Soil P Status and Nitrogen Fixation on Organic Dairy Farms in Ontario and Nova Scotia

Legumes are a key source of nitrogen (N) in organic production systems. However, there is evidence that reduced inputs may be leading to deficient soil phosphorus (P) on some organic dairy farms (Roberts et. al. 2008). This may affect crop performance and N fixation in forage legumes. This study aims to gauge the relationship between soil P dynamics in organic dairy systems and legume biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). The study has two main sub-projects: 1. A field survey of soil-test P and legume forage productivity and N fixation on dairy farms in Ontario and Nova Scotia, Canada. 2. Growth chamber and greenhouse studies examining: a) The role of P nutrition in legume growth and N fixation, and b) The P-supplying power of composts, struvite, and a rock P source. Field data was commenced in the 2008 season, and was completed in 2009. Growth chamber and greenhouse studies were conducted in 2009. Analyses of 2009 samples are not complete at the report date

Bilan phosphore du sol et fixation de l'azote dans fermes laitières biologiques de l'Ontario et de la Nouvelle-Écosse

Les légumineuses sont une source importante d'azote (N) en production biologique. Toutefois, il est prouvé que de trop faibles intrants peuvent entraîner une carence de phosphore du sol (P) dans les fermes laitières biologiques (Roberts et coll., 2008), et une réduction possible du rendement des cultures et de la fixation de N par les légumineuses fourragères. La présente étude vise à évaluer le lien entre la dynamique du P du sol et la fixation de l’azote par les légumineuses en gestion biologique (BNF). L’étude a deux principaux sous-projets : 1. Étude sur le terrain de la concentration du P dans le sol, et rendement des légumineuses fourragères et fixation de N dans les fermes laitières de l’Ontario et de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Canada. 2. Études en chambre de culture et en serre du : a) Rôle nutritif du P dans la croissance des légumineuses et dans la fixation de N. b) Taux d’apport de P des composts, de la struvite et d’une source de phosphate naturel. La cueillette de données sur le terrain, commencée à la saison 2008, a été complétée en 2009. Les études en chambre de croissance et en serre ont été menées en 2009. À la remise du rapport, les analyses des échantillons de 2009 ne sont pas terminées

The Predictive Link between Matrix and Metastasis

Cancer spread (metastasis) is responsible for 90% of cancer-related fatalities. Informing patient treatment to prevent metastasis, or kill all cancer cells in a patient\u27s body before it becomes metastatic is extremely powerful. However, aggressive treatment for all non-metastatic patients is detrimental, both for quality of life concerns, and the risk of kidney or liver-related toxicity. Knowing when and where a patient has metastatic risk could revolutionize patient treatment and care. In this review, we attempt to summarize the key work of engineers and quantitative biologists in developing strategies and model systems to predict metastasis, with a particular focus on cell interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM), as a tool to predict metastatic risk and tropism

Background and Method of the Striving to be Strong Study a RCT Testing the Efficacy of a M-health Self-management Intervention

Background Osteoporosis is a prevalent and debilitating condition affecting \u3e50% of post-menopausal women. Yet, a low percentage of women regularly engage in health promoting behaviors associated with osteoporosis prevention. Complex, multidimensional, m-Health interventions hold promise to effect engagement in health behavior change related to calcium and vitamin D intake, balance, core and leg strength, and physical activity. Methods Striving to be Strong study (R01NR013913-01) tests the efficacy of a research and theory based, patient centered, dynamically tailored intervention delivered via smart phone apps. Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMAs) enhance immediate feedback and complement traditional measures. The desired outcomes are the maintenance of osteoporosis self-management behaviors and a decrease in the loss of bone density over time. The Individual and Family Self-management Theory provided the conceptual foundation for the study. The sample consists of 290 healthy women between the ages of 40 and 60 with an anticipated attrition of 33%. This three group repeated measures Randomized Clinical Trial spans a 12-month time period. Data collected occurs via web site, smart-phone app, self-report, observation, and measures. Proximal (engagement in osteoporosis health behaviors) and distal (serum vitamin D, DXA, and body composition) outcomes are collected for testing of the efficacy of the intervention and theory evaluation. Discussion Active and rigorous quality management processes continually evaluate enrollment and retention goals, functionality of the automated intervention delivery and data collection systems, EMAs, and dispersion of incentives

Cyclic AMP Control Measured in Two Compartments in HEK293 Cells: Phosphodiesterase KM Is More Important than Phosphodiesterase Localization

The intracellular second messenger cyclic AMP (cAMP) is degraded by phosphodiesterases (PDE). The knowledge of individual families and subtypes of PDEs is considerable, but how the different PDEs collaborate in the cell to control a cAMP signal is still not fully understood. In order to investigate compartmentalized cAMP signaling, we have generated a membrane-targeted variant of the cAMP Bioluminiscence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) sensor CAMYEL and have compared intracellular cAMP measurements with it to measurements with the cytosolic BRET sensor CAMYEL in HEK293 cells. With these sensors we observed a slightly higher cAMP response to adenylyl cyclase activation at the plasma membrane compared to the cytosol, which is in accordance with earlier results from Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) sensors. We have analyzed PDE activity in fractionated lysates from HEK293 cells using selective PDE inhibitors and have identified PDE3 and PDE10A as the major membrane-bound PDEs and PDE4 as the major cytosolic PDE. Inhibition of membrane-bound or cytosolic PDEs can potentiate the cAMP response to adenylyl cyclase activation, but we see no significant difference between the potentiation of the cAMP response at the plasma membrane and in cytosol when membrane-bound and cytosolic PDEs are inhibited. When different levels of stimulation were tested, we found that PDEs 3 and 10 are mainly responsible for cAMP degradation at low intracellular cAMP concentrations, whereas PDE4 is more important for control of cAMP at higher concentrations

TGFBR1 Intralocus Epistatic Interaction as a Risk Factor for Colorectal Cancer

In colorectal cancer (CRC), an inherited susceptibility risk affects about 35% of patients, whereas high-penetrance germline mutations account for <6% of cases. A considerable proportion of sporadic tumors could be explained by the coinheritance of multiple low-penetrance variants, some of which are common. We assessed the susceptibility to CRC conferred by genetic variants at the TGFBR1 locus. We analyzed 14 polymorphisms and the allele-specific expression (ASE) of TGFBR1 in 1025 individuals from the Spanish population. A case-control study was undertaken with 504 controls and 521 patients with sporadic CRC. Fourteen polymorphisms located at the TGFBR1 locus were genotyped with the iPLEX Gold (MassARRAY-Sequenom) technology. Descriptive analyses of the polymorphisms and haplotypes and association studies were performed with the SNPator workpackage. No relevant associations were detected between individual polymorphisms or haplotypes and the risk of CRC. The TGFBR1*9A/6A polymorphism was used for the ASE analysis. Heterozygous individuals were analyzed for ASE by fragment analysis using cDNA from normal tissue. The relative level of allelic expression was extrapolated from a standard curve. The cutoff value was calculated with Youden's index. ASE was found in 25.4% of patients and 16.4% of controls. Considering both bimodal and continuous types of distribution, no significant differences between the ASE values of patients and controls were identified. Interestingly, a combined analysis of the polymorphisms and ASE for the association with CRC occurrence revealed that ASE-positive individuals carrying one of the most common haplotypes (H2: 20.7%) showed remarkable susceptibility to CRC (RR: 5.25; 95% CI: 2.547–5.250; p<0.001) with a synergy factor of 3.7. In our study, 54.1% of sporadic CRC cases were attributable to the coinheritance of the H2 haplotype and TGFBR1 ASE. These results support the hypothesis that the allelic architecture of cancer genes, rather than individual polymorphisms, more accurately defines the CRC risk

An Indirect Cue of Predation Risk Counteracts Female Preference for Conspecifics in a Naturally Hybridizing Fish Xiphophorus birchmanni

Mate choice is context dependent, but the importance of current context to interspecific mating and hybridization is largely unexplored. An important influence on mate choice is predation risk. We investigated how variation in an indirect cue of predation risk, distance to shelter, influences mate choice in the swordtail Xiphophorus birchmanni, a species which sometimes hybridizes with X. malinche in the wild. We conducted mate choice experiments to determine whether females attend to the distance to shelter and whether this cue of predation risk can counteract female preference for conspecifics. Females were sensitive to shelter distance independent of male presence. When conspecific and heterospecific X. malinche males were in equally risky habitats (i.e., equally distant from shelter), females associated primarily with conspecifics, suggesting an innate preference for conspecifics. However, when heterospecific males were in less risky habitat (i.e., closer to shelter) than conspecific males, females no longer exhibited a preference, suggesting that females calibrate their mate choices in response to predation risk. Our findings illustrate the potential for hybridization to arise, not necessarily through reproductive “mistakes”, but as one of many potential outcomes of a context-dependent mate choice strategy

Hormone Therapy and the Risk of Breast Cancer in BRCA1 Mutation Carriers

Background: Hormone therapy (HT) is commonly given to women to alleviate the climacteric symptoms associated with menopause. There is concern that this treatment may increase the risk of breast cancer. The potential association of HT and breast cancer risk is of particular interest to women who carry a mutation in BRCA1 because they face a high lifetime risk of breast cancer and because many of these women take HT after undergoing prophylactic surgical oophorectomy at a young age. Methods: We conducted a matched case-control study of 472 postmenopausal women with a BRCA1 mutation to examine whether or not the use of HT is associated with subsequent risk of breast cancer. Breast cancer case patients and control subjects were matched with respect to age, age at menopause, and type of menopause (surgical or natural). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with conditional logistic regression. Statistical tests were two-sided. Results: In this group of BRCA1 mutation carriers, the adjusted OR for breast cancer associated with ever use of HT compared with never use was 0.58 (95% CI = 0.35 to 0.96; P =. 03). In analyses by type of HT, an inverse association with breast cancer risk was observed with use of estrogen only (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.98; P =. 04); the association with use of estrogen plus progesterone was not statistically significant (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.34 to 1.27; P =. 21). Conclusion: Among postmenopausal women with a BRCA1 mutation, HT use was not associated with increased risk of breast cancer; indeed, in this population, it was associated with a decreased risk

Associations between the gut microbiota and host immune markers in pediatric multiple sclerosis and controls

BACKGROUND: As little is known of association(s) between gut microbiota profiles and host immunological markers, we explored these in children with and without multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Children ≤18 years provided stool and blood. MS cases were within 2-years of onset. Fecal 16S rRNA gene profiles were generated on an Illumina Miseq platform. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated, and Treg (CD4(+)CD25(hi)CD127(low)FoxP3(+)) frequency and CD4(+) T-cell intracellular cytokine production evaluated by flow cytometry. Associations between microbiota diversity, phylum-level abundances and immune markers were explored using Pearson’s correlation and adjusted linear regression. RESULTS: Twenty-four children (15 relapsing-remitting, nine controls), averaging 12.6 years were included. Seven were on a disease-modifying drug (DMD) at sample collection. Although immune markers (e.g. Th2, Th17, Tregs) did not differ between cases and controls (p > 0.05), divergent gut microbiota associations occurred; richness correlated positively with Th17 for cases (r = +0.665, p = 0.018), not controls (r = −0.644, p = 0.061). Bacteroidetes inversely associated with Th17 for cases (r = −0.719, p = 0.008), not controls (r = +0.320, p = 0.401). Fusobacteria correlated with Tregs for controls (r = +0.829, p = 0.006), not cases (r = −0.069, p = 0.808). CONCLUSIONS: Our observations motivate further exploration to understand disruption of the microbiota-immune balance so early in the MS course. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12883-016-0703-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users