system (ICLS) with trees is to increase the overall land productivity and/or its sustainability by making best use of the environmental resources (water, light and nutrients) used by plant for growth (Jose et al. 2008). Consequently, research efforts have been done in order to investigate the complex animal-plant-soils interactions operating upon the biological production of these systems, and their environmental impacts. For instance, since roots return to soil as a stock of C in the soil is in general larger than shoot return, interest in describing plant root system has increased due the current debate over sequestration of C by vegetation. Therefore, an important issue of ICLS is the degree of competition or, conversely, the complementary level that exists between root development and root system activities (Gregory 2006). However, our knowledge about the mechanisms by which biomass allocation (aerial parts of the plant vs. root system) is regulated is poor (Poorter et al. 2011), mainly when considering simultaneous stresses (e.g. light and nutrients). In the present study we report the shoot:root ratio and root mass variation responses to N fertilization levels of two forage grass species growing in field situation under a tree canopy while grazed by beef heifers versus an open, treeless ICLS

Identification of Autophagy as a Functional Target Suitable for the Pharmacological Treatment of Mitochondrial Membrane Protein-Associated Neurodegeneration (MPAN) In Vitro

Mitochondrial membrane protein-associated neurodegeneration (MPAN) is a relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the C19orf12 gene. C19orf12 has been implicated in playing a role in lipid metabolism, mitochondrial function, and autophagy, however, the precise functions remain unknown. To identify new robust cellular targets for small compound treatments, we evaluated reported mitochondrial function alterations, cellular signaling, and autophagy in a large cohort of MPAN patients and control fibroblasts. We found no consistent alteration of mitochondrial functions or cellular signaling messengers in MPAN fibroblasts. In contrast, we found that autophagy initiation is consistently impaired in MPAN fibroblasts and show that C19orf12 expression correlates with the amount of LC3 puncta, an autophagy marker. Finally, we screened 14 different autophagy modulators to test which can restore this autophagy defect. Amongst these compounds, carbamazepine, ABT-737, LY294002, oridonin, and paroxetine could restore LC3 puncta in the MPAN fibroblasts, identifying them as novel potential therapeutic compounds to treat MPAN. In summary, our study confirms a role for C19orf12 in autophagy, proposes LC3 puncta as a functionally robust and consistent readout for testing compounds, and pinpoints potential therapeutic compounds for MPAN

Methodological developments in violence research

Über Jahrzehnte wurde Gewalt durch Interviews mit Betroffenen oder Tätern, durch teilnehmende Beobachtung oder Gewaltstatistiken untersucht, meist unter Verwendung entweder qualitativer oder quantitativer Analysemethoden. Seit der Jahrhundertwende stehen Forschenden eine Reihe neuer Ansätze zur Verfügung: Es gibt immer mehr Videoaufnahmen von gewaltsamen Ereignissen, Mixed Methods-Ansätze werden stetig weiterentwickelt und durch Computational Social Sciences finden Big Data-Ansätze Einzug in immer mehr Forschungsfelder. Diese drei Entwicklungen bieten großes Potenzial für die quantitative und qualitative Gewaltforschung. Der vorliegende Beitrag diskutiert Videodatenanalyse, Triangulation und Mixed Methods-Ansätze sowie Big Data und bespricht den gegenwärtigen und zukünftigen Einfluss der genannten Entwicklungen auf das Forschungsfeld. Das Augenmerk liegt besonders darauf, (1) wie neuere Videodaten genutzt werden können, um Gewalt zu untersuchen und wo ihre Vor- und Nachteile liegen, (2) wie Triangulation und Mixed Methods-Ansätze umfassendere Analysen und theoretische Verknüpfungen in der Gewaltforschung ermöglichen und (3) wo Anwendungen von Big Data und Computational Social Science in der Gewaltforschung liegen können.For decades violence research has relied on interviews with victims and perpetrators, on participant observation, and on survey methods, and most studies focused on either qualitative or quantitative analytic strategies. Since the turn of the millennium, researchers can draw on a range of new approaches: there are increasing amounts of video data of violent incidents, triangulation and mixed methods approaches become ever more sophisticated, and computational social sciences introduce big data analysis to more and more research fields. These three developments hold great potential for quantitative and qualitative violence research. This paper discusses video data analysis, mixed methods, and big data in the context of current and future violence research. Specific focus lies on (1) potentials and challenges of new video data for studying violence; (2) the role of triangulation and mixed methods in enabling more comprehensive violence research from multiple theoretical perspectives, and (3) what potential uses of big data and computational social science in violence research may look like

ATYPICAL FEMORAL FRACTURES: CASE SERIES AND PROPOSAL OF AN ALGORITHM FOR MANAGEMENT

Objective: To purpose a practical tool for approaching atypical femoral fractures (AFF) considering the current evidences and experience of a multidisciplinary study group. Material and Methods: We examined a series of clinical cases with a diagnosis of AFF according with 2013 ASBMR criteria. After a consensus of our study group, we purposed an algorithm in order to improve the knowledge in terms of early diagnosis and conservative and surgical treatment. Results: From the analysis of 30 clinical cases of AFF (28 female and 2 male, mean aged 76.06 ± 6.56 years) our group debated on 4 main topics regarding the AFF: diagnosis, evaluation of bone turnover, treatment of the fractured femur, and management of the contralateral femur. These clinical issues represented the 4 steps of our proposed algorithm. Figure 1. AFF complicated by an intraoperative fracture and subsequent infection. A) Pre-operative X-ray showing an incomplete AFF in a very bowed femur; B) Reduction and synthesis of the intraoperative fracture using a locking plate; C) External fixation after removal of locking plate because of the development of an infection. Conclusions: A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory in order to face up the AFF. Based on our clinical experience, we proposed a practical guide for diagnosis and management of AFF. However, there is a lack of adequate evidences on treatment of AFF and further studies are needed. Osteoporos In

P845 ATYPICAL FEMORAL FRACTURES: CASE SERIES AND PROPOSAL OF AN ALGORITHM FOR MANAGEMENT

Objective: To purpose a practical tool for approaching atypical femoral fractures (AFF) considering the current evidences and experience of a multidisciplinary study group. Material and Methods: We examined a series of clinical cases with a diagnosis of AFF according with 2013 ASBMR criteria. After a consensus of our study group, we purposed an algorithm in order to improve the knowledge in terms of early diagnosis and conservative and surgical treatment. Results: From the analysis of 30 clinical cases of AFF (28 female and 2 male, mean aged 76.06 ± 6.56 years) our group debated on 4 main topics regarding the AFF: diagnosis, evaluation of bone turnover, treatment of the fractured femur, and management of the contralateral femur. These clinical issues represented the 4 steps of our proposed algorithm. Figure 1. AFF complicated by an intraoperative fracture and subsequent infection. A) Pre-operative X-ray showing an incomplete AFF in a very bowed femur; B) Reduction and synthesis of the intraoperative fracture using a locking plate; C) External fixation after removal of locking plate because of the development of an infection. Conclusions: A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory in order to face up the AFF. Based on our clinical experience, we proposed a practical guide for diagnosis and management of AFF. However, there is a lack of adequate evidences on treatment of AFF and further studies are needed. Osteoporos In

Phyllochron and leaf lifespan of four C4 forage grasses cultivated in association with trees.

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