Modelling for water management: first calibration of yield-SAFE for irrigated maize in Mediterranean regions

In the Mediterranean region, careful management of water and nitrogen utilization is required to achieve high crop yields in a sustainable and economic way. Prediction models are useful tools for deriving site/region–specific optimum management strategies for irrigation and nitrogen use. Yield-SAFE, a simple and robust model for growth and resource use in agroforestry systems, simulates crop yields under rainfed and irrigated conditions. This paper represents a refined calibration with respect to the fluxes of water, based on, data from an irrigation/fertilisation experiment with maize in the South-East of Turkey. The model performs satisfactorily and further development will includede nitrogen leaching calibration and validation

Canal wall reconstruction and mastoid obliteration with composite multi-fractured osteoperiosteal flap

We used inferior pedicled composite multi-fractured osteoperiosteal flap (CMOF), our original and new surgical approach, to obliterate the mastoid cavity and reconstruct the external auditory canal (EAC) to prevent the open cavity problems. CMOF was used to obliterate the mastoid cavity and reconstruct the EAC in 24 patients (13 women, 11 men; age span 12–51 years) who underwent radical mastoidectomy to treat the chronic otitis media between 1998 and 2004. Small meatoplasty was done in all 24 patients to relive their aesthetical concerns. Temporal bone CT scanning was done to observe the neo-osteogenesis in the mastoidectomy cavity and the CMOF, and the EAC volume was measured postoperatively. All our patients were followed-up for 2 years. The epithelization of the new EAC in our patients was complete at the end of the second month. Cholesteatoma, granulation, and recurrence of osteitis did not occur in any of the patients. We saw the new bone formation filling the mastoid cavity in the postoperative temporal bone CT scanning images. The mean volume of the new EAC on the 24th month was 1.83 ± 0.56 cm(3). We had an almost natural EAC, which owed its existence to the neo-osteogenesis that grows behind the CMOF, which we use to obliterate the mastoid cavity and to reconstruct the EAC

The evaluation of lipid peroxidation and adenosine deaminase activity in patients with Behcet's disease

Objective: Despite unknown etiology, immunologic alterations and neutrophil hyperfunctions may be involved in the etiopathogenesis of Behcet's Disease (BD). The purpose of the study was to investigate whether adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity, accepted as a nonspecific marker of T lymphocyte activation, may have a potential role in ED. and also may be related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by neutrophils.Objective: Despite unknown etiology, immunologic alterations and neutrophil hyperfunctions may be involved in the etiopathogenesis of Behcet&#39;s Disease (BD). The purpose of the study was to investigate whether adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity, accepted as a nonspecific marker of T lymphocyte activation, may have a potential role in ED. and also may be related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by neutrophils.&nbsp;Design and methods: ADA activities and malondialdehyde (MDA; endproduct of lipid peroxidation induced by ROS) levels in both plasma and erythrocytes were spectrophotometrically measured in 25 patients with BD and also in 25 healthy controls.&nbsp;Results: ADA activity was found to be higher in plasma, but lower in erythrocytes; plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels were higher in ED patients than those of controls. In addition, plasma ADA activity was positively related to MDA levels in both plasma (p &lt; 0.05) and erythrocytes (p &lt; 0.01). There was also positive correlation between MDA levels (p &lt; 0.05), but negative correlations between ADA activities (p &lt; 0.01) and also between ADA and MDA values in erythrocytes (p &lt; 0.01) of ED patients.&nbsp;Conclusion: These findings may provide some evidence for a potential role of T lymphocyte activation in ED as reflected by increased plasma ADA activity, and for the presence of possible interrelationship between activated T cells and neutrophil hyperfunctions. such as ROS generation, as reflected by increased MDA levels.&nbsp;</p

Reactive oxygen species in experimental ischemic flow-through venous flaps and effects of antioxidants on reactive oxygen species and flap survival

We made an experimental study on rabbit ears using an ischemic flow-through venous flap model to determine the changes in levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in venous flaps and effects of exogenous antioxidants on endogenous antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ROS indicator malonyldialdehyde (MDA) levels and on flap survival. Mean SOD level significantly decreased and the MDA level significantly increased after the flap elevation according to basal levels Of untreated flaps. The mean flap survival rates in the exogenous SOD or glutathione (GSH)-treated groups were significantly increased with respect to the untreated group. The SOD level was increased significantly and the MDA level was decreased significantly in the SOD- or GSH-treated groups relative to the control group after the flap elevation. These results have suggested that ROS may have an important role in ischemic flow-through venous flap pathogenesis and additionally, antioxidants could enhance the rate of flap survival

Antioxidant potential of propylthiouracil in patients with psoriasis

Objective: There is growing evidence supporting the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Propylthiouracil (PTU), an antithyroid drug, has been shown to have beneficial effects on psoriasis. The aim of this study was to investigate both disturbances in oxidant/antioxidant system in psoriasis and whether PTU, shown to have immunomodulatory effects and antioxidant potential. has effects on oxidant/antioxidant system and clinical improvement in psoriatics

Lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes in patients with Behcet's disease

In spite of unknown etiology, it is now accepted that reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by neutrophils may be related to the pathogenesis of Behcet's Disease (BD). The objective was to investigate whether increased production of ROS may affect erythrocyte oxidant/antioxidant system in patients with BD. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), one of the end products of lipid peroxidation, in plasma and erythrocyte, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), antioxidant enzymes, in erythrocyte, also C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured in 22 patients in active stage of the disease and also in 30 healthy controls. Increased CRP, ESR, and MDA levels in plasma and erythrocyte and. increased SOD but decreased GSH-Px activities in erythrocytes were observed in the patients, when compared to the controls. In addition, significantly positive correlations between plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels, and erythrocyte MDA-CRP, MDA-ESR, MDA-SOD, SOD-ESR and SOD-CRP levels, but negative correlation between plasma MDA and erythrocyte GSH-Px, were found in BD patients. It may be suggested that increased production of ROS in BD, as reflected by higher plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels, may impair erythrocyte membrane integrity and also may lead to the alterations in the erythrocyte antioxidant defense system, as reflected by higher SOD and lower GSH-Px activities in erythrocytes. - Behget's disease; lipid peroxidation; glutathione peroxidase; superoxide dismutase; acute phase reactant (C) 2002 Tohoku University Medical Press

Effect of propylthiouracil on adenosine deaminase activity and thyroid function in patients with psoriasis

Background T-cell activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis; adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity has been considered as a marker of T-cell activation. The antithyroid drug propylthiouracil (PTU) has recently been shown to have beneficial effects on psoriatic lesions, probably by acting on the immune system

Protein oxidation status in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Objectives. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease with unknown aetiology. Since various functions of neutrophils are increased in AS, neutrophil activation-mediated oxidative stress may have an important role in the pathogenesis of AS. Therefore, the importance of neutrophil activation as the main source of oxidative stress was investigated in patients with AS

Reactions to supply chain disruptions: Evidence from German firms

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the configuration of international supply chains has received increased public attention. Pandemic-related disruptions in production and transportation have led to questions about the reliability of international production networks. Moreover, the war in Ukraine and the associated sanctions against Russia have cast a new light on the geopolitical significance of economic interdependencies with autocratic regimes. How do firms react to these developments, and have they already adjusted their sourcing strategies? In this policy brief, we present the results from a representative survey of more than 4,000 firms in Germany, providing insights into how companies have responded to supply chain disruptions and which priorities they are setting for the future