Glyphosate sprayed on the pre-existing vegetation reduces seedling emergence and growth of forage species

Seeding pastures or forage crops by no-tillage methods usually involves the spray of glyphosate to suppress the existing vegetation. While  many studies found detrimentaleffects of glyphosate on seed germination and seedling growth of the subsequent crop, others found negligible effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of glyphosate spraying on germination, seedling emergence and seedling growth of four forage species: Trifolium repens, Lotus tenuis, Festuca arundinacea and Paspalum dilatatum. The experiment was carried out spraying glyphosate on the pre-existing vegetation and on bare soil 1, 30, 60 and 90 days before sowing, and a control  treatmentsprayed with water. Glyphosate sprayed on pre-existing vegetation 1 to 60 days before seeding reduced emergence, while sprayed 1 to 30 or 1 to 60 days before seeding reduced seedlings belowground biomass and root length of all species and aboveground biomass of legumes respect to sprayed 90 days before seeding, sprayed on bare soil, and control treatment. This herbicide would remain active in the soil environment for at least 60 days after spraying when it was previously absorbed by plants, causing a severe damage to seedlings emergence and growth. Highlights: Glyphosate sprayed on pre-existing vegetation 1 to 60 days before seeding reduced seedling emergence of Trifolium repens, Lotus tenuis, Festuca arundinacea and Paspalum dilatatum. Glyphosate sprayed on pre-existing vegetation 1-30 or 1-60 days before seeding reduced seedlings belowground biomass and root length of all species and aboveground biomass of legumes Gyphosate sprayed 90 days before seeding or sprayed on bare soil did not affect seggling emergence and growth. Gyphosate would remain active in the soil environment for at least 60 days after spraying when it was previously absorbed by plants.Seeding pastures or forage crops by no-tillage methods usually involves the spray of glyphosate to suppress the existing vegetation. While  many studies found detrimentaleffects of glyphosate on seed germination and seedling growth of the subsequent crop, others found negligible effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of glyphosate spraying on germination, seedling emergence and seedling growth of four forage species: Trifolium repens, Lotus tenuis, Festuca arundinacea and Paspalum dilatatum. The experiment was carried out spraying glyphosate on the pre-existing vegetation and on bare soil 1, 30, 60 and 90 days before sowing, and a control  treatmentsprayed with water. Glyphosate sprayed on pre-existing vegetation 1 to 60 days before seeding reduced emergence, while sprayed 1 to 30 or 1 to 60 days before seeding reduced seedlings belowground biomass and root length of all species and aboveground biomass of legumes respect to sprayed 90 days before seeding, sprayed on bare soil, and control treatment. This herbicide would remain active in the soil environment for at least 60 days after spraying when it was previously absorbed by plants, causing a severe damage to seedlings emergence and growth. Highlights: Glyphosate sprayed on pre-existing vegetation 1 to 60 days before seeding reduced seedling emergence of Trifolium repens, Lotus tenuis, Festuca arundinacea and Paspalum dilatatum. Glyphosate sprayed on pre-existing vegetation 1-30 or 1-60 days before seeding reduced seedlings belowground biomass and root length of all species and aboveground biomass of legumes Gyphosate sprayed 90 days before seeding or sprayed on bare soil did not affect seggling emergence and growth. Gyphosate would remain active in the soil environment for at least 60 days after spraying when it was previously absorbed by plants

Altered methylation pattern of the SRD5A2 gene in the cerebrospinal fluid of post-finasteride patients: A pilot study

Context: Post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) occurs in patients with androgenic alopecia after suspension of the finasteride treatment, leading to a large variety of persistent side effects. Despite the severity of the clinical picture, the mechanism underlying the PFS symptoms onset and persistence is still unclear. Objective: To study whether epigenetic modifications occur in PFS patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis of a multicentric, prospective, longitudinal, case\u2013control clinical trial, enrolling 16 PFS patients, compared to 20 age-matched healthy men. Main outcomes were methylation pattern of SRD5A1 and SRD5A2 promoters and concentration of 11 neuroactive steroids, measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. Results: SRD5A1 and SRD5A2 methylation analysis was performed in all blood samples (n = 16 PFS patients and n = 20 controls), in 16 CSF samples from PFS patients and in 13 CSF samples from controls. The SRD5A2 promoter was more frequently methylated in CSF of PFS patients compared to controls (56.3 vs 7.7%). No promoter methylation was detected in blood samples in both groups. No methylation occurred in the SRD5A1 promoter of both groups. Unmethylated controls compared to unmethylated SRD5A2 patients showed higher pregnenolone, dihydrotestosterone and dihydroprogesterone, together with lower testosterone CSF levels. Andrological and neurological assessments did not differ between methylated and unmethylated subjects. Conclusions: For the first time, we demonstrate a tissue-specific methylation pattern of SRD5A2 promoter in PFS patients. Although we cannot conclude whether this pattern is prenatally established or induced by finasteride treatment, it could represent an important mechanism of neuroactive steroid levels and behavioural disturbances previously described in PFS

MYH2 myopathy, a new case expands the clinical and pathological spectrum of the recessive form

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Role of Gas6 and TAM Receptors in the Identification of Cardiopulmonary Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis and Scleroderma Spectrum Disorders

Background: Few biomarkers are available for early identification of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) in systemic sclerosis (SS) and scleroderma spectrum disorders (SSD). Aims: To evaluate Gas6, sAxl, and sMer as biomarkers for cardiopulmonary complications of SS and SSD. Methods: In a cross-sectional observational study, we recruited 125 consecutive patients, affected by SS and SSD and referred to a tertiary-level pulmonary hypertension outpatient clinic. All patients underwent a comprehensive evaluation for identification of PAH and ILD. Gas6, sMer, and sAxl concentrations were measured with ELISA protocols, and concentrations were compared according to PAH or ILD. Results: Nineteen subjects had pulmonary hypertension (PH) (14 PAH), and 39 had ILD (6 severe). Plasma sMer was increased in PAH (18.6 ng/ml IQR [11.7-20.3]) with respect to the absence (12.4 [8.0-15.8]) or other form of pulmonary hypertension (9.6 [7.4-12.5]; K-W variance p < 0.04). Conversely, Gas6 and sAxl levels were slightly increased in mild ILD (25.8 ng/ml [19.5-32.1] and 24.6 [20.1-32.5]) and reduced in severe ILD (16.6 [15.0-22.1] and 15.5 [14.9-22.4]) in comparison to no evidence of ILD (23.4 [18.8-28.1] and 21.6 [18.1-28.4]; K-W, p 64 0.05). Plasma sMer 65 19 ng/ml has 50% sensitivity and 92% specificity in PAH identification (area under the ROC curve (AUC) 0.697, p < 0.03). Values of Gas6 64 24.5 ng/ml and of sAxl 64 15.5 ng/ml have 100% and 67% sensitivity and 47% and 86% specificity, respectively, in identifying severe ILD (Gas6 AUC 0.787, p < 0.001; sAxl AUC 0.705, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The assay of Gas6 sAxl and sMer may be useful to help in the identification of PAH and ILD in SS and SSD patients. The Gas6/TAM system seems to be relevant in cardiopulmonary complications of SS and SSD and merits further investigations

Taller virtual de extensión sobre prácticas de manejo sustentable del pastoreo en cría

Agricultural extension implies a complex process of interaction between agricultural education and research, and farmers. MAS-PASTO (FAUBA) is an extension project based on the participative discussion as regards knowledge between professor-researchers, producers and professionals. The virtual workshop in 2020 aimed to help producers, who had previously participated in in-presence workshops with the group, consolidate their knowledge through practice on their own farm. For this, each farmer worked on one of the following topics: 1) sowing of pastures and annual forage; 2) management and improvement of grasslands and 3) design of forage circuits. All farmers calculated their farm meat production, regardless of the topic chosen. For 6 months, cooperative work was performed between producers, professors and a young professional agronomist. The work as regards the chosen topic was performed individually.  Finally, a meeting in which each farmer shared its work, difficulties and  findings with  their peers was carried out through a virtual platform. The workshop was assessed through surveys to participants and a SWOT analysis. The results showed that the workshop allowed them to put prior knowledge into practice and to incorporate them into their farms management. It also consolidated an effective as well as replicable method, for the generation and transference of process technologies from FAUBA to the productive sector.La extensión agropecuaria implica un proceso complejo de interacción entre la educación e investigación agropecuaria y los productores. El proyecto de extensión MAS-PASTO de la Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (FAUBA), es un proyecto basado en la discusión participativa de conocimientos entre docentes-investigadores, productores y profesionales. El taller 2020 (virtual) tuvo como objetivo que productores, que habían participado en talleres anteriores del grupo (presenciales), afiancen los conocimientos a través de la práctica en establecimientos propios. Para esto cada productor trabajó en alguno de los siguientes ejes temáticos: 1) siembra de pasturas y verdeos; 2) manejo y mejoramiento de pastizales naturales y 3) diseño de circuitos forrajeros. Todos los productores abordaron el cálculo de la producción de carne para sus establecimientos, independientemente del eje temático elegido. Durante 6 meses, se realizó un trabajo conjunto entre productores, docentes y un joven profesional agrónomo. Se trabajó individualmente sobre la aplicación del tema elegido y, al finalizar el trabajo individual, se llevó adelante una jornada conjunta de intercambio donde cada productor presentó a sus pares en forma virtual el trabajo realizado, sus dificultades y resultados obtenidos. El taller se evaluó mediante encuestas a los participantes y la elaboración de un análisis FODA. Los resultados mostraron que el taller permitió a los productores practicar los conceptos presentados previamente e incorporarlos al manejo de sus establecimientos. A su vez, permitió consolidar un método efectivo y replicable para la generación y transferencia de tecnologías de procesos desde la FAUBA hacia el sector productivo

Diagnostic role and prognostic significance of a simplified immunophenotypic classification of mature B cell chronic lymphoid leukemias

We verified the diagnostic and prognostic role of a simplified immunophenotypic classification (IC) in a series of 258 patients (M/F: 1.4; median age: 64 years; median follow-up: 64 months; 75 deaths) with mature B cell lymphoid leukemias (MBC-LL) for whom no histopathological diagnosis was available because of minimal or no lymph node involvement. The IC was based on the reactivity of three pivotal immunophenotypic markers: CD5, CD23 and SIg intensity. On the basis of different expression patterns, we identified four diagnostic clusters (C) characterized by distinct clinico-biological features and different prognoses: C1 (149 patients) identified most classical B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias (CLL-type cluster; SIg(dim)/CD5+/CD23+); C2, 38 patients whose clinico-hematological characteristics were intermediate between C1 and C3 (CLL-variant cluster; SIg(bright)/CD5+/CD23+/-or SIg(dim)/CD5-/-/CD23 indifferent); C3 (16 patients) most situations consistent with mantle cell lymphoma in leukemic phase (MCL-type cluster; SIg(bright)/CD5+/CD23-); and C4, 55 cases, most of whom were consistent with leukemic phase lymphoplasmacytic/splenic marginal zone lymphomas (LP/S-type cluster; SIg(bright)/CD5-/+/CD23 indifferent). At univariate survival analysis, prognosis worsened from C1 to C4, C2 and C3 (P = 0.0001), and this was maintained at multivariate analysis (P = 0.006), together with CD11c expression (P = 0.0043), age at diagnosis (cut-off 70 years; P = 0.0008) and platelet count (cut-off 140 x 10(9)/l; P = 0.0034). Besides recognising the two well-known situations of classic B-CLL and MCL, our IC identified situations with distinct prognostic and/or clinical behaviors