Response of Root Properties to Tripartite Symbiosis between Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), Rhizobia and Mycorrhiza Under Dry Organic Farming Conditions

It is generally considered that root turnover is a major contributor to organic matter and mineral nutrient cycles in organic managed agroecosystems. Approach: This study designed to investigate whether microbial activity could affect on root properties of lucerne in an organically managed field under dry weather conditions. The trial was laid out as a factorial experiment in the fields of the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna-Austria at Raasdorf in 2007. The experimental factors of Sinorhizobium meliloti and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) including Glomus etunicatum, G. intraradices and G. claroideum and irrigation levels were tested. Results: Results showed that increasing water deficit affected root dry weigh, specific root mass and root length significantly at 1% level and co-inoculation of rhizobium and mycorrhiza with irrigation could increase all root parameters. Data’s of variance analysis for mycorrhizal colonization showed that main effect of using mycorrhiza had significant effects on root parameters at 5% and 1% probability level in first and second harvest, respectively. Results of mean comparisons by Duncan’s multiple range test showed that mycorrhizal colonization was higher in the inoculated treatments by rhizobium , mycorrhiza and irrigated plots in both harvests. Double interaction of mycorrhiza and irrigation was higher in both harvests (37.05% and 65.73%, respectively). Conclusion: Hence, it can be suggested that the tripartite symbiosis of S. meliloti, AM and lucerne can improve the performance of lucerne in organic farming and under dry conditions. Such traits could be incorporated into breeding programs to improve drought tolerance especially in organic fields

Genetic diversity and distance among Iranian and European alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) genotypes

Alfalfa is the best known fodder crop with high ability of biological nitrogen fixation and drought tolerance in dry, Pannonian region of east Austria. Different morphological and physiological characteristics of 18 alfalfa genotypes from different geographical origins, 8 Iranian ecotypes and 10 European cultivars were evaluated under irrigated and rainfed conditions during 2006-08 cropping seasons. The objectives of this study were to measure genetic distance and divergence among genotypes and to classify them based on morphological and physiological characters. Cluster analysis differentiated Iranian ecotypes and European cultivars from each other under irrigated condition, and when data averaged across two environments (irrigated and rainfed). However, under rainfed conditions small changes occurred in grouping of genotypes due mainly to differential responses of the genotypes to rainfed condition. Considerable genetic distance observed between Iranian and European genotypes. Different crossing programs are recommended between Iranian and European genotypes to develop new alfalfa cultivars

Suitability of drought tolerance indices for selecting alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) genotypes under organic farming in Austria

In eastern Austria, alfalfa is usually grown as a rainfed crop in crop rotations in organic farming systems, where year-to-year rainfall fluctuations cause different levels of drought stress. To identify the suitability of different alfalfa genotypes and drought tolerance indices, 18 contrasting alfalfa genotypes were evaluated under irrigated and rainfed conditions at the research station of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria, during 2006-08. The first study year (2006) was considered as the establishment year. Five drought tolerance selection indices were estimated based on shoot dry matter, total biomass yield and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) data. The correlation between irrigated and rainfed performances increased (from r=-0.17 to 0.56) with decreasing stress intensity from the first to the second year. Genotypes Sitel, Plato ZS, Vlasta and NS-Banat were the best genotypes based on their performance under both conditions. Drought tolerance selection indices TOL and SSI showed high correlations (r = 0.32 to 0.81) only with rainfed performance, and SSI was the index that best identified genotypes with high yield potential under rainfed conditions. Indices STI and GMP were the ones that best identified genotypes with high performance under both conditions

Efficacy of topical phenytoin on chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis; a pilot study

"nBackground and the Purpose of the Study: Oral mucositis is one of the most common complications of malignancy chemotherapy. As yet, no absolute treatment has been demonstrated to be effective for chemotherapy- induced oral mucositis. This study evaluates the effectiveness of phenytoin mouthwash as a wound healing agent, on the basis of stimulating effects on fibroblast proliferation. "nMaterials and Methods: In this multicenter, randomized, placebo- controlled clinical trial; twelve patients received phenytoin mouthwash (0.5%) or placebo for about two weeks. Oral pain severity was scored on the daily basis using a VAS (visual analogue scale) of 10 centimeters. National Cancer Institute (NCI) scale was used to grade the intensity of mucositis. To determine the effect of treatment, a quality of life questionnaire, consisting of 35 queries, was filled out for all patients. Statistical analyses of data was performed using Mann- Whitney test. "nResults: The average time for complete remission of mucositis in phenytoin- treated group was less than that of the placebo group. The quality of life improved dramatically in the phenytoin group with the healing process being more evident in the first week. Furthermore, reduction in the wound area was greater in the phenytoin group than controls at the end of the first week of treatment. Both groups eventually demonstrated reduction in pain intensity; however no statistically significant difference was observed between two groups. "nConclusion: Phenytoin mouthwash accelerated wound healing and resolution of mucositis and improved life quality impressively

Evaluating a person-centred chronic pain service using indices of reliable and clinically significant change

Background: Psychological interventions for chronic pain often require substantial individualisation, which can undermine links with the research evidence on which treatment is based. To ensure patients receive effective therapy, evaluation is needed. This paper demonstrates the use of individual level change indices, which may be more appropriate for assessing effectiveness of person-centred treatment than traditional group-level statistics. Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of a psychological chronic pain service at individual level and to recommend improvements for future service evaluation. Method: Indices of reliable and clinically significant change were used to assess outcomes on the HADS, CORE-10 andPSEQ. Results: Fifty-six out of 83 patients had usable outcome data. On the most widely administered outcome measure, the CORE-10, n=15 met reliable change and n=22 met clinically significant change criteria. Eighteen showed no reliable change. Only one person deteriorated. Conclusions: The person-centred treatment provided by this service was effective and achieved outcomes similar to published data from a structured group programme. However, missing data reduced the reliability of these conclusions andled to reduced usefulness of the evaluation for service planning. Recommendations for future evaluation are made

Intra-silicone oil injection of methotrexate at the end of vitrectomy for advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy

PurposeTo evaluate the role of methotrexate (MTX) injected into the silicone oil at the end of pars plana vitrectomy for advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).MethodsIn this prospective comparative interventional study, eyes with severe diabetic tractional macular detachment or combined tractional/rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were included. Standard 20 gauge pars plana vitrectomy, and retinal reattachment was performed. In the case group, 250 μg MTX was injected into the silicone oil at the end of surgery. The rate of retinal re-detachment associated with fibrovascular proliferation or proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) was assessed.ResultsOverall, 38 eyes of 35 patients (19 cases and 19 controls) were studied. The two groups were matched for age, sex, preoperative visual acuity, and the type of surgery (vitrectomy alone vs combined phacoemulsification/vitrectomy). Retinal re-detachment with fibrovascular proliferation or PVR occurred in seven eyes (36.8) in the MTX group and eight eyes (42.1) in the control group (P=0.74). Mean change in visual acuity was 0.04±0.71 and 0.39±0.70 logMAR in the MTX and the control group, respectively (P=0.14). The rate of improvement or worsening of visual acuity was similar between the two groups (P=0.51 and P=0.12).ConclusionIntra-silicone injection of MTX at the end of vitrectomy for retinal detachment associated with severe PDR did not reduce the risk of postoperative retinal detachment due to the fibrous or fibrovascular proliferations. © 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited

Prediction of preeclampsia based on blood lead levels in early pregnancy

زمینه و هدف: پره اکلامپسی شایع ترین عارضه بالینی دوران بارداری است. با توجه به اهمیت پره اکلامپسی در بارداری و عدم وجود عوامل قطعی موثر بر آن، این پژوهش با هدف پیشگویی وقوع پره اکلامپسی بر اساس سطح سرب خون مادران باردار در نیمه اول بارداری انجام شد. روش بررسی: این مطالعه توصیفی - تحلیلی بر روی 1033 مادر باردار در درمانگاه های پره ناتال شهر تهران انجام شد. در بدو ورود به مطالعه نمونه خون جهت سنجش سرب اخذ و پرسشنامه دموگرافیک تکمیل گردید. مادران باردار از زمان ورود به مطالعه تا زمان زایمان تحت مراقبت و پیگیری قرار گرفتند. در صورت وجود فشار خون مساوی یا بیش از 140 بر 90 میلی‌متر جیوه و پروتئین‌اوری پس از هفته 20 بارداری تشخیص پره اکلامپسی برای مادر داده می شد. برای تجزیه و تحلیل داده ها از آزمون های آماری من ویتنی و رگرسیون لجستیک در نرم افزارSPSS استفاده شد. یافته ها: از 1033 مادر باردار 20 نفر (9/1) مبتلا به پره اکلامپسی بودند. میانگین سطح سرب خون مادران µg/dl9/4 ± 7/4 بود. ارتباط میان سرب خون مادر و پره اکلامپسی مستقیم و معنادار بود (001/0>(P. سطح موثر سرب خون (نقطه ی برش) در پره اکلامپسی دارای حساسیت 85، ویژگی 5/70، ارزش اخباری منفی 6/99 و ارزش اخباری مثبت 4/5، µg/dl 5 بدست آمد. نتیجه گیری: نتایج این مطالعه نشان داد که سطح سرب µg/dl 5 و بالاتر در نیمه اول بارداری می تواند با حساسیت نسبتاً بالا با وقوع پره اکلامپسی همراه باشد؛ لذا انجام این آزمایش به عنوان روشی در اوایل بارداری، برای پیشگویی وقوع پره اکلامپسی در مادران باردار فاقد عوامل خطرزای مهم پره اکلامپسی، پیشنهاد می گردد

Availability, accessibility, and coverage of needle and syringe programs in prisons in the European Union

Needle and syringe programs (NSPs) are among the most effective interventions to control infection transmission among people who inject drugs in prisons. This review aimed to evaluate the availability, accessibility, and coverage of NSP in prisons in the European Union countries. In line with the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” criteria, four databases of peer-reviewed publications (PubMed/Medline, ISI Web of Science, EBSCO, and ScienceDirect), and 53 databases for grey literature were systematically searched to collect data published from January 2008 to August 2018. A total of 23,969 documents (17,297 papers and 6,672 grey documents) were identified, of them 26 were included into the study. In 2018, imprisonment rates in 28 EU countries ranged between 51 per 100,000 in Finland and 235 per 100,000 in Lithuania. Only four countries namely Germany (in one prison), Luxemburg (no coverage data were found), Romania (available in more than 50% of prisons), and Spain (in all prisons) have needle and syringe programs in prisons. Portugal stopped the program after a six-months pilot phase. Despite the protective impact of the prison-based NSP on infection transmission, only four EU countries distribute sterile syringes among people who inject drugs in prisons, and coverage of the program within these countries is very low. Since most prisoners will eventually return to the community, lack of NSP in EU prisons is not only a threat to the health of prisoners but also endangers public health

Delineation of Traffic Analysis Zone for Public Transportation OD Matrix Estimation Based on Socio-spatial Practices

This paper aims to develop and validate an efficient method for delineation of public transit analysis zones (PTTAZ), particularly for origin-destination (OD) matrix prediction for transit operation planning. Existing methods have a problem in reflecting the level of spatial precision, travel characteristics, travel demand growth, access to transit stations, and most importantly, the direction of transit routes. This study proposes a new methodology to redelineate existing traffic analysis zones (TAZ) to create PTTAZ in order to allocate travel demand to transit stops. We aim to achieve an accurate prediction of the OD matrix for public transportation (PT). The matrix should reflect the passenger accessibility in the socioeconomic and socio-spatial characterization of PTTAZ and minimize intrazonal trips. The proposed methodology transforms TAZ-based to PTTAZ-based data with sequential steps through multiple statistical methods. In short, the generation of PTTAZ establishes homogeneous sub-zones representing the relationship between passenger flow, network structure, land use, population, socio-economic characteristics, and, most importantly, existing bus transit infrastructure. To validate the proposed scheme, we implement the framework for India’s Vishakhapatnam bus network and compare the results with the household survey. The results show that the PTTAZ-based OD matrix represents a realistic scenario for PT demand