Effects of nitrogen fertilizers with two different inhibitors (urease and nitrification) on the survival and activity of earthworms (Octodrilus complanatus)

Earthworms are among the most important species of the soil macrofauna. However, they are very sensitive to inorganic fertilization, more specifically to urea, which makes them a well-known bio-indicator. The objective of this study was to test if a fertilizer with inhibitors could be less destructive to earthworms than urea. In two consecutive years, we studied how new type fertilizers with urea (urea + urease inhibitor, urea + nitrification inhibitor and urea + urease inhibitor + nitrification inhibitor) can differ from urea applied alone and be closer to control (no fertilizer) in terms of the impact on earthworms, verified on different days after application. The measurements concerned earthworms’ mortality, casts and weight. Moreover, some soil properties which are affected by earthworms’ activity, such as exchangeable Ca, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and soil CO2 respiration, were studied. The inhibitors that were used comprised nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), urease inhibitor, N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), and double inhibitors, both urease and nitrification inhibitor. The study revealed how a fertilizer with inhibitors could be less destructive to earthworms than urea. Urea with urease inhibitor and urea with urease inhibitor and nitrification inhibitor had the least negative impact on earthworms’ activities. In contrast, urea and urea with nitrification inhibitor caused higher mortality among earthworms than the other fertilizers used

Cognition, physical activity, sociodemographic characteristics and “emotional stability”: Their connection with smoking cessation

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship of the cognition of smokers who wish to quit smoking, and seek aid from a psychologist, with their sociodemographic characteristics, and to investigate the role of physical activity as an aid for quitting and the effect of “emotional stability” as a personality trait on the success of the effort to quit. METHOD The study used: (a) A simple questionnaire for sociodemographic characteristics, (b) the Greek version of the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), (c) the manual “No more smoking, it’s time for physical activity”, and (d) pedometers (Yamax SW-200). Of the 60 individuals who wanted to quit smoking, only 41 completed the smoking cessation counselling program (response rate 68.3%). The data were analyzed using statistical descriptive analysis, the Kolmogorov- Smyrnov test, t-test for independent samples and the x2 test. RESULTS Of the 41 individuals who completed the counselling program, only 19 (46.3%) succeeded in giving up smoking for at least 6 months. Physical activity was strongly associated with quitting smoking: Participants who did not increase their physical activity did not succeed in their effort to quit (x2=13.41, p<0.001). The participants who increased their physical activity had less specific knowledge of the harmful effects, mainly of passive smoking (x2=4.103–11.697, p=0.001–0.043 <0.05) than those who did not quit smoking, who, although they had specific knowledge about the harmful effects of smoking (x2=4.829–6.320, p=0.012–028) did not manage to quit. Regarding the sociodemographic characteristics, a significant association with positive cognition for smoking cessation was noted only for age (x2=4.197–7.413, p=0.006–0.040 <0.05) and gender (x2=4.557, p=0.033 <0.05). The personality trait of “emotional stability” showed low values for those who abandoned the effort to quit at an early stage (t(59)=-2.386, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Physical activity appears to make an important contribution to the success of a smoking cessation effort. Age and gender should be taken into account by the specialists, who should also initially record knowledge about smoking cessation, and then focus on the counseling intervention. A low score on the “emotional stability” instrument may predict the tendency of participants to abandon their efforts to quit smoking at an early stage. © Athens Medical Society

Chondrosarcoma of the proximal phalanx of the fourth digit: A rare location

Introduction: Cartilaginous tumors involving the small bones of the hands and feet are usually benign such as enchondroma, chondromyxoid fibroma and chondroblastoma. The small bones of the hands and feet are rarely involved by primary chondrosarcoma. Proximal phalanges are the most common sites in the hands, but the fourth digit is the least common site. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 76-year-old Greek female who presented to our hospital with a painful swollen mass measuring 4.5 × 2.6 cm on the fourth digit of the left hand. The radiograph showed a destructive, permeative lytic tumor of the proximal phalanx with extension into soft tissue. The patient underwent curettage, and the microscopic examination of the specimen revealed grade 2 chondrosarcoma. Conclusion: Cartilaginous tumors involving the small bones of the hands and feet are usually benign such as enchondroma, chondromyxoid fibroma and chondroblastoma. Primary chondrosarcoma is the third most common malignancy of bone after myeloma and osteosarcoma, but the small bones of the hands and feet are very rarely involved by chondrosarcoma (1% of all chondrosarcoma). However, in these cases differentiation between a benign lesion and chondrosarcoma may be difficult. Occasionally chondrosarcoma of the hands and feet is associated with multiple recurrences or distal metastasis. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel