Manure sampling instructions

These instructions for manure sampling were formulated within the project Manure Standards (Advanced manure Standards for sustainable nutrient management and reduced emissions, Interreg Project No #R057) with the aim of harmonising sampling methods used within the Baltic Sea Region. The instructions are based on output from a previous project, Baltic Manure (Sindhöj et al., 2013), literature from within and outside the EU and feedback from tests of a first version on around 100 farms representing all nine countries bordering the Baltic Sea. These instructions have been circulated to project partners (see list in Appendix 2) and associate partners, including universities, research organisations, advisory services and other stakeholders in the Manure Standards project. A central factor during the work was to assess the impact on the analysis results of sampling factors such as number of samples (or subsamples), sampling depth, handling of samples, time period between sampling and analysis etc. Note that some countries, or even food companies, may have more rigid regulations on how sampling should be carried out (e.g. number of subsamples needed). In such cases, those special instructions should of course be followed in the first instance

Sõnniku proovivõtmise juhend

Käesolev sõnnikuproovide võtmise juhend on koostatud projekti „Sõnnikustandardite arendamine parendamaks jätkusuutlikku toitainete kasutamist ja vähendamaks saasteainete emissioone“ (Interreg projekt Nr #R057) raames, eesmärgiga ühtlustada proovide võtmise metoodikaid Baltimere regioonis. Juhend tugineb projekti „Läänemeremaade foorum sõnniku jätkusuutliku käitlemise uuenduslikest tehnoloogiatest” (Sindhöj et al., 2013) tulemustele, sõnniku käitlemist käsitlevatele kirjandusallikate andmetele Euroopas ja väljaspool Euroopat ning samuti testfarmidest (ca 100) saadud tagasisidele. Testfarmid hõlmasid kõiki üheksat Balti mere riiki. Juhend on kättesaadav kõigile projekti s.h assotsieerunud partneritele (vt. Lisa 2), mille hulka kuuluvad nii ülikoolid, teadusinstituudid, konsulenditeenuseid pakkuvad ettevõtted ja teised projektiga seotud huvirühmad. Projekti keskseks eesmärgiks oli hinnata, kuidas mõjutavad erinevad tegurid, nt. proovide või osaproovide arv, proovi võtmise sügavus, proovi käitlemine, aeg proovi võtmisest analüüsini jne, analüüsi tulemust. NB! Mõnedes riikides või laboratooriumides võivad proovide võtmiseks ja käitlemiseks olla rangemad (spetsiifilisemad) eeskirjad (nt. vajalik osaproovide arv vms). Sellisel juhul tuleb esmalt järgida vastavaid (piirkondlikke) instruktsioone

Characterization of an antagonistic switch between histone H3 lysine 27 methylation and acetylation in the transcriptional regulation of Polycomb group target genes

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are transcriptional repressors, which regulate proliferation and cell fate decisions during development, and their deregulated expression is a frequent event in human tumours. The Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) catalyzes trimethylation (me3) of histone H3 lysine 27 (K27), and it is believed that this activity mediates transcriptional repression. Despite the recent progress in understanding PcG function, the molecular mechanisms by which the PcG proteins repress transcription, as well as the mechanisms that lead to the activation of PcG target genes are poorly understood. To gain insight into these mechanisms, we have determined the global changes in histone modifications in embryonic stem (ES) cells lacking the PcG protein Suz12 that is essential for PRC2 activity. We show that loss of PRC2 activity results in a global increase in H3K27 acetylation. The methylation to acetylation switch correlates with the transcriptional activation of PcG target genes, both during ES cell differentiation and in MLL-AF9-transduced hematopoietic stem cells. Moreover, we provide evidence that the acetylation of H3K27 is catalyzed by the acetyltransferases p300 and CBP. Based on these data, we propose that the PcG proteins in part repress transcription by preventing the binding of acetyltransferases to PcG target genes

Short term N2O, CO2, NH3 fluxes and N/C transfers in a Danish grass-clover pasture after simulated urine deposition in autumn

Urine patches are significant hot-spots of C and N transformations. To investigate the effects of urine composition on C and N turnover and gaseous emissions from a Danish pasture soil, a field plot study was carried out in September 2001. Cattle urine was amended with two levels of 13C- and 15N-labeled urea, corresponding to 5.58 and 9.54 g urea-N l-1, to reflect two levels of protein intake. Urine was then added to a sandy-loam pasture soil equivalent to a rate of 23.3 or 39.8 g urea-N m-2. Pools and isotopic labeling of nitrous oxide (N2O) and CO2 emissions, extractable urea, ammonium (NH4+), and nitrate (NO3-), and plant uptake were monitored during a 14 d period, while ammonia (NH3) losses were estimated in separate plots amended with unlabeled urine. Ammonia volatilization was estimated to account for 14% and 12% of the urea-N applied in the low (UL) and high (UH) urea treatment, respectively. The recovery of urea-derived N as NH4+ increased during the first several days, but isotopic dilution was significant, possibly as a result of stress-induced microbial metabolism. After a 2 d lag phase, nitrification proceeded at similar rates in UL and UH despite a significant difference in NH4+ availability. Nitrous oxide fluxes were low, but generally increased during the 14 d period, as did the proportion derived from urea-N. On day 14, the contribution from urea was 23% (UL) and 13% (UH treatment), respectively. Cumulative total losses of N2O during the 14 d period corresponded to 0.021% (UL) and 0.015% (UH) of applied urea-N. Nitrification was probably the source of N2O. Emission of urea-derived C as CO2 was only detectable within the first 24 h. Urea-derived C and N in above-ground plant material was only significant at the first sampling, indicating that uptake of urine-C and N via the leaves was small. Urine composition did not influence the potential for N2O emissions from urine patches under the experimental conditions, but the importance of site conditions and season should be investigated further

Histology of Sculpin spp. in East Greenland. II. Histopathology and trace element concentrations

<p>For many years, the sculpin has been utilized as a sentinel monitoring species for anthropogenic impacts on the marine environment. To further develop its potential as a screening model body burden of several trace elements, including cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and selenium (Se), were investigated. In addition, histopathology in shorthorn sculpins (<i>Myoxocephalus scorpius</i>; <i>n</i> = 20) and fourhorn sculpins (<i>Myoxocephalus quadricornis</i>; <i>n</i> = 10) were examined at three sites around the Scoresby Sound settlement in Central East Greenland. Fourhorn sculpins caught at the most distant site from the settlement, contained significantly higher hepatic Cu and Cd concentrations as well as significantly elevated gill Pb levels compared to the shorthorn sculpins collected at two other sites closer to the settlement. Histological examinations showed that fish with significantly higher concentrations of hepatic Cd and Se exhibited greater nuclear alterations, interstitial hyperplasia/hypertrophy, interstitial mononuclear infiltrations and granulomas. Further, fish with higher Cd and Cu gill tissue levels displayed a significantly higher number of cytoplasmic alterations and lamellar epithelium lifting, hypertrophic and hyperplastic epithelium along with mucus cell hyperplasia. While the presence of liver lesions were not species or sex-specific, the presence of gill lesions decreased in the order female fourhorn sculpins > female shorthorn sculpins > male fourhorn sculpins > male shorthorn sculpins. Hepatic Hg concentrations exceeded known lowest observable effect doses (LOED) for fish (0.1–0.5 μg g⁻¹ ww) in 27% of fish, while liver Cd residues in 80% exceeded LOED (0.42–1.8 μg g⁻¹ ww). Based upon these results, data suggest that using the sculpin as a valuable sentinel fish species histopathology may serve as a reliable tool for assessing marine ecosystem exposure to trace metals. However, confounding physiological and ecological factors also need to be considered.</p

Long-term outcomes after coronary intervention with biodegradable polymer stents in patients with acute coronary syndromes

BACKGROUND: Patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) may have worse outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention compared to patients without ACS.AIMS: To compare 5-year efficacy and safety outcomes in patients with and without ACS treated with biodegradable polymers, the ultrathin strut sirolimus-eluting Orsiro stent (O-SES) or the biolimus-eluting Nobori stent (N-BES).METHODS: The Scandinavian Organisation for Randomized Trials with Clinical Outcome VII is a randomized trial comparing O-SES and N-BES in an all-comer setting. Of 2525 patients, 1329 (53%) patients had ACS and 1196 (47%) patients were without ACS. Endpoints were target lesion failure (TLF) (a composite of cardiac death, target lesion myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization) and definite stent thrombosis within 5 years.RESULTS: At 5-year follow-up, TLF did not differ significantly between patients with and without ACS (12.3% vs. 13.2%; rate ratio (RR) 1.00; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.70-1.44), whereas the risk of definite stent thrombosis was increased in patients with ACS (2.3% vs. 1.3; RR: 2.01 [95% CI: 1.01-3.98]). In patients with ACS, the rate of TLF was similar between O-SES and N-BES (12.4% vs. 12.3%; RR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.74-1.40). The reduced risk of definite stent thrombosis in O-SES treated ACS patients within the first year (0.2% vs. 1.6%; RR: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.02-0.93) was not maintained after 5 years (1.8% vs. 2.7%; RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.37-1.63).CONCLUSION: Patients with ACS had an increased risk of stent thrombosis regardless of the stent type used. Long-term outcomes were similar for ACS patients treated with O-SES or N-BES at 5 years.</p