Minimal Necessary Weed Control Does Not Increase Weed-Mediated Biological Pest Control in Romaine Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., var. Romana)

Lettuce is one of the most consumed leafy greens. Depending on the variety, it is ready for harvesting 40–80 days after sowing, and therefore several growth cycles can be concluded within a growing season. Due to its high market standards, lettuce may require intensive management. This study implemented a critical period of weed interference (CPWI) trial to understand at which moment of the cropping cycle weeds can be tolerated without impacting crop yield to decrease the time needed for weeding and assess the potential support weeds can give to biological pest control in lettuce. Treatments represented two gradients of weed intensity: (1) increasingly weed-free, and (2) increasingly weedy. Dose–response curves were produced to find the CPWI based on lettuce relative yield. RLQ analysis was used to explore the relationships between weeding regime and weed functional traits for biological pest control. Yield was above the 5% acceptable yield loss threshold in all plots kept weed-free for 20 days or more, indicating a necessary weed-free period of 20 days from transplanting. However, the support of beneficial insects was not guaranteed at the end of the necessary weed-free period. We suggest that it is possible to limit intense weed management to the beginning of the growing season, reducing the cost of plastic mulches and increasing on-farm biodiversity, but field margins could be better suited to deliver conservation biological control in short-term crops where this service is of primary interest

Reduced weeding shows potential to regulate nutrient leaching in a cabbage (Brassica oleracea, var. capitata) lysimeter trial

Agricultural land is the main contributor to nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of groundwater sources. Adopting agroecological management practices can support the transition towards sustainable farming systems. We investigated if reduced weeding could support nutrient retention in a nutrient demanding vegetable crop (Brassica oleracea, var. capitata), without causing unacceptable yield losses. We conducted a three-year study (2019–2021) with two cropping seasons (autumn and spring) using 1 m3 above-ground lysimeters, each containing four cabbage plants. Different vegetation covers, each with four replicates, were considered: 1) crop only 2) weeds only 3) crop + weeds from crop transplanting 4) crop + weeds after 20 days from crop transplanting 5) bare soil with fertilizer 6) bare soil without fertilizer. Each system received the recommended dose of mineral fertilizer for cabbage (130 kg ha−1 N, 80 kg ha−1 P, 150 kg ha−1 K), except for two bare soil lysimeters which were not fertilized. Water samples were taken throughout the growing season, in particular after each fertilization event, and analysed for nitrate (NO3-N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) concentrations. Cabbage yield in both weedy treatments was significantly lower compared to the weed-free plots only in spring 2020 and fall 2021. Weed cover contributed to explain NO3-N and K leaching, while P leaching was affected by crop cover. The results suggest that it is possible to reduce weed management intensity in cabbage while also obtaining some benefits concerning nutrient losses

Seeking optimization of LT4 treatment in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

: Levothyroxine sodium (LT4) is the mainstay treatment to replace thyroid hormonal production in thyroidectomized patients, but, depending on the aggressiveness of the cancer and on the risk of recurrence, patients with differentiated thyroid cancer may also be treated in a TSH-suppressive or semi-suppressive mode. The pathophysiological rationale for this LT4 treatment stems from the role of TSH, considered to be a growth factor for follicular cells, potentially inducing initiation or progression of follicular cell-derived thyroid cancer. Therefore, accurate tailoring of treatment, taking into account both patient characteristics (age and comorbidities) and risk of persistent/recurrent disease, is highly recommended. Furthermore, adjustments to traditional LT4 treatment should be made in thyroidectomized patients due to the lack of thyroidal contribution to whole body triiodothyronine (T3) concentration. Since LT4 exhibits a narrow therapeutic index and the side effects of over- and under-treatment could be deleterious, particularly in this category of patients, caution is required in dose individualization, in the mode of ingestion, and in potential pharmacological and other types of interference as well. Our aim was to analyze the current knowledge concerning LT4 dose requirements in patients with thyroid cancer according to different therapeutic approaches, taking into account a number of factors causing interference with LT4 efficacy. Specific mention is also made about the use of the novel LT4 formulations

"Diseño Ambientalmente Consciente (DAC). Hacia una arquitectura sustentable para el hombre y la sociedad": innovación pedagógica implementada en la Cátedra Arquitectura II UPB

Se presenta una experiencia de innovación pedagógica implementada en la cátedra Arquitectura  II – UP “B”, referida a la introducción del Diseño Ambientalmente Consciente en la  resolución de problemas de diseño en el Taller de Arquitectura. Se analizan los resultados obtenidos y sus implicancias, en diferentes dimensiones de interés en la práctica docente universitaria, contrastadas con encuestas realizadas a los alumnos de la asignatura. La sistematización y valoración de las actividades desarrolladas permite califi car la experiencia como muy satisfactoria, no solo desde el punto de vista disciplinar, sino también por propiciar una actitud crítica y refl exiva frente al desafío de la Arquitectura Sustentable

The relationship between thyroid disorders and vitamin A. A narrative minireview

: The terms "vitamin A" and "retinoids" encompass a group of fat-soluble compounds essential for human nutrition. Some of them (retinol, retinal, 9-cis-retinoic acid, tretinoin, and 13-cis-retinoic acid) are fully natural, while others are synthetic compounds used mostly for therapeutic purposes. Some evidence indicates that the nutritional status of these retinoids (i.e., the presence or absence of deficiency) is able to modulate thyroid gland metabolism. Vitamin A deficiency is tightly correlated with structural and functional impairment of the thyroid gland and is often associated with iodine deficiency. Furthermore, retinoids are involved in different immune functions, as well as in the process of activation, proliferation, and differentiation of regulatory T cells (Treg). This is particularly significant given the high prevalence of thyroid autoimmune disorders, whose pathogenesis seems to be related to the altered homeostasis of regulatory T cells. Retinoids are also involved in the modulation of gene expression via their interaction with nuclear receptors, and they also act as cofactors in cell growth and differentiation. The ability of retinoic acid to increase iodine uptake and sodium-iodine symporter activity in human thyroid cancer cell lines suggests that some retinoids and their derivatives may be of use in the treatment of different thyroid tumors. This minireview summarizes the current knowledge on the link between nutritional intake of vitamin A and various thyroid disorders

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonographic features in detecting thyroid cancer in the transition age: a meta-analysis

Context: Significant uncertainty exists about the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonographic (US) features used to predict the risk of thyroid cancer in the pediatric population. Moreover, there are no specific indications for thyroid nodule evaluation in patients during the transition age. Objective: The meta-analysis aimed to address the following question: which thyroid nodule US features have the highest accuracy in predicting malignancy in the transition age. Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of observational/cohort/diagnostic accuracy studies dealing with thyroid nodule sonography, reporting US features, and using histology as a reference standard for the diagnosis of malignancy and histology or cytology for the diagnosis of benignity in the transition age (mean/median age 12-21 years). Results: The inclusion criteria were met by 14 studies, published between 2005 and 2020, including 1306 thyroid nodules (mean size 17.9 mm) from 1168 subjects. The frequency of thyroid cancer was 36.6%. The US features with the highest diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for malignancy were the presence of suspicious lymph nodes (DOR: 56.0 (95% CI: 26.0-119.0)), a 'taller than wide' shape of the nodule (6.0 (95% CI: 2.0-16.0)), the presence of microcalcifications (13.0 (95% CI: 6.0-29.0)) and irregular margins (9.0 (95% CI: 5.0- 17.0)). Heterogeneity among the studies was substantial. Conclusions: Following the diagnosis of a thyroid nodule in the transition age, a thorough US examination of the neck is warranted. The detection of suspicious lymph nodes and/ or thyroid nodules with a 'taller than wide' shape, microcalcifications, and irregular margins is associated with the highest risk of malignancy in the selection of nodules candidates for biopsy

Il problema è come pensiamo al problema: Gestire le tensioni con il pensiero paradossale

Il problema è come pensiamo al problema: Gestire le tensioni con il pensiero paradossal