EVALUATING THE NITROUS OXIDE MITIGATION POTENTIAL OF ENHANCED EFFICIENCY NITROGEN FERTILIZER PRODUCTS IN A SASKATCHEWAN IRRIGATED CEREAL PRODUCTION SYSTEM

Nitrogen fertilizers added to agricultural field crops are a significant source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Canadian soils. Irrigated cropping systems are of particular concern due to intensive management and higher fertilizer rates corresponding to higher yield potential, which result in higher N2O emissions. Fall fertilizer applications are also at risk of greater N2O-N loss due to the length of time between application and crop uptake in the subsequent growing season. Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizers (EENFs) can be used to mitigate environmental losses that contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by slowing the release rate of N. Nitrous oxide emissions experience spatial and temporal variability and are highly dependent on management practice, thus, it is important to evaluate mitigation techniques across different geographies and cropping systems. Over the course of two growing seasons and the subsequent spring thaw periods, fall and spring applications of conventional fertilizers (CF) and EENFs were evaluated in spring wheat under irrigation in south-central Saskatchewan. Nutrient supply rate of nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) were measured using PRS® probes and N2O emissions were collected from non-steady state vented chambers that were placed both on and off the fertilizer bands. Treatments included an unfertilized check, two conventional N sources (urea and anhydrous ammonia), a polymer-coated urea (ESN), two nitrification inhibitors (eNtrench, N-Serve), a dual−action urease inhibitor (Limus), and a dual (nitrification + urease) inhibitor (SuperU). In this study, the supply rate of NO3- and NH4+ from EENFs was consistent with the mode of action of the product. Polymer-coated urea and products containing a urease inhibitor (UI) reduced the supply rate of NH4+ compared to CFs and products containing a nitrification inhibitor (NI) reduced the supply rate of NO3-. Interestingly, increased supply rates of bioavailable N were observed in all treatments over the winter when the soil was frozen. Unsurprisingly, the greatest N2O emissions fluxes corresponded with the spring melt periods and the period shortly following spring fertilization. Up to 75% of the annual, cumulative N2O flux occurred during the spring thaw. Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizer N2O emission reductions were inconsistent when applied in the fall, whereas, spring applications of EENFs were much more consistent at reducing N2O emissions. Fall-applied SuperU (U/NI) and eNtrench (NI) reduced N2O emissions compared to untreated urea but only in the second field season. Spring-applied SuperU (U/NI), eNtrench (NI) and Limus (DAUI) consistently and significantly reduced N2O emissions across both field seasons (78-99%). The PCU (ESN) and AA-based NI (N-Serve) successfully reduced N2O emissions (43% and 68%, respectively) in the second field season only. Although environmental benefits are clear, specifically from using EENFs in a spring application of N, an agronomic benefit of increased yield was not observed in any of the N source treatments or application timings

Vortex dominance of the 0+ and 2+ glueball mass in SU(2) lattice gauge theory

The c-vortex ensembles are constructed by means of the recently proposed cooling method which gradually removes the SU(2)/Z_2 coset fields from the SU(2) lattice configurations and which thus reveals the Z_2 vortex vacuum texture. Using Teper's blocking method, the screening masses of the 0+ and the 2+ glueball is calculated from these vortex ensembles and compared with the masses obtained from full configurations. The masses of either case agree within the achieved numerical accuracy of 10%. As a byproduct, we find that the overlaps of the Teper operators with the glueball wavefunctions are significantly larger in the case of the c-vortex ensembles.Comment: 9 pages, 4 PS figures, LaTeX using eps

In Vitro Neutralisation of Rotavirus Infection by Two Broadly Specific Recombinant Monovalent Llama-Derived Antibody Fragments

Rotavirus is the main cause of viral gastroenteritis in young children. Therefore, the development of inexpensive antiviral products for the prevention and/or treatment of rotavirus disease remains a priority. Previously we have shown that a recombinant monovalent antibody fragment (referred to as Anti-Rotavirus Proteins or ARP1) derived from a heavy chain antibody of a llama immunised with rotavirus was able to neutralise rotavirus infection in a mouse model system. In the present work we investigated the specificity and neutralising activity of two llama antibody fragments, ARP1 and ARP3, against 13 cell culture adapted rotavirus strains of diverse genotypes. In addition, immunocapture electron microscopy (IEM) was performed to determine binding of ARP1 to clinical isolates and cell culture adapted strains. ARP1 and ARP3 were able to neutralise a broad variety of rotavirus serotypes/genotypes in vitro, and in addition, IEM showed specific binding to a variety of cell adapted strains as well as strains from clinical specimens. These results indicated that these molecules could potentially be used as immunoprophylactic and/or immunotherapeutic products for the prevention and/or treatment of infection of a broad range of clinically relevant rotavirus strains

Cell-active Small Molecule Inhibitors of the DNA-damage Repair Enzyme Poly(ADP-ribose) Glycohydrolase (PARG) : Discovery and Optimization of Orally Bioavailable Quinazolinedione Sulfonamides

DNA damage repair enzymes are promising targets in the development of new therapeutic agents for a wide range of cancers and potentially other diseases. The enzyme poly­(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of DNA repair mechanisms; however, the lack of potent drug-like inhibitors for use in cellular and in vivo models has limited the investigation of its potential as a novel therapeutic target. Using the crystal structure of human PARG in complex with the weakly active and cytotoxic anthraquinone <b>8a</b>, novel quinazolinedione sulfonamides PARG inhibitors have been identified by means of structure-based virtual screening and library design. 1-Oxetan-3-ylmethyl derivatives <b>33d</b> and <b>35d</b> were selected for preliminary investigations in vivo. X-ray crystal structures help rationalize the observed structure–activity relationships of these novel inhibitors

BEAST 2.5:An advanced software platform for Bayesian evolutionary analysis

Elaboration of Bayesian phylogenetic inference methods has continued at pace in recent years with major new advances in nearly all aspects of the joint modelling of evolutionary data. It is increasingly appreciated that some evolutionary questions can only be adequately answered by combining evidence from multiple independent sources of data, including genome sequences, sampling dates, phenotypic data, radiocarbon dates, fossil occurrences, and biogeographic range information among others. Including all relevant data into a single joint model is very challenging both conceptually and computationally. Advanced computational software packages that allow robust development of compatible (sub-)models which can be composed into a full model hierarchy have played a key role in these developments. Developing such software frameworks is increasingly a major scientific activity in its own right, and comes with specific challenges, from practical software design, development and engineering challenges to statistical and conceptual modelling challenges. BEAST 2 is one such computational software platform, and was first announced over 4 years ago. Here we describe a series of major new developments in the BEAST 2 core platform and model hierarchy that have occurred since the first release of the software, culminating in the recent 2.5 release

Methods of Outcomes Measurement in Nail Psoriasis

Background: Nail involvement is a common feature of psoriasis, predicting higher disease severity and greater impairment in quality of life. Valid assessment of nail psoriasis is relevant for research and routine clinical use. However, no measurement standards have currently been developed. Objective: To identify state-of-the-art outcomes measurements in nail psoriasis by literature analysis. Methods: Systematic Web-based literature search, followed by structured critical appraisal and consecutive descriptive report. The search focused on methodological and epidemiological publications and papers describing outcomes of clinical trials on nail psoriasis. Results: Initially, 646 publications met the primary criteria. After non-relevant or replicate publications were excluded, 66 papers were analysed, including clinical trials or case reports (n = 41), reviews (n = 11) and methodological or epidemiological studies (n = 14). In total, 23 clinical outcomes measures and 15 patient-reported outcomes (PRO) tools were used. None had been validated according to recent standards. In the studies with clinical interventions (n = 41), NAPSI (Nail Psoriasis Severity Index; n = 4) or target NAPSI (n = 2) were the most often used single tools, followed by Physician’s Global Assessment (n = 3). However, in 16 studies, no specifically described outcomes measures were used. Conclusion: Valid clinical outcomes measures in nail psoriasis are rare. Existing tools lack validation and standardisation. A need exists for accurate and scientifically sound evaluation of nail psoriasis severity in trials and clinical practice. To cover all elements of nail psoriasis, the optimal nail psoriasis assessment tool would include both PRO and physician-assessed outcomes measures

Examining E-Loyalty in a Sexual Health Website: Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Web-based sexual health resources are typically evaluated in terms of their efficacy. Information is lacking about how sexual health promotion websites are perceived and used. It is essential to understand website use to address challenges with adherence and attrition to Web-based health interventions. An existing theoretical framework for examining loyalty to electronic health (eHealth) interventions has been not yet been applied in the context of sexual health promotion nor has the association between e-loyalty and intended intervention efficacy outcomes been investigated. Objective: The objectives of this study were to investigate users’ loyalty toward a sexual health website (ie, e-loyalty), measure user perceptions of the website, and measure the association between e-loyalty and perceived knowledge increase and intent to change behavior. Methods: Over 4 months, website users (clients and health care providers) participated in an open, online, cross-sectional survey about their user experiences that measured e-loyalty, user perceptions, and intended website efficacy outcomes. Relationships between user perceptions and e-loyalty were investigated using structural equation modeling (SEM). Associations between e-loyalty and website efficacy outcomes were tested using Spearman rank correlation. Results: A total of 173 participants completed user perception questions and were included in the analysis. E-loyalty was high for both clients and providers and was significantly correlated with clients’ perceived knowledge increase (ρ(171)=.30, P<.001), their intent to have safer sex (ρ(171)=.24, P=.01), and their intent to get tested for sexually transmitted infections (ρ(171)=.37, P<.001). The SEM showed that trustworthiness, overall experience, active trust, and effectiveness were directly related to e-loyalty. Finding the website “easy to understand” was significantly related to active trust (ie, participants’ willingness to act upon information presented on the website). Conclusions: E-loyalty may be related to the efficacy of the selected website in improving one’s sexual health and was significantly associated with all three intended knowledge and behavioral outcomes. To increase e-loyalty, trustworthiness and active trust are important user perceptions to deliberately engender. Our findings indicate that understanding a website contributes to active trust, thereby highlighting the importance of considering eHealth literacy in designing health promotion websites. Our study confirms the relevance of e-loyalty as an outcome for evaluating the antecedents of the use and efficacy of online public health interventions across disciplines by adapting and validating an existing e-loyalty framework to the field of sexual health promotion. Our findings suggest that e-loyalty is positively associated with measures of website efficacy, including increased knowledge and intent to change behavior. Longitudinal research with larger samples could further investigate the relationships between e-loyalty, website understandability, and outcomes of online health interventions to determine how the manipulation of website characteristics may impact user perceptions and e-loyalty

Primary HPV DNA based cervical cancer screening at 25 years: Views of young Australian women aged 16-28 years

Background: Revised Australian guidelines have been announced under the Renew® program to commence screening at 25 years of age with HPV testing in 5-yearly intervals, in 2017. We conducted a study of young Victorian women to assess attitudes towards a change in cervical screening practice. Methods: An online survey was conducted of young women aged 16–28 years enrolled in the Young Female Health Initiative (YFHI) study at the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, to assess attitudes towards delaying the age of cervical screening, widening screening intervals and screening with HPV DNA testing, prior to the announcement of the renewal. Results: Of 149 respondents (response rate 75%), mean age was 23.2 (range 16–27) years. Most (85/131, 65%) were concerned about delaying the age of cervical screening until 25 years. The majority (79% (106/135) were willing to undertake primary screening with HPV testing, whilst 66% (88/133) were willing to undertake HPV testing from 25 years, only 34% (45/132) were willing to undertake such screening every five years. Those willing to change screening practice were more likely to perceive that people important to them would expect them to do so; to have been vaccinated; and to value the importance of national guidelines (p ≤ 0.05). While 69% (95/136) of participants indicated that a positive HPV test would be a source of worry, 76% (103/136) reported they would not feel ashamed about it. Conclusion: Targeted health campaigns are needed to address the concerns of young women prior to the introduction of new cervical screening guidelines in 2017