Soil indexes related to irrigated corn yields : in a typic torrifluvent of Mendoza (Argentina)

In this work we took advantage of the great variability among replicates of the same fertilizer treatments in order to find relationships between soil characteris-tics and grain and stubble yield of eaeh plol. In this loamy alluvial soil of ca. 60 cm deep over the stony subsoil (pebbles, gravel.etc). The grain yield in the 12 non fertilized plots ranged between ca. 5 t/ha and 15 Uha, and the stubble between 7.75 Uha and 26,65 t/ ha. The general CV was 45%. The irrigation regime was optimized keeping the minimum available water at 30% of the total. Among the many soil characteris-tics studied total soil nitrogen (Nt) was the one that correlated most with the yield; P extracted with C02 satura-ted water at a 1: 1O relation (P-C02 1: 1O) and exchangea-ble potassium with amonium acetate (Ke-NH4) also showed some degree of correlation but the two of them showed significant correlations to Nt. Regression equations were calculated. Two group of plots were separated among the total 96 in the assay, and the minimum and maximum values of the related soil indexes were given. The group 1 was characterized by a minimum grain yield of ca. 14 Uha and group 11 by a maximum yield of 5 Uha. The minimum values fer group I and the maximum for group 11, as mg/kg in the 0-60 cm soillayer were, respectively : Nt 725 and 319 ; P-C02 1:103.68 and 2.43; Ke-NH4 180 and 147. In the 12 non fertilized plots the regression equation found between grain yield in kg/ha (Y) and total Nt mg/kg in the 0-60 cm soillayer was: Y =-3 393 + 24.04 X, r2 0.945 and the Standard error of estimation ± 916.Fil: Nijensohn, León. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ingeniería AgrícolaFil: Maffei, José A. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ingeniería AgrícolaFil: Rearte, Emilio . Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ingeniería Agrícol

Gravitational waves from galaxy encounters

We discuss the emission of gravitational radiation produced in encounters of dark matter galactic halos. To this aim we perform a number of numerical simulations of typical galaxy mergers, computing the associated gravitational radiation waveforms as well as the energy released in the processes. Our simulations yield dimensionless gravitational wave amplitudes of the order of $10^{-13}$ and gravitational wave frequencies of the order of $10^{-16}$ Hz, when the galaxies are located at a distance of 10 Mpc. These values are of the same order as those arising in the gravitational radiation originated by strong variations of the gravitational field in the early Universe, and therefore, such gravitational waves cannot be directly observed by ground-based detectors. We discuss the feasibility of an indirect detection by means of the B-mode polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) induced by such waves. Our results show that the gravitational waves from encounters of dark matter galactic halos leave much too small an imprint on the CMB polarization to be actually observed with ongoing and future missions.Comment: 9 pages with revtex style, 3 ps figures; to be published in Physical Review

Soil and foliar indexes relaled to irrigated corn vields : in atypic torrlluvent of Mendoza [Argentina)

In a fertilizer assay of irrigated corn on an alluvial soil of ca. 60 cm deep over a stony subsoil (pebbles, gravel, etc.) we look advantage of the great variability among replicates of the same treatments in order lo establish relationships between foliar composition and grain and stubble yields. The main conclusions we arrived at were: 1- N leaf content was the most significant index related to yield. A threshold of 20 g N % for grain and stubble yields above 14 t/ha and 25 t/ha, respectively, was established. 2- Single regressions were also found with P and Zn, but none of the multiple regressions which included N and P with Zn and K were better than the one with N as the sole variable. 3- Although K as a single variable in the regression equation vs. yield had no statistical signification, a threshold of 1.6 9 K % evidenced for grain yields above 16 t/ha. 4- Foliar compositions related to the maximum observed yield (21 t/ha grain and 31 t/ha stubble dry matter) compared with the minimum one (4.1 t/ha grain and 8.1 t/ha stubble) are respectively the following: N 2.54-097 9 %; P 0226-0.152 9 %; K 1.76-1 .48 9 % ; Ca 0.54-039 9 %; Mg 0.16-0.16 9 %; Fe 158-109 mg/kg; Zn 52-24 mg/kg; Mn 88-27 mg/kg and Cu 17-5 mg/kg.Fil: Nijensohn, León. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ingeniería AgrícolaFil: Maffei, José A. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ingeniería AgrícolaFil: Rearte, Emilio. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ingeniería Agrícol

Effect of Denosumab on Bone Mineral Density and Markers of Bone Turnover among Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of denosumab (Dmab) on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover markers after 1 year of treatment. Additionally, the effect of Dmab in bisphosphonate-naïve patients (BP-naïve) compared to patients previously treated with bisphosphonates (BP-prior) was analyzed. This retrospective study included 425 postmenopausal women treated with Dmab for 1 year in clinical practice conditions in specialized centers from Argentina. Participants were also divided according to previous bisphosphonate treatment into BP-naïve and BP-prior. A control group of patients treated with BP not switched to Dmab matched by sex, age, and body mass index was used. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. After 1 year of treatment with Dmab the bone formation markers total alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin were significantly decreased (23.36% and 43.97%, resp.), as was the bone resorption marker s-CTX (69.61%). Significant increases in BMD were observed at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip without differences between BP-naïve and BP-prior. A better BMD response was found in BPprior group compared with BP treated patients not switched to Dmab. Conclusion. Dmab treatment increased BMDand decreased bone turnover markers in the whole group, with similar response in BP-naïve and BP-prior patients. A better BMD response in BP-prior patients versus BP treated patients not switched to Dmab was observed.Facultad de Ciencias Médica

Antibody Complementarity-Determining Regions (CDRs) Can Display Differential Antimicrobial, Antiviral and Antitumor Activities

Background: Complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) are immunoglobulin (Ig) hypervariable domains that determine specific antibody (Ab) binding. We have shown that synthetic CDR-related peptides and many decapeptides spanning the variable region of a recombinant yeast killer toxin-like antiidiotypic Ab are candidacidal in vitro. An alanine-substituted decapeptide from the variable region of this Ab displayed increased cytotoxicity in vitro and/or therapeutic effects in vivo against various bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. the possibility that isolated CDRs, represented by short synthetic peptides, may display antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor activities irrespective of Ab specificity for a given antigen is addressed here.Methodology/Principal Findings: CDR-based synthetic peptides of murine and human monoclonal Abs directed to: a) a protein epitope of Candida albicans cell wall stress mannoprotein; b) a synthetic peptide containing well-characterized B-cell and T-cell epitopes; c) a carbohydrate blood group A substance, showed differential inhibitory activities in vitro, ex vivo and/or in vivo against C. albicans, HIV-1 and B16F10-Nex2 melanoma cells, conceivably involving different mechanisms of action. Antitumor activities involved peptide-induced caspase-dependent apoptosis. Engineered peptides, obtained by alanine substitution of Ig CDR sequences, and used as surrogates of natural point mutations, showed further differential increased/unaltered/decreased antimicrobial, antiviral and/or antitumor activities. the inhibitory effects observed were largely independent of the specificity of the native Ab and involved chiefly germline encoded CDR1 and CDR2 of light and heavy chains.Conclusions/Significance: the high frequency of bioactive peptides based on CDRs suggests that Ig molecules are sources of an unlimited number of sequences potentially active against infectious agents and tumor cells. the easy production and low cost of small sized synthetic peptides representing Ig CDRs and the possibility of peptide engineering and chemical optimization associated to new delivery mechanisms are expected to give rise to a new generation of therapeutic agents.Department of Education, Universities and Research, Basque GovermentFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Istituto Superiore di Sanita, National Research Project on A.I.D.S.Cariparma Banking FoundationBrazilian National Research CouncilUniv Parma, Sez Microbiol, Dipartimento Patol, I-43100 Parma, ItalyUniv Basque Country, Fac Med Odontol, Dept Inmunol, Microbiol Parasitol, Bilbao, SpainUniv Basque Country, Dept Enfermeria I, Bilbao, SpainUniv Milan, Dipartimento Sci Cliniche L Sacco, Sez Malattie Infettive Immunopatol, Milan, ItalyUniv Studi Parma, Dipartimento Clin Med, Nefrol Sci Prev, Parma, ItalyUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento Microbiol, Imunol Parasitol, Unidade Oncol Expt, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biofis, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento Microbiol, Imunol Parasitol, Unidade Oncol Expt, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biofis, São Paulo, BrazilDepartment of Education, Universities and Research, Basque Goverment: IT-264-07FAPESP: 06/50634-2Istituto Superiore di Sanita, National Research Project on A.I.D.S.: 50G.30Istituto Superiore di Sanita, National Research Project on A.I.D.S.: 40D.14Cariparma Banking Foundation: 2004.0190Brazilian National Research Council: research fellowshipWeb of Scienc

Autoadjusting-CPAP effect on serum Leptin concentrations in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea patients

© 2008 Drummond et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Densitometric Response in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Treated with Strontium Ranelate or Denosumab

Tanto el ranelato de estroncio (RSr) como el denosumab (Dmab) son eficaces en el tratamiento de la osteoporosis (OP) posmenopáusica (PM). El efecto de cada fármaco por separado sobre la densidad mineral ósea (DMO) ha sido estudiado recientemente. Con ambas drogas se observó, al año de tratamiento, un aumento significativo de la DMO en columna lumbar (CL), cuello femoral (CF) y cadera total (CT). En este trabajo comparamos la respuesta densitométrica al año de tratamiento con una y otra droga. Utilizamos los registros de 425 pacientes PMOP tratadas con Dmab y 441 tratadas con RSr. En cada paciente analizamos el porcentaje de cambio; se clasificaron como respondedoras aquellas que mostraron un cambio ≥3%. Adicionalmente se comparó la respuesta en pacientes no previamente tratadas con bifosfonatos (BF-naïve) en comparación con pacientes que habían recibido previamente un BF. Al analizar el grupo completo para Dmab, el porcentaje de pacientes respondedoras fue de 68,4% en CL, 63,3% en CF y 49,3% en CT. Por otro lado, en el grupo de pacientes tratadas con RSr, el porcentaje de respondedoras (53,8% en CL, 40,0% en CF y 35,6% en CT) fue estadísticamente menor. Cuando comparamos la respuesta entre las pacientes BF-naïve que recibieron RSr o Dmab, el Dmab indujo mayor respuesta en CL y CF que el grupo RSr, sin diferencias en CT. Cuando se analizaron los subgrupos BF-previo, las tratadas con Dmab mostraron mayor respuesta en todas las regiones. Conclusión: en pacientes con OP-PM, el tratamiento con Dmab produjo mayores incrementos densitométricos que el RSr, siendo el porcentaje de pacientes respondedoras mayor con Dmab que con RSr.Both strontium ranelate (SrR) and denosumab (Dmab) are effective in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP). The effect of each drug on bone mineral density (BMD) has been studied separately by us. With both treatments, there was a significant increase after one year of treatment at the lumbar spine (LS) and hip. In this paper we compared the densitometric response after one year of treatment with both drugs used separately. We used the clinical records of 425 PM patients treated with Dmab and 441 treated with SrR. For each patient we analyzed the percentage of change; those who showed a change ≥3% were classified as responders. Additionally, the response was compared in patients not previously treated with bisphosphonates (BP-naïve) compared to patients who had previously received a BP. When analyzing the complete group for Dmab, the percentage of “responders” was 65.2% at the LS, 62.9% at the femoral neck (FN) and 47.4% at the total hip (TH). On the other hand, in the group of patients treated with SrR the percentage of responders (53.8% at the LS, 40.0% at the FN and 35.6% at the TH) was statistically lower. When comparing the response between in BF-naïve patients receiving RSr or Dmab, Dmab induced a greater response at the LS and FN than the RSr group, with no statistical differences at the TH. When the subgroups with prior BP treatment were analyzed, those treated with Dmab showed greater response in all regions. Conclusion: in patients with PMOP treatment with Dmab produced greater densitometric increments than SrR, and the percentage of responders was higher with Dmab than with SrR.Facultad de Ciencias Médica