Application of photosynthetic N2-fixing cyanobacteria to the CELSS program

Commercially available air lift fermentors were used to simultaneously monitor biomass production, N2-fixation, photosynthesis, respiration, and sensitivity to oxidative damage during growth under various nutritional and light regimes, to establish a data base for the integration of these organisms into a Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) program. Certain cyanobacterial species have the unique ability to reduce atmospheric N2 to organic nitrogen. These organisms combine the ease of cultivation characteristics of prokaryotes with the fully developed photosynthetic apparatus of higher plants. This, along with their ability to adapt to changes in their environment by modulation of certain biochemical pathways, make them attractive candidates for incorporation into the CELSS program

Cyanobacteria in CELSS: Growth strategies for nutritional variation and nitrogen cycling

Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are versatile organisms which are capable of adjusting their cellular levels of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid in response to changes in the environment. Under stress conditions there is an imbalance between nitrogen metabolism and carbohydrate/lipid synthesis. The lesion in nitrogen assimilation is at the level of transport: the stress condition diverts energy from the active accumulation of nitrate to the extrusion of salt, and probably inhibits a cold-labile ATP'ace in the case of cold shock. Both situations affect the bioenergetic status of the cell such that the nitrogenous precursors for protein synthesis are depleted. Dispite the inhibition of protein synthesis and growth, photosynthetic reductant generation is relatively unaffected. The high O2 reductant would normally lead to photo-oxidative damage of cellular components; however, the organism copes by channeling the 'excess' reductant into carbon storage products. The increase in glycogen (28 to 35 percent dry weight increase) and the elongation of lipid fatty acid side chains (2 to 5 percent dry weight increase) at the expense of protein synthesis (25 to 34 percent dry weight decrease) results in carbohydrate, lipid and protein ratios that are closer to those required in the human diet. In addition, the selection of nitrogen fixing mutants which excrete ammonium ions present an opportunity to tailor these micro-organisms to meet the specific need for a sub-system to reverse potential loss of fixed nitrogen material

Minds on the move: new links from psychology to tourism

This review, which is organised according to key themes, suggests that tourism researchers can profit from contemporary developments in mainstream psychology. The themes addressed are motivation and destination choice, attitudes and satisfaction, memory, and personal growth. Patterned and dual processing approaches to behaviour are highlighted. Additionally a framework for advancing the analysis of minds on the move should consider a range of dimensions including emic and etic approaches, transects across domains of inquiry, social as well as individual processes, longitudinal work, pan-cultural analysis and contextual classifications. It is argued that accessing psychology scholarship can build the capacity of tourism researchers

Moving from information and collaboration to action: report from the 3rd International Dog Health Workshop, Paris in April 2017

Abstract Background Breed-related health problems in dogs have received increased focus over the last decade. Responsibility for causing and/or solving these problems has been variously directed towards dog breeders and kennel clubs, the veterinary profession, welfare scientists, owners, regulators, insurance companies and the media. In reality, all these stakeholders are likely to share some responsibility and optimal progress on resolving these challenges requires all key stakeholders to work together. The International Partnership for Dogs (IPFD), together with an alternating host organization, holds biennial meetings called the International Dog Health Workshops (IDHW). The Société Centrale Canine (French Kennel Club) hosted the 3rd IDHW, in Paris, in April, 2017. These meetings bring together a wide range of stakeholders in dog health, science and welfare to improve international sharing of information and resources, to provide a forum for ongoing collaboration, and to identify specific needs and actions to improve health, well-being and welfare in dogs. Results The workshop included 140 participants from 23 countries and was structured around six important issues facing those who work to improve dog health. These included individualized breed-specific strategies for health and breeding, extreme conformations, education and communication in relation to antimicrobial resistance, behavior and welfare, genetic testing and population-based evidence. A number of exciting actions were agreed during the meeting. These included setting up working groups to create tools to help breed clubs accelerate the implementation of breed-health strategies, review aspects of extreme conformation and share useful information on behavior. The meeting also heralded the development of an online resource of relevant information describing quality measures for DNA testing. A demand for more and better data and evidence was a recurring message stressed across all themes. Conclusions The meeting confirmed the benefits from inclusion of a diverse range of stakeholders who all play relevant and collaborative parts to improve future canine health. Firm actions were set for progress towards improving breed-related welfare. The next international workshop will be in the UK in 2019 and will be organized by the UK Kennel Club

Neutron-induced dpa, transmutations, gas production, and helium embrittlement of fusion materials

In a fusion reactor materials will be subjected to significant fluxes of high-energy neutrons. As well as causing radiation damage, the neutrons also initiate nuclear reactions leading to changes in the chemical composition of materials (transmutation). Many of these reactions produce gases, particularly helium, which cause additional swelling and embrittlement of materials. This paper investigates, using a combination of neutron-transport and inventory calculations, the variation in displacements per atom (dpa) and helium production levels as a function of position within the high flux regions of a recent conceptual model for the "next-step" fusion device DEMO. Subsequently, the gas production rates are used to provide revised estimates, based on new density-functional-theory results, for the critical component lifetimes associated with the helium-induced grain-boundary embrittlement of materials. The revised estimates give more optimistic projections for the lifetimes of materials in a fusion power plant compared to a previous study, while at the same time indicating that helium embrittlement remains one of the most significant factors controlling the structural integrity of fusion power plant components.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure

Influence of Sacubitril/Valsartan (LCZ696) on 30-day readmission after heart failure hospitalization

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) are at high risk for hospital readmission in the first 30 days following HF hospitalization. Objectives: This study sought to determine if treatment with sacubitril/valsartan (LCZ696) reduces rates of hospital readmission at 30-days following HF hospitalization compared with enalapril. Methods: We assessed the risk of 30-day readmission for any cause following investigator-reported hospitalizations for HF in the PARADIGM-HF trial, which randomized 8,399 participants with HF and reduced ejection fraction to treatment with LCZ696 or enalapril. Results: Accounting for multiple hospitalizations per patient, there were 2,383 investigator-reported HF hospitalizations, of which 1,076 (45.2%) occurred in subjects assigned to LCZ696 and 1,307 (54.8%) occurred in subjects assigned to enalapril. Rates of readmission for any cause at 30 days were 17.8% in LCZ696-assigned subjects and 21.0% in enalapril-assigned subjects (odds ratio: 0.74; 95% confidence interval: 0.56 to 0.97; p = 0.031). Rates of readmission for HF at 30-days were also lower in subjects assigned to LCZ696 (9.7% vs. 13.4%; odds ratio: 0.62; 95% confidence interval: 0.45 to 0.87; p = 0.006). The reduction in both all-cause and HF readmissions with LCZ696 was maintained when the time window from discharge was extended to 60 days and in sensitivity analyses restricted to adjudicated HF hospitalizations. Conclusions: Compared with enalapril, treatment with LCZ696 reduces 30-day readmissions for any cause following discharge from HF hospitalization

Utilização de transformações não-parametricas no ajuste de dados de contagem de carrapatos utilizados no mapeamento de QTL.

Boophilus microplus; Carraptados; Mapeamento de QTL; Dado

Manutenção em campo de níveis variados de palhada de cana-de-açúcar: efeitos sobre o acúmulo de nitrogênio nas plantas.

Resumo: O objetivo do trabalho foi estudar a contribuição de diferentes níveis de palhada sobre o acumulo de nitrogênio na cana-de-açúcar. O ensaio foi instalado em Araras-SP, durante as safras de 2011-12 e 2012-13 (variedade RB-845210). Foram aplicados cinco tratamentos, com níveis de 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% e 100% (0 - 2,8- 5,7- 8,5 -11,3 t ha-1 safra 2011-12) (0 - 3 - 6,2 - 9,4 - 12,8 t ha-1 safra 2012-13) dispostos em blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Para acompanhar o acumulo de N nos diferentes compartimentos da planta (folhas verdes, folhas secas e colmo) de cana-de-açúcar foram utilizados os dados de massa seca (kg ha-1) e concentrações de N (g kg-1) de cada um destes componentes, obtidos em biometrias realizadas ao longo dos dois ciclos de cultivos estudados. Utilizou-se a análise de variância e regressão para o tratamento estatístico dos resultados. Foi possível concluir que: a manutenção de quantidades de palhada entre 5-12 t ha-1 promovem o mesmo acúmulo de nitrogênio no colmo em relação à ausência deste resíduo (sem palhada) somente após dois ciclos de cultivo de cana-de-açúcar; sendo que no primeiro ciclo há superioridade do tratamento sem palhada apenas sobre o maior nível deste resíduo; não há uma tendência consistente para o acúmulo de nitrogênio para as folhas verdes e secas em função de diferentes aportes de palhada sobre o solo. Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of different levels of straw on the accumulation of nitrogen in sugarcane. The trial was conducted at the harvests of 2011-12 and 2012-13 in Araras-SP, using the RB-845210 variety. There were tested five levels of straw (0% - 25% - 50% - 75% - 100%), related with 2,8 - 5,7 - 8,5 -11,3 t ha -1 ( 2011-12) and 3,0 ? 6,2 ? 9,4 ? 12,8 t ha -1 (2012-13), that were arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. To determine N accumulation in sugarcane there was used dry mass (kg ha -1 ) and N concentrations (g kg -1 ) of stalk, green and dry leaves, obtained by biometry evaluations realized during the two ratoons. Variance analyses and regressions were used as statistic tool. It is possible to conclude that after two cycles of sugarcane the inputs of 5-12 t ha -1 of straw by harvest has the same contribution for nitrogen stalk accumulation than traits without straw; although in the first cycle the trait without straw is superior than the higher level of this residue. About green and dry leaves there is no tendency for the nitrogen accumulation for the input of different levels of straw in soil