Effects of Chloride Fertilization on Alfalfa Cation-Anion Content

Producing low potassium (K) forages has increased due to demand for such forages in the dairy business. In the month prior to calving, a fairly anionic diet is recommended in dairy cows to avoid milk fever, a term used for hypocalcemia, a deficiency in plasma calcium (Ca) at the onset of lactation in dairy cows. This bovine disease affects approximately 6 to 8% of all U.S. dairy cows annually, directly costing the dairy industry up to $200 million/year. As dairy cows enter the lactation stage prior to calving, large amounts of calcium leave the blood and enters milk faster than it can be replaced. This decreased calcium concentration in the blood lowers the pH, causing nerve disorders, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, paralysis, and subsequent death if not treated immediately. Treatment typically includes an intravenous dosage of a calcium solution, usually including a mixture of phosphorus (P), K, magnesium (Mg) and dextrose. Cationic diets, such as forages high in potassium (\u3e2.5%) are meant for the post-calving, lactation stage because of the dairy cow’s diet requirement in producing milk

Time-of-flight spectroscopy of ultracold neutrons at the PSI UCN source

The ultracold neutron (UCN) source at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) provides high intensities of storable neutrons for fundamental physics experiments. The neutron velocity spectrum parallel to the beamline axis was determined by time-of-flight spectroscopy using a neutron chopper. In particular, the temporal evolution of the spectrum during neutron production and UCN storage in the source storage volume was investigated and compared to Monte Carlo simulation results. A softening of the measured spectrum from a mean velocity of 7.7(1) m s$^{-1}$ to 5.1(1) m s$^{-1}$ occurred within the first 30 s after the proton beam pulse had impinged on the spallation target. A spectral hardening was observed over longer time scales of one measurement day, consistent with the effect of surface degradation of the solid deuterium moderator

Characterization of ultracold neutron production in thin solid deuterium films at the PSI UCN source

We determined the ultracold neutron (UCN) production rate by superthermal conversion in the solid deuterium (sD$_2$) moderator of the UCN source at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). In particular, we considered low amounts of less than $20\,$mol of D$_2$, deposited on the cooled moderator vessel surfaces in thin films of a few mm thickness. We measured the isotopic ($c_\text{HD} < 0.2 \, \%$) and isomeric ($c_\text{para} \le 2.7 \, \%$) purity of the deuterium to conclude that absorption and up-scattering at $5\,$K have a negligible effect on the UCN yield from the thin films. We compared the calculated UCN yield based on the previously measured thermal neutron flux from the heavy water thermal moderator with measurements of the UCN count rates at the beamports. We confirmed our results and thus demonstrate an absolute characterization of the UCN production and transport in the source by simulations

The Design of the n2EDM Experiment

We present the design of a next-generation experiment, n2EDM, currently under construction at the ultracold neutron source at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) with the aim of carrying out a high-precision search for an electric dipole moment of the neutron. The project builds on experience gained with the previous apparatus operated at PSI until 2017, and is expected to deliver an order of magnitude better sensitivity with provision for further substantial improvements. An overview is of the experimental method and setup is given, the sensitivity requirements for the apparatus are derived, and its technical design is described

Smoking, Alcohol Intake and Torque Teno Virus in Stable Kidney Transplant Recipients

Torque Teno Virus (TTV) is a non-pathogenic virus that is highly prevalent among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Its circulating load is associated with an immunological status in KTR and is considered a promising tool for guiding immunosuppression. To allow for optimal guidance, it is important to identify other determinants of TTV load. We aimed to investigate the potential association of smoking and alcohol intake with TTV load. For this cross-sectional study, serum TTV load was measured using PCR in stable kidney transplant recipients at ≥1 year after transplantation, and smoking status and alcohol intake were assessed through questionnaires and measurements of urinary cotinine and ethyl glucuronide. A total of 666 KTRs were included (57% male). A total of 549 KTR (82%) had a detectable TTV load (3.1 ± 1.5 log 10 copies/mL). In KTR with a detectable TTV load, cyclosporin and tacrolimus use were positively associated with TTV load (St. β = 0.46, p &lt; 0.001 and St. β = 0.66, p &lt; 0.001, respectively), independently of adjustment for potential confounders. Current smoking and alcohol intake of &gt;20 g/day were negatively associated with TTV load (St. β = -0.40, p = 0.004 and St. β = -0.33, p = 0.009, respectively), independently of each other and of adjustment for age, sex, kidney function, time since transplantation and calcineurin inhibitor use. This strong association of smoking and alcohol intake with TTV suggests a need to account for the smoking status and alcohol intake when applying TTV guided immunosuppression in KTR. </p

Smoking, Alcohol Intake and Torque Teno Virus in Stable Kidney Transplant Recipients

Torque Teno Virus (TTV) is a non-pathogenic virus that is highly prevalent among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Its circulating load is associated with an immunological status in KTR and is considered a promising tool for guiding immunosuppression. To allow for optimal guidance, it is important to identify other determinants of TTV load. We aimed to investigate the potential association of smoking and alcohol intake with TTV load. For this cross-sectional study, serum TTV load was measured using PCR in stable kidney transplant recipients at ≥1 year after transplantation, and smoking status and alcohol intake were assessed through questionnaires and measurements of urinary cotinine and ethyl glucuronide. A total of 666 KTRs were included (57% male). A total of 549 KTR (82%) had a detectable TTV load (3.1 ± 1.5 log 10 copies/mL). In KTR with a detectable TTV load, cyclosporin and tacrolimus use were positively associated with TTV load (St. β = 0.46, p &lt; 0.001 and St. β = 0.66, p &lt; 0.001, respectively), independently of adjustment for potential confounders. Current smoking and alcohol intake of &gt;20 g/day were negatively associated with TTV load (St. β = -0.40, p = 0.004 and St. β = -0.33, p = 0.009, respectively), independently of each other and of adjustment for age, sex, kidney function, time since transplantation and calcineurin inhibitor use. This strong association of smoking and alcohol intake with TTV suggests a need to account for the smoking status and alcohol intake when applying TTV guided immunosuppression in KTR. </p

Carbon stable isotope analysis of cereal remains as a way to reconstruct water availability: preliminary results

Reconstructing past water availability, both as rainfall and irrigation, is important to answer questions about the way society reacts to climate and its changes and the role of irrigation in the development of social complexity. Carbon stable isotope analysis of archaeobotanical remains is a potentially valuable method for reconstructing water availability. To further define the relationship between water availability and plant carbon isotope composition and to set up baseline values for the Southern Levant, grains of experimentally grown barley and sorghum were studied. The cereal crops were grown at three stations under five different irrigation regimes in Jordan. Results indicate that a positive but weak relationship exists between irrigation regime and total water input of barley grains, but no relationship was found for sorghum. The relationship for barley is site-specific and inter-annual variation was present at Deir ‘Alla, but not at Ramtha and Khirbet as-Samra

Smoking, Alcohol Intake and Torque Teno Virus in Stable Kidney Transplant Recipients

Torque Teno Virus (TTV) is a non-pathogenic virus that is highly prevalent among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Its circulating load is associated with an immunological status in KTR and is considered a promising tool for guiding immunosuppression. To allow for optimal guidance, it is important to identify other determinants of TTV load. We aimed to investigate the potential association of smoking and alcohol intake with TTV load. For this cross-sectional study, serum TTV load was measured using PCR in stable kidney transplant recipients at ≥1 year after transplantation, and smoking status and alcohol intake were assessed through questionnaires and measurements of urinary cotinine and ethyl glucuronide. A total of 666 KTRs were included (57% male). A total of 549 KTR (82%) had a detectable TTV load (3.1 ± 1.5 log 10 copies/mL). In KTR with a detectable TTV load, cyclosporin and tacrolimus use were positively associated with TTV load (St. β = 0.46, p &lt; 0.001 and St. β = 0.66, p &lt; 0.001, respectively), independently of adjustment for potential confounders. Current smoking and alcohol intake of &gt;20 g/day were negatively associated with TTV load (St. β = -0.40, p = 0.004 and St. β = -0.33, p = 0.009, respectively), independently of each other and of adjustment for age, sex, kidney function, time since transplantation and calcineurin inhibitor use. This strong association of smoking and alcohol intake with TTV suggests a need to account for the smoking status and alcohol intake when applying TTV guided immunosuppression in KTR. </p