Nitrogen Budgets and Soil Nitrogen Stocks of Organic and Conventional Cropping Systems: Trade-Off between Efficiency and Sustainability of Nitrogen Use

Organic and conventional cropping systems differ in the nature and amounts of nitrogen (N) inputs, which may affect efficiency and sustainability of N use. In the DOK (bio-Dynamic, bio-Organic, Konventionell) field experiment, organic and conventional cropping systems have been compared since 1978 at two fertilization levels. Nitrogen inputs via manure and/or mineral fertilizers, and N exports from plots with harvested products have throughout been recorded. For all treatments, N outputs with harvests have exceeded the inputs with fertilizers. Over the past years, symbiotic N2 fixation by soybean and clover grown in the trial has additionally been assessed, indicating average annual inputs of about 100 kg ha-1 yr-1 of N fixed from the atmosphere. Soil surface budgets opposing N inputs via fertilization, symbiotic fixation, seeds and deposition to N outputs via harvested products have been computed at the plot level for the duration from 1985 to 2012. The resulting balances range from negative values of about -20 kg N ha-1 yr-1 (where outputs exceed the sum of said N inputs) to surpluses of about +50 kg N ha-1 yr-1. The budget based N use efficiency (NUE; N output via harvested products divided by sum of N inputs) in the case of negative balances suggests irrationally high NUE (>100%), while positive balances are related to lower NUE for treatments with inputs exceeding outputs. Negative balances, however, indicate soil N mining, while surpluses point to a risk of N losses, and/or N accumulation in the soil. Estimation of soil N stock changes based on yearly total N concentration measurements in the topsoil layer is currently ongoing. Preliminary results suggest that soil N stocks in the topsoil decreased under all treatments more than expected from the N balance, and that positive N balances are needed to maintain topsoil N stocks. An increase in soil N concentration was observed in none of the treatments. In conclusion, the results indicate an efficiency-sustainability trade-off. Treatments with a higher NUE lose more soil stock N than those with a lower NUE. Treatments with lower NUE indicate higher N losses from the studied crop-topsoil system. Sustainable soil N management in addition to organic fertilizer inputs might at this site require reduced soil tillage. The significance of N contained in deeper soil layers, and deep rooting crops in recovering leached N should as well be investigated

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli as a Potential Cause of Diarrheal Disease in Adults Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Stools of 68 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults with diarrhea and 60 without diarrhea were examined for enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEc) by HeLa cell adherence assay. EAggEc were present in stools of 30 patients with and 18 without diarrhea (P = .05). CD4 cell counts of patients with EAggEc and diarrhea were significantly lower than those of patients with EAggEc without diarrhea (P = .02). There was no difference in the mean duration of diarrheal symptoms or in the number of stools per day between patients with EAggEc and those without. None of the EAggEc strains were positive by polymerase chain reaction for adherence fimbria, but 11 strains were positive for EAggEc heat-stable toxin EAST/1. Of the EAggEc strains, 51% were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and 65% were resistant to ampicillin. EAggEc may be a pathogen in HIV-infected patients with diarrhea; HIV-infected patients with EAggEc appear to be more symptomatic when HIV disease is more advance

Endangered Freshwater Mussels (Mollusca: Unionidae) in the North Fork Vermilion River, Illinois with Comments on the Federally Endangered Clubshell, Pleurobema clava (Lamarck, 1819)

ABSTRACT Historically the North Fork Vermilion River supported at least 30 mussel species. Twenty-three species are currently extant in the drainage including 5 state listed species (Lampsilis fasciola, Quadrula cylindrica, Toxolasma lividus, Villosa iris, and Villosa lienosa), 3 of which have their last remaining Illinois population in the North Fork Vermilion River basin. Seven listed species appear to have been extirpated including the federally endangered Pleurobema clava. Three other mussels considered rare at the state level (Lasmigona compressa, L. costata and Cyclonaias tuberculata) were found living in the drainage. Populations of other listed species may be re-discovered and the limits of common species better defined if a comprehensive survey of the entire Vermilion drainage is conducted, particularly the tributaries of the Middle and North forks

Distribution of pleurocerids (Gastropoda) of Illinois

Freshwater mollusks are among the most rapidly declining groups of organisms on Earth. Several species of aquatic gastropods, especially those in the family Pleuroceridae, are rare globally, but not much was known about their distribution and status in Illinois. We inspected museum collection holdings, conducted literature reviews on Illinois mollusks, and sampled throughout the state to obtain data on distribution and abundance of the pleurocerid fauna with an emphasis on declining species. Eleven species of pleurocerids are known from Illinois. We collected eight species live during our three-year study, including the first collection of Lithasia geniculata in the state. We failed to find three species, one of which (Leptoxistrilineata) is believed to be extinct. In addition to the currently listed Lithasia obovata, we feel Leptoxis praerosa and L. geniculata should be listed as endangered at the state because of their limited distribution and small population size.Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Preservation Fund / 10-L17Wunpublishednot peer reviewedOpe

Pharmacy Adherence Measures to Assess Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy: Review of the Literature and Implications for Treatment Monitoring

Prescription or pill-based methods for estimating adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), pharmacy adherence measures (PAMs), are objective estimates calculated from routinely collected pharmacy data. We conducted a literature review to evaluate PAMs, including their association with virological and other clinical outcomes, their efficacy compared with other adherence measures, and factors to consider when selecting a PAM to monitor adherence. PAMs were classified into 3 categories: medication possession ratio (MPR), pill count (PC), and pill pick-up (PPU). Data exist to recommend PAMs over self-reported adherence. PAMs consistently predicted patient outcomes, but additional studies are needed to determine the most predictive PAM parameters. Current evidence suggests that shorter duration of adherence assessment (≤6 months) and use of PAMs to predict future outcomes may be less accurate. PAMs which incorporate the number of days for which ART was prescribed without the counting of remnant pills, are reasonable minimum-resource methods to assess adherence to AR

Cross-platform Comparison of Two Pancreatic Cancer Phenotypes

Model-based approaches for combining gene expression data from multiple high throughput platforms can be sensitive to technological artifacts when the number of samples in each platform is small. This paper proposes simple tools for quantifying concordance in a small study of pancreatic cancer cells lines with an emphasis on visualizations that uncover intra- and inter-platform variation. Using this approach, we identify several transcripts from the integrative analysis whose over-or under-expression in pancreatic cancer cell lines was validated by qPCR

Selective neuronal staining in tardigrades and onychophorans provides insights into the evolution of segmental ganglia in panarthropods

Background: Although molecular analyses have contributed to a better resolution of the animal tree of life, the phylogenetic position of tardigrades (water bears) is still controversial, as they have been united alternatively with nematodes, arthropods, onychophorans (velvet worms), or onychophorans plus arthropods. Depending on the hypothesis favoured, segmental ganglia in tardigrades and arthropods might either have evolved independently, or they might well be homologous, suggesting that they were either lost in onychophorans or are a synapomorphy of tardigrades and arthropods. To evaluate these alternatives, we analysed the organisation of the nervous system in three tardigrade species using antisera directed against tyrosinated and acetylated tubulin, the amine transmitter serotonin, and the invertebrate neuropeptides FMRFamide, allatostatin and perisulfakinin. In addition, we performed retrograde staining of nerves in the onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli in order to compare the serial locations of motor neurons within the nervous system relative to the appendages they serve in arthropods, tardigrades and onychophorans. Results: Contrary to a previous report from a Macrobiotus species, our immunocytochemical and electron microscopic data revealed contralateral fibres and bundles of neurites in each trunk ganglion of three tardigrade species, including Macrobiotus cf. harmsworthi, Paramacrobiotus richtersi and Hypsibius dujardini. Moreover, we identified additional, extra-ganglionic commissures in the interpedal regions bridging the paired longitudinal connectives. Within the ganglia we found serially repeated sets of serotonin- and RFamid-like immunoreactive neurons. Furthermore, our data show that the trunk ganglia of tardigrades, which include the somata of motor neurons, are shifted anteriorly with respect to each corresponding leg pair, whereas no such shift is evident in the arrangement of motor neurons in the onychophoran nerve cords. Conclusions: Taken together, these data reveal three major correspondences between the segmental ganglia of tardigrades and arthropods, including (i) contralateral projections and commissures in each ganglion, (ii) segmentally repeated sets of immunoreactive neurons, and (iii) an anteriorly shifted (parasegmental) position of ganglia. These correspondences support the homology of segmental ganglia in tardigrades and arthropods, suggesting that these structures were either lost in Onychophora or, alternatively, evolved in the tardigrade/arthropod lineage

Enhanced immune activation linked to endotoxemia in HIV-1 seronegative MSM

This study assessed cellular and soluble markers of immune activation in HIV-1 seronegative MSM. MSM immune profiles were characterized by an increased expression of CD57 on T cells and endotoxemia. Endotoxin presence was linked to recent high-risk exposure and associated with elevated cytokine levels and decreased CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios. Taken together, these data show elevated levels of inflammation linked to periods of endotoxemia resulting in a significantly different immune phenotype in a subset of MSM at a high risk of HIV-1 acquisition.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant P01 AI074415

An Antibody-Aptamer-Hybrid Lateral Flow Assay for Detection of CXCL9 in Antibody-Mediated Rejection after Kidney Transplantation

Chronic antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is a key limiting factor for the clinical outcome of a kidney transplantation (Ktx), where early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention is needed. This study describes the identification of the biomarker CXC-motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 9 as an indicator for AMR and presents a new aptamer-antibody-hybrid lateral flow assay (hybrid-LFA) for detection in urine. Biomarker evaluation included two independent cohorts of kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) from a protocol biopsy program and used subgroup comparisons according to BANFF-classifications. Plasma, urine and biopsy lysate samples were analyzed with a Luminex-based multiplex assay. The CXCL9-specific hybrid-LFA was developed based upon a specific rat antibody immobilized on a nitrocellulose-membrane and the coupling of a CXCL9-binding aptamer to gold nanoparticles. LFA performance was assessed according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Among 15 high-scored biomarkers according to a neural network analysis, significantly higher levels of CXCL9 were found in plasma and urine and biopsy lysates of KTRs with biopsy-proven AMR. The newly developed hybrid-LFA reached a sensitivity and specificity of 71% and an AUC of 0.79 for CXCL9. This point-of-care-test (POCT) improves early diagnosis-making in AMR after Ktx, especially in KTRs with undetermined status of donor-specific HLA-antibodies

Myeloproliferative Diseases as Possible Risk Factor for Development of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension—A Genetic Study

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare disease which is often caused by recurrent emboli. These are also frequently found in patients with myeloproliferative diseases. While myeloproliferative diseases can be caused by gene defects, the genetic predisposition to CTEPH is largely unexplored. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyse these genes and further genes involved in pulmonary hypertension in CTEPH patients. A systematic screening was conducted for pathogenic variants using a gene panel based on next generation sequencing. CTEPH was diagnosed according to current guidelines. In this study, out of 40 CTEPH patients 4 (10%) carried pathogenic variants. One patient had a nonsense variant (c.2071A>T p.Lys691*) in the BMPR2 gene and three further patients carried the same pathogenic variant (missense variant, c.1849G>T p.Val617Phe) in the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) gene. The latter led to a myeloproliferative disease in each patient. The prevalence of this JAK2 variant was significantly higher than expected (p < 0.0001). CTEPH patients may have a genetic predisposition more often than previously thought. The predisposition for myeloproliferative diseases could be an additional risk factor for CTEPH development. Thus, clinical screening for myeloproliferative diseases and genetic testing may be considered also for CTEPH patients