Microbes in the Anthropocene: spillover of agriculturally selected bacteria and their impact on natural ecosystems

Soil microbial communities are enormously diverse, with at least millions of species and trillions of genes unknown to science or poorly described. Soil microbial communities are key components of agriculture, for example in provisioning nitrogen and protecting crops from pathogens, providing overall ecosystem services in excess of $1000bn per year. It is important to know how humans are affecting this hidden diversity. Much is known about the negative consequences of agricultural intensification on higher-organisms, but almost nothing is known about how alterations to landscapes affect microbial diversity, distributions and processes. We review what is known about spatial flows of microbes and their response to land use change, and outline nine hypotheses to adva nce research of microbiomes across landscapes. We hypothesise that intensified agriculture selects for certain taxa and genes, which then “spill over” into adjacent unmodified areas and generate a halo of genetic differentiation around agricultural fields. Consequently, the spatial configuration and management intensity of different habitats combines with the dispersal ability of individual taxa to determine the extent of spillover, which can impact the functioning of adjacent unmodified habitats. When land scapes are heterogeneous and dispersal rates are high, this will select for large genomes that allow exploitation of multiple habitats , a process that may be accelerated through horizontal gene transfer. Continued expansion of agriculture will increase genotypic similarity, making microbial community functioning increasingly variable in human - dominated landscapes , potentially also impacting the consistent provisioning of ecosystem services . While the resulting economic costs have not been calculated, it is clear that dispersal dynamics of microbes should be taken into consideration to ensure that ecosystem functioning and services are maintained in agri - ecosystem mosaics

Evidence for heat losses via party wall cavities in masonry construction

This paper presents empirical evidence and analysis that supports the existence of a significant heat loss mechanism resulting from air movement through cavities in party walls in masonry construction. A range of heat loss experiments were undertaken as part of the Stamford Brook housing field trial in Altrincham in the United Kingdom. Co-heating tests showed a large discrepancy between the predicted and measured whole house heat loss coefficients. Analysis of the co-heating results, along with internal temperature data, thermal imaging and a theoretical analysis indicated that the most likely explanation for the discrepancy was bypassing of the thermal insulation via the uninsulated party wall cavities. The data show that such a bypass mechanism is potentially the largest single contributor to heat loss in terraced dwellings built to the 2006 revision of the Building Regulations. A comparable convective heat bypass associated with masonry party walls was identified in the late 1970s during the course of the Twin Rivers Project in the United States, albeit in a somewhat different construction from that used at Stamford Brook. A similar effect was also reported in the United Kingdom in the mid 1990s. However, it appears that no action was taken at that time either to confirm the results, to develop any technical solutions, or to amend standards for calculating heat losses from buildings. Current conventions for heat loss calculations in the United Kingdom do not take account of heat losses associated with party walls and it is suggested by the authors that such conventions may need to be updated to take account of the effect described in this paper. In the final part of the paper, the authors propose straightforward solutions to prevent bypassing of roof insulation via party walls by for example filling the cavity of the party wall with mineral fibre insulation, or by inserting a cavity closer across the cavity in the plane of the roof insulation.Practical application: The heat bypass mechanism described in this paper is believed by the authors to contribute to a significant proportion of heat loss from buildings in the UK constructed with clear cavities such as those found in separating walls between cavity masonry dwellings. It is proposed that relatively simple design changes could be undertaken to eliminate such heat loss pathways from new buildings. In addition, simple and cost effective measures are envisaged that could be used to minimise or eliminate the bypass from existing buildings. Such an approach could give rise to a significant reduction in carbon emissions from UK housing

Influence de quelques caractères agronomiques sur le rendement de l’igname sucrée (Dioscorea dumetorum Kunth Pax) au Cameroun

L’influence des caractères agronomiques sur le rendement de l’igname sucrée D. dumetorum a été étudiée en travaillant sur 43 accessions de D. dumetorum et 2 accessions de D. cayenensis utilisés comme espèce hors groupe. Les essais ont été réalisés dans deux zones agro-écologiques différentes Baham (05°20.040' N/010°22.572’ E et 1634 m asl, zone  agro-écologique III) et Ekona (04°12.773'N/009°19.425'E et 445 m asl, zone agro-écologique IV). Pour chacun des essais et chaque cultivars 20 semenceaux ont été semés suivant un dispositif en bloc complet   rendomisé (BCR) avec 10 plantes par répétitions et deux répétitions par site. L’analyse de variance (ANOVA) a permis de mettre en evidence  l’influence de quelques caractères agronomiques sur le rendement. Pour les caractères significatifs, les moyenne ont été regroupées par la methode de DUNCAN au seuil de 5%. Il ressort de cette étude que le poids optimum de semences permettant d’obtenir le maximum de rendement est de 300 g. Le rendement est influencé par les paramètres édaphoclimatiques et géographiques des zones de culture, du jour d’émergence, de la longueur et du diamètre de la tige et la longueur et largeur des feuilles. La diversité variétale met en évidence l’existence d’un potentiel génétique pouvant servir de base pour un programme d’amélioration portant sur  l’augmentation de rendement.Mots clés : Dioscorea dumetorum, caractères agronomiques, poids du semenceau, index de rendement, amélioration, Cameroun

Genetic evaluation of Addison's disease in the Portuguese Water Dog

BACKGROUND: Addison's disease, also known as hypoadrenocorticism, has been reported in many individual dogs, although some breeds exhibit a greater incidence than the population as a whole. Addison's is presumed to be an autoimmune mediated hereditary defect but the mode of inheritance remains unclear. In particular, the heritability and mode of inheritance have not been defined for the Portuguese Water Dog although Addison's is known to be prevalent in the breed. RESULTS: The analyses present clear evidence that establishes Addison's disease as an inherited disorder in the Portuguese Water Dog with an estimate of heritability of 0.49 (± 0.16); there were no differences in risk for disease across sexes (p > 0.49). Further, the complex segregation analysis provides suggestive evidence that Addison's disease in the Portuguese Water Dog is inherited under the control of a single, autosomal recessive locus. CONCLUSION: The high heritability and mode of inheritance of Addison's disease in the Portuguese Water Dog should enable the detection of segregating markers in a genome-wide scan and the identification of a locus linked to Addison's. Though the confirmation of Addison's disease as an autosomal recessive disorder must wait until the gene is identified, breeders of these dogs may wish to keep the present findings in mind as they plan their breeding programs to select against producing affected dogs

Identifying patient and practice characteristics associated with patient-reported experiences of safety problems and harm: a cross-sectional study using a multilevel modelling approach.

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from BMJ Publishing Group via the DOI in this record.OBJECTIVE: To identify patient and family practice characteristics associated with patient-reported experiences of safety problems and harm. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study combining data from the individual postal administration of the validated Patient Reported Experiences and Outcomes of Safety in Primary Care (PREOS-PC) questionnaire to a random sample of patients in family practices (response rate=18.4%) and practice-level data for those practices obtained from NHS Digital. We built linear multilevel multivariate regression models to model the association between patient-level (clinical and sociodemographic) and practice-level (size and case-mix, human resources, indicators of quality and safety of care, and practice safety activation) characteristics, and outcome measures. SETTING: Practices distributed across five regions in the North, Centre and South of England. PARTICIPANTS: 1190 patients registered in 45 practices purposefully sampled (maximal variation in practice size and levels of deprivation). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported safety problems, harm and overall perception of safety. RESULTS: Higher self-reported levels of safety problems were associated with younger age of patients (beta coefficient 0.15) and lower levels of practice safety activation (0.44). Higher self-reported levels of harm were associated with younger age (0.13) and worse self-reported health status (0.23). Lower self-reported healthcare safety was associated with lower levels of practice safety activation (0.40). The fully adjusted models explained 4.5% of the variance in experiences of safety problems, 8.6% of the variance in harm and 4.4% of the variance in perceptions of patient safety. CONCLUSIONS: Practices' safety activation levels and patients' age and health status are associated with patient-reported safety outcomes in English family practices. The development of interventions aimed at improving patient safety outcomes would benefit from focusing on the identified groups.This research is part-funded by the National Institute for Health Research School for Primary Care Research (NIHR SPCR). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR, the NHS or the Department of Health

Witness-in-communion: a theology of existence to essence during the pandemic

The past months of pandemic have laid down a number of challenges to both the practices of the Christian faith and the theology that underpins many of these practices. This article seeks to discern a method of doing theology that can be responsive to these changed circumstances and which might help cast new light on entrenched positions in the Church. Such a theology takes experienced phenomena seriously, recognizing the key role a lived reality plays in a sacramental faith. It situates the importance of this experience in the biblical mandate to the Christian to be a witness, albeit one grounded in and inhabiting the community of the faithful. This grounding tests experience in the fire of Scripture and living tradition to continually refine the essential nature of what can be said to be. In doing so, we enter ever more into the mystery of a God made incarnate and of God’s created order. </jats:p

Diagnosis of seeds supply of leafy vegetables in Yaoundé, Cameroon

The traditional leafy vegetables play a major role in the Cameroonian diet. In the metropolitan zone of Yaoundé, these vegetables are produced year round in family and commercial exploitations. The quality of the seeds, their mode of production and their system of distribution are little known. With the aim to better understand the seed system of traditional  vegetables, a study on the supply, the production and the quality of these seeds was carried out. The data were collected using questionnaires on a sample of 133 traditional leafy vegetable producers of the urban and peri-urban zone of Yaoundé. The data were analyzed using SNAP 9  software. The study showed that the most produced species are amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus), nightshade (Solanum scabrum) and jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius). The market-gardeners are influenced in their choice of vegetable to cultivate by the preference of the customers (85.7% of the respondents) and the productivity of the cultivars (66.2% of the  respondents). More than 40% of the respondents buy seeds in the  markets while 7.5% buy seed from other producers and 10.5% in the agricultural inputs stores. About half (47.4%) of the respondents produce seeds by leaving plants in the field after the first or the second harvest while 36.8% of the market-gardeners select the most vigorous plants for seed production. On average, 58.7% of respondents preserve the seeds in hermetically closed bottles and plastic bag. Storage on field is practiced by a significant part of market-gardeners (41.4%). A total of 79.7% of the producers reported constraints with the produced seeds. Poor seed  germination (81.1% of respondents) and the non uniformity of the seed (48.1% of the producers) were reported as the major constraints. The principal source of seed supply in the metropolitan zone of Yaoundé is the self production with rudimentary production and storage techniques subject to many qualitative constraints.Key words: leafy, vegetables, seeds, supply, qualit

Genetic analysis of seed proteins contents in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata

In order to select cowpea genotypes with high food value, 10 varieties were genetically screened in Ngaoundéré (Cameroon) for seed crude protein and its soluble fractions contents. Five divergent lines were studied through a 5 x 5 half diallel cross mating. The genotypes presented a significant genetic variability for these parameters (p &lt; 0.05). The globulins constituted the major seed protein fraction, followed by albumins. Diallel analysis demonstrated that, both additive and non-additive gene effects were responsible for the genetic variation of these traits. However, dominance variance was more important than additive variance for all traits. The model of over-dominance was most widespread, suggesting delayed selection to fairly good improvement. All these parameters were found highly inheritable (h2 = 0.68 to 0.83). The parents differed significantly for their general combining ability (GCA) and the F1 progenies showed specific combining ability (SCA). Dominant genes have positive effects for high levels of albumins, globulins and prolamins, while high percentage of seed protein and high glutenins content appeared to be associated with recessive genes. In the Guinea savannah zone, these results would help breeders to improve these biochemical traits in terms of initial parent selection and subsequent crossbred selection and breeding procedures.Key words: Vigna unguiculata, seed crude protein content, soluble protein fractions, diallel analysis, genetic improvement, Guinea savannah zone

The Structure of Quantum Chromodynamics at the Symmetric Point

This thesis contains a study on the structure of the vertex functions of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) in both linear and non-linear gauges. In particular we show results for the arbitrary linear covariant gauge at two loops as well as renor- malizing the one loop non-linear Curci-Ferrari gauge and maximal abelian gauge (MAG). The full minimal subtraction MS and momentum subtraction (MOM) scheme renormalization of QCD is performed in all three gauges. This is carried out for an arbitrary colour group at one loop for the maximal abelian gauge and at two loops for the arbitrary linear covariant and Curci-Ferrari gauges. From the n loop MS results the (n + 1) loop β-functions and anomalous dimensions can be constructed in the respective gauges for each MOM scheme. This is demonstrated in all of the gauges considered. In addition to analysing the vertex functions at the symmetric subtraction point for both the MS and MOM schemes, we also consider an operator insertion into the quark 2-point function at the asymmetric point with an interpolating parameter. This requires a new configuration setup and introduces new master integrals which we determine. The scalar, vector and tensor operators are considered along with W2 and ∂W2, the twist-2 Wil- son operators for moment n = 2. The operator renormalization is performed at two loops in the MS and modified regularization invariant (RI′) scheme, both of which are preferred schemes of the lattice. Following the construction of the conversion function for the scalar operator for checking purposes, the amplitudes are presented for all other operators in the MS scheme