Nitrate and fecal coliform concentrations in silvopasture and pasture leachates

Paper presented at the 11th North American Agroforesty Conference, which was held May 31-June 3, 2009 in Columbia, Missouri.In Gold, M.A. and M.M. Hall, eds. Agroforestry Comes of Age: Putting Science into Practice. Proceedings, 11th North American Agroforestry Conference, Columbia, Mo., May 31-June 3, 2009.A major limitation to efficient forage-based livestock production in Appalachia is asynchrony of forage availability and quality with nutritional requirements of the grazer. Silvopasture is being studied to improve the seasonal distribution and persistence of high quality herbage, sustainability and environmental integrity of the agricultural landscape. Fundamental knowledge of the impacts of agricultural practices on water quality is needed to address producer goals and societal concerns. Water quality was monitored at the soil/bedrock interface under conventional pasture (CP), silvopasture (SP), and hardwood forest (HF) on a central Appalachian landscape. The pasture and silvopasture were rotationally grazed by sheep during the spring to fall grazing season (2004-2008). Geometric mean fecal coliform bacteria concentrations were greatest in SP (18.0 cfu 100 ml-1) with no difference between CP (7.5 cfu 100 ml-1) and HF (5.6 cfu 100 ml-1). Mean NO3-N concentration was lowest in SP (2.2 mg L-1) and greatest in CP (4.4 mg L-1) and HW (4.1 mg L-1). Mean NH4-N concentrations showed different trends with the lowest mean concentration in CP (0.7 mg L-1) and the greatest in SP and HW (2.6 mg L-1). The observations will be important information for the development of decision support tools for maximizing forage and livestock productivity, through silvopastoral management on sloping land of central Appalachia, while protecting surface and groundwater quality.Douglas G. Boyer (1) and James P. S. Neel (1) ; 1. Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center, USDA-ARS, 1224 Airport Rd., Beaver, WV 25813.Includes bibliographical references

Forage Potential of Summer Annual Grain Legumes in the Southern Great Plains

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and perennial warm-season grasses are the primary forage resources for grazing yearling stocker cattle (Bos taurus) in the US Southern Great Plains (SGP). However, low nutritive value of perennial grasses during mid to late summer limits high rates of growth by stocker cattle. In response, there has been a continued search for plant materials with the potential to provide forage high in crude protein (CP) and digestibility during August through September. A broad range of under-utilized legume species that are grown as grain crops in Africa, India, and South and Central America may have some capacity to serve as high quality pasture or harvested forage in the SGP. However, any crop selection must account for limitations related to unpredictable summer rainfall amounts and patterns, and the frequent occurrence of prolonged drought. Further, any selection should not create water deficits for following winter wheat, the primary forage and grain crop in the region. This article summarizes a small subset of the broad range of underutilized grain legumes (pulses) which exist worldwide and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] that may have capacity to serve as high quality forage for late-summer grazing. Bringing these crops into forage–stocker production systems could improve the overall system effectiveness, in addition to providing other ecosystem services (e.g., ground cover, grain crops)

Genetic studies of the Macushi and Wapishana Indians

Blood samples from 509 Macushi and 623 Wapishana Amerindians of Northern Brazil and Southern Guyana have been analyzed with reference to the occurrence of rare variants and genetic polymorphisms of the following 25 systems: (i) Erythrocyte enzymes : acid phosphatase-1, adenosine deaminase, adenylate kinase-k, carbonic anhydrase-1, carbonic anhydrase-2, esterase A 1,2,3, esterase D, galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, nucleoside phosphorylase, peptidase A, peptidase B, phosphoglucomutase 1, phosphoglucomutase 2, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, phosphohexoseisomerase, triosephosphate isomerase and (ii) Serum proteins : albumin, ceruloplasmin, haptoglobin, hemoglobin A, hemoglobin A 2 and transferrin. Fifteen different rare variants were detected, involving 11 of these systems. In addition, a previously undescribed variant of ESA 1,2,3 which achieves polymorphic proportions in both these tribes is described. Excluding this variant, the frequency of rare variants is 1.1/1000 in 12510 determinations in the Macushi and 4.7/1000 in 15 396 determinations in the Wapishana. The ESA 1,2,3 , polymorphism was not observed in 382 Makiritare, 232 Yanomama, 146 Piaroa, 404 Cayapo, 190 Kraho and 112 Moro. Irregularities in the intratribal distribution of this polymorphism in the Macushi and Wapishana render a decision as to the tribe of origin impossible at present. Gene frequencies are also given for previosly described polymorphisms of 5 systems: haptoglobin, phosphoglucomutase 1, erythrocyte acid phosphatase, esterase D, and galactose-1-phosphate-uridyl-transferase.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47605/1/439_2004_Article_BF00390440.pd

Applying an Empirical Hydropathic Forcefield in Refinement May Improve Low-Resolution Protein X-Ray Crystal Structures

BACKGROUND: The quality of X-ray crystallographic models for biomacromolecules refined from data obtained at high-resolution is assured by the data itself. However, at low-resolution, >3.0 Å, additional information is supplied by a forcefield coupled with an associated refinement protocol. These resulting structures are often of lower quality and thus unsuitable for downstream activities like structure-based drug discovery. METHODOLOGY: An X-ray crystallography refinement protocol that enhances standard methodology by incorporating energy terms from the HINT (Hydropathic INTeractions) empirical forcefield is described. This protocol was tested by refining synthetic low-resolution structural data derived from 25 diverse high-resolution structures, and referencing the resulting models to these structures. The models were also evaluated with global structural quality metrics, e.g., Ramachandran score and MolProbity clashscore. Three additional structures, for which only low-resolution data are available, were also re-refined with this methodology. RESULTS: The enhanced refinement protocol is most beneficial for reflection data at resolutions of 3.0 Å or worse. At the low-resolution limit, ≥4.0 Å, the new protocol generated models with Cα positions that have RMSDs that are 0.18 Å more similar to the reference high-resolution structure, Ramachandran scores improved by 13%, and clashscores improved by 51%, all in comparison to models generated with the standard refinement protocol. The hydropathic forcefield terms are at least as effective as Coulombic electrostatic terms in maintaining polar interaction networks, and significantly more effective in maintaining hydrophobic networks, as synthetic resolution is decremented. Even at resolutions ≥4.0 Å, these latter networks are generally native-like, as measured with a hydropathic interactions scoring tool

Assessing the quality of primary care referrals to surgery of patients with diabetes in the East of England: A multi-centre cross-sectional cohort study

Aim: Peri-operative hyperglycaemia is associated with an increased incidence of adverse outcomes. Communication between primary and secondary care is paramount to minimise these harms. National guidance in the UK recommends that the glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) should be measured within 3 months prior to surgery and that the concentration should be less that 69 mmol/mol (8.5%). In addition, national guidance outlines the minimum dataset that should be included in any letter at the time of referral to the surgeons. Currently, it is unclear how well this process is being carried out. This study investigated the quality of information being handed over during the referral from primary care to surgical outpatients within the East of England. Methods: Primary care referrals to nine different NHS hospital Trusts were gathered over a 1-week period. All age groups were included from 11 different surgical specialties. Referral letters were analysed using a standardised data collection tool based on the national guidelines. Results: A total of 1919 referrals were received, of whom 169 (8.8%) had previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM). However, of these, 38 made no mention of DM in the referral letter but were on glucose-lowering agents. Only 13 (7.7%) referrals for patients with DM contained a recent HbA1c, and 20 (11.8%) contained no documentation of glucose-lowering medication. Conclusion: This study has shown that the quality of referral letters to surgical specialties for patients with DM in the East of England remain inadequate. There is a clear need for improving the quality of clinical data contained within referral letters from primary care. In addition, we have shown that the rate of referral for surgery for people with diabetes is almost 50% higher than the background population with diabetes

Incidence of AIDS-Defining Opportunistic Infections in a Multicohort Analysis of HIV-infected Persons in the United States and Canada, 2000–2010

Background. There are few recent data on the rates of AIDS-defining opportunistic infections (OIs) among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected patients in care in the United States and Canada

A meta-analysis of genome-wide data from five European isolates reveals an association of COL22A1, SYT1, and GABRR2 with serum creatinine level

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Serum creatinine (S_CR) is the most important biomarker for a quick and non-invasive assessment of kidney function in population-based surveys. A substantial proportion of the inter-individual variability in S_CRlevel is explicable by genetic factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of S_CRundertaken in five population isolates ('discovery cohorts'), all of which are part of the European Special Population Network (EUROSPAN) project. Genes showing the strongest evidence for an association with S_CR(candidate loci) were replicated in two additional population-based samples ('replication cohorts').</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After the discovery meta-analysis, 29 loci were selected for replication. Association between S_CRlevel and polymorphisms in the collagen type XXII alpha 1 (<it>COL22A1</it>) gene, on chromosome 8, and in the synaptotagmin-1 (<it>SYT1</it>) gene, on chromosome 12, were successfully replicated in the replication cohorts (p value = 1.0 × 10^-6and 1.7 × 10^-4, respectively). Evidence of association was also found for polymorphisms in a locus including the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor rho-2 (<it>GABRR2</it>) gene and the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2-J1 (<it>UBE2J1</it>) gene (replication p value = 3.6 × 10^-3). Previously reported findings, associating glomerular filtration rate with SNPs in the uromodulin (<it>UMOD</it>) gene and in the schroom family member 3 (<it>SCHROOM3</it>) gene were also replicated.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>While confirming earlier results, our study provides new insights in the understanding of the genetic basis of serum creatinine regulatory processes. In particular, the association with the genes <it>SYT1 </it>and <it>GABRR2 </it>corroborate previous findings that highlighted a possible role of the neurotransmitters GABA_Areceptors in the regulation of the glomerular basement membrane and a possible interaction between GABA_Areceptors and synaptotagmin-I at the podocyte level.</p

Genetic Effects at Pleiotropic Loci Are Context-Dependent with Consequences for the Maintenance of Genetic Variation in Populations

Context-dependent genetic effects, including genotype-by-environment and genotype-by-sex interactions, are a potential mechanism by which genetic variation of complex traits is maintained in populations. Pleiotropic genetic effects are also thought to play an important role in evolution, reflecting functional and developmental relationships among traits. We examine context-dependent genetic effects at pleiotropic loci associated with normal variation in multiple metabolic syndrome (MetS) components (obesity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes-related traits). MetS prevalence is increasing in Western societies and, while environmental in origin, presents substantial variation in individual response. We identify 23 pleiotropic MetS quantitative trait loci (QTL) in an F16 advanced intercross between the LG/J and SM/J inbred mouse strains (Wustl:LG,SM-G16; n = 1002). Half of each family was fed a high-fat diet and half fed a low-fat diet; and additive, dominance, and parent-of-origin imprinting genotypic effects were examined in animals partitioned into sex, diet, and sex-by-diet cohorts. We examine the context-dependency of the underlying additive, dominance, and imprinting genetic effects of the traits associated with these pleiotropic QTL. Further, we examine sequence polymorphisms (SNPs) between LG/J and SM/J as well as differential expression of positional candidate genes in these regions. We show that genetic associations are different in different sex, diet, and sex-by-diet settings. We also show that over- or underdominance and ecological cross-over interactions for single phenotypes may not be common, however multidimensional synthetic phenotypes at loci with pleiotropic effects can produce situations that favor the maintenance of genetic variation in populations. Our findings have important implications for evolution and the notion of personalized medicine

Формирование эмоциональной культуры как компонента инновационной культуры студентов

Homozygosity has long been associated with rare, often devastating, Mendelian disorders1 and Darwin was one of the first to recognise that inbreeding reduces evolutionary fitness2. However, the effect of the more distant parental relatedness common in modern human populations is less well understood. Genomic data now allow us to investigate the effects of homozygosity on traits of public health importance by observing contiguous homozygous segments (runs of homozygosity, ROH), which are inferred to be homozygous along their complete length. Given the low levels of genome-wide homozygosity prevalent in most human populations, information is required on very large numbers of people to provide sufficient power3,4. Here we use ROH to study 16 health-related quantitative traits in 354,224 individuals from 102 cohorts and find statistically significant associations between summed runs of homozygosity (SROH) and four complex traits: height, forced expiratory lung volume in 1 second (FEV1), general cognitive ability (g) and educational attainment (nominal p<1 × 10−300, 2.1 × 10−6, 2.5 × 10−10, 1.8 × 10−10). In each case increased homozygosity was associated with decreased trait value, equivalent to the offspring of first cousins being 1.2 cm shorter and having 10 months less education. Similar effect sizes were found across four continental groups and populations with different degrees of genome-wide homozygosity, providing convincing evidence for the first time that homozygosity, rather than confounding, directly contributes to phenotypic variance. Contrary to earlier reports in substantially smaller samples5,6, no evidence was seen of an influence of genome-wide homozygosity on blood pressure and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or ten other cardio-metabolic traits. Since directional dominance is predicted for traits under directional evolutionary selection7, this study provides evidence that increased stature and cognitive function have been positively selected in human evolution, whereas many important risk factors for late-onset complex diseases may not have been

Durability of high-frequency 10-kHz spinal cord stimulation for patients with painful diabetic neuropathy refractory to conventional treatments: 12-month results from a randomized controlled trial

No abstract available