Soil structure and bypass flwo processes in a Vertsol under sprinkler and drip irrigation.

In this paper morphological and physical characteristics, as well as flow behaviour of a Mediterranean Vertisol under the influence of two different irrigation systems currently used for irrigation, i.e. drip and sprinkler systems, were compared. No differences in soil texture, compaction and in potential cracking were found on cores from the two fields. However, field application of methylene blue showed the presence of continuous macropores, penetrating up to depths of 20-25 cm from the soil surface, in the field where the drip system was in use (field 1). This was considered to be the pre-existing soil structure. Instead, macropores terminating at a depth ranging between 5 and 10 cm from the soil surface were observed in the sprinkler irrigated field (field 2). The same difference in terms of macropores' continuity was also observed on soil cores sampled from the two irrigated fields. The higher raindrop impact and the non-point water application involved in the sprinkler irrigation system were assumed to have determined, during several years, the different depth of penetration of the macropores in the two fields. A different hydraulic behaviour was evidenced by laboratory measurement of bypass flow on soil cores taken from the two fields. Specifically, higher values of the saturated hydraulic conductivity were found in the cores from the drip irrigated field compared to those sampled in the sprinkler field. In addition no bypass flow was measured in the columns under the sprinkler field, while high rates and amounts of bypass flow were obtained in the cores taken from the drip irrigated field. The different hydraulic behaviour observed in the cores taken from the drip and from the sprinkler irrigated field was in agreement with the difference in terms of macropores' continuity between the two fields. Being bypass flow a mechanism inducing leaching of solutes, results of this investigation suggest that irrigation systems affecting soil structure, and altering macropores' continuity, should be avoided in clay soils. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.

Lenograstim in preventing chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia in patients with soft tissue sarcoma

Background: Neutropenia and its complications represent one of the principal dose-limiting toxicity issues in chemotherapeutic regimens for soft tissue sarcoma. Prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) reduces the risk of febrile neutropenia (FN). The correct timing of G-CSF administration should be considered in order to optimize the prophylactic treatment. Patients and Methods: Patients (≥18 years old) affected by soft tissue sarcoma and treated with epirubicin and ifosfamide, underwent prophylactic treatment with G-CSF (lenograstim at 263 μg) from day 5 to day 9. The proportion of patients experiencing FN and G4 neutropenia was considered. Results: A total of 36 patients receiving three cycles of chemotherapy with epirubicin plus ifosfamide were treated. None developed FN; G4 neutropenia was reported in 17% of patients. No treatment delay or dose reduction was required, no antibiotic therapy was administered and no hospitalization occurred. Conclusion: Five-day lenograstim treatment is efficient as prophylaxis of FN for soft tissue sarcoma chemotherapy regimens and allows maintenance of chemotherapy dose intensity

Perinatal exposure to 5-metoxytryptamine, behavioural-stress reactivity and functional response of 5-HT1A receptors in the adolescent rat

Serotonin is involved in a wide range of physiological and patho-physiological mechanisms. In particular, 5-HT1A receptors are proposed to mediate stress-adaptation. The aim of this research was to investigate in adolescent rats: first, the consequences of perinatal exposure to 5- metoxytryptamine (5MT), a 5-HT1/5-HT2 serotonergic agonist, on behavioural-stress reactivity in elevated plus maze, open field and forced swim tests; secondly, whether the behavioural effects induced by perinatal exposure to 5MT on open field and forced swim tests were affected by the selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist LY 228729, a compound able to elicit a characteristic set of motor behaviours on these experimental models, and by the co-administration of the selective and silent 5-HT1A antagonist WAY 100635. Results indicate that a single daily injection of 5MT to, pregnant dams from gestational days 12 to 21 (1 mg/kg s.c.), and to the pups from postnatal days 2 to 18 (0.5 mg kg s.c.), induce in the adolescent rat offspring: an increase in the percentage of entries and time spent on the open arms in the elevated plus maze; a reduction in locomotor activity and rearing frequency, and an increase in the time spent on the central areas in the open field test; a decrease in immobility and an increase in swimming in the forced swim test. Acute administration of LY 228729 (1.5 mg/kg s.c.) strongly decreases rearing frequency and increases peripheral activity in the open field test, and decreases immobility and increases swimming in the forced swim test both in perinatally vehicle and 5MT-exposed offspring. Co-administration of WAY 100635 (0.25 mg/kg s.c.) abolishes the effects exerted by LY 228729. These results suggest that, in the adolescent rat, perinatal exposure to 5MT enhances the stress-related adaptive behavioural responses, presumably through a predominant action on presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors and does not deteriorate the functional response of 5-HT1A receptors to selective agonist and antagonist compounds

Sindrome di pierre-robin trattata con fisioterapia elettromiograficamente assistita: case report

Pierre Robin syndrome is characterized by the triad: micrognathia, cleft palate and glossoptosis. This syndrome, which often undermines several organs and systems, is treated with a multidisciplinary approach that involves several specialists. The AA. present a case of Pierre Robin syndrome in neuromuscular rehabilitation by physiotherapy EMG-assisted. PMID:19445280[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE