Effect of different fertilizers on the microbial activity and productivity of soil under potato cultivation

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the application of different rates of mineral nitrogen, well rotten farmyard manure and Klebsiella planticola SL09- based microbial biofertilizer (enteroplantin) on the count of soil microorganisms (total microbial count, counts of Azotobacter, oligonitrophilic bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes), stem height and yield of potato. The experiment was set up as a randomized block design in four replications at the experimental field of the Biotechnical Faculty, Podgorica in 2008. Potato cultivar Kennebec was used as the test plant. The trial involved six treatments: non-fertilized control; N1 treatment with 100 kg/ha CAN (calcium ammonium nitrate, 27% N); N2 treatment with 200 kg/ha CAN; N3 treatment with 300 kg/ha CAN; treatment with Enteroplantin– K. planticola SL09-based biofertilizer; and treatment with 30 t/ha solid well rotten farmyard manure. The results obtained suggested that well rotten farmyard manure induced the highest increase in microbial counts, potato yield and stem height. A similar effect on all microorganisms, except actinomycetes and fungi was seen with the use of K. planticola SL09-based biofertilizer. The potato yield and stem height obtained with the use of 300 kg/ha CAN was non-significantly higher than that of 200 kg/ha CAN treatment, with the count of the soil microorganisms tested been significantly reduced.Key words: Biofertilization, microorganisms, soil, manure, mineral nitrogen, potato, yield

Multiply charged ions from solid substances with the mVINIS Ion Source

We have used the well known metal-ions-from-volatile-compounds (MIVOC) method at the mVINIS Ion Source to produce the multiply charged ion beams form solid substances. Based on this method the very intense and stable multiply charged ion beams of several solid substances having the high melting points were extracted. The ion yields and the spectra of multiply charged ion beams obtained from solid materials like Fe and Hf will be presented. We have utilized the multiply charged ion beams from solid substances to irradiate the polymers, fullerenes and glassy carbon at the low energy channel for modification of materials.13th International Conference on Physics of Highly Charged Ions, Aug 28-Sep 01, 2006, Queens Univ, Belfast, Irelan

National multi-stakeholder meetings: a tool to support development of integrated policies and practices for testing and prevention of HIV, viral hepatitis, TB and STIs

Background Country level policies and practices of testing and care for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections are lagging behind European recommendations on integration across diseases. Building on previous experiences and evidence, the INTEGRATE Joint Action arranged four national stakeholder meetings. The aim was to foster cross-disciplinary and cross-disease collaborations at national level as a vehicle for strengthened integration of testing and care services. This article presents the methodology and discusses main outcomes and recommendations of these meetings. Methods Local partners in Croatia, Italy, Lithuania and Poland oversaw the planning, agenda development and identification of key persons to invite to ensure that meetings addressed main challenges and issues of the respective countries. Invited national stakeholders represented policy and public health institutions, clinical settings, testing sites and community organisations. National experts and experts from other European countries were invited as speakers and facilitators. Main topic discussed was how to increase integration across HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections in testing and care policies and practice; tuberculosis was also addressed in Lithuania and Italy. Results The agendas reflected national contexts and the meetings provided a forum to engage stakeholders knowledgeable of the national prevention, testing and care systems in interaction with international experts who shared experiences of the steps needed to achieve integration in policies and practice. The evaluations showed that participants found meetings relevant, important and beneficial for furthering integration. Of the respondents 78% agreed or strongly agreed that there was a good representation of relevant national stakeholders, and 78% that decision/action points were made on how to move the agenda forward. The importance of securing participation from high level national policy makers was highlighted. Outcomes were nationally tailored recommendations on integrated policies and strategies, diversification of testing strategies, stigma and discrimination, key populations, cost effectiveness, surveillance and funding. Conclusions Shifting from single to multi-disease approaches require collaboration among a broad range of actors and national multi-stakeholder meetings have proven excellent to kick-start this. Face-to-face meetings of key stakeholders represent a unique opportunity to share cross-sectoral perspectives and experiences, identify gaps in national policies and practices and agree on required next steps.The INTEGRATE Joint Action was co-funded by the 3rd Health Programme of the European Union under grant agreement no 761319. National meetings and trainings were co-funded by EuroTEST’s grants from Merck and Janssen. Daniel Simões is the recipient of PhD Grant PD/BD/128008/2016 from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT). All funders had no role in the study design, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Influence of socioeconomic factors on pregnancy outcome in women with structural heart disease

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac disease is the leading cause of indirect maternal mortality. The aim of this study was to analyse to what extent socioeconomic factors influence the outcome of pregnancy in women with heart disease.  METHODS: The Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac disease is a global prospective registry. For this analysis, countries that enrolled ≥10 patients were included. A combined cardiac endpoint included maternal cardiac death, arrhythmia requiring treatment, heart failure, thromboembolic event, aortic dissection, endocarditis, acute coronary syndrome, hospitalisation for cardiac reason or intervention. Associations between patient characteristics, country characteristics (income inequality expressed as Gini coefficient, health expenditure, schooling, gross domestic product, birth rate and hospital beds) and cardiac endpoints were checked in a three-level model (patient-centre-country).  RESULTS: A total of 30 countries enrolled 2924 patients from 89 centres. At least one endpoint occurred in 645 women (22.1%). Maternal age, New York Heart Association classification and modified WHO risk classification were associated with the combined endpoint and explained 37% of variance in outcome. Gini coefficient and country-specific birth rate explained an additional 4%. There were large differences between the individual countries, but the need for multilevel modelling to account for these differences disappeared after adjustment for patient characteristics, Gini and country-specific birth rate.  CONCLUSION: While there are definite interregional differences in pregnancy outcome in women with cardiac disease, these differences seem to be mainly driven by individual patient characteristics. Adjustment for country characteristics refined the results to a limited extent, but maternal condition seems to be the main determinant of outcome

Inventory of current EU paediatric vision and hearing screening programmes

Background: We examined the diversity in paediatric vision and hearing screening programmes in Europe. Methods: Themes relevant for comparison of screening programmes were derived from literature and used to compile three questionnaires on vision, hearing and public-health screening. Tests used, professions involved, age and frequency of testing seem to influence sensitivity, specificity and costs most. Questionnaires were sent to ophthalmologists, orthoptists, otolaryngologists and audiologists involved in paediatric screening in all EU fullmember, candidate and associate states. Answers were cross-checked. Results: Thirty-nine countries participated; 35 have a vision screening programme, 33 a nation-wide neonatal hearing screening programme. Visual acuity (VA) is measured in 35 countries, in 71% more than once. First measurement of VA varies from three to seven years of age, but is usually before the age of five. At age three and four picture charts, including Lea Hyvarinen are used most, in children over four Tumbling-E and Snellen. As first hearing screening test otoacoustic emission (OAE) is used most in healthy neonates, and auditory brainstem response (ABR) in premature newborns. The majority of hearing testing programmes are staged; children are referred after one to four abnormal tests. Vision screening is performed mostly by paediatricians, ophthalmologists or nurses. Funding is mostly by health insurance or state. Coverage was reported as >95% in half of countries, but reporting was often not first-hand. Conclusion: Largest differences were found in VA charts used (12), professions involved in vision screening (10), number of hearing screening tests before referral (1-4) and funding sources (8)

Data for: Quantitative and Specific Recovery of Natural Organic and Mineral Sulfur for Multi-Isotope Analysis

Sulfur multi-pool, multi-isotope analyses from various natural samples.THIS DATASET IS ARCHIVED AT DANS/EASY, BUT NOT ACCESSIBLE HERE. TO VIEW A LIST OF FILES AND ACCESS THE FILES IN THIS DATASET CLICK ON THE DOI-LINK ABOV

A NEW METHOD FOR ORGANIC AND MINERAL SULFUR MULTI-ISOTOPE ANALYSIS OF SEDIMENTS AND PETROLEUM SOURCE ROCKS

International audienc

Quantitative and specific recovery of natural organic and mineral sulfur for (multi-)isotope analysis

International audienceDeciphering the role of sulfur in biogeochemical cycles strongly relies on its stable isotope composition, which ultimately depends on the ability to quantitatively recover different sulfur species from geological samples. For decades most studies have been restricted to the 34S/32S composition of bulk samples, using simple methods based on the analysis of SO2 released by sample combustion combined to mass spectrometry. The wet chemistry procedures required to selectively extract specific sulfur species were generally avoided due to their tediousness and inefficiency for some complex matrices, especially when targeting organic sulfur. With the recent advent of multi-isotope studies (investigating the minor sulfur stable isotopes 33S and 36S) which rely either on the analysis of sulfur as SF6, or on the use of secondary ion or multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, wet chemistry-based preparation procedures were brought back to the stage with a renewed interest in developing procedures better adapted to the investigation of specific sulfur species. Here we propose a new stepwise chemical procedure for the quantitative recovery and multi-isotope analysis of organic sulfur from both solvent soluble (total lipid extract) and insoluble (kerogen) fractions, based on a wet oxidation by sodium hypochlorite. This procedure also allows the multi-isotope analysis of inorganic sulfur species (elemental sulfur, sulfates and sulfides) in the same sample. Its application to different well-known petroleum source rocks and to an oil demonstrates its relevance for disentangling the interactions between the different sulfur pools and for shedding new light on the sulfur biogeochemical cycle

VPARK - A Windows NT software platform for a virtual networked amusement park

Presents the VPARK (Virtual Park) system, which includes a networked virtual environment (NVE) system called W-VLNET and an “attraction building system” that is able to create and modify the attractions used in the NVE. Both systems have been developed in the Windows NT environment. The paper outlines the techniques for communication, scene management, facial and body animation, and general user interaction modules. The use of VRML97 and MPEG-4 SHNC is overviewed for the purpose of outlining the compatability of the system with other similar virtual reality systems. The software provides realistic virtual actors as well as sets of high-level actions that are applicable to them in real-time. Related issues on obtaining actor models and animating them in real time are presented. The creation process of an attraction incorporates assembling animation units through a timeline. Using this software, the users are able to bring their own scenario-based applications into a shared virtual environmen

Lake Dziani Dzaha (Mayotte, Indian Ocean) : A modern analogue for type I kerogen formation

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03252301International audienceSummary In the past, highly productive (hyper)saline and alkaline environments have proved propitious for large accumulation of sedimentary OM that led to the formation of Type I kerogens, such as those of the Green River Formation. A sediment core that covers most of the history of Lake Dziani Dzaha, a hypereutrophic saline, alkaline and mostly anoxic crater lakewhich waspostulatedto be a modern analogue of such environments, has been investigated using several analytical approaches comprising bulk (Rock-Eval and C, N, S elemental analyses), isotopic (δ13,14C, δ15N, δ18O, δ33,34,36S), and sedimentological descriptions. This study revealed that, despite strong environmental changes undergone by the lake since its formation, the conditions prevailing in the lake supported by a continuous high primary production have led to an excellent preservation of OM and to early diagenetic reductive and sulfurization processes which have yielded an exceptionally reduced character of the OM with respect to its short diagenetic history (< 6 ky). The similarities observed between the sediments of Lake Dziani Dzaha and some source rocks associated to Type I kerogens suggest that early diagenetic processes can have a strong and rapid impact on the accumulation of OM in some (semi)closed and highly productive aquatic ecosystems