Whole-rotation dry matter and nitrogen grain yields from the first course of an organic farming crop rotation experiment

The possibilities for increasing total grain yield in organic cereal production through manipulation of crop rotation design were investigated in a field experiment on different soil types in Denmark from 1997 to 2000. Three experimental factors were included in the experiment in a factorial design: 1) proportion of grass-clover and pulses in the rotation, 2) catch crop (with and without), and 3) manure (with and without). Three four-course rotations were compared. Two of the rotations had one year of grass-clover as a green manure crop, either followed by spring wheat or by winter wheat. The grass-clover was replaced by winter cereals in the third rotation. Animal manure was applied as slurry in rates corresponding to 40% of the nitrogen (N) demand of the cereal crops. Rotational grain yields of the cereal and pulse crops were calculated by summing yields for each plot over the four years in the rotation. The rotational yields were affected by all experimental factors (rotation, manure and catch crop). However, the largest effects on both dry matter and N yields were caused by differences between sites caused by differences in soils, climate and cropping history. The rotation without a green manure crop produced the greatest total yield. Dry matter and N yields in this rotation were about 10% higher than in the rotation with a grass-clover ley in one year of four. Therefore, the yield benefits from the grass-clover ley could not compensate for the yield reduction as a result of leaving 25% of the rotation out of production. There were no differences in dry matter and N yields in grains between the rotations, where either spring or winter cereals followed the grass-clover ley. The N use efficiency for ammonium-N in the applied manure corresponded to that obtained from N in commercial fertilizer. There were only very small yield benefits from the use of catch crops. However, this may change over time as fertility builds up in the system with catch crops

Evaluation of an Immunoturbidimetric Assay for Haemoglobin A1c on a Cobas® Mira S Analyser

Peer Reviewe

Prediction of impending type 1 diabetes through automated dual-label measurement of proinsulin:C-peptide ratio

Background : The hyperglycemic clamp test, the gold standard of beta cell function, predicts impending type 1 diabetes in islet autoantibody-positive individuals, but the latter may benefit from less invasive function tests such as the proinsulin: C-peptide ratio (PI:C). The present study aims to optimize precision of PI:C measurements by automating a dual-label trefoil-type time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TT-TRFIA), and to compare its diagnostic performance for predicting type 1 diabetes with that of clamp-derived C-peptide release. Methods : Between-day imprecision (n = 20) and split-sample analysis (n = 95) were used to compare TT-TRFIA (Auto Delfia, Perkin-Elmer) with separate methods for proinsulin (in-house TRFIA) and C-peptide (Elecsys, Roche). High-risk multiple autoantibody-positive firstdegree relatives (n = 49; age 5-39) were tested for fasting PI:C, HOMA2-IR and hyperglycemic clamp and followed for 20-57 months (interquartile range). Results : TT-TRFIA values for proinsulin, C-peptide and PI:C correlated significantly (r(2) = 0.96-0.99; P<0.001) with results obtained with separate methods. TT-TRFIA achieved better between-day % CV for PI:C at three different levels (4.5-7.1 vs 6.7-9.5 for separate methods). In high-risk relatives fasting PI:C was significantly and inversely correlated ( r(s) = -0.596; P<0.001) with first-phase C-peptide release during clamp ( also with second phase release, only available for age 12-39 years; n = 31), but only after normalization for HOMA2-IR. In ROC- and Cox regression analysis, HOMA2-IR-corrected PI:C predicted 2-year progression to diabetes equally well as clamp-derived C-peptide release. Conclusions : The reproducibility of PI:C benefits from the automated simultaneous determination of both hormones. HOMA2-IR-corrected PI:C may serve as a minimally invasive alternative to the more tedious hyperglycemic clamp test

Detection of Bacteroides fragilis endotoxin in amniotic fluid by counterimmunoelectrophoresis

The ability of counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) to detectBacteroides fragilis endotoxin in amniotic fluid in small concentrations was evaluated. A method was developed which, in combination with ultrafiltration, permits detection ofB. fragilis endotoxin in amniotic fluid in a concentration of 40 ng/ml or more. The sensitivity threshold was reduced to 2 ng/ml by using a highly reactive IgG-fraction isolated from rabbit anti-B. fragilis IPL E 323 antiserum

Racial differences in neurocognitive outcomes post-stroke: The impact of healthcare variables

AbstractObjectives:The present study examined differences in neurocognitive outcomes among non-Hispanic Black and White stroke survivors using the NIH Toolbox-Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB), and investigated the roles of healthcare variables in explaining racial differences in neurocognitive outcomes post-stroke.Methods:One-hundred seventy adults (91 Black; 79 White), who participated in a multisite study were included (age:M=56.4;SD=12.6; education:M=13.7;SD=2.5; 50% male; years post-stroke: 1–18; stroke type: 72% ischemic, 28% hemorrhagic). Neurocognitive function was assessed with the NIHTB-CB, using demographically corrected norms. Participants completed measures of socio-demographic characteristics, health literacy, and healthcare use and access. Stroke severity was assessed with the Modified Rankin Scale.Results:An independent samplesttest indicated Blacks showed more neurocognitive impairment (NIHTB-CB Fluid Composite T-score:M=37.63;SD=11.67) than Whites (Fluid T-score:M=42.59,SD=11.54;p=.006). This difference remained significant after adjusting for reading level (NIHTB-CB Oral Reading), and when stratified by stroke severity. Blacks also scored lower on health literacy, reported differences in insurance type, and reported decreased confidence in the doctors treating them. Multivariable models adjusting for reading level and injury severity showed that health literacy and insurance type were statistically significant predictors of the Fluid cognitive composite (p&lt;.001 andp=.02, respectively) and significantly mediated racial differences on neurocognitive impairment.Conclusions:We replicated prior work showing that Blacks are at increased risk for poorer neurocognitive outcomes post-stroke than Whites. Health literacy and insurance type might be important modifiable factors influencing these differences. (JINS, 2017,23, 640–652)</jats:p

Agricultural diversification as an adaptation strategy

The role of agricultural biodiversity for sustaining ecosystem services crucial for food and agriculture becomes particularly relevant in the face of climate change, and has been widely recognised as a central part of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) since the concept was first launched in 2010. The utilisation of agricultural biodiversity in risk reduction and climate adaptation strategies has continued to attract attention, particularly as a component of micro-level strategies oriented towards diversification of production on farm, and land management measures aiming to improve resilience at landscape scale. Despite ample evidence of the value of agricultural biodiversity (including genetic resources) in climate change adaptation, the scalability of biodiversity-based measures is limited as they are often context specific and may have a lower relative value when compared to other options. Public policies can also play an important role in facilitating or hindering the adoption and spread of measures based on agricultural biodiversity

WLE Ganges Focal Region Meeting

Following the two-day WLE Ganges Regional Research Workshop on the CPWF Delta Program, a smaller meeting was held with fourteen participants. This meeting focused on providing insights from CPWF’s work in the Ganges and developing recommendations for the design team that will develop the WLE Ganges proposal. Discussions were based on the recently drafted Ganges Focal Region Development Challenge concept note following a WLE meeting in Amman, Jordan. Participants included key members of the CPWF-Ganges research team and representatives of the WLE Ganges ‘hills’ and ‘plains’ regions. WLE program staff led the meeting

Fütterungseinflüsse auf das Fress- und Wiederkäuverhalten von Milchkühen auf einem Biobetrieb

In einer ökologischen Milchviehherde in der Schweiz wurden 23 Kühe mit verschiedenen Rationen gefüttert. Futteraufnahme und Wiederkäuverhalten wurden mit Kausensoren erfasst. Proteinkonzentrate sowie eine separate Heugabe zeigten signifikante Einflüsse auf das Fressen und Wiederkäuen während des Tages, jedoch nicht während der Nacht. Die Daten zeigen das Potential der Erhebung von Fress- und Wiederkäuverhalten zur Beurteilung von Fütterungssituationen mit grundfutterreichen Rationen

The origin of [C II] 157 μm emission in a five-component interstellar medium : the case of NGC 3184 and NGC 628

With its relatively low ionization potential, C+ can be found throughout the interstellar medium (ISM) and provides one of the main cooling channels of the ISM via the [C II] 157 mu m emission. While the strength of the [C II] line correlates with the star formation rate, the contributions of the various gas phases to the [C II] emission on galactic scales are not well established. In this study we establish an empirical multi-component model of the ISM, including dense H II regions, dense photon dissociation regions (PDRs), the warm ionized medium (WIM), low density and G(0). surfaces of molecular clouds (SfMCs), and the cold neutral medium (CNM). We test our model on ten luminous regions within the two nearby galaxies NGC 3184 and NGC 628. on angular scales of 500-600 pc. Both galaxies are part of the Herschel. key program. KINGFISH,. and are complemented by a large set of ancillary ground-and space-based data. The five modeled phases together reproduce the observed [C II] emission quite well, overpredicting the total flux slightly (about 45%) averaged over all regions. We find that dense PDRs are the dominating component, contributing 68% of the [C II] flux on average, followed by the WIM and the SfMCs, with mean contributions of about half of the contribution from dense PDRs, each. CNM and dense H II regions are only minor contributors with less than 5% each. These estimates are averaged over the selected regions, but the relative contributions of the various phases to the [C II] flux vary significantly between these regions

Determinants of intraregional migration in Sub-Saharan Africa 1980-2000

Despite great accomplishments in the migration literature, the determinants of South-South migration remain poorly understood. In an attempt to fill this gap, this paper formulates and tests an empirical model for intraregional migration in sub-Saharan Africa within an extended human capital framework, taking into account spatial interaction. Using bilateral panel data between 1980 and 2000, we find that intraregional migration on the subcontinent is predominantly driven by economic opportunities and sociopolitics in the host country, facilitated by geographical proximity. The role played by network effects and environmental conditions is also apparent. Finally, origin and destination spatial dependence should definitely not be ignored