Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation on the quality and in vitro gas production of einkorn wheat straw

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation on the quality of einkorn wheat straw (EWS) and in vitro gas production (GP). It was found that AM inoculation of EW seed before sowing caused significant increases in crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) levels of straw, and a (P <0.05) decrease in crude ash (CA), metabolizable energy (ME), and organic matter digestibility (OMD) compared with the straw of non-inoculated EW. The observed difference in the average GP among the between EWS from plants grown from inoculated seed and those from the untreated control was significant at all times between the third and 96th hour. However, when the GP kinetics of the groups was examined after 96 hours’ incubation, only the difference in the gas amount of the easily soluble fractions of feeds was significant. The GP from the slowly fermented part, the GP rate constant and the potential GP of the straws were not affected by the AM inoculation (P >0.05). Thus, inoculation of einkorn wheat with AM altered the nutritional value of the straw produced creating a roughage with decreased value for feeding ruminant livestock. Keywords: artificial rumen, fermentation kinetics, nutrient digestibilit

Arbuscular mycorrhizae inoculation of einkorn wheat affects fatty acid, nutrient and mineral concentrations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) inoculation, which was administered to increase the quality of einkorn wheat in its fatty acid composition, quality and mineral concentration. Wheat grown from AM inoculated seed (AM+) had increased the dry matter (DM), iron (Fe), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), especially oleic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid, and cis-5,-8,-11,-14, and cis-17 eicosapentaenoic acid from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (P <0.05), but decreased crude ash (CA), potassium (K), and total saturated fatty acids (UFA), especially myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and monounsaturated fatty acids, especially cis-palmitoleic acid, cis-10-heptadecenoic acid, cis-11 eicosenoic acid, erucic acid, and linoleic acid (P <0.05) compared with einkorn wheat grown from non-inoculated seed (AM-). Crude protein (CP) content ranged from 10.56% to 10.68%, and ether extract (EE) content varied between 2.03% and 2.41%, neither of which was significantly different between treatments. Significant increases were observed in UFA, and in the ratios of UFA to SFA and PUFA to SFA in AM+ compared with AM-. Keywords: mycorrhizal inoculation, nutrient composition, Triticum monococcu

CMS search plans and sensitivity to new physics with dijets

CMS will use dijets to search for physics beyond the standard model during early LHC running. The inclusive jet cross section as a function of jet transverse momentum, with 10 inverse picobarns of integrated luminosity, is sensitive to contact interactions beyond the reach of the Tevatron. The dijet mass distribution will be used to search for dijet resonances coming from new particles, for example an excited quark. Additional sensitivity to the existence of contact interactions or dijet resonances can be obtained by comparing dijet rates in two distinct pseudorapidity regions.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phy

Determining the origin of synchronous multifocal bladder cancer by exome sequencing

Background: Synchronous multifocal tumours are commonly observed in urothelial carcinomas of the bladder. The origin of these physically independent tumours has been proposed to occur by either intraluminal migration (clonal) or spontaneous transformation of multiple cells by carcinogens (field effect). It is unclear which model is correct, with several studies supporting both hypotheses. A potential cause of this uncertainty may be the small number of genetic mutations previously used to quantify the relationship between these tumours. Methods: To better understand the genetic lineage of these tumours we conducted exome sequencing of synchronous multifocal pTa urothelial bladder cancers at a high depth, using multiple samples from three patients. Results: Phylogenetic analysis of high confidence single nucleotide variants (SNV) demonstrated that the sequenced multifocal bladder cancers arose from a clonal origin in all three patients (bootstrap value 100 %). Interestingly, in two patients the most common type of tumour-associated SNVs were cytosine mutations of TpC*dinucleotides (Fisher's exact test p < 10-41), likely caused by APOBEC-mediated deamination. Incorporating these results into our clonal model, we found that TpC*type mutations occurred 2-5× more often among SNVs on the ancestral branches than in the more recent private branches (p < 10-4) suggesting that TpC*mutations largely occurred early in the development of the tumour. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that synchronous multifocal bladder cancers frequently arise from a clonal origin. Our data also suggests that APOBEC-mediated mutations occur early in the development of the tumour and may be a driver of tumourigenesis in non-muscle invasive urothelial bladder cancer. © 2015 Acar et al

Thrombotic risk assessment in antiphospholipid syndrome: do noncriteria antibodies contribute?

BACKGROUND/AIM: In this cross-sectional study, it was aimed to test the predictive value of noncriteria antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in addition to the global antiphospholipid syndrome score (GAPSS) in predicting vascular thrombosis (VT) in a cohort of patients with APS and aPL (+) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 50 patients with primary APS, 68 with SLE/APS, and 52 with aPL (+) SLE who were classified according to VT as VT ± pregnancy morbidity (PM), PM only or aPL (+) SLE. Antiphospholipid serology consisting of lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin (aCL) immunoglobulin G (IgG)/IgM/IgA, antibeta2 glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI) IgG/IgM/IgA, antiphosphatidylserine/prothrombin (aPS/PT) IgG/IgM and antidomain-I (aDI) IgG was determined for each patient. The GAPSS and adjusted GAPSS (aGAPSS) were calculated for each patient, as previously defined. Logistic regression analysis was carried out with thrombosis as the dependent variable and high GAPSS, aCL IgA, aβ2GPI IgA, and aDI IgG as independent variables. RESULTS: The mean GAPSS and aGAPSS of the study population were 11.6 ± 4.4 and 9.6 ± 3.8. Both the VT ± PM APS (n = 105) and PM only APS (n = 13) groups had significantly higher GAPSS and aGAPSS values compared to the aPL (+) SLE (n = 52) group. The patients with recurrent thrombosis had higher aGAPSS but not GAPSS than those with a single thrombotic event. The computed area under the receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that a GAPSS ≥13 and aGAPSS ≥10 had the best predictive values for thrombosis. Logistic regression analysis including a GAPSS ≥13, aCL IgA, aβ2GPI IgA, and aDI IgG showed that none of the factors other than a GAPSS ≥13 could predict thrombosis. CONCLUSION: Both the GAPSS and aGAPSS successfully predict the thrombotic risk in aPL (+) patients and aCL IgA, aβ2GPI IgA, and aDI IgG do not contribute to high a GAPSS or aGAPSS

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Guidelines for Community Associations: Considerations for Selecting a Landscape Contractor and Writing an Effective Landscaping Contract

This document is intended to provide guidance to entities such as HOA community associations when developing a contract and hiring a landscape maintenance company to perform contracted service

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine: Brussels, Belgium. 15-18 March 2016.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]

Metabolic features and glucocorticoid-induced comorbidities in patients with giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica in a Dutch and Danish cohort

OBJECTIVES: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are age-associated inflammatory diseases that frequently overlap. Both diseases require long-term treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs), often associated with comorbidities. Previous population-based cohort studies reported that an unhealthier metabolic profile might prevent the development of GCA. Here, we report metabolic features before start of treatment and during treatment in patients with GCA and PMR. METHODS: In the Dutch GCA/PMR/SENEX (GPS) cohort, we analysed metabolic features and prevalence of comorbidities (type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, obesity and cataract) in treatment-naïve patients with GCA (n=50) and PMR (n=42), and compared those with the population-based Lifelines cohort (n=91). To compare our findings in the GPS cohort, we included data from patients with GCA (n=52) and PMR (n=25) from the Aarhus cohort. Laboratory measurements, comorbidities and GC use were recorded for up to 5 years in the GPS cohort. RESULTS: Glycated haemoglobin levels tended to be higher in treatment-naïve patients with GCA, whereas high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and cholesterol levels were lower compared with the Lifelines population. Data from the Aarhus cohort were aligned with the findings obtained in the GPS cohort. Presence of comorbidities at baseline did not predict long-term GC requirement. The incidence of diabetes, obesity and cataract among patients with GCA increased upon initiation of GC treatment. CONCLUSION: Data from the GCA and PMR cohorts imply a metabolic dysregulation in treatment-naïve patients with GCA, but not in patients with PMR. Treatment with GCs led to the rise of comorbidities and an unhealthier metabolic profile, stressing the need for prednisone-sparing targeted treatment in these vulnerable patients