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BACKGROUND: It is known that 1-MCP delays softening in kiwifruit. Time to ripen (eating-window) and its variability are considered useful for planning commercial strategies. However, few studies report the firmness and quality changes during long-term cold storage. OBJECTIVES: To study the effects on ripening and sensory attributes of different 1-MCP treatments during long (180 d) and very long-term (≥210 d) cold storage. Then, the optimal 1-MCP dose was applied to determine the time to ripen after cold storage for 30 to 240 d. METHODS: Kiwifruits were treated with 1-MCP: 0.0 (control), 0.5 and 1.0μL L–1. Maturity indices and sensory analysis were achieved after 180 and 210 d of storage at 0 °C. Ethylene production was also measured. Firmness and number of fruits at eating-ripe state (at 20 °C) were monthly determined after 30 to 240 d of cold storage. RESULTS: 1-MCP (1.0μL L–1) delayed kiwifruit softening and prolonged the storage to up 180 d. Longer periods were associated to losses due to over-ripe. Eating windows of 1-MCP-treated fruits were longer than those for untreated fruits. CONCLUSIONS: 1.0μL L–1 1-MCP extends the postharvest life of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit and prolongs the eating window, allowing to plan different commercialization strategies.

BackgroundIn contrast with the setting of acute myocardial infarction, there are limited data regarding the impact of diabetes mellitus on clinical outcomes in contemporary cohorts of patients with chronic coronary syndromes. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and prognostic impact of diabetes according to geographical regions and ethnicity.Methods and resultsCLARIFY is an observational registry of patients with chronic coronary syndromes, enrolled across 45 countries in Europe, Asia, America, Middle East, Australia, and Africa in 2009–2010, and followed up yearly for 5 years. Chronic coronary syndromes were defined by ≥1 of the following criteria: prior myocardial infarction, evidence of coronary stenosis >50%, proven symptomatic myocardial ischaemia, or prior revascularization procedure.Among 32 694 patients, 9502 (29%) had diabetes, with a regional prevalence ranging from below 20% in Northern Europe to ∼60% in the Gulf countries. In a multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, diabetes was associated with increased risks for the primary outcome (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.28 (95% confidence interval 1.18, 1.39) and for all secondary outcomes (all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and coronary revascularization). Differences on outcomes according to geography and ethnicity were modest.ConclusionIn patients with chronic coronary syndromes, diabetes is independently associated with mortality and cardiovascular events, including heart failure, which is not accounted by demographics, prior medical history, left ventricular ejection fraction, or use of secondary prevention medication. This is observed across multiple geographic regions and ethnicities, despite marked disparities in the prevalence of diabetes.ClinicalTrials identifierISRCTN43070564

Phosphites (Phi) are inducers of plant defense responses, although also other effects were reported. In kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa 'Hayward'), we demonstrated that Phi-treated fruit were more tolerant to gray mold development caused by Botrytis cinerea. The mechanisms are not yet well elucidated. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of Phi (30% P2O5, 20% K2O), 0.3% (v/v) on 'Hayward' fruit maturity and quality indices, by application at different physiological stages of the fruit development: T1) one application at bloom; T2) six weekly Phi applications at the exponential phase of fruit growth; T3) combination of treatments 1 and 2; T4) control (without Phi). Kiwifruit of all treatments were harvested after physiological maturity (at least 6.2% total soluble solids content, SSC) and were analyzed at harvest in terms of firmness (N), SSC (%), titratable acidity (%) and color (CIELab). Also fruits were evaluated after 4 months of cold storage and shelf-life (7 days at 20°C). Ethylene production and respiration rate were determined at 20°C in fruit of all treatments. The experiment was conducted during two consecutive years. The results show that the Phi had an effect on firmness, variation between years, but no effects on other maturity indices. Firmness of Phi-treated fruits was higher than control ones at shelf-life, essentially when Phi was applied at the exponential phase of fruit growth. This change in the softening rate was associated with the ethylene production that was also affected by some Phi treatments. Phi treatments (T2 and T3) significantly affected the ethylene and respiration rates, reducing the values at the climacteric peak. This result of Phi on the softening of 'Hayward' kiwifruit in this study may have been mediated through salicylic acid that affects perception or biosynthesis of ethylene.

Recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infectious diseases, especially in women. Antibiotics remain the mainstay of treatment, but their overuse is associated with antibiotic-resistant infections and deleterious effects in the microbiota. Therefore, alternative approaches are fully demanded. Sublingual immunization with MV140 (Uromune), a polyvalent bacterial preparation (PBP) of whole heat-inactivated bacteria, demonstrated clinical efficacy for the treatment of RUTIs, but the involved immunological mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, we demonstrated that MV140 endorses human dendritic cells (DCs) with the capacity to generate Th1/Th17 and IL-10-producing T cells by mechanisms depending on spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk)- and myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88)-mediated pathways. MV140-induced activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and p38 in human DCs is essential for the generated Th1/Th17 and IL-10 immune responses whereas c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) and extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) contribute to Th1 and IL-10 responses, respectively. Sublingual immunization of BALB/c mice with MV140 also induces potent systemic Th1/Th17 and IL-10 responses in vivo. We uncover immunological mechanisms underlying the way of action of MV140, which might well also contribute to understand the rational use of specific PBPs in other clinical conditions with potential high risk of recurrent infections.

This study was partially financed by an unrestricted grant from AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical Spain. The funders had no role in the study design, data col-lection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript. Influenza is often misdiagnosed in children because of the low sensitivity of clinical diagnosis because of nonspecific signs and symptoms. This can be overcome by using digital immunoassays or rapid molecular diagnostic tests with adequate sensitivity and specificity. When using these tests at the patient care site, antibiotic consumption and number of healthcare consultations were reduced.

Recent results have shown that Azospirillum-inoculated lettuce seeds yield a higher number of transplanted plants with superior traits than non-inoculated controls grown with and without saline stress. However, little available information on the possibility that Azospirillum could improve nutritional and quality market parameters on plants grown under saline conditions and extend life storage has prompted us to explore this issue. In this work, seed inoculation with Azospirillum not only promoted higher biomass but also improved lettuce quality when plants were grown under salt-stress conditions. Compared to non-inoculated controls, higher ascorbic acid content was accompanied by a lower oxidation rate in Azospirillum-inoculated plants. In addition, better overall visual quality was linked to higher chlorophyll content, hue, Chroma, L and lower browning intensity. While the beneficial effects of Azospirillum inoculation were more evident at harvest, some of these continued thereafter. Compared to non-inoculated controls, higher aerial biomass, chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content, better overall visual quality, hue, Chroma and antioxidant capacity, and a lower browning intensity were observed after storage in Azospirillum-inoculated plants grown under salt stress. These results suggest that seed inoculation with Azospirillum not only could improve freshly product quality but also extend storage life in lettuce grown under salt stress.

Background Glutaraldehyde-modified natural allergen extracts show significant reduction in the IgE-binding capacity and proteolytic activity. This allows the administration of higher doses in a shorter period of time, and to mix different allergen extracts. Objective Evaluate the safety of different concentrations and mixtures of glutaraldehyde-modified allergen extracts in a large group of paediatric and adult patients undergoing specific immunotherapy treatment. Materials and methods 1855 patients (1156 adults and 699 children), suffering from rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma, participated in an observational multicentre cohort study, to evaluate the safety of immunotherapy using vaccines containing modified allergen extracts. Patients were monosensitised, or polysensitised, and received a therapeutic vaccine containing polymerised allergen extracts adsorbed onto aluminium hydroxide. Safety was assessed by recording all side reactions related to immunotherapy. Results The clinically relevant local reactions totalled 120, (90 immediate and 30 delayed) (1.02% of injections). Of them, 31 (0.26% of injections) occurred in children (26 immediate and 5 delayed) and 89 (0.76% of injections) in adults (64 immediate and 25 delayed). There were 38 systemic reactions. Eleven reactions were immediate (9 of grade 1 and 2 of grade 2) and 27 delayed (22 of grade 1 and 5 of grade 2). There were seven grade 2 systemic reactions (0.06% of the injections). No differences (P > 0.05) in the number of reactions were observed between adults and children and between treatments were found in systemic reactions. All systemic reactions were mild and resolved spontaneously without the need of medication. Conclusion Specific immunotherapy using natural modified allergen vaccines is safe to treat allergic patients, even at higher doses and in mixtures of unrelated allergen extracts. The percentage of adverse reactions detected is lower than those reported in the literature with native unmodified allergen extracts.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is applied to the study of the catalytic hydrogenation of sunflower oil in the presence of a supercritical solvent. A 2D CFD model of a single Pd-based catalyst pellet is presented. Intra-particle concentration profiles for all species present in the mixture (oil fatty acids and hydrogen) are obtained and compared against experimental results. Different particle sizes are studied and external mass transfer and intra-particle diffusional effects are analyzed. External mass transfer coefficients are obtained and presented. Fitting of the intra-particle concentration profiles allowed to verify the kinetic reaction model. The verified kinetic reaction model and intra-particle diffusion coefficients were utilized in a 3D packed bed reactor model, and conversion profiles are obtained.

From the beginning of plant domestication, extensive farming has been the main strategy adopted by agriculture to produce large amounts of food. However, plant production in a continuously deteriorating environment and an exponentially growing human population are important factors that challenge agriculture nowadays. Moreover, agricultural lands are currently expanded to marginal, arid, or semiarid regions where crops are exposed to abiotic stresses as drought and salinity, this last negative factor aggravated by different anthropogenic actions. In addition, contemporary society requires from agriculture to provide food products with high market and nutritional qualities as fruits and vegetables, which should also be free of agrochemicals. In consequence, it is imperative to develop friendly, non-contaminant, sustainable, and energy-saving plant production strategies. In this regard, vegetable production by intensive farming in controlled environments is continuously expanding. On the other hand, recent reports show that plant inoculation with plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could improve vegetable quality and yield under abiotic stresses, and to reduce the pressure that current agriculture exerts on the environment. Within this context, our main purpose was to describe a number of techniques aimed to study the plausible beneficial effects of Azospirillum and related PGPR inoculation on vegetable growth and nutritional quality, with emphasis on the promotion of antioxidant activity.

Drought during flowering negatively affects both leaf physiology and grain yield in maize (lea mays L). We found that Azospirillum brasilense BR11005 could ameliorate these effects. Hybrid DK 636 seeds were inoculated with either autoclaved (control) or living bacteria and sown in pots buried in the field. During flowering, irrigation treatments were: high (HM), medium (MM), and low (LM), corresponding to 100%, 50%, and 25% of the evapotranspirative demand, respectively. Water potential (Ψ), water content (WC), stomatal resistance, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, and proline concentration were determined during the stress period. At harvest, grain number, grain weight (GW, mg grain−1), grain yield (g plant−1), and harvest index (HI), were determined. After LM treatment, plants had increased stomatal resistance, and also showed pronounced reduction in Ψ, WC and chlorophyll content. These effects were weaker in plants previously inoculated with living bacteria, where a significantly higher leaf proline concentration was also evident. Moreover, GW and HI drop due to water restriction during flowering was more pronounced in controls. In short, the physiological improvement of maize plants due to Azospirillum inoculation, could account for the amelioration of the harmful effects that a water shortfall during the flowering period could cause on grain production.

Low SF6 content SF6–N2 mixtures have recently been proposed as a replacement for pure SF6 in the insulation of gas insulated lines (GIL). Among the areas of investigation of such gas mixtures, their electrical decomposition under corona discharges must be studied considering the possible occurrence of such stress in GIL. This paper presents data concerning the decomposition of high-pressure SF6–N2 (5 : 95) mixtures (400 kPa) submitted to negative dc coronas in the absence or presence of 0.3% H2O or 0.3% O2. The chemical stability of these mixtures is compared with that of SF6–N2 (10 : 90) mixtures or undiluted SF6 investigated in the same conditions in a previous paper. The corona discharges were generated with a point-to-plane set-up and the gaseous by-products were assayed by gas chromatography at the end of each run carried out over a range of transported charge covering 0–13 C. The following by-products were detected and assayed: SOF4, SO2F2, (SF4 + SOF2), SO2, S2F10, S2O2F10, S2O3F6, (SF5)2NF, NF3 and N2O. Whatever the type or the concentration of impurity added to the SF6–N2 mixtures the major compound groups, (SOF4 + SO2F2) and (SF4 + SOF2 + SO2), were formed with 5% SF6 in quantities very close to those observed with 10% SF6. However, the lesser production rates of S2F10, (SF5)2NF and NF3 measured with the most dilute SF6–N2 mixtures makes the use of SF6–N2 (5 : 95) more advantageous than that of SF6–N2 (10 : 90) in all cases. Considering the overall quantity of by-products formed in the presence of water or without any impurity added, it appears that SF6–N2 mixtures are, from this point of view, preferable to pure SF6.

The present paper is a continuation of the investigations on the sparking-induced decomposition of SF6 and SF6/N2 (10 : 90) mixtures which have already been carried out in our laboratory, both experimentally and numerically. It concerns the decomposition of SF6/N2 mixtures (100 kPa) containing 100%, 10% or 5% of SF6, under high-energy sparks (3.6 J spark−1) generated in a 340 cm3 experimental cell between a stainless steel point and a stainless steel plane. Our attention was focused on the following main by-products: (SF4+SOF2), (SOF4+SO2F2), S2F10, CF4, CO and CO2 which were studied by varying the concentration of the impurities added H2O, O2 (0–0.2%), in the presence of atoms such as H and C released from vaporized solid insulators (polyethylene [C2H4]n, polypropylene [C3H6]n, Teflon [CF2]n) or from gaseous additives (methane CH4 (0–4%), ethylene C2H4 (0–2%), octofluoropropane C3F8 (0–5%)), with the aim of simulating the occurrence of sparking in electrical devices, especially along spacers. As SF6/CO2 and SF6/N2/CO2 mixtures are reported to be able to constitute promising SF6 substitutes for industrial applications, we also studied the chemical stability of SF6 and SF6/N2 (5 : 95) mixtures in the presence of 0–20% CO2. The presence of additives CH4, C2H4, C3F8 or solid insulator (polyethylene, polypropylene, Teflon) leads to lower production of (SF4+SOF2) and S2F10 in dilute SF6 than in pure SF6 when the percentages of additives or the amounts of solid insulator vaporized are high. Concerning the additive CO2, we observe an increased production of (SOF4+SO2F2) and a formation of large quantities of CO, more pronounced in SF6/N2 (5 : 95) mixtures than in pure SF6. In contrast, the presence of CO leads to a lesser degree of decomposition of diluted than undiluted SF6.

Final kernel number in maize (Zea mays L.) is closely associated with the physiological condition of the crop during the critical period bracketing silking. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a common underlying relationship between kernel number per plant (KNP) and plant growth rate (PGR) during that critical period when plant growth varies because of different abiotic stresses. A relationship between KNP and PGR obtained from a previous study of variation in plant density and incident radiation was used as reference. KNP and PGR were measured in experiments in which incident radiation per plant, nitrogen (N), and water availabilities were the experimental sources of variation. The equation fitted to the data obtained at different radiation levels explained 72% of the variation in the data obtained at different levels of N or water availability. Moreover, different models for each set of data did not provide a significantly better fit than a single model for the two sets of data combined. A common relationship between KNP and PGR was also obtained when N supply and water availability were variable. The relationship between KNP and PGR obtained for treatments in which PGR was varied through plant density and shading also could predict KNP for conditions in which PGR was affected by water and/or N deficiencies. The PGR during the critical period of kernel set is a good predictor of the capacity of the maize plant to set kernels under a wide range of environmental and management practices.

From the point of view of environmental protection, as SF6 has a strong greenhouse effect, high-pressure SF6/N2 (10:90) mixtures could be a good alternative to pure SF6 for use in gas-insulated lines (GIL); thus, the decomposition of these gases should be compared following stress such as corona discharges, susceptible to occur in such electrical equipment. So, the present study concerns the decomposition of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and the mixture SF6/N2 (10:90) at high pressure (400 kPa) under the effect of negative dc or 50 Hz ac corona discharges in the presence or absence of added impurities (H2O and/or O2). The chemical stability of SF6/N2 was compared to that of pure SF6 over a range of transported charge covering 0-12 C in the presence and absence of various proportions of impurities added to the gas. The discharges, generated with a point-to-plane set-up, led to the formation of the following compounds: SOF4, SO2F2, (SF4 + SOF2), SO2, S2F10, S2OF10, S2O2F10, S2O3F6, NF3, SF5NF2, (SF5)2NF, N2O and CO2, which were assayed by gas chromatography at the end of each run. In the absence of impurities added to the gas phase, the overall quantities of by-products formed in SF6 and SF6/N2 (10:90) were very close. In the presence of 0.3% added oxygen, greater amounts of degradation product were found in SF6/N2 (10:90) than in pure SF6. On addition of large quantities of water (≥0.3%) the opposite was observed, even when 0.3% oxygen was added at the same time as the water. So, the use of SF6/N2 (10:90) instead of pure SF6 was beneficial in the dampest conditions studied. This can be accounted for by the inhibitory action of water, especially in dilute SF6, on the formation of by-products that require the SF5 radical such as SOF4 and S2F10, to mention only the most important. It follows that in these conditions (damp, dilute SF6) the pair of degradation products (SF4 + SOF2) becomes preponderant over (SOF4 + SO2F2). However, the quantity of gaseous by-products formed in SF6/N2 (10:90) was much greater than suggested at first sight by the proportion of SF6 in the mixture. This is mainly due to the fact that the dilution of the SF6 fragments in the N2 at the same time inhibits the SF6 regeneration reactions and enhances the hydrolysis/oxidation of the SFx fragments which lead to the formation of sulphur oxyfluorides. This dilution effect is also responsible for the very low levels of S2F10 formed in the mixture.

The chemical stability of 10% SF6-90% N2 mixtures (100 kPa pressure) has been studied under sparking in the presence or absence of an organic insulator (teflon, kel'F, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, megelit), and/or added impurities (0.2% O2 or H2O). The study was carried out experimentally and numerically. The production rates of the main decomposition products of SF6: (SF4 + SOF2), S2F10, etc, and of products containing nitrogen, NF3, N2O, were evaluated. The results from the model led to trends similar to those observed experimentally concerning the effects on gas phase composition, of the presence of atoms such as O, H, C, etc, from the vaporized insulator and/or the added impurities. A comparison of the chemical stability of the SF6-N2 mixture with that of pure SF6 has also been made. The results can be summarized as follows: in all cases, the major byproducts formed were (SF4 + SOF2) and S2F10; the use of the SF6-N2 mixture instead of SF6 led to the decreased formation of degradation products; vaporization of an organic insulator caused an increase in the production of degradation products which was less intense for the mixture than for pure SF6; the study carried out with nitrogen-diluted SF6 showed the importance of foreign atoms (C, H, O, etc) on the proportion of SF6 that is not regenerated. Owing to their tendency to trap fluorine atoms, the impurity atoms prevent SF6 from recombining and can thus lead to the deterioration of the dielectric qualities of the gas mixture.

Maize seeds (Zea mays, L.) hybrid DK 636 (FAO 530) were inoculated either with live (L) or control (autoclaved) Azospirillum brasilense BR 11005 cells during imbibition. Seeds were then dried up to 14% humidity, and stored at 15 — 20°C in the dark. After 0, 5, 15, and 25 days of storage, seeds were germinated in the dark in a humid chamber at 20°C, and seedlings were grown for 5 days. Afterwards, length, fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW), and water content (WC) were determined in coleoptiles, while roots were used to determine Azospirillum most probable number (MPN), DW and root surface. The growth-promoting effect of Azospirillum on root DW and radical surface was significantly evident in all periods of seed storage. However, the effects on coleoptile length, DW and WC were significant only after 15 days of storage. On the other hand, Azospirillum MPN in roots of seedlings from L seeds was 108 cells g−1 at 0 and after 5 days of seed storage, while decreasing to 107 and 105 at 15 and 25 days, respectively. These results indicate an optimal bacterial concentration of 108 − 107 cells g−1 of roots, for a general growth promotion effect on maize seedlings, and 105 to have an effect in roots only. The inoculation system adopted here was able to maintain this last MPN even after drying and storing seeds for up to 25 days.

The composition variations occurring in decaying SF6 arc plasmas in the presence of atoms released from the vaporization of organic insulators (e.g. Teflon, polyethylene, polypropylene, megelit, nylon), copper, oxygen and water were studied between 12 000 K and 300 K by means of a chemical kinetics model. From the results obtained at 300 K and a pressure of 101.3 kPa: (i) the role of the impurities on the formation of the SF6 decomposition products: SF4 , SOF2 , SO2 F2 and S2 F10 , was determined; (ii) it was confirmed that the vaporization of an organic insulator leads to the appearance of CF4 and an increase in the generation of the major byproduct (SF4 +SOF2 ) which is correlated to the production of CF4 ; (iii) it was seen that, for a given amount of vaporized insulator, insulators that contain fluorine atoms brought about less SF6 decomposition than those that did not.

SF6/N2 mixtures with a majority of nitrogen are currently highly recommended, at the international level, in gas insulated transmission lines as an alternative to pure SF6; indeed, these mixtures are much more friendly to the atmosphere and particularly cheap. Among the areas of investigation of such gas mixtures, their electrical decomposition as a function of impurity content and type of discharge must be studied. The present study concerns the decomposition rate of SF6 and SF6/N2 (10:90) mixtures at 400 kPa under negative and 50 Hz alternating current corona discharges carried out without and in the presence of 0.3% H2O added, up to 10 C of transported charge. The corona discharges were generated at 23 °C in a 340 cm3 experimental cell between a stainless steel point (radius of curvature 10 µm) connected to high voltage and a plane layer of aluminium (gap space 2.3 mm for pure SF6 and 3.4 mm for SF6/N2). The gaseous decomposition products SOF4, SO2F2, SF4+SOF2, SO2, S2OF10, S2F10, S2O2F10, S2O3F6, SF5NF2, NF3 and (SF5)2NF were assayed by gas chromatography at the end of each run. The comparison of the formation rates of the byproducts detected in SF6 and SF6/N2 mixtures led to the following conclusions. (i) The use of wet SF6/N2 presents an additional advantage with respect to pure wet SF6 besides those mentioned above; the production rates of all the usual SF6 decomposition products are much lower with the wet SF6/N2 (10:90) mixture than with wet SF6. (ii) More exactly the addition of 0.3% H2O to SF6/N2 greatly affects the production rates of all the compounds whose formation needs SF5 radicals as SOF4; so the lower quantity of products formed in SF6/N2 is in fact more due to the particularly inhibiting effect of water than to the low percentage of SF6 in the mixture. (iii) The production of NF3, SF5NF2 and (SF5)2NF remains very low compared to the other gaseous byproducts.

It is now known that SF6/CF4 mixtures (50–50) make a suitable candidate to supplant pure SF6 in high voltage circuit breakers for low temperature environment applications. When a circuit breaker is operating, the arc plasma decays in the presence of metal, carbon, oxygen and water coming from partial vaporisation and desorption of the electrodes and nozzle (composed of an organic insulator) under the stress. So, in an effort to approach conditions occurring in practice and as a continuation of previous investigations1,2 in our laboratory, we studied the spark decomposition of SF6 and SF6+50%CF4 mixtures in the presence of a solid insulator struck by the electric arc.

Inclusion of pastures in a rotation may reverse the effects of conventional cropping and tillage on soil degradation. We hypothesized that crop-pasture rotations could be defined with a minimum pasture component and a maximum conventional cropping component to accomplish sustainable management. Soil organic carbon (SOC), light-fraction carbon (LFC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and aggregate stability index (ASI) were measured in the surface 0 to 0.15 m of a fine, mixed, thermic Typic Argiudoll with 2% slope under a long-term crop rotation experiment at Balcarce, Argentina. Treatments were continuous cropping and crop-pasture (50:50 and 75:25) rotations. All seedbeds were prepared with conventional tillage. All soil quality indicators decreased with cropping and increased with pasture. Data for each variable were fitted to an exponential model to describe their variation in time. Soil organic C decreased 4.4 g kg -1 in 6 to 7 yr under cropping and rose to the original level (37.2 g kg -1 ) after 3 to 4 yr under pasture. Light-friction C, MBN, and ASI fell 0.9 g kg -1 , 39.0 mg kg -1 , and 43.9, respectively (97-100% of the estimated decline), after 7 yr under cropping, while they recovered to the values at the beginning of the cropping period (1.8 g kg -1 , 99.5 mg kg -1 , and 76.7, respectively) in a few years under pasture. Rotations including a maximum of 7 yr of conventional cropping alternated with a minimum of 3 yr of pasture would maintain soil properties within acceptable limits and meet the goals of sustainable agriculture under conditions similar to this experiment.

This study concerns the production of , , , , and when is subjected to negative polarity corona discharges of varying durations (with transported charges of 1.5, 4 and 6 C) performed with a point-to-plane set-up using a stainless steel or aluminium plane electrode. During the experiments, the parameters varied were the way the measurement cell was prepared (clean and very clean), the pressure (50 to 400 kPa), the concentration of additives such as (0 to 50%) for total gas pressures of 200 kPa and 300 kPa, water (0 to 0.2%) and oxygen (0 to 1%) for a total pressure of 300 kPa. Analyses were carried out using gas phase chromatography. The mode of preparation of the cell proved to be representative of the action of impurities such as water and oxygen on each of the compounds studied. This effect was all the stronger when the pressure was low. In the very clean conditions (effect of and reduced to a minimum) we observed a decrease of the quantities of the main products formed as the pressure or the percentage of was increased. Concerning the effect of the small quantities of added water and oxygen studied in both pure and in the 50 - 50 - mixture, the results showed that, overall, the oxygen and the water enhance the production of all the sulphur oxyfluorides from the fragments (except for which is inhibited by oxygen to the benefit of ) and inhibit the production of . The presence of 50% , a fluorine source, inhibited the production of all the compounds studied independently of the transported charge, the metal used for the plane electrode and the percentages of impurities (, ) added.

Values of hindlimb height and glenoacetabular length are estimated in two ways: a) from an Aptian age sauropod trackway 13 meters long at a site (El Sobaquillo) in La Rioja Province (Spain), and b) from published skeletal reconstructions in Norman (1985), McIntosh (1990) and Farlow (1992). Results that best fit the presently available data are obtained using formulae suggested by Ishigaki (1988) and Lockley et al. (1986) for hindlimb height, and that employed by Far‐low et al. (1989) for glenoacetabular length. Our estimate of the glenoacetabular lengths of trackmakers from El Sobaquillo is consistent with a hypothesis that the sauropods were moving by amble walking. This interpretation is supported by data from other trackways found in La Rioja.

Background Airborne allergens vary from one climatic region to another. Therefore, it is important to analyze the environment of the region to select the most prevalent allergens for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic patients. Objective To evaluate the prevalence of positive skin tests to pollen and fungal allergens collected from local indigenous plants or isolated molds, as well as other outdoor and indoor allergens in allergic patients in 6 different geographical areas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the United Arab Emirates, and Sudan. Materials and methods Four hundred ninety-two consecutive patients evaluated at different Allergy Clinics (276 women and 256 men; mean age, 30 years) participated in this study. The selection of indigenous allergens was based on research findings in different areas from Riyadh and adjoining areas. Indigenous raw material for pollen grains was collected from the desert near the capital city of Riyadh, KSA. The following plants were included: Chenopodium murale, Salsola imbricata, Rumex vesicarius, Ricinus communis, Artiplex nummularia, Amaranthus viridis, Artemisia monosperma, Plantago boissieri, and Prosopis juliflora. Indigenous molds were isolated from air sampling in Riyadh and grown to obtain the raw material. These included the following: Ulocladium spp., Penicillium spp., Aspergillus fumigatus, Cladosporium spp., and Alternaria spp. The raw material was processed under Good Manufacturing Practices for skin testing. Other commercially available outdoor (grass and tree pollens) and indoor (mites, cockroach, and cat dander) allergens were also tested. Results The highest sensitization to indigenous pollens was detected to C. murale (32%) in Khartoum (Sudan) and S. imbricata (30%) and P. juliflora (24%) in the Riyadh region. The highest sensitization to molds was detected in Khartoum, especially to Cladosporium spp. (42%), Aspergillus (40%), and Alternaria spp. (38%). Sensitization to mites was also very prevalent in Khartoum (72%), as well as in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) (46%) and Jeddah (KSA) (30%). Conclusions The allergenicity of several indigenous pollens and molds derived from autochthonous sources was demonstrated. Prevalence studies in different regions of KSA and neighbor countries indicate different sensitization rates to these and other outdoor and indoor allergens.

The spark decomposition of and of mixtures was studied principally at a gas pressure of 200 kPa. The sparks were generated between a point and a plane either under 50 Hz ac voltage (0.09 J per spark) or by discharging a capacitor (3.59 J per spark). Our attention was only focused on the gaseous by-products: and which were assayed by gas chromatography. The last three compounds were principally observed under the higher energy sparks. Their yields were studied varying the cell preparation technique, the metal constituting the plane electrode (aluminium, copper, stainless steel) and the concentrations of two additives, (between 0 and 1%) and (between 0 and 0.2%). The cell preparation procedure had a strong effect on the formation of all products except ; the yield was for example multiplied by when the cell was carefully dried and outgassed and with an aluminium electrode. The aluminium led, whatever the procedure used, to the highest levels of products. Under the high-energy sparks an increase of the oxygen content of or of the mixture led to a decrease of the and formation rates and to an increase of that of the other compounds. An increase of the content had very little effect on production and led to increased production of and and to a lowering of the formation of other compounds. Under the low-energy sparks the addition of to or to the mixture led to a lowering of the and yields like under high-energy sparks and to an increase of (which became observable) and of . Addition of water resulted in an increase of the and yields, in a lowering of and had no effect on which remained unobservable. Finally it should be noted that the addition of 50% of to the had very little effect on the rates of formation of the gaseous by-products except under low-energy sparks where the mixture led to lower production rates for and .

Absorption coefficients k0(m-1 100 kPa-1) of SF6 and of its main gaseous by-products SF4, SOF2 and SO2F2 were measured in the VUV region. The experiments were carried out at a temperature of 298 K and a spectral resolution of 0.1 nm over the wavelength range 115 - 180 nm for SF6, 115 - 220 nm for SF4, 120 - 195 nm for SOF2 and 120 - 210 nm for SO2F2. The highest absorption coefficient values were obtained for SF4 and the lowest for SF6.

L'influence du type de metal constituant l'electrode plane (aluminium, cuivre, acier inoxydable) sur la decomposition de SF 6 (P SF6 =300 kPa) sec (pas d'eau ajoutee, ≃200 ppm v H 2 O) ou humide (2000 ppm v H 2 O) soumis a des decharges couronne (geometrie pointeplan; tension continue de polarite negative; I=25 μA; 0

The study of the formation of Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) dissociation products under point to plane corona discharges was carried out at PSF6=300 kPa using different discharges production conditions (50 Hz ac voltage, dc negative polarity voltage, mean discharge current intensity I varying between 2 and 45 μA for dc negative polarity voltage), for two plane electrode materials (aluminum and stainless steel), and moisture levels (200 and 2000 ppmv H2O). The stable gaseous by‐products formed (SO2F2, SOF4, SOF2, and S2F10) were assayed by gas‐phase chromatography. The results indicate an important effect of the metal constituting the plane electrode and of the moisture conditions whatever the SF6 pressure (100–300 kPa), discharges intensity (I) and voltage type studied. An effect of the increase of SF6 pressure up to 300 kPa was mainly observed for S2F10 and corresponds to a greater formation of this compound with PSF6. The influence of the mean discharge current intensity on SF6 by‐product formation carried out for a transported charge of 1 C showed that for I≤10 μA, the effect varies according to the compound considered and depends on the water content of the SF6 and/or on the plane electrode material, whereas for I≳10 μA, the levels of the four compound studied hardly vary with the current. Comparison of results obtained under ac and dc voltage for a cumulated charge of between 0.5 and 11 C showed that (SO2F2+SOF4) and SOF2 were formed in larger quantities with ac than with dc, unlike S2F10 for which the opposite effect was observed.

A quantitative immunoassay has been developed for the determination of the total IgG subclass levels in human serum. The method is based on an enzyme immunoassay in which IgG subclass proteins IgGx in an unknown serum sample compete with a known quantity of peroxidase (PO)-labelled IgGx in fluid phase for subclass-specific monoclonal antibodies coated to the solid phase of microtiter wells. Using a series of human blood samples an excellent correlation was observed with the IgG-subclass levels determined by single radial immunodiffusion.

RESUMENLos objetivos básicos de este artículo son presentar el actual Sistema Financiero de Angola tanto desde el punto de vista Institucional como de la Política Monetaria; realizar un análisis interno y externo del entorno competitivo del sistema financiero angoleño aplicando la Matriz DAFO o SWOT, con el objetivo de formular estrategias concretando, en una tabla resumen, la evaluación de los puntos fuertes y débiles del sistema financiero estudiado, con las amenazas y oportunidades externas en coherencia con la lógica de que la estrategia debe lograr un adecuado ajuste entre la capacidad interna y la posición competitiva externa. Se concluye presentando algunas recomendaciones de estrategias de futuro.ABSTRACTThe basic objectives of this article are presenting the current financial system of Angola, taking into account the points of view Institutional and Monetary Policy; an analysis of internal and external competitive environment of the financial system by applying the Angolan DAFO or SWOT Matrix, with the aim of formulate concrete strategies, in a chart or a summary table, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the financial system studied, with external threats and opportunities consistent with the logic that the strategy must achieve a proper adjustment between the internal capacity and the external competitive position. It concludes by presenting some recommendations for future strategies.

The emission spectra resulting from corona discharges generated under dc and 50‐Hz ac voltages in SF6, N2, SOF2, SO2F2, S2F10, CF4, SO2, and C2F3Cl3, and mixtures of these gases with SF6 were investigated in the 220–900‐nm wavelength range for gas pressures between 30 and 400 kPa. Characteristic emissions were ruled out only for N2, SF6, CF4, SO2, and C2F3Cl3. We also observed that small concentrations of N2, CF4, or SO2 can be detected in SF6 from the analysis of light emitted between 250 and 420 nm.

For pt.I see ibid., vol.26, no.6, p.1163-76, Dec. 1991. In order to define the origin and the production rate of the CF/sub 4/ formed under the effect of arcing in circuit breakers containing SF/sub 6/ as a gaseous insulator, a series of measurements was taken in two Alsthom circuit breakers in which the gaseous insulator (SF/sub 6/, N/sub 2/), the material from which the nozzle is made (PTFE+CaF/sub 2/, pure PTFE, RPS Ryton R4) and the electrode metal (Cu/W alloy, copper) were changed. Moreover, with the aim of refining the results concerning the influence of the chemical composition of the insulator used to make the nozzle, several insulators (Megelite, PPS Ryton R4, Kel'F, Teflon, polypropylene and nylon) were exposed to sparking in an SF/sub 6/ atmosphere. >

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological features of confirmed influenza A virus infection in patients aged less than 7 years old.We performed a retrospective, descriptive study of the clinical and epidemiological features of influenza A virus infection in patients aged less than 7 years old attending three primary care centers during the 2003-2004 influenza season. Patients with influenza A infection confirmed by immunofluorescence, cell culture, or polymerase chain reaction were interviewed to obtain clinical and epidemiological data on their disease.Influenza A virus was detected in 47 patients aged between 5 months and 7 years (mean: 37.3 +/- 5.7 months). Of these, 35 children (74.4 %) were aged between 0 and 4 years. The most frequent symptoms were fever (100 %), cough (95.7 %), and rhinorrhea (76.6 %). Gastrointestinal symptoms were present in 40.4 % of the patients. The mean duration of fever was 5.2 +/- 1.8 days (range 2-8). Complications occurred in nine patients (19.2 %). The frequency of influenza-like disease in parents was 9.1 % (8/88) at diagnosis of the index case and was 23.9 % (21/88) immediately after the episode in the child (p 5 0.01). The mean number of days of absence from school was 7.5 +/- 3.6 days.The mean age of our patients confirms that influenza is a frequent disease in infancy and childhood. The results demonstrate that the infection is transmitted from children to parents in the household setting, since the frequency of influenza-like symptoms in adults increases after influenza episodes in children.

Les coefficients d'absorption k o (m -1 100 kPa -1 ) du S 2 OF 10 qui constitue l'un des produits de decomposition gazeux du SF 6 soumis a des contraintes electriques ont ete mesures entre 122 et 202 nm. Les experiences ont ete realisees a la temperature de 298 K avec une resolution de 0,1 nm sur toute la gamme de longueurs d'onde. Ces resultats completent ceux que nous avons precedemment publies sur l'absorption du SF 6 , du SF 4 , du SOF 2 et du SO 2 F 2 dans le meme domaine de longueurs d'onde [1].

We investigated the efficacy and safety of anastrozole as neoadjuvant therapy in a group of postmenopausal patients with locally-advanced breast cancer.This was an open-label trial, which recruited patients with histopathologically-confirmed unilateral, locally-advanced, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer (stage IIIA/B). All patients received anastrozole 1 mg/day for 3 months, after which the clinical response was evaluated. All patients with a complete or partial clinical response (cCR or cPR) underwent surgery (radical modified mastectomy), after which patients continued with the same therapy for two years or until progression. Primary end points were clinical response rate (cCR + cPR), surgery rate, pathological complete response rate and tolerability profile.cCR and cPR were seen in 61/112 (54.5%) and 32/112 (28.6%) patients (n=112), respectively, giving an objective response rate of 93/112 (83%) patients. Following surgery in responding patients, 14/61 patients (23%) had a pathological CR and 47/61 (77%) patients had a pathological PR.Neoadjuvant anastrozole treatment was highly effective and well-tolerated in postmenopausal women with hormone-dependent locally-advanced breast cancer.

Absorption coefficients k/sub e/(m/sup -1/.100 kPa/sup -1/) of SF/sub 6/ and of its main gaseous by-products SF/sub 4/, SOF/sub 2/ and SO/sub 2/F/sub 2/ were measured in the 115-220 nm region. The experiments were carried out at a temperature of 298 K and a spectral resolution of 0.1 nm over the wavelength range 115-118 nm for SF/sub 6/, 115-220 nm for SF/sub 4/, 120-195 nm for SOF/sub 2/ and 120-210 nm for SO/sub 2/F/sub 2/. The highest absorption coefficient values were obtained for SF/sub 4/ and the lowest for SF/sub 6/.

The spark decomposition of SF/sub 6/ and SF/sub 6/+ 50% CF/sub 4/ mixtures was studied at a gas pressure of 200 kPa. The sparks were generated between a point and a plane either under 50 Hz AC voltage (0.09 J per spark) or by discharging a capacitor (3.59 J per spark). The authors' attention was only focused on the gaseous SF/sub 6/ by-products: SOF/sub 2/+SF/sub 4/, SOF/sub 4/, SO/sub 2/F/sub 2/, S/sub 2/F/sub 10/, S/sub 2/OF/sub 10/, S/sub 2/O/sub 2/F/sub 10/ and S/sub 2/O/sub 3/F/sub 6/ which were assayed by gas chromatography. Their yields were studied varying the cell preparation technique, the metal constituting the plane electrode (aluminum, copper, stainless-steel) and the concentrations of two additives, O/sub 2/ (between 0 and 1%) and H/sub 2/O (between 0 and 0.2%). The cell preparation procedure had a strong effect on the formation of all products except SOF/sub 2/+SF/sub 4/. The aluminum led, whatever the procedure used, to the highest levels of products. With SF/sub 6/ as well as with the SF/sub 6/+50% CF/sub 4/ mixtures and whatever the spark energy, an increase of the oxygen content led to a decrease of SOF/sub 2/+SF/sub 4/ and S/sub 2/F/sub 10/ production rates and to an increase of that of SOF/sub 4/+SO/sub 2/F/sub 2/. Moreover, an increase of the H/sub 2/O content induced a lowering of the S/sub 2/F/sub 10/ production rate and an increase of those of SOF/sub 2/+SF/sub 4/ and SOF/sub 4/+SO/sub 2/F/sub 2/. With the SF/sub 6/+50% CF/sub 4/ mixture the by-products production rates were lower (10 to 50% depending on the by-product considered and on the O/sub 2/ or H/sub 2/O concentration) than those measured with pure SF/sub 6/.

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is the insulator gas used in most of equipments handling high and very high voltages.Owing to its high global warming potential, SF6 has been classified during the Kyoto conference on climate change among the greenhouse gases. Its emission in the atmosphere must therefore be reduced1. In order to comply with this aim, one of the solutions adopted by the manufacturers and the users of some of these equipments, consists in reducing the quantity of SF6 used by mixing it with zero (or very much lower) risk gases.For instance, as SF6/N2 mixtures with SF6 concentrations lying between 5 and 15% realise a satisfactory compromise between dielectric performances and cost, Electricite de France plans to use these mixtures to fill its future gas-insulated lines2. Under the effect of the corona discharges which can occur in these equipments, part of the SF6 and of N2 will dissociate and lead, in the presence of even low concentrations of H20 and/or 02, to the formation of a lot of other gaseous compounds: (SF4+SOF2), SOF4, S02F2, S2F10, NF3....Previous studies on the decomposition of SF6/N2 (10:90) mixtures under coronas3 showed that, with no impurity added, the total quantity of by-products formed is not very different from that measured in pure SF6 for the same charge transported value. This indicates that the percentage of SF6 consumed increases as its concentration in the gas phase decreases 3,4.This result led us to extend our experiments to SF6/N2 mixtures only containing 5% of SF6.

The interruption of high alternative currents in high-voltage SF6 circuit breakers leads in general to rather strong erosion of the contacts and of the nozzle surrounding the electric arc. The plasma created by the arc is thus established in a mixture composed of the filling gas, the copper vapor, the vapor of the nozzle material and several impurities such as water and oxygen coming from wall desorption. In modern circuit breakers, the nozzle ablation erosion is enhanced in order to increase the pressure in the upstream part of the apparatus, which leads to a strong blowing of the arc at current zero without using an energetic piston effect.

Par j 1 is the major allergen of Parietaria judaica. The objectives of this study were the following: 1) to purify Par j 1; 2) to develop an enzyme immunoassay based on the bivalent properties of specific IgE and IgG to determine the Par j 1 content in several batches of P. judaica extracts; and, 3) to study the contribution of Par j 1 to the total allergenicity and antigenicity of P. judaica extracts. P. judaica pollen was extracted and subjected to hydrophobic interaction and gel filtration chromatography for the purification of Par j 1. Inhibition enzyme immunoassays, SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting were used to characterize the allergen content. The in vivo biological potency of the extracts was estimated by skin prick testing 26 P. judaica clinically sensitive patients. The new enzyme immunoassay showed a high degree of specificity and sensitivity, detecting from 2 to 100 ng Par j 1/ml. The range of Par j 1 content in nine batches ranged from 23% to 78% of the total protein in the extracts. The Par j 1 content showed a significant correlation with the allergenic potency of these extracts evaluated by specific IgE inhibition and skin prick testing; the correlation with the specific IgG inhibition capacity was not significant. Purified Par j 1 shows great specific IgE and IgG binding capacity; its content can be determined using this newly developed enzyme immunoassay. Par j 1 levels exhibit a significant correlation with the biological potency of the extracts. This method allows the detection of Par j 1 isoforms.

1. We have examined the effects of the systemic administration of the selective 5-HT1A agonist alnespirone (S-20499) on in vivo 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) release in the dorsal raphe nucleus, the median raphe nucleus and four forebrain areas innervated differentially by both (dorsal striatum, frontal cortex, ventral hippocampus and dorsal hippocampus). 2. Alnespirone (0.1-3 mg kg(-1), s.c.) dose-dependently reduced extracellular 5-HT in the six areas examined. In forebrain, the maximal reductions occurred in striatum and frontal cortex (maximal reduction to 23 and 29% of baseline, respectively). Those in dorsal and ventral hippocampus were more moderate (to ca 65% of baseline). In contrast, the decrease in 5-HT elicited in the median raphe nucleus was more marked than that in the dorsal raphe nucleus (to ca 30 and 60% of baseline, respectively). The selective 5-HT1A antagonist WAY-100635 (0.5 mg kg(-1), s.c.) prevented the decrease in 5-HT induced by alnespirone (0.3 mg kg(-1), s.c.) in frontal cortex. 3. 8-OH-DPAT (0.025, 0.1 and 0.3 mg kg(-1), s.c.) also reduced extracellular 5-HT in a regionally-selective manner (e.g., to 32% of baseline in striatum and to 69% in dorsal hippocampus at 0.1 mg kg(-1), s.c.). In midbrain, 8-OH-DPAT reduced the dialysate 5-HT slightly more in the median than in the dorsal raphe nucleus at all doses examined. 4. Doses of both compounds close to their respective ED50 values (0.3 mg kg(-1) alnespirone, 0.025 mg kg(-1) 8-OH-DPAT) reduced 5-HT to a comparable extent in all regions examined. However, the reductions attained at higher doses were more pronounced for 8-OH-DPAT. 5. These data show that the reduction of 5-HT release elicited by alnespirone and 8-OH-DPAT is more important in forebrain areas innervated by 5-hydroxytryptaminergic neurones of the dorsal raphe nucleus. This regional selectivity seems unlikely to be accounted for by differences in the sensitivity of 5-HT1A autoreceptors controlling 5-HT release, given the dissimilar effects of these two 5-HT1A agonists in regions rich in cell bodies and nerve terminals. This suggests the presence of complex mechanisms of control of 5-HT release by 5-HT1A receptors.

It is now known that SF6/CF4 mixtures (50–50) make a suitable candidate to supplant pure SF6 in high voltage circuit breakers for low temperature environment applications. When a circuit breaker is operating, the arc plasma decays in the presence of metal, carbon, oxygen and water coming from partial vaporisation and desorption of the electrodes and nozzle (composed of an organic insulator) under the stress. So, in an effort to approach conditions occurring in practice and as a continuation of previous investigations1,2 in our laboratory, we studied the spark decomposition of SF6 and SF6+50%CF4 mixtures in the presence of a solid insulator struck by the electric arc.