Using legume-based mixtures to enhance the nitrogen use efficiency and economic viability of cropping systems - Final report (LK09106/HGCA3447)

As costs for mineral fertilisers rise, legume-based leys are recognised as a potential alternative nitrogen source for crops. Here we demonstrate that including species-rich legume-based leys in rotations helps to maximise synergies between agricultural productivity and other ecosystem services. By using functionally diverse plant species mixtures, these services can be optimised and fine-tuned to regional and farm-specific needs. Replicated field experiments were conducted over three years at multiple locations, testing the performance of 12 legume species and 4 grass species sown in monocultures, as well as in a mixture of 10 of the legumes and all 4 grasses (called the All Species Mix, ASM). In addition, we compared this complex mixture to farmer-chosen ley mixtures on 34 sites across the UK. The trials showed that there is a large degree of functional complementarity among the legume species. No single species scored high on all evaluation criteria. In particular, the currently most frequently used species, white clover, is outscored by other legume species on a number of parameters such as early development and resistance to decomposition. Further complementarity emerged from the different responses of legume species to environmental variables, with soil pH and grazing or cutting regime being among the more important factors. For example, while large birdsfoot trefoil showed better performance on more acidic soils, the opposite was true for sainfoin, lucerne and black medic. In comparison with the monocultures, the ASM showed increased ground cover, increased above-ground biomass and reduced weed biomass. Benefits of mixing species with regard to productivity increased over time. In addition, the stability of biomass production across sites was greater in the ASM than in the legume monocultures. Within the on-farm trials, we further found that on soils low in organic matter the biomass advantage of the ASM over the Control ley was more marked than on the soils with higher organic matter content. Ecological modelling revealed that the three best multifunctional mixtures all contained black medic, lucerne and red clover. Within the long term New Farming Systems (NFS) rotational study, the use of a clover bi-crop showed improvement to soil characteristics compared to current practice (e.g. bulk density and water infiltration rate). Improvements in wheat yield were also noted with respect to the inclusion of a clover bi-crop in 2010, but there was evidence of a decline in response as the N dose was increased. Cumulatively, over both the wheat crop and the spring oilseed rape crop, the clover bi-crop improved margin over N. The highest average yield response (~9%) was associated with the ASM legume species mix cover cropping approach

Exploring dynamic lighting, colour and form with smart textiles

This paper addresses an ongoing research, aiming at the development of smart textiles that transform the incident light that passes through them – light transmittance – to design dynamic light without acting upon the light source. A colour and shape change prototype was developed with the objective of studying textile changes in time; to explore temperature as a dynamic variable through electrical activation of the smart materials and conductive threads integrated in the textile substrate; and to analyse the relation between textile chromic and morphologic behaviour in interaction with light. Based on the experiments conducted, results have highlighted some considerations of the dynamic parameters involved in the behaviour of thermo-responsive textiles and demonstrated design possibilities to create interactive lighting scenarios.This work is supported by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors – COMPETE and National Funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the projects SFRH/BD/87196/2012, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136 and UID/CTM/00264. The authors also like to acknowledge Smart Textiles Design Lab for the support on the prototype development.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Peeling fingers in an elastic Hele-Shaw channel

Using experiments and a depth-averaged numerical model, we study instabilities of two-phase flows in a Hele-Shaw channel with an elastic upper boundary and a non-uniform cross-section prescribed by initial collapse. Experimentally, we find increasingly complex and unsteady modes of air-finger propagation as the dimensionless bubble speed, Ca, and level of collapse are increased, including pointed fingers, indented fingers and the feathered modes first identified by Cuttle et al.(J. Fluid Mech., vol. 886, 2020, A20). By introducing a measure of the viscous contribution to finger propagation, we identify a Ca threshold beyond which viscous forces are superseded by elastic effects. Quantitative prediction of this transition between 'viscous' and 'elastic' reopening regimes across levels of collapse establishes the fidelity of the numerical model. In the viscous regime, we recover the non-monotonic dependence on Ca of the finger pressure, which is characteristic of benchtop models of airway reopening. To explore the elastic regime numerically, we extend the depth-averaged model introduced by Fontana et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 916, 2021, A27) to include an artificial disjoining pressure which prevents the unphysical self-intersection of the interface. Using time simulations, we capture for the first time the majority of experimental finger dynamics, including feathered modes. We show that these disordered states continually evolve, with no evidence of convergence to steady or periodic states. We find that the steady bifurcation structure satisfactorily predicts the bubble pressure as a function of Ca, but that it does not provide sufficient information to predict the transition to unsteady dynamics which appears strongly nonlinear.Comment: 28 pages, 15 figure

Systemic long-term metabolic effects of acute non-severe paediatric burn injury

A growing body of evidence supports the concept of a systemic response to non-severe thermal trauma. This provokes an immunosuppressed state that predisposes paediatric patients to poor recovery and increased risk of secondary morbidity. In this study, to understand the long-term systemic effects of non-severe burns in children, targeted mass spectrometry assays for biogenic amines and tryptophan metabolites were performed on plasma collected from child burn patients at least three years post injury and compared to age and sex matched non-burn (healthy) controls. A panel of 12 metabolites, including urea cycle intermediates, aromatic amino acids and quinolinic acid were present in significantly higher concentrations in children with previous burn injury. Correlation analysis of metabolite levels to previously measured cytokine levels indicated the presence of multiple cytokine-metabolite associations in the burn injury participants that were absent from the healthy controls. These data suggest that there is a sustained immunometabolic imprint of non-severe burn trauma, potentially linked to long-term immune changes that may contribute to the poor long-term health outcomes observed in children after burn injury

Lighting preferences in individual offices

Abstract Workplaces with good daylighting offer visual comfort to users, give them a series of physiological and psychological benefits and allow good performance of visual activities, besides saving energy. However, this solution is not always adopted: lighting type preferences involve many variables besides the availability of daylight. This paper explores a case study through the analysis of questionnaire answers and computer simulations of a series of metrics related to quality of lighting with the aim of finding explanations for the lighting preferences of individual office users. The results show that, although the offices present good daylighting conditions and no glare potential, and users are satisfied with daylighting, these parameters are not sufficient to explain the predominant lighting preferences. The findings have also shown that there is no consensus about which parameters potentially cause visual comfort, while the parameters that cause discomfort are clearly identified. In addition, in this study, 49% of the preference for mixed lighting (daylight plus electrical light) can be explained by the fact that mixed lighting produces better modeling than daylighting alone

Comparing oil based ointment versus standard practice for the treatment of moderate burns in Greece: a trial based cost effectiveness evaluation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The local treatment of burn wounds has long been a subject of debate. The objective of this study was to compare the cost and the effectiveness of Moist Exposed Burn Ointment -MEBO versus a combination of <it>povidone iodine </it>plus <it>bepanthenol </it>cream for partial thickness burns.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was carried out in the Burn Center of a state hospital in Athens, Greece. 211 patients needing conservative therapy were prospectively selected according to the depth of the burn wound. The treatment was allocated according to the Stratified Randomization Design. The outcomes measured were mean cost of in-hospital stay, rate of complications, time of 50% wound healing, pain scores, in hospital stay diminution. We have adopted a societal perspective.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the total groups MEBO presented lower cost, (although not significantly different: p = 0.10) and better effectiveness. The data suggest that MEBO is the dominant therapy for superficial partial burn wound with significantly lower costs and significantly higher effectiveness due to a lesser time of recovery and consequently lower time of hospitalization and follow-up. MEBO presented similar percentages of complications with the comparator, lower pain levels and smaller time of no healthy appearance of the burn limits for superficial partial thickness burns.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The data suggested that topical application of MEBO may be considered for further investigation as a potential first-line treatment modality for superficial partial thickness burns.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>The trial has been registered on the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register (ISRCTN) and given the registration number <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN74058791">ISRCTN74058791</a>.</p

Functional Genomics Unique to Week 20 Post Wounding in the Deep Cone/Fat Dome of the Duroc/Yorkshire Porcine Model of Fibroproliferative Scarring

Background: Hypertrophic scar was first described over 100 years ago; PubMed has more than 1,000 references on the topic. Nevertheless prevention and treatment remains poor, because 1) there has been no validated animal model; 2) human scar tissue, which is impossible to obtain in a controlled manner, has been the only source for study; 3) tissues typically have been homogenized, mixing cell populations; and 4) gene-by-gene studies are incomplete.Methodology/Principal Findings: We have assembled a system that overcomes these barriers and permits the study of genome-wide gene expression in microanatomical locations, in shallow and deep partial-thickness wounds, and pigmented and non-pigmented skin, using the Duroc( pigmented fibroproliferative)/Yorkshire( non-pigmented non-fibroproliferative) porcine model. We used this system to obtain the differential transcriptome at 1, 2, 3, 12 and 20 weeks post wounding. It is not clear when fibroproliferation begins, but it is fully developed in humans and the Duroc breed at 20 weeks. Therefore we obtained the derivative functional genomics unique to 20 weeks post wounding. We also obtained long-term, forty-six week follow-up with the model.Conclusions/Significance: 1) the scars are still thick at forty-six weeks post wounding further validating the model. 2) the differential transcriptome provides new insights into the fibroproliferative process as several genes thought fundamental to fibroproliferation are absent and others differentially expressed are newly implicated. 3) the findings in the derivative functional genomics support old concepts, which further validates the model, and suggests new avenues for reductionist exploration. in the future, these findings will be searched for directed networks likely involved in cutaneous fibroproliferation. These clues may lead to a better understanding of the systems biology of cutaneous fibroproliferation, and ultimately prevention and treatment of hypertrophic scarring.The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation ResearchThe National Institutes of HealthThe Washington State Council of Fire Fighters Burn FoundationThe Northwest Burn FoundationUniv Washington, Dept Surg, Div Plast Surg, Seattle, WA 98195 USAIowa State Univ, Dept Anim Sci, Ames, IA USAUniv Washington, Dept Biostat, Seattle, WA 98195 USAMahidol Univ, Ramathibodi Hosp, Dept Surg, Bangkok 10700, ThailandUniv Washington, Dept Environm & Occupat Hlth Sci, Seattle, WA 98195 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Plast Surg, Dept Surg, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Plast Surg, Dept Surg, São Paulo, BrazilThe National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research: H133G050022The National Institutes of Health: 1R21GM074673The National Institutes of Health: 5U54GM062119-09Web of Scienc

Visual Coding in Locust Photoreceptors

Information capture by photoreceptors ultimately limits the quality of visual processing in the brain. Using conventional sharp microelectrodes, we studied how locust photoreceptors encode random (white-noise, WN) and naturalistic (1/f stimuli, NS) light patterns in vivo and how this coding changes with mean illumination and ambient temperature. We also examined the role of their plasma membrane in shaping voltage responses. We found that brightening or warming increase and accelerate voltage responses, but reduce noise, enabling photoreceptors to encode more information. For WN stimuli, this was accompanied by broadening of the linear frequency range. On the contrary, with NS the signaling took place within a constant bandwidth, possibly revealing a ‘preference’ for inputs with 1/f statistics. The faster signaling was caused by acceleration of the elementary phototransduction current - leading to bumps - and their distribution. The membrane linearly translated phototransduction currents into voltage responses without limiting the throughput of these messages. As the bumps reflected fast changes in membrane resistance, the data suggest that their shape is predominantly driven by fast changes in the light-gated conductance. On the other hand, the slower bump latency distribution is likely to represent slower enzymatic intracellular reactions. Furthermore, the Q10s of bump duration and latency distribution depended on light intensity. Altogether, this study suggests that biochemical constraints imposed upon signaling change continuously as locust photoreceptors adapt to environmental light and temperature conditions