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During COP 21 in Paris 2015, several states and organizations agreed on the “4/1000” initiative for food security and climate. This initiative aims to increase world's soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks by 4‰ annually. The influence of soil development status on SOC dynamics is very important but usually not considered in studies. We analyse SOC accumulation under forest, grassland and cropping systems along a soil age gradient (10–17,000 years) to show the influence of soil development status on SOC increase. SOC stocks (0–40 cm) and accumulation rates along a chronosequence in alluvial soils of the Danube River in the Marchfeld (eastern Austria) were analysed. The analysed Fluvisols and Chernozems have been used as forest, grassland and cropland for decades or hundreds of years. The results showed that there is a fast build-up of OC stocks (0–40 cm) in young soils with accumulation of ~1.3 t ha−1 a−1 OC in the first 100 years and ~0.5 t ha−1 a−1 OC between 100 and 350 years almost independent of land use. Chernozems with a sediment deposition age older than 5.000 years have an accumulation rate Radiocarbon dating showed that the topsoil (0–10 cm) consists mainly of “>modern” and “modern” carbon indicating a fast carbon cycling. Carbon in subsoil is less exposed to decomposition and OC can be stored at long-time scales in the subsoil (14C age of 3670 ± 35 BP). In view of the ‘4/1000’ initiative, soils with constant carbon input (forest & grassland) fulfil the intended 4‰ growth rate of SOC stocks only in the first 60 years of soil development. We proclaim that under the present climate in Central Europe, the increase of SOC stocks in soil is strongly affected by the state of soil development.

Depressed mood is prevalent among individuals with schizophrenia, leading to difficulties in functioning. Typically, depressed mood is evaluated using retrospective assessments during which individuals are asked to recall their mood during the past week or month. However, as individuals with schizophrenia may display memory difficulties, the results of such assessments may be biased, potentially leading to inaccurate clinical characterizations and/or suboptimal treatment. Our aim was to assess the potential impact of long-term memory on depressed mood in individuals with schizophrenia. Employing an Experience Sampling Method (ESM) approach, 51 individuals with schizophrenia and 22 healthy controls rated their momentary emotions up to 10 times/day over a two-day period, along with retrospective measures of depressed mood, long-term memory, quality of life, social functioning, and symptoms. ESM assessment of real-time depressed mood demonstrated discriminant and convergent validity. Among the schizophrenia group, there was a significant correlation between the real-time and retrospective measures of depressed mood. However, once variance due to long-term memory was controlled, the relationship between the real-time and retrospective measure was no longer significant. The findings suggest that a real-time measure of depressed mood may allow overcoming some of the limitations associated with long-term memory difficulties common among individuals with schizophrenia.

Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is an amino acid-like compound widely distributed in animals and an essential nutrient in some species. Targeted metabolomics of marine and fresh water microalgae combined with medium supplementation identified biosynthetic pathway intermediates and necessary catalytic activities. Genomic analysis was then used to predict the first taurine biosynthetic pathway in these organisms. MRM-based electrospray ionization (ESI) LC–MS/MS analysis demonstrated that taurine is synthesized using a carbon backbone from l -serine combined with sulfur derived from sulfate. Metabolite analysis showed a non-uniform pattern in levels of pathway intermediates that were both species and supplement-dependent. While increased culture salinity raised taurine levels modestly in marine alga, taurine levels were strongly induced in a fresh water species implicating taurine as an organic osmolyte. Conservation of the synthetic pathway in algae and metazoans together with a pattern of intermittent distribution in other lineages suggests that it arose early in eukaryotic evolution. Elevated levels of cell-associated taurine in algae could offer a new and biorenewable source of this unusual bioactive compound.

This study investigates and presents the effects of thermodynamically coupled nonisothermal reaction-diffusion processes on microalgae growth, substrate consumption and neutral lipid production in a pond or wastewater treatment plant. The non-stirred chemostat hypothesis and linear nonequilibrium thermodynamics theory are applied to formulate the model equations that account the bulk phase compositions and temperature, resistances to the heat and mass transfers, and cross effects due to the thermodynamic coupling of heat and mass flow in the presence of chemical reaction. Nondimensional forms of the model equations are numerically solved. Bulk phase concentrations and temperatures, external resistances to heat and substrate transfers, and thermodynamic coupling may generate substantial number of new parameters that control the evolution and stability in microalgal growth and lipid production that are important for biofuels. Instabilities due to perturbations in nutrient concentrations may lead to spatial structures where the wavenumber plays important role in reaction diffusion systems.

Yerba-mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) is the most used beverage in Latin America with approximately 426 thousand of tons consumed per year. Considering the broad use of this plant, we aimed to investigate the anxiety-like and stimulant activity of both the hydroethanolic (HE) and aqueous (AE) extracts from leaves of I. paraguariensis. Swiss mice were treated with I. paraguariensis HE or AE chronically or acutely, respectively, followed by evaluation in the elevated plus-maze (EPM; anxiety-like paradigm), open field (OF; locomotor activity) or the step-down avoidance task (memory assessment). Following behavioral protocols the brains were collected for evaluation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity ex vivo. Chronic treatment with HE induced an anxiolytic-like effect and increased motor activity besides augmented AChE activity. Additionally, acute treatment with AE prevented the scopolamine-induced memory deficit in the step-down avoidance task. Overall, our results indicate the importance of the I. paraguariensis-induced CNS effects, since it is a widely used nutraceutical. We have reported anxiolytic, stimulant and neuroprotective effects for this plant species. These effects are potentially modulated by the cholinergic system as well as by caffeine.

Sustainable intensification (SI) is a concept for increasing agricultural production under sustainable conditions to meet the needs of the growing population of the world. To achieve this goal, the intrinsic potential of soils for SI has to be considered. This report aims at identifying indicators for arable soils in Germany, which have the best natural resilience and performance and therefore can be used for SI. Six intrinsic land and soil characteristics (organic C content, clay+silt, pH, CEC, soil depth and slope) were selected as indictors for defining the resilience and performance of land. New data from arable sites from LUCAS topsoil survey 2009 were used and attributed to arable land, applying the Arc Geographical Information System (ArcGIS). The results of this investigation reveal that 39% of the actual analyzed arable land can be recommended for SI in Germany. A comparison with the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating shows that most of this land reflects the highest potential for agricultural yields. Approximately 61% of the analyzed agricultural land is not suitable for intensification, about 1.5% should be reduced in intensity with a possible conversion to avoid environmental harm. The most frequent limitation factor for SI is a too low cation exchange capacity in German soils.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the one of the major soil components influencing soil functions and soil processes. However, little is known about the impact of human activities on SOC dynamics. We therefore analyzed the impact of land use and climatic changes and tillage on a soil chronosequence with ages between 10and 8000 years developed on sediments of the River Danube in the critical zone observatory (CZO) Marchfeld/Austria by modeling the soil carbon pools at a depth of 0–20 cm. For this we used the Excel version of the RothC-26.3 Model (Rampazzo Todorovic et al., 2010), which was improved for predicting the influence of different tillage and land uses and calibrated for local climatic conditions. The modeled results indicate the complex influence of soil properties on C stabilization, e.g. clay content. In summary, it was found that a change in land use from forest to grassland and cropping resulted in a clear decrease in the amount and quality of SOC.

We used basic soil data of Georgia for testing their effectiveness for correlation with the World Reference Base of Soil Resources (WRB), supported by the project grant “Creation of the national soil atlas of Georgia” (№ FR/191/10-105/14; financed by the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation). In the same way we used the materials elaborated by the international conference on. Actual problems of soil” classification” during which the WRB was tested in 2014, also supported by the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation and in which known foreign and local soil scientists took part.

Growth in human population and demand for wealth creates ever-increasing pressure on global soils, leading to soil losses and degradation worldwide. Critical Zone science studies the impact linkages between these pressures, the resulting environmental state of soils, and potential interventions to protect soil and reverse degradation. New research on soil processes is being driven by the scientific hypothesis that soil processes can be described along a life cycle of soil development. This begins with formation of new soil from parent material, development of the soil profile, and potential loss of the developed soil functions and the soil itself under overly intensive anthropogenic land use, thus closing the cycle. Four Critical Zone Observatories in Europe have been selected focusing research at sites that represent key stages along the hypothetical soil life cycle; incipient soil formation, productive use of soil for farming and forestry, and decline of soil due to longstanding intensive agriculture. Initial results from the research show that soil develops important biogeochemical properties on the time scale of decades and that soil carbon and the development of favourable soil structure takes place over similar time scales. A new mathematical model of soil aggregate formation and degradation predicts that set-aside land at the most degraded site studied can develop substantially improved soil structure with the accumulation of soil carbon over a period of several years. Further results demonstrate the rapid dynamics of soil carbon; how quickly it can be lost, and also demonstrate how data from the CZOs can be used to determine parameter values for models at catchment scale. A structure for a new integrated Critical Zone model is proposed that combines process descriptions of carbon and nutrient flows, a simplified description of the soil food web, and reactive transport; all coupled with a dynamic model for soil structure and soil aggregation. This approach is proposed as a methodology to analyse data along the soil life cycle and test how soil processes and rates vary within, and between, the CZOs representing different life cycle stages. In addition, frameworks are discussed that will help to communicate the results of this science into a more policy relevant format using ecosystem service approaches.

This study focuses on the cell growth and the neutral lipid production modeling of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in terms of different ammonium concentrations. Autotrophy was maintained during growth in a double walled bioreactor, using Tris Phosphate (TP medium) with only CO(2) and NH(4)Cl as sole sources of carbon and nitrogen, respectively. Nitrogen depletion results in an increase in neutral lipid production with an indirect effect on the growth of algal cells. Modified Baranyi-Roberts and logistic equations were used to describe the cell growth whereas Luedeking-Piret equation was used for neutral lipid production kinetics. Sensitivity analysis shows that the model equations satisfactorily predict the cell growth and lipid production. Based on the mathematical model predictions, growing algal cells in higher ammonium containing medium initially and switching to low ammonium containing medium in a later stage may result in elevated amounts of lipid production, which may be used for scale up and commercialization.

Revegetation has been reported as one of the most effective counter measures to reduce soil and water erosion on the Loess plateau in China. Soil aggregate stability and the distribution of organic carbon and nitrogen in different aggregate fractions would be affected by different plant communities. The objectives of this study were to elucidate the effects of different plant communities on soil aggregate stability and the distribution of organic carbon and nitrogen in different aggregate fractions in order to prove that the different plant covers enhance soil aggregate stability. Six kinds of soil samples under forest (Quercus liaotungensis, Populus davidiana, Pinus tabulaeformis, Bothriochloa, a 14 year abandoned land, and a 19 year bare fallow soil. Four kinds of soil samples under shrub land (the 24 year old Caragana Korshinskii Kom.; the 14 year old C Korshinskii Kom., 3 year old abandoned grazing land and traditional slope cropland which is claimed by the farmers for production with very low fertilizers) were collected from the hilly-gully area on the Loess Plateau, which was divided into 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm. We investigated soil aggregate stability and soil aggregate fractions by ultrasonic fractionation (USAS), and the distribution of organic carbon and nitrogen in different fractions under forest and afforested land, as key indicators for soil remediation through revegetation. The results showed that soil organic carbon (Corg) and total nitrogen (Nt) were strongly increased under forest and artificial shrub land compared to cropland and bare fallow land and were higher in the surface layers (0-10 cm) than in the subsurface (10-20 cm). Soil aggregate stability (SAS) was quite low under bare fallow land and cropping land soils, in comparison with the 4 forest communities. The three main fractions of soil aggregates, obtained by ultrasonic fractionation, were 630-250 mu m had a higher Corg content than micro-aggregates, 250-100 mu m > 100-63 mu m >> 63 mu m. In comparison to cropland and bare fallow land, forest and artificial shrub can protect and enhance the Corg, Nt and soil aggregate stability. The higher C:N ratio of macro-aggregate fractions indicates a rapid turnover of soil organic carbon in the top soil of forest sites and even on bare fallow and crop land. The narrow range of C:N ratio in micro-aggregates indicates that soil organic carbon in micro-aggregates is more stable than that in the macro-aggregates. We concluded that revegetation of eroded soils accelerates soil remediation and rehabilitation. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Soil aggregation is influenced by the tillage system used, which in turn affects the amount of C and N in the different aggregate fractions. This study assessed the impact of different tillage systems on soil aggregates by measuring the aggregate stability, the organic carbon (C org ) and the total nitrogen (N tot ) contents within different aggregate fractions, and their release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Soil samples were collected from the top 0 to 10 cm of a long-term tillage experiment at Fuchsenbigl (Marchfeld, Austria) where conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), and minimum tillage (MT) treatments were applied to a Chernozem fine sandy loam. The stable aggregates (1000–2000 μm) were subject to dispersion by the soil aggregate stability (SAS or wet sieving) method after Kemper and Rosenau (1986), and the ultrasonic method of Mayer et al. (2002). Chemical analysis of the soil was obtained for the aggregate fractions 630–1000, 250–630 and 63–250 μm gathered from the ultrasonic method. Using the SAS method, CT and RT had the least amounts of stable aggregates (18.2% and 18.9%, respectively), whereas MT had twice as much stable aggregates (37.6%). Using the ultrasonic method, MT also had the highest amount of water stable aggregates in all three fractions (1.5%, 3.7%, and 35%, respectively), followed by RT (1%, 2.3%, 32.3%), and CT (0.8%, 1.7%, 29.1%). For comparison, a reference soil, EUROSOIL 7 (ES-7) was also analysed (40%, 6.7%, and 12.1%). The highest amounts of C org and N tot were measured under MT in all three fractions, with 8.9%, 3.8%, and 1.3% for C org , and 0.4%, 0.3%, and 0.1% for N tot . Apart from the fraction 630–1000 μm, the aggregates of RT and CT contained org and N tot values of MT. The C/N ratio was least favourable for CT (42.6) in the aggregate fraction 630–1000 μm. The DOC release from stable aggregates after 10 min of ultrasonic dispersion was highest from MT soil (86.7 mg l −1 ). The values for RT and CT were 21% and 25% below this value. The results demonstrate that tillage type influences both aggregate stability and aggregate chemical composition. This research confirms that CT interferes more with the natural soil properties than RT and MT. Furthermore, MT has the highest potential to sequester C and N in this agriculturally used soil.

This article reviews medical team training using the principles of crew resource management (CRM). It also briefly discusses crisis resource management, a subset of CRM, as applied to high-acuity medical situations. Guidelines on setting up medical team training programs are presented. Team training programs are classified and examples of simulation-based and classroom-based programs are offered and their merits discussed. Finally, a brief look at the future of team training concludes this review article.

There are common genetic mechanisms responsible for both drug effects and subsequent seeking behavior. In 1996, we coined the term Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). Past and current treatment of substance seeking behavior, a subtype of Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS), is considered by most to be inadequate. Recently, we evaluated a complex named Synaptamine [Haveos (SG8839R)]. The main difference with an older studied variant and the latest variant is the inclusion of a proprietary form of Rhodiola rosea, a known catechol-O-methyl-transferase inhibitor (COMT) to potentially enhance the activity of presynaptic released dopamine. In this regard, based on the current literature we hypothesize that manipulation of catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) activity to influence the attenuation of substance seeking behavior, is dependent upon gene polymorphisms. In this regard we hypothesize that carrying the LL genotype with low COMT activity should as theorized, increase the reward induced by substance-induced dopamine release and may indeed increase the propensity to type 1 alcoholism and possibly other drugs that activate the dopaminergic system. Thus when alcohol is present in low COMT LL genotype, increasing COMT activity, not inhibiting it should assist in the reduction of social consumption or abuse. Alternatively, under physiological conditions (no psychoactive substances present (e.g. alcohol) carrying the DRD2 A1 allele with associated low D2 receptors should, as theorized, increase craving behavior because of a low or hypodopaminergic state causing the individual to seek out substances that increase the release of dopamine for subsequent activation of unbound D2 sites in the nucleus accumbens. Thus, in the absence of alcohol or other psychoactive drugs (dopamine releasers), especially during recovery or rehabilitation, decreasing, not increasing COMT activity, should result in enhanced synaptic dopamine as physiologically released, thereby proliferating D2 receptors while reducing stress, increasing well-being, reducing craving behavior and preventing relapse. Based on this hypothesis, we believe that adding the COMT inhibitor R. rosea (as Rhodimin) to our amino-acid and chromium combination in DUI offenders and other illegal drug-related crimes, increases the potential for more targeted neurochemical rebalancing and enhanced relapse prevention. Finally, we hypothesize that these data coupled together provide evidence that the combination of enkephalinase inhibition, neurotransmitter precursor loading, brain tryptophan enhancing and COMT inhibition as well as DNA analysis of the individual's genome, may be useful as an adjunct to therapy when used in outpatient recovery, specifically to assist in reducing craving behavior and preventing relapse.

Concern that opioids hasten death may be among the reasons that pain is treated inadequately in populations with advanced illness. Studies that assess the true risks are needed. To determine whether survival after last opioid dose change is associated with opioid dosing characteristics and other factors, data from the National Hospice Outcomes Project, a large prospective cohort study involving 13 U.S. hospice programs, were analyzed. Of 1,306 patients, 725 received opioids and underwent at least one dose change before death. Subsamples based on maximum opioid dose compared patients receiving usual doses with those receiving high-dose therapy. Spearman rank correlations examined bivariate associations between survival after final dose change and other variables, including dose in morphine equivalent mg and percentage dose increase. Multivariate least squares regression analyses determined associations between survival and other variables, including those significant in bivariate analyses. The mean+/-SD number of days between final dose change and death was 12.46+/-23.11. Multivariate models demonstrated a significant association between shorter survival and higher opioid dose, a cancer diagnosis, unresponsiveness, and pain of5 on a 0-10 scale, but none of these models explained10% of the variance in time till death. Analyses of subsamples did not reveal additional effects of dose. This analysis revealed that opioid dosing was associated with time till death, but this factor would explain very little of the variation in survival. In a hospice population, survival is influenced by complex factors, many of which may not be measurable. Based on these findings, concern about hastening death does not justify withholding opioid therapy.

We report on a Communication of the European Commission to the Council and the European Parliament in 2002, entitled ‘‘Towards a Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection’’, an operational framework for its implementation and an indicator approach, as a basis for the elaboration of priority research areas for soil protection and the management of Europe’s natural resources. From this, we draw the conclusion that soil research should be integrated into comprehensive research areas (e.g., including water and sediments) in order to manage natural resources in Europe. a 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The European Commission has characterised and certified a set of six European soils (the EUROSOILS) under the number IRMM-443. After a successful validation and trial period with a preliminary batch it was decided to produce a new batch of certified reference materials. Part I of this paper describes the certification of adsorption coefficients for atrazine, 2,4-D and lindane in these soils. The adsorption coefficients were determined according to OECD Test Guideline 106. Additionally, the underlying principles for the value assignment process according to the GUM and their practical application to the numerical data obtained during the certification exercise according to ISO Guide 34 and 35 are discussed.

This randomized study of previously untreated patients with extensive disease small cell lung cancer was designed (a) to compare the survival of patients treated with either effective standard chemotherapy or an investigational anti-cancer drug as initial therapy and (b) to evaluate response rates and toxic effects of such therapies. One hundred and thirty-five patients were randomly assigned to receive as initial therapy, either the standard CAV regimen--cyclophosphamide (1000 mg/m(2)), doxorubicin (50 mg/m(2)) and vincristine (1.4 mg/m(2)) every 3 weeks--or the phase II drugs ifosfamide (1.5 gm/m(2)/days 1-5) with mesna (300 mg/m(2)) dose at 0, 4 and 8 h after IV daily ifosfamide every 3 weeks or teniposide (60 mg/m(2)/days 1-5) every 3 weeks. Nonresponders received salvage chemotherapy-etoposide (120 mg/m(2) on days 1, 2 and 3) and cisplatin (60 mg/m(2) on day 1), repeated every 3 weeks. Among the 46 patients on CAV, there were two complete and 24 partial responses (56%). Among the 43 patients on ifosfamide, there were three complete and 18 partial responses (49%), while among the 46 patients on teniposide, there were two complete and 18 partial responses (43%). Eighty-three of the patients proceeded onto salvage regimen, of which 81 were analyzable for response and toxicity. Among the 81 patients who continued on salvage therapy and were evaluable for response, the overall best response rate was 61% for CAV+salvage, 54% for ifosfamide+salvage, and 53% for teniposide+salvage. These rates were not significantly different (P=0.962). Of the 135 analyzable patients, 130 (96%) have died. The estimated median survival time was 42 weeks for CAV patients, 43 weeks for ifosfamide, and 38 weeks for teniposide. Seven patients survived longer than 2 years (four on CAV, one on ifosfamide and two on teniposide). There were 29 life-threatening complications to the induction regimen (22 (48%) on CAV, four (9%) on ifosfamide and three (7%) on teniposide) and seven lethal complications (two on CAV, four on ifosfamide and one on teniposide). The treatments were significantly different with respect to the overall degree of toxicity (P0.0001) with CAV being more toxic. The data of this study, like the previous ECOG study suggests that the administration of a new agent followed by effective salvage chemotherapy in the treatment of extensive disease small cell lung cancer may have no adverse effect on survival.

This report describes how realistic patient simulation can be used with video teleconferencing to conduct long-distance clinical case discussions with realistic re-enactments of critical events. By observing what appears to be a real procedure unfolding in real time, it is intended that audience members will better learn and appreciate the lessons from conferences. A commercially available mannequin simulator and video teleconferencing technology were used in nine sessions between a free-standing simulation center and different conference sites throughout the U.S. Transmission was via high-speed telephone lines. In each conference, a clinical scenario was simulated on a screen. Audience members asked questions of a live simulated "patient" and family and later advised the care team on routine treatments and management of urgent clinical problems that arose during management of the mannequin simulator in a highly realistic clinical setting. Ninety-eight percent of respondents from one audience of 150 (response rate 60%) judged the quality of the presentation as "very good or excellent." In response to the statement that "the educational value of the presentation was much greater than that of a standard case conference," 95% scored 4 or 5 on a five-point Likert scale (where 5 is highest agreement). While all conferences were conducted successfully, there were instances of technical challenge in using teleconferencing technology. Technical information about the teleconferencing system and scenario preparation, contingency planning for failures, and other details of using this new teaching modality are described. Although audiences were enthusiastic in their response to this approach to clinical case conferences, further study is needed to assess the added value of interactive simulation for education compared to standard conference formats.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and beta-interferon (β-IFN) are biologic agents with antitumor activity observed in preclinical models. Some studies of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with IL-2 report relatively long survival, despite low response rates. Seventy-six evaluable patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer were treated in a randomized Phase II study with either IL-2 alone or IL-2 plus β-IFN. Patients received either IL-2 at 6×10 6 Cetus units/m 2 3 days weekly or the combination of IL-2 at 5×10 6 Cetus units/m 2 plus β-IFN at 6×10 6 units/m 2 , both given 3 days weekly. Both biologic agents were administered by intravenous bolus injection on an outpatient basis. Objective responses were observed in 3/76 (4%) patients. Grade 4 toxicity occurred in 3/39 patients treated with IL-2 alone, and in 4/37 patients treated with IL-2 plus β-IFN. An additional lethal respiratory toxicity occurred in a patient who received IL-2 plus β-IFN. The median survival of all patients treated on this study was 33 weeks. Despite producing only a 4% objective response rate, IL-2 appears to have a favorable impact on survival comparable to chemotherapy. The role for this immune therapy in the management of non-small cell lung cancer requires further study.

The humic substances (HS) of two Brazilian Oxisols, one under native grassland (NG) and the other submitted to a long-term (19-year) tillage systems experiment including no-tillage (NT), minimal tillage (MT) and an adjacent eucalyptus-planted forest (F), were extracted with sodium pyrophosphate, analysed and fractionated by exclusion chromatography on controlled pore glass (CPG). Chromatographic analysis of HS was performed at 400 nm (visible region), the resulting chromatograms deconvoluted and statistical analysis of data made using multivariate methods (factor and Pearson correlation analysis). Increase of tillage intensity, estimated by factor analysis, resulted in a general HS content decrease, not affecting soil C content. Tillage increased the relative proportion of small molecular size HS, determined directly by CPG and indirectly by the relative increase of fulvic acids (FA) content (increase of fulvic acids/humic acids ratio). This suggests that tillage caused preferential degradation of large molecular size HS and/or a neo-synthesis of small HS due to increased fresh-carbon input partially induced by liming and fertilisation. The HS fractionation method on CPG permitted gray humic acids (GHA) separation into two distinct fractions. The larger molecular size fraction showed an unusual high E 4 /E 6 ratio, possibly due to a small conjugation of aromatic rings.

N-fluxes and efficiencies were investigated on three typical pig farms of the Leibnitzer Feld, Styria, Austria. The farms ranged from 26 to 30 ha in size and had 100–200 fattening pigs and 25 brood-sows. Fattening was mainly based on maize and purchased soycake. The N-budget (= sum of all N-inputs = sum of all N outputs) of the farms were similar in relation to Austrian livestock units, DGVE, (146 kg N DGVE −1 year −1 to 162 kg N DGVE −1 year −1 ) and averaged 181 kg N ha −1 year −1 to 240 kg N ha −1 . 43−54% of the total N-inputs were due to fertiliser-N, 28–40% to food-purchase, and 12–17% to atmospheric deposition. 9–23% of the total N-outputs were for sold plant products, 11–16% for sold pigs and 24–33% for ammonia emissions from pig-housing and slurry storage. The rest, remaining in the soil, was 37–57%. Additional investigations with field lysimeters showed that almost all of it was washed out as NO 3 − . The N-efficiency of plant production as determined on the farms was 59%, animal production had an N-efficiency of up to 25%. 44%–67% of all N excreted by the pigs was lost through NH 3 -emissions from housing and slurry storage. Comparative investigations on the key components of the farms, maize cropping and pig fattening, were undertaken in order to find out, if changing the N-inputs would improve their N-efficiency and reduce N-losses. For maize cropping a relation of decreasing N-efficiency for increasing N-inputs was determined. Additionally it was found that for a given amount of yield (which was supposed to be necessary for the existing livestock) a small increase of the cultivated area would result in a considerable decrease of the unused fertiliser-N. For pig fattening a reduction of the protein content of the feed would reduce the N-excretions in absolute figures, but the N-efficiency would decrease.

Membrane immunoglobulins (mIg) serve as the recognition components of B lymphocyte antigen receptors. Binding of antigen to these receptors leads to dramatic effects on B cell growth and viability. We have examined the structural elements of mIgM that are involved in antigen receptor assembly and function. Expression of transfected wild-type mIgM in a B cell line led to assembly with the other two known components of the antigen receptor, Ig-alpha and Ig-beta, expression on the cell surface, and when cross-linked by anti-IgM antibodies, stimulation of signal transductin reactions, including tyrosine protein phosphorylation, inositol phosphate production, and increases in cytoplasmic calcium concentration. Replacement of the highly conserved COOH-terminal 41 amino acids of mIgM heavy chain (mu m) with the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of human CD8 alpha resulted in a molecule which was expressed on the B cell surface at levels comparable to wild-type mIgM, but which did not form a complex with Ig-alpha or Ig-beta and did not stimulate any of the signaling reactions mentioned above. Replacement of the basic three-amino-acid cytoplasmic domain of mu m with a different but similarly charged sequence had no effect on cell-surface expression or signaling function. On the other hand, removal of the entire cytoplasmic domain resulted in a molecule which did not bind Ig-alpha and Ig-beta and which did not transduce signals. This effect is probably due to altered post-translational processing of this mutant molecule. Finally, a series of eight single-amino-acid substitutions in the transmembrane domain was constructed. Most of these resulted in the removal of hydroxyl groups from conserved residues postulated to be important for interactions with other components. Each of these mutant molecules was capable of transducing signals when cross-linked by anti-IgM, but one was partially defective. Since alteration of any single residue was not sufficient to disrupt signaling completely, the interactions required for signaling are likely to involve multiple residues, so that elimination of one hydroxyl group does not prevent the interaction. We propose that the cytoplasmic domain of mu m does not play a critical role in receptor function but that the transmembrane domain specifies interactions with other components, probably Ig-alpha and Ig-beta, required for proper antigen receptor signal transduction.

Doxorubicin is one of the most active drugs available for cancer chemotherapy. Its use is, however, often limited by the development of cumulative dose-related cardiomyopathy. The possibility ofinterfering with or preventing this toxicity in the clinical setting depends upon the potential separability of the antitumor activity of doxorubicin and its cardiotoxic effects. Preclinical work in animals (3-5) and experience with alterations of the dose schedule of doxorubicin in man (6) suggest that this is the case. Two separate lines of evidence suggests that ICRF-187, a bispiperazinedione compound, may inhibit the cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin without altering its antitumor effect. Extensive animal data by Herman and Ferrans first with ICRF-159 (5) (an enantiomer of 187) and then with ICRF-187 (4) demonstrated significant cardioprotection in seven different species. In addition, work by Bachur (l), Myers (7, 8), and others (2) indicates that doxorubicin most likely causes its cardiac damage through an iron-dependent generation offree radicals which in turn cause oxidative damage to membrane lipids and a variety of intracellular structures. In an isolated perfused rat heart preparation, ICRF-187 can substantially reduce the production ofsinglet oxygen by doxorubicin (9). All this suggests that ICRF-187 used clinically might prevent the development of doxorubicin induced cardiac damage. From 1984 to 1989 we conducted a single institution prospective randomized trial of ICRF-187 in 150 women with advanced carcinoma of the breast (10). Women were randomly assigned to receive either a standard regimen of 5FU 500 mg/m*, doxorubicin 50 mg/m*, and cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m* given iv. every 21 days or the same regimen given 30 min after infusion with ICRF-187 1000 mg/m* (FDC+ ICRF-187). We chose to study this group because they would provide a uniform patient population with no prior anthracycline exposure receiving a single anthracycline-containing regimen of chemotherapy for advanced disease. Breast cancer is a disease where the rate of response to chemotherapy is high enough that sufficient patients would be at risk of development of doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity. In addition, in the context of advanced disease, we felt that it would be reasonable, with careful monitoring, to continue these patients on therapy to doses higher than a predetermined cumulative dose limitation of 450 mg/m2 doxorubicin. Cardiac function was monitored by clinical examination, serial resting and exercise gated pool (MUGA) scans at baseline and at fixed time points, and by endomyocardial biopsy performed when possible at a cumulative doxorubicin dose of 450 mg/m’. Patients were continued on study until they had either progressive disease or cardiac toxicity.

The periodical comparison of 13 sensors for photosynthetically active radiation with a pyranometer has given values which may differ from the nominal values by 20 to 50% after two years of use. Some sensors changed markedly within periods of a few months.

Methotrexate (MTX) in high doses (3 to 7.5 g/m2) with leucovorin rescue (HDMTX-LCV) can be delivered on a weekly basis in a setting of proper pharmacologic monitoring. Myelosuppression occurs in 28 per cent of the patients and in 8 per cent of the courses and usually results from delayed MTX excretion secondary to mild reversible nephrotoxicity. The incidence of tumor regression was 50 per cent in head and neck cancer; 59 per cent in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; 40 per cent in small cell lung cancer; 24 to 50 per cent in breast cancer and 50 per cent in osteogenic carcinoma, for an over-all response rate of 39 per cent (70 of 178) in patients with disseminated cancer. HDMTX-LCV is not recommended for the conventional treatment of metastatic cancer because of the potential for toxicity and the fact that the response rates cited are probably not superior to those which can be achieved by conventional doses of MTX. However, the relative lack of myelosuppression and mucositis, when compared to conventional unrescued MTS, and the achievement of therapeutic concentrations of MTX in the central nervous system with the HDMTX-LCV program have led to its incorporation into clinical trials of combination chemotherapy.

As the adopted child enters adolescence and becomes more acutely aware of the biologic link of the generations, he often manifests behavior which is confusing to his parents. He may need to know more about his natural parents or even begin a search for them. At other stages in his development, but particularly at this time when his dual identity presents a special form of the adolescent identity crisis, both parents and child may need help and support in dealing with the feelings that emerge.

Seventeen consecutive patients with localized, high grade soft tissue sarcomas had resection of their primary tumor, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The soft tissue sarcoma was primary in 14 patients and regionally recurrent in 3 patients. Chemotherapy consisted of cyclophosphamide 500 mg/M/sup 2/ day 1, Adriamycin (ADR) 60 mg/M/sup 2/ day 2, and DTIC 400 mg/M/sup 2/ days 1 and 2, given every 21 days to a maximum ADR dose of 450 mg/M/sup 2/. Cyclophosphamide and DTIC were then given to a total duration of 1 year. Radiation therapy consisted of 4000 to 5000 rad by megavoltage photons in 5 weeks, and in selected cases, an additional 1500 to 2000 rad by electron beam boost in the tumor bed delivered over 2 additional weeks. Following surgery, 12 patients were treated sequentially with an interval of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and then the completion of chemotherapy. The added morbidity of this sequential approach is minimal: one patient of 12 had delayed primary healing of her wound, 1 of 10 patients required a break in radiation therapy because of skin erythema. Four patients were treated with intensive pre-chemotherapy radiation therapy because of inadequate surgical margins. The median time on study was 18 months frommore » onset of treatment (range, 8 to 41 months). Although there have been no local, regional or distant recurrences, the follow-up time is inadequate to assess the therapeutic benefit of this combined modality treatment.« less

Two N-1 type iron-sulfur clusters in NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Complex I, EC 1.6.5.3) were potentiometrically resolved: one was titrated as a component with a midpoint oxidation-reduction potential of -335 mV at pH 8.0, and with an n-value equal to one; the other as an extremely low midpoint potential component (Em 8.0 less than -500 mV). These two clusters are tentatively assigned to N-1b and N-1a, respectively. Cluster N-1b is completely reducible with NADH and has a spin concentration of about 0.8/FMN. Its EPR spectrum can be simulated as a single rhombic component with principal g values of 2.019, 1.937, and 1.922, which correspond to the Center 1 reported earlier by Orme-Johnson, N. R., Hansen, R. E., and Beinert, H. (1974) J. Biol. Chem. 249, 1922-1927. At extremely low oxidation-reduction potentials (less than -450 mV), additional EPR signals emerge with apparent g values of gz = 2.03, gy = 1.95, and gx = 1.91, which we assign to cluster N-1a. It is difficult, however, to simulate the detailed spectral line shape of this component as a single rhombic component, suggesting some degree of protein modification or interaction with a neighboring oxidation-reduction component. EPR spectra of soluble NADH dehydrogenase, containing 5-6 g atoms of non-heme iron and 5-6 mol of acid-labile sulfide/mol of FMN, were examined. Signals from at least two iron-sulfur species could be distinguished in the NADH-reduced form: one of an N-1b type spectrum; the other of a spectrum with g values of 2.045, 1.95, and 1.87 (total of about 0.5 spin equivalents/FMN). This is the first example of an N-1 type signal detected in isolated soluble NADH dehydrogenase.

Summary Results of the nondestructive determination of titanium, chromium, manganese and iron in concentrations below 700 p.p.m. in synthetic sapphire by neutron activation analysis and electron microprobe are reported. It is shown that the results of the two methods are well correlated for Ti, Cr and Mn. For iron, considerable discrepancies between the two methods were observed. The accuracy of the trace determination by both methods amounts to ca. 6 % r.m.s. deviation.

Hexamethylmelamine (NSC 13875) is a iriazine that has completed phase I–II trials under the sponsorship of the Division of Cancer Treatment, National Cancer Institute. It was selected for clinical trial based on superior activity against the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma. In the clinical trials reported, the dose schedules used were 4–15 mg/kd/d for 21–90 days. Dose limiting toxicity was gastrointestinal. Also seen were leukopenia, thrombocylopenia, and central nervous system toxicity. The overall response rate in 784 evaluable patients was 17%. Greater than 20% response rates were seen in the following tumor types: small cell (oat) carcinoma of the lung, ovarian adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, and breast cancer. Further controlled clinical trials in certain tumor types are warranted.

SCF calculations using an extended basis set were carried out for linear configurations of the system O-H-O3− with OO distances R = 2.87, 2.73, 2.62 and 2.52 A. and variable OH distance r. SCF total energies, electron density charts and potential functions axe discussed. The potential function exhibits a single minimum for R ⪕ 2.52 A and has two minima for R > 2.6 A in close agreement with recent empirical findings about potential functions of H bonds. Using crystal field calculations for a point charge model, the potential functions of the proton between oxygen ion pairs in various sites of the α-Al2O3 structure axe calculated and used for numerical determination of energy levels and transition frequencies of the linear vibrational mode of the OHOṫ-:α-Al2O3 system. Comparison with observed IR absorption bands of α-Al2O3:Fe2+,H+ (R = 2.87 A) and α-Al2O3:Co2+,H+ (R = 2.73 A) yields qualitative agreement of transition frequency. Satisfactory, interpretation of the widely varying line width of the ν(OH) band of OHO3−in different sites may be given in terms of anharmonicity, but the existence of several bands remains unexplained.

ESR spectra of the defect α-Al2O3:Co2+, H+ are reported and used to derive the magnetic tensors g and A. This defect is shown to exist in several types, and models in the framework of the α-Al2O3 structures are proposed.

Interaction of 2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine nitroxide free radical (AMPNO·) with 3d metal perchlorates, in the presence of triethyl orthoformate, leads to the formation of M(ClO 4 ) 2 . TMPNO· (M = Co, Ni) and M(ClO 4 ) 2 . 2TMPNO· (M = Fe, Zn) complexes. Characterization studies suggest that the new complexes are most probably bi- or poly-nuclear, with terminal TMPNO·, a bidentate perchlorato ligand, and a bridging perchlorato group. Magnetic susceptibility and esr data were interpreted in terms of partial spin-spin coupling between the unpaired ligand- and d-electrons, in the paramagnetic metal ion complexes; in the Zn II complex partial spin-spin coupling between the unpaired electrons of different ligand molecules occurs.

New anisotropic ESR spectra of Co 2+ doped sapphire, different from hitherto known, are reported. The new spectra which are observed, beside the well-known spectra of α-Al 2 O 3 :Co 2+ , are shown to form two sets, each one consisting of six spectra (1–6) and (7–12). The spectra of both sets are proven to be interrelated by B 3 a symmetry. g and A tensors for each set will be given. Evidence is given that the two sets are to be assigned to the defects α-Al 2 O 3 :Co 2+ ,H + and α-Al 2 O 3 :Co 2+ ,X + . The former is concluded to consists of a Co 2+ ion at the substitutional site (c) and a proton located in a potential minimum along a straight line between O 2- ions situated in O 2+ triangles above and below the CO 2+ ion. The potential function for the proton has been calculated by quantum-chemical calculations to clucidate the geometrical structure of the paramagnetic center. The α-Al 2 O 3 :Co 2+ ,X + could not be fully analyzed but some evidence is presented, that X + might be alkali ions.