Furrow and Ridge Soil Nitrogen Mineralization in a Surface Irrigated Artichoke Field

[EN] Quantitative knowledge of soil organic nitrogen net mineralization (NNM) in field conditions is crucial to optimize N fertilization of crops. In a field fertilization trial of artichokes 48 PE tubes were inserted to 20 cm depth in the soil in plant row and irrigation furrows and soil samples were periodically taken during two and a half months to determine NNM. A parallel essay with disturbed samples from the same procedence was carried out in the laboratory at 25ºC and 10 kPa soil water tension. Soil sample position (ridge and furrow) did not significantly determined NNM in the laboratory essay. Although NNM (obtained from laboratory incubation and corrected to field soil temperature and moisture monitored during the experimental period) overpredicted measured field NNM, matching of both was better than those reported in other studies. NNM rate for the 76 days period of incubation predicted from lab data was 22.9 kg N/ ha x 0.1 m while corresponding field values corrected by Br- or Cl- mass balance were 10% and 20% lower respectively in ridge position and under 40% lower by either method in furrow position.The research reported in this paper was supported by a fund from CICYT-INIA (project RTA01-117-C2-2)Lidón, A.; Bautista, I.; De La Iglesia, F.; Oliver Talens, J.; Llorca, R.; Cruz-Romero, G. (2006). Furrow and Ridge Soil Nitrogen Mineralization in a Surface Irrigated Artichoke Field. Acta Horticulturae. (700):71-74. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2006.700.7S717470

Homeschooling e interés superior del niño

El homeschooling, o enseñanza en casa, se caracteriza por la transmisión de los contenidos educativos y de los valores sociales, morales, ideológicos y religiosos por los padres. Su práctica está aceptada en distintos países aunque encuentre en España resistencias ideológicas. A la ausencia voluntaria de desarrollo legislativo se suma una interpretación jurisprudencial que identifica el cumplimiento del derecho a la educación con la escolarización obligatoria, posicionando a las familias interesadas en su práctica en una situación de ilegalidad. Ante la ausencia de regulación del homeschooling y el crecimiento de su práctica, sus defensores buscan alternativas para su anclaje en el sistema educativo. La aplicación del interés superior del niño al test de proporcionalidad en casos concretos, comparado con los demás argumentos que se sueles presentar, es una vía adecuada para su acogida pues busca armonizar este interés con los fines constitucionales de la educación.Homeschooling is characterized by the transmission of educational content and social, moral, ideological and religious values by parents. Its practice is accepted in different countries although in Spain this practice finds an ideological resistance. A voluntary absence of legislative adds a development jurisprudential interpretation that identifies the fulfillment of the right to education with compulsory schooling, positioning families interested in their practice in an illegal situation. In the absence of homeschooling regulation and the growth of its practice, its proponents seek alternatives for it anchoring in the education system. The application of the best interests of the child to the proportionality test, compared with the other arguments that are usually present, it is an alternative for harmonizing this interests with the e constitutional purposes of education

Efectividad del consejo médico a pacientes alcohólicos y bebedores excesivos atendidos en consultas de atención primaria

ObjetivoComprobar la efectividad del consejo médico antialcohólico que se da en las consultas de atención primaria.DiseñoEstudio cuasi-experimental de tipo «antes-después», abierto, multicéntrico.EmplazamientoCatorce consultas médicas de atención primaria (7 rurales y 7 urbanas) de la provincia de Córdoba (España).ParticipantesUn total de 306 pacientes de ambos sexos, captados mediante búsqueda de casos, que presentaban un consumo de alcohol ≥ 35 (varones) y 21 (mujeres) U a la semana, y/o síndrome de dependencia alcohólica (SDA) (MALTS-O ≥ 11).IntervencionesA todos se les ofreció consejo médico breve antialcohólico y se les hizo un seguimiento para valoración de su estado a los 3 meses, 1 y 2 años.Mediciones principalesLa variable de respuesta fue la suma del consumo autorreferido, más valores normales de GGT, y la confirmación del familiar. El análisis del estudio fue por «intención de tratar».ResultadosDe los 306 pacientes incluidos, en un 95,1% de los casos se trataba de varones y un 78,4% presentaba SDA. Al cabo de 2 años, el 38,89% (IC del 95%, 32,2-44,3%) había alcanzado el objetivo terapéutico: un 23,85% se encontraba en abstinencia total y el 15,0% presentaba un consumo moderado de alcohol, por debajo del límite de riesgo. El comienzo del consumo excesivo antes de los 16 años (odds ratio [OR], 3,0885), vivir en un barrio marginal (OR, 3,2103), consumir tabaco (OR, 1,7187) y un test de CAGE positivo (OR, 1,9949) se asociaron al fracaso de la intervención (p < 0,05).ConclusionesSe demuestra la alta efectividad del consejo antialcohólico impartido por el médico de familia en condiciones habituales de consulta, tanto en bebedores excesivos como en aquellos con SDA.AimTo determine the effectiveness of medical counseling for alcohol abuse, when it is provided in primary care centers.DesignQuasi-experimental, open, multicenter before-after study.Setting14 primary care physician's practices (7 rural, 7 urban) in the province of Córdoba (Spain).Participants306 patients of both sexes, recruited with a case-finding strategy, who consumed ≥35 (men) or ≥21 (women) IU per week, or who had alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS) (MALTS score O≥11).InterventionsAll patients were offered brief counseling to reduce drinking, and all were followed to evaluate their status 3 months, 1 year and 2 years later.Main measuresThe response variable was selfreported alcohol consumption together with normal GGT values or confirmation of alcohol consumption by a relative. The results were subjected to intention-to-treat analysis.ResultsOf the 306 patients included in the study, 95.1% were men and 78.4% had ADS. After 2 years 38.89% (95% CI, 32.2%-44.3%) had attained their treatment goal: 23.85% were in complete abstinence, and 15.0% consumed moderate amounts of alcohol below the limit considered to indicate risk. Starting excessive consumption at less than 16 years of age (odds ratio [OR], 3.0885), living in a slum (OR, 3.2103), smoking (OR, 1.7187), and a positive CAGE test (OR, 1.9949) were associated with failure of the intervention (P<.05).ConclusionsCounseling provided by the family doctor was highly effective under the usual conditions of general practice, both for patients with excessive alcohol consumption and for patients with con ADS

Mutations in the anti-sigma H factor RshA confer resistance to econazole and clotrimazole in Mycobacterium smegmatis

Azole drugs such as econazole, are active on Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis; however, the identification of their target(s) is still pending. It has been reported that mutations in the non-essential system mmpL5-mmpS5 conferred resistance to econazole in M. tuberculosis. We herein report that an azole-resistant mutant screen in M. smegmatis rendered mutations in rshA, encoding a non-essential anti-sigma H protein.Fil: Morbidoni, Héctor Ricardo. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: de la Iglesia, Agustina Inés. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Figueroa, Virginia. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Di Capua, Cecilia Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Ioerger, Thomas R.. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Parish, Tanya. Infectious Disease Research Institute. TB Discovery Research; Estados Unido

Plasma irisin depletion under energy restriction is associated with improvements in lipid profile in metabolic syndrome patients

OBJECTIVE: A recently discovered myokine, irisin, may have an important role in energy metabolism. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between this hormone and the lipid profile of patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) following a hypocaloric diet. DESIGN: Ninety-three Caucasian adults (52 men/41 women) diagnosed with MetS followed an 8-week-long energy-restricted programme (-30% of the energy requirements). Anthropometric measurements, biochemical markers and plasma irisin levels were analysed before and after the nutritional intervention. RESULTS: Global plasma irisin levels were significantly reduced at the end of the study (-72.0 +/- 100.9 ng/ml, P < 0.001) accompanying the weight loss (-6.9%). The depletion of irisin significantly correlated with changes in some atherogenic-related variables: total cholesterol (B = 0.106, P = 0.018), total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (B = 0.002, P = 0.036), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (B = 0.085, P = 0.037) and apolipoprotein B (B = 0.052, P = 0.002), independently of changes in body weight. CONCLUSIONS: An association between the reduction in plasma irisin levels and the depletion of important lipid metabolism biomarkers was observed in patients with MetS undergoing an energy-restricted programme

Higher baseline irisin concentrations are associated with greater reductions in glycemia and insulinemia after weight loss in obese subjects

Irisin is assumed to be a relevant link between muscle and weight maintenance as well as to mediate exercise benefits on health. The aim of this study was to assess the possible associations between irisin levels and glucose homeostasis in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS) following an energy-restricted treatment. Ninety-six adults with excessive body weight and MetS features underwent a hypocaloric dietary pattern for 8 weeks, within the RESMENA randomized controlled trial (www.clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01087086). After the intervention, dietary restriction significantly reduced body weight and evidenced a dietary-induced decrease in circulating levels of irisin in parallel with improvements on glucose homeostasis markers. Interestingly, participants with higher irisin values at baseline (above the median) showed a greater reduction on glucose (P=0.022) and insulin (P=0.021) concentrations as well as on the homeostasis model assessment index (P=0.008) and triglycerides (P=0.006) after the dietary intervention, compared with those presenting low-irisin baseline values (below the median). Interestingly, a positive correlation between irisin and carbohydrate intake was found at the end of the experimental period. In conclusion, irisin appears to be involved in glucose metabolism regulation after a dietary-induced weight loss

Crossover versus Mutation: A Comparative Analysis of the Evolutionary Strategy of Genetic Algorithms Applied to Combinatorial Optimization Problems

Since their first formulation, genetic algorithms (GAs) have been one of the most widely used techniques to solve combinatorial optimization problems. The basic structure of the GAs is known by the scientific community, and thanks to their easy application and good performance, GAs are the focus of a lot of research works annually. Although throughout history there have been many studies analyzing various concepts of GAs, in the literature there are few studies that analyze objectively the influence of using blind crossover operators for combinatorial optimization problems. For this reason, in this paper a deep study on the influence of using them is conducted. The study is based on a comparison of nine techniques applied to four well-known combinatorial optimization problems. Six of the techniques are GAs with different configurations, and the remaining three are evolutionary algorithms that focus exclusively on the mutation process. Finally, to perform a reliable comparison of these results, a statistical study of them is made, performing the normal distribution z-test

Crossover vs. Mutation: A Comparative Analysis of the Evolutionary Strategy of Genetic Algorithms Applied to Combinatorial Optimization Problems

Since their first formulation, genetic algorithms (GA) have been one of the most widely used techniques to solve combinatorial optimization problems. The basic structure of the GA is known by the scientific community, and thanks to their easy application and good performance, GAs are the focus of a lot of research works annually. Although throughout history there have been many studies analyzing various concepts of GAs, in the literature there are few studies that analyze objectively the influence of using blind crossover operators for combinatorial optimization problems. For this reason, in this paper a deep study on the influence of using them is conducted. The study is based on a comparison of nine techniques applied to four well-known combinatorial optimization problems. Six of the techniques are GAs with different configurations, and the remaining three are evolutionary algorithms that focus exclusively on the mutation process. Finally, to perform a reliable comparison of these results, a statistical study of them is made, performing the normal distribution z-test

Higher baseline irisin concentrations are associated with greater reductions in glycemia and insulinemia after weight loss in obese subjects

Irisin is assumed to be a relevant link between muscle and weight maintenance as well as to mediate exercise benefits on health. The aim of this study was to assess the possible associations between irisin levels and glucose homeostasis in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS) following an energy-restricted treatment. Ninety-six adults with excessive body weight and MetS features underwent a hypocaloric dietary pattern for 8 weeks, within the RESMENA randomized controlled trial (www.clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01087086). After the intervention, dietary restriction significantly reduced body weight and evidenced a dietary-induced decrease in circulating levels of irisin in parallel with improvements on glucose homeostasis markers. Interestingly, participants with higher irisin values at baseline (above the median) showed a greater reduction on glucose (P=0.022) and insulin (P=0.021) concentrations as well as on the homeostasis model assessment index (P=0.008) and triglycerides (P=0.006) after the dietary intervention, compared with those presenting low-irisin baseline values (below the median). Interestingly, a positive correlation between irisin and carbohydrate intake was found at the end of the experimental period. In conclusion, irisin appears to be involved in glucose metabolism regulation after a dietary-induced weight loss