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This study observes the managerial practices and perceptions of beekeepers during the decline of bees, in a context of high and increasing bee mortality that approaches 30% per year in Europe. Data collection was done through questionnaires and interviews with French beekeepers between 2018 and 2019. We analyze the results under the prism of stakeholder theory to identify all stakeholders (veterinarians, trainers, farmers, governments, associations, consumers) interacting with beekeepers. The results of the study are used to make recommendations to stakeholders. Due to the high mortality rate of 30% of bees, beekeepers renew at least 30% of their hives each year. They specifically request training on bee health and hive management (for amateur beekeepers). All beekeepers want organic farmers and want a medium-term cooperation between beekeepers, organic farmers and the government (through the application of environmental laws). All stakeholder aware of the disappearance of this pollinator-bees must act quickly to protect and conserve them on earth. This means that the stakeholders at their level must implement strategies of ecological transition in their behavior, because it is a question of saving the pollinators for the Welfare of the Society.

The radon level was assessed in houses from two rural areas localized in Northeastern Romania. Long-term measurements were performed for a period of four months using a digital radon detector, model Corentium Home, AirThings 222. In addition, for every environment included in the study, investigations concerning the building materials, the floor type, the building year and the heating system were made. Accordingly, Spearman’s correlation coefficients of the study variables were calculated. The World Health Organization recommends an upper threshold of 100 Bq/m3 as a national reference level. For both studied areas, we calculated a mean indoor radon level of more than 100 Bq/m3, but in the Tomesti-Osoi area were recorded values of over 100, respectively 300 Bq/m3 in significantly more households. Indoor exposure to radon of people in the investigated houses was found in 75 and 35.3% of the cases, respectively, above the level accepted by international recommendations, with a moderate correlation between mean radon levels and the features of the residential buildings.

International audience; Miscanthus is a C4 perennial grass originating from East Asia, the yields of which progressively increase in the first years of growth. Several species for bioenergy have been studied since the mid-1980s in Europe, in particular (Miscanthus × giganteus [M. × giganteus]), due to its high yields. M. × giganteus is mainly cultivated in France and established from rhizomes. Our study aimed to assess, in field conditions , alternative establishment methods combined with an alternative species, Miscanthus sinensis (M. sinensis). We set up a multi-environment experimental network. On each trial, we tested two treatments with M. × giganteus, established from rhizomes (G_r-sd) and from plantlets obtained from rhizomes (G_p-sd), and two treatments with M. sinensis seedlings transplanted in single (S_p-sd) and double density (S_p-dd). ANOVA was performed to compare establishment and regrowth rates across treatments, as well as yields across treatments and site-years. A logistic model was used to describe yield trends and to compare the maximum yield reached and the rate of yield increase of both species. Results showed that miscanthus establishment from plantlets resulted in higher establishment (between 87% and 92%) and regrowth (between 91% and 94%) rates compared to establishment from rhizomes. Treatments with M. × giganteus obtained higher average yields across site-years than those with M. sinensis, but more variable yields across site-years. We showed a strong species effect on yields, yield components (shoot weight, shoot density and shoot number per plant) and light interception (through leaf area index). Lastly, to use M. sinensis established from transplanted plantlets as an alternative to M. × giganteus, research would be required on the breeding of M. sinensis sterile seeds to avoid risks of invasiveness. K E Y W O R D S biomass, Miscanthus, multi-environment trial, rhizomes, transplanted plantlets, yield trend modelling

International audience; Increasing societal demand for a more ecological agriculture stimulates demand for farm management systems adapted to non-standard situations such as low-nitrogen systems. However, trade-offs between traits of interest could make difficult to reach high agronomic and environment performances. For malting barley, premium prices depend on grain protein content and grain size with strong trade-offs with yield, such traits being highly dependent on practices and genotypes. Here we assume that such trade-offs can be implicitly embedded in models taking into account varietal traits. Starting with an existing wheat-crop model, we developed a parsimonious barley-crop model on how genotypic traits, crop management practices and pedo-climatic environment determine yield, grain protein content and grain size. Grain size predictions required the development of a new module. We parameterized the model with published and new experimental data using 200 genotype-by-environment combinations of high- and low-input management situations. The model was then assessed on 280 other situations, including high and low level of nitrogen input. The relative root mean square error of prediction of the model on hold-out data was below 15% for grain yield, grain protein content and grain retention fraction in high and low-input situations. In addition, the model correctly ranked 72% of the genotype pairs for grain yield, 55% for grain protein content and 85% for grain retention fraction. Our model can be used to predict grain protein content and retention fraction, and rank yield and calibrated yield performance of existing combinations of genotype by management by environment combinations. It also could help to explore new combinations, to support breeding.

Biological invasions reshape environments and affect the ecological and economic welfare of states and communities. Such invasions advance on multiple spatial scales, complicating their control. When modeling stochastic dispersal processes, intractable likelihoods and autocorrelated data complicate parameter estimation. As with other approaches, the recent synthetic likelihood framework for stochastic models uses summary statistics to reduce this complexity; however, it additionally provides usable likelihoods, facilitating the use of existing likelihood-based machinery. Here, we extend this framework to parameterize multi-scale spatio-temporal dispersal models and compare existing and newly developed spatial summary statistics to characterize dispersal patterns. We provide general methods to evaluate potential summary statistics and present a fitting procedure that accurately estimates dispersal parameters on simulated data. Finally, we apply our methods to quantify the short and long range dispersal of Chagas disease vectors in urban Arequipa, Peru, and assess the feasibility of a purely reactive strategy to contain the invasion.

The advancement of wind energy technology brings about an increase in the size and height of the wind turbine towers. As the upscaling of the conventional steel tubular tower is problematic, alternatives are being investigated. In this paper, several configurations were reviewed and the lattice tower was identified as a possible solution. This study analyses and compares the structural performance of the two tower configurations, tubular steel and lattice, of equivalent height, stiffness and mounted rotor, in two sets of tower heights, 120 m and 150 m. The towers are mounted by the baseline 5 MW turbine developed by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The results indicate that lattice towers are a suitable alternative to the tubular towers, providing significant material savings for a similar structural behaviour. Comparable bending moments were recorded in the base of the structures. The most demanding operating condition of the wind turbines was identified to be system braking cause by a sudden increase in wind velocity outside of the operating range. The 150 m lattice tower responds with excessive displacement during this abnormal operating condition; this is a potential issue that can cause generator failure if not accounted for in the rotor design.

We conducted a door-to-door survey in a residential census tract of Philadelphia to estimate the prevalence and spatial patterns of recent bed bug infestations. We interviewed 596 residents, of whom 66 (11.1%) reported recent bed bug infestations. We confirmed current infestations in a subset of 15 (68.2%) of 22 inspected households. Most residents reported that their infestation began within the past year (2012-2013). We found no correlation between property value and infestation status. Spatial analyses showed significant clustering of bed bug infestations only at fine scales, suggesting limited active dispersal of the insects. Residents used a large variety of treatment methods to eliminate bed bugs, but only 48.1% reported success. Our results provide a prevalence estimate of recent bed bug infestations and highlight the importance of passive rather than active dispersal of bed bugs even among dense urban row homes.

In the gas-phase, ions of protein complexes typically follow an asymmetric dissociation pathway upon collisional activation, whereby an expelled small monomer takes a disproportionately large amount of the charges from the precursor ion. This phenomenon has been rationalized by assuming that upon activation, a single monomer becomes unfolded, thereby attracting charges to its newly exposed basic residues. Here, we report on the atypical gas-phase dissociation of the therapeutically important, heterodimeric calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine phosphatase calcineurin, using a combination of tandem mass spectrometry, ion mobility mass spectrometry, and computational modeling. Therefore, a hetero-dimeric calcineurin construct (62 kDa), composed of CNa (44 kDa, a truncation mutant missing the calmodulin binding and auto-inhibitory domains), and CNb (18 kDa), was used. Upon collisional activation, this hetero-dimer follows the commonly observed dissociation behavior, whereby the smaller CNb becomes highly charged and is expelled. Surprisingly, in addition, a second atypical dissociation pathway, whereby the charge partitioning over the two entities is more symmetric is observed. The presence of two gas-phase conformational isomers of calcineurin as revealed by ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) may explain the co-occurrence of these two dissociation pathways. We reveal the direct relationship between the conformation of the calcineurin precursor ion and its concomitant dissociation pathway and provide insights into the mechanisms underlying this co-occurrence of the typical and atypical fragmentation mechanisms.

Objectives: Wide-field transcervical partial laryngectomy often precludes tracheotomy decannulation. It is done infrequently today, primarily because of the popularity of chemotherapy-radiotherapy treatment regimens and limited enthusiasm for using transcervical partial laryngectomy after failed radiotherapy. We sought to identify a new reconstructive technique that would provide an alternative to total laryngectomy in as many patients as possible. Methods: We performed a retrospective examination of 15 patients who underwent single-stage wide-field transcervical partial laryngectomy with cryopreserved aortic homograft reconstruction. Eight of the 15 patients had previously undergone failed radiotherapy. At least 40% of the cricoid circumference was resected in 8 patients. Results: All 15 patients had their tracheotomy tube removed and have laryngeal phonation, and 14 of the 15 resumed oral intake. There were no major surgical complications. Conclusions: Use of aortic homografts is a new, reliable, and versatile reconstructive option for performing conservation laryngeal cancer surgery that allows for airway, swallowing, and voice preservation.

Expression of the protruding (P) domain of the norovirus capsid protein, in vitro, results in the formation of P dimers and larger oligomers, 12-mer and 24-mer P particles. All these P complexes retain the authentic antigenicity and carbohydrate-binding function of the norovirus capsid. They have been used as tools to study norovirus-host interactions, and the 24-mer P particle has been proposed as a vaccine and vaccine platform against norovirus and other pathogens. In view of their pharmaceutical interest it is important to characterise the structure, stability and dynamics of these protein complexes. Here we use a native mass spectrometric approach. We analyse the P particles under both non-reducing and reducing conditions, as it is known that the macromolecular assemblies are stabilised by inter-subunit disulphide bonding. A novel 18-mer complex is identified, and we show that under reducing conditions the 24-mer dissociates into P dimers that reassemble into the 12-mer small P particle and another novel 36-mer complex. The collisional cross-sections of the 12-mer and 24-mer P particles determined by ion mobility MS are in good agreement with theoretical predictions and electron microscopy data. We propose a model structure for the 18-mer based on ion mobility experiments. Our results demonstrate the interchangeable nature and dynamic relationship of all P domain complexes and confirm their binding activity to the host receptors - human histo blood group antigens (HBGAs). These findings, together with the identification of the 18-mer and 36-mer P complexes add new information to the intriguing interactions of the norovirus P domain.

Material is reviewed that consists of reconstituted collagen fibril gel mineralized in a manner that produces biomimetically sized nanoapatites intimately associated with the fibrils. This gel is formed into usable shapes with a modulus and strength that allow it to be surgically press fitted into bony defects. The design paradigm for the material is that the nanoapatites will dissolve into soluble Ca2+ as the collagen is degraded into RGD-containing peptide fragments due to osteoclastic action. This is intended to signal to the osteoclasts to continue removing the material in a biomimetic fashion similar to bony remodeling. Preliminary experiments in a subcutaneous rat model show that the material is biocompatible with respect to inflammatory and immunogenic responses, and that it supports cellular invasion. Preliminary experiments in a critical-sized mandibular defect in rats show that the material is resorbable and functions well as a bone morphogenetic 2 (BMP-2) carrier. We have produced a range of mechanical and biological responses by varying mechanical and chemical processing of the material.

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetically determined pathology that implies bone variability and osteoporosis with early onset of fractures after low energy trauma. For a better understanding of the clinical problems, Sillence and Danks created a classification. The study group consisted of 12 patients both males and females, with ages ranging from 2 years and 3 months to 12 years. All of them came to the hospital late, after walking, after several fractures occurred and the only treatment they underwent was with prolonged cast immobilization that caused rapid bone demineralization, axial deformations of the affected bones, increased number of fractures and eventually loss of ambulation. Following the discharged patients, we appreciated that the open bone alignment and Fassier Duval osteosynthesis were the best way to treat a patient with Lobstein disease. The results showed that by using these two techniques a lot of time is saved on a long term because all the great complications associated with older techniques are gone and a rapid ambulation is possible due to the soft tissue damage that is kept to a minimum.

Background: Effective pharmacological treatment with a favorable side-effect profile increases treatment adherence and is therefore very important for patients with schizophrenia. Psychiatrists need easy to use and reliable assessments instruments to evaluate treatment effectiveness in their patients. Subjects and methods: A group of European leading psychiatrists have proposed a framework for the assessment of treatment effectiveness in patients with schizophrenia - the ASSESS battery (The ASseSsment of EffectivenesS in Schizophrenia Battery) which evaluates the effectiveness of treatment during both the remission and the relapse periods. ASSESS includes: 10 items of Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS), Medication Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), and Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP). The battery assesses five domains: symptomatic remission and retention of treatment, affective symptoms, cognitive functioning, treatment satisfaction and personal and social functioning. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of ASSESS in real world practice. Results: The variations of the PANSS items rated during the study indicate a significant improvement of psychopathology. A similar improvement was observed in cognition, social functioning and treatment satisfaction as shown by BACS, PSP and MSQ scales. Cognitive impairment, personal and social functioning, and treatment satisfaction were correlated with the remission or augmentation of positive symptoms. Conclusions: This pilot study revealed that ASSESS is easy to apply in clinical practice and is a suitable tool for psychiatrists since it covers all the relevant aspects of the course of schizophrenia in a compact form.

The tunneling time asymmetry in type II semiconductor heterostructures is related to the phase difference of the reflection coefficients for the two tunneling directions. Analytical expressions and numerical simulations are given for the difference between the left-to-right and right-to-left tunneling times in asymmetric, single and multiple barrier type II heterostructures.

To emphasize the characteristics and possible pitfalls of nerve reposition in cases of severe bone resorption in the posterior mandibular area, and to modify hard- and soft-tissue manipulation accordingly.We analyzed retrospectively, 7 patients in which we performed full arch lower jaw rehabilitation. The patients presented for oral rehabilitation having a minimal residual bone above the mandibular canal and had undergone inferioral veolar nerve (IAN) displacement with modified surgical technique for fixed prosthetic rehabilitation.Eleven procedures of nerve repositioning were performed on severely atrophic mandibles. The average age of the patients was 43.29 years (12.37 SD). Residual bone above the mental foramen ranged between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm, with an average of 0.93 mm (0.35 SD). In total, 32 dental implants were inserted into the area simultaneously with nerve displacement. The average follow-up time was 35.71 months(41.75 SD), ranging between 7 and 120 months.Severe atrophic cases require special attention due to the loss of keratinized tissue around the crestal area.The use of a modified surgical approach and specific surgical instruments provides a safer working environment for the operator and ensures optimal results.

The most common elbow injuries in pediatric trauma practice are supracondylar fractures of the humerus. Posteriorly displaced fractures may be angulated or displaced medially or laterally with associated internal or external rotation. We compared two groups of patients, each with grade III supracondylar fractures after Gartland. The goal of this study was to see if reduction and pinning maneuvers create neurovascular abnormalities and if there are any differences in terms of neurovascular consequences for reducing grade III Gartland supracondylar fractures of the humerus using reduction in supination or pronation of the forearm. We formed two study groups based on the reduction method used. Concretely: patients who needed reduction in pronation were included in the first group and patients who needed reduction in supination were included in the second group. Patients were added to each group until every group reached 40, to have equal and comparable groups. No statistically significant differences on clinical outcome and neurovascular complications appeared between the two methods of closed reduction. We can say that both methods used are correct.

Lobstein disease is a severe disease characterized primarily by bone fragility which causes numerous fractures, especially in long bones. Multiple fracture of a bone will cause in time a deformity with consecutive functional impotence. The treatment for Lobstein disease in children must take into account both increasing bone strength and fracture prevention and treatment of possible fractures. Regarding the choice of synthesis material, in children, there are many constraints related to the small size of the bones, presence of growth plate and the risk of periosteal blood supply infringement. Currently, for the long-term fixation of long bone fractures in children, telescopic Fassier Duval rods are used, allowing reinforcement throughout growth. In this article we present an 8 years old patient, with a femoral fracture and Lobstein disease, who underwent initial intramedullar fixation with a Kirschner pin which was subsequently replaced by a Fassier Duval telescopic rod. Mounting the telescopic rod was performed minimally invasively through a technique improved in our service. We believe that this method can be applied in all cases where other types of fracture stabilization was used, and to ensure straightness of the medullar canal.

Avian embryonic sympathetic ganglia possess both catecholaminergic and cholinergic features and can synthesize noradrenaline (NAd) and acetylcholine (ACh) simultaneously. In the present study we sought to determine (1) whether or not this coproduction of NAd and ACh corresponds to the existence of two non-overlapping populations, and (2) to what extent the levels of synthesis are influenced by non-neuronal ganglion cells. We have focused on the correlation between the immunocytochemically demonstrable presence of the noradrenergic and cholinergic enzymes tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), respectively, and the synthesis of the corresponding neurotransmitters in embryonic quail sympathetic neuronal and non-neuronal cells purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. We show that (1) freshly sorted neurons synthesize both NAd and ACh, whereas non-neuronal cells produce neither; (2) the overwhelming majority of the sympathetic neurons display TH immunoreactivity; (3) about half of the TH-positive neurons are recognized by an anti-ChAT antibody in an artificial medium that selectively enhances synthesis and/or accumulation of ACh; (4) the non-neuronal cells are important for survival of the neurons and potentiate their synthesis of ACh in this medium, and (5) finally, we present evidence that expression of TH in noradrenergic neurons and in small intensely fluorescent cells of sympathetic ganglia is differentially regulated. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

As the major transbilayer glycoprotein of peripheral myelin, P0 is believed to play a prominent role in the formation of this structure by Schwann cells. The amino acid sequence of the chicken P0 molecule, deduced from the nucleotide sequence of cDNA clones, is reported here. Comparison with the mammalian molecule reveals an extensive overall homology, thus underlining the importance both of the cytoplasmic and of the extracellular domains of this protein in the establishment and preservation of peripheral myelin structure. Unexpectedly, an avian P0 cDNA probe was found to hybridise with several mRNA species, present exclusively in peripheral nerve and in proportions that varied according to the developmental stage. The expression of these transcripts was detected significantly earlier than that of P0 mRNA in mammals.

Nature Chemistry 3, 126–132 (2011); published online 19 December 2010; corrected after print 23 July 2014. In the version of this Article originally published, the trace for cp4 was missing from Fig. 3a; it should have appeared as shown below. This has now been corrected in the online versions of the Article.

Postoperative course for this patient was uneventful and he underwent a modified barium swallow study on POD # 10 which showed no evidence of fistula. The salivary bypass tube was removed in the office 1 month postoperatively. To date (8 months), the patient has no dysphagia to liquids or solids. Aortic homograft provides not only a novel approach to reconstruction of the neopharynx, but may also have potential for pharyngeal stenosis reconstruction. Methods Introduction

Avian embryonic sympathetic ganglia possess both catecholaminergic and cholinergic features and can synthesize noradrenaline (NAd) and acetylcholine (ACh) simultaneously. In the present study we sought to determine (1) whether or not this coproduction of NAd and ACh corresponds to the existence of two non-overlapping populations, and (2) to what extent the levels of synthesis are influenced by non-neuronal ganglion cells. We have focused on the correlation between the immunocytochemically demonstrable presence of the noradrenergic and cholinergic enzymes tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), respectively, and the synthesis of the corresponding neurotransmitters in embryonic quail sympathetic neuronal and non-neuronal cells purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. We show that (1) freshly sorted neurons synthesize both NAd and ACh, whereas non-neuronal cells produce neither; (2) the overwhelming majority of the sympathetic neurons display TH immunoreactivity; (3) about half of the TH-positive neurons are recognized by an anti-ChAT antibody in an artificial medium that selectively enhances synthesis and/or accumulation of ACh; (4) the non-neuronal cells are important for survival of the neurons and potentiate their synthesis of ACh in this medium, and (5) finally, we present evidence that expression of TH in noradrenergic neurons and in small intensely fluorescent cells of sympathetic ganglia is differentially regulated.

Summary. During the past years, several authors have used labelled leucocytes to detect inflammatory foci. However, before routine use in man, it is necessary to control the viability of labelled cells. Five leucocyte labelling techniques (111In-oxine, 111In-oxine without extraction, 99mTc oxine, pyrophosphate 99mTc, 51Cr) were compared using the same separation methods, conservation medium, viability assays and migration studies. Electron microscopic studies allowed the assessment of cellular damage induced by the labelling techniques as well as the calculation of the percentage of cells disrupted during preparation. Results obtained in vitro using 111In-oxine were not satisfactory and in fact appeared contradictory to those published by the authors using this technique in vivo. Even the best method, pyrophosphate 49mTc labelling, was not completely atoxic, but the functional behaviour of the leucocytes did not seem affected. While in vitro studies offer much information concerning labelled cells, they cannot predict the in vivo behaviour of these cells.