WorldWideScience

Sample records for vetch astragalus miser

  1. Mis\\`ere Games and Mis\\`ere Quotients

    OpenAIRE

    Siegel, Aaron N.

    2006-01-01

    These lecture notes are based on a short course on mis\\`ere quotients offered at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, in November 2006. They include an introduction to impartial games, starting from the beginning; the basic mis\\`ere quotient construction; a proof of the Guy--Smith--Plambeck Periodicity Theorem; and statements of some recent results and open problems in the subject.

  2. Indicators of winter vetch (Vicia spp seed vigor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vujaković Milka

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Common vetch (Vicia sativa L, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth, and Pannonian vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz are the most often grown varieties in the production area of Serbia. The most important problem in the production of vetch seed is lodging. Yield and seed quality in lodged crops can be significantly reduced. Therefore, it is very important to accurately estimate the quality, and viability of produced seed. Common vetch, hairy vetch and Pannonian vetch were submitted to vigor testing using standard laboratory test, cold test, Hiltner test, and three variants of accelerated aging tests (39°C,72 h; 39°C, 96 h; 45°C, 48 h. When the standard laboratory test was applied, the common vetch achieved the highest seed germination value of 90%, while decreased rate of seed germination was due to unfavorable conditions applied in vigor tests. Above ground seedling growth parameters were the lowest when Hiltner test was applied. Length and mass of the root system were the lowest when accelerated aging test was applied. Hairy vetch obtained the lowest values for all tested parameters when Hiltner test was applied. Application of different variants of accelerated aging tests indicated that tested parameters were not dependent on the applied temperature, while reduction in legumes vigor was under the influence of temperature duration.

  3. 77 FR 16252 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Recovery Permit Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-20

    ..., you may use one of the following methods to request hard copies or a CD-ROM of the documents. Please... barnebyi (Barneby reed-mustard). Lepidium barnebyanum (Barneby ridge-cress). Astragalus holmgreniorum... cactus). Astragalus ampullarioides (Shivwitz milk-vetch). Schoenocrambe suffrutescens (Shrubby reed...

  4. Les Miserables (2012) : Motion Picture

    OpenAIRE

    Lauri Lucente, Gloria; Buhagiar, Celaine

    2013-01-01

    Les Miserables : In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives for ever.

  5. MISER-I: a computer code for JOYO fuel management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamashita, Yoshioki

    1976-06-01

    A computer code ''MISER-I'' is for a nuclear fuel management of Japan Experimental Fast Breeder Reactor JOYO. The nuclear fuel management in JOYO can be regarded as a fuel assembly management because a handling unit of fuel in JOYO plant is a fuel subassembly (core and blanket subassembly), and so the recording of material balance in computer code is made with each subassembly. The input information into computer code is given with each subassembly for a transfer operation, or with one reactor cycle and every one month for a burn-up in reactor core. The output information of MISER-I code is the fuel assembly storage record, fuel storage weight record in each material balance subarea at any specified day, and fuel subassembly transfer history record. Change of nuclear fuel composition and weight due to a burn-up is calculated with JOYO-Monitoring Code by off-line computation system. MISER-I code is written in FORTRAN-IV language for FACOM 230-48 computer. (auth.)

  6. A Review of Recent Research Progress on the Astragalus Genus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoxia Li

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus L., is one of the largest genuses of flowering plants in the Leguminosae family. Roots of A. membranaceus Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge. Hsiao, A. membranaceus (Fisch. Bge. and its processed products are listed in the China Pharmacopeia for “qi deficiency” syndrome treatment. However, more and more researches on other species of Astragalus have been conducted recently. We summarize the recent researches of Astragalus species in phytochemistry and pharmacology. More than 200 constituents, including saponins and flavonoids, obtained from 46 species of Astragalus genus were collected for this article. In pharmacological studies, crude extracts of Astragalus, as well as isolated constituents showed anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant, antioxidative, anti-cancer, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, and antiviral activities. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of chemical and pharmacological studies on the Astragalus species over the last 10 years, which could be of value to new drug or food supplement research and development.

  7. Winter forage quality of oats (avena sativa), barley (hordeum vulgare) and vetch (vicia sativa) in pure stand and cereal legume mixture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ullah, Z.

    2015-01-01

    A field study was carried out for two consecutive years in subtropical rainfed conditions of Rawalpindi, Pakistan to evaluate the forage quality of oats, barley and vetch grown in pure stands and cereal-legume mixtures. Treatments comprised oats pure stand, oats in oats-vetch mixture, barley pure stand, barley in barley-vetch mixture, vetch pure stand, vetch in oats-vetch mixture and vetch in barley-vetch mixture. Forage yield and quality of oats and barley were improved in oats-vetch and barley-vetch mixtures than their respective pure stands. The higher values of crude protein (CP) and lower values of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) reflected quality forage. CP for oats in oats-vetch -1 -1 mixture and barley in barley-vetch mixture was 175 g kg and 170 g kg, -1 respectively. NDF and ADF for oats in oats-vetch mixture were 494 g kg /sup -1/ and 341 g kg, respectively; while these values for barley in barley-vetch -1 -1 mixture were 340 g kg and 176 g kg, respectively. (author)

  8. Astragalus Injection for Hypertensive Renal Damage: A Systematic Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tian Sun

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of astragalus injection (a traditional Chinese patent medicine for patients with renal damage induced by hypertension according to the available evidence. Methods. We searched MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI, Chinese VIP Information, China Biology Medicine (CBM, and Chinese Medical Citation Index (CMCI, and the date of search starts from the first of database to August 2011. No language restriction was applied. We included randomized controlled trials testing astragalus injection against placebo or astragalus injection plus antihypertensive drugs against antihypertensive drugs. Study selection, data extraction, quality assessment, and data analyses were conducted according to the Cochrane review standards. Results. 5 randomized trials (involving 429 patients were included and the methodological quality was evaluated as generally low. The pooled results showed that astragalus injection was more effective in lowering β2-microglobulin (β2-MG, microalbuminuria (mAlb compared with placebo, and it was also superior to prostaglandin in lowering blood urea nitrogen (BUN, creatinine clearance rate (Ccr. There were no adverse effects reported in the trials from astragalus injection. Conclusions. Astragalus injection showed protective effects in hypertensive renal damage patients, although available studies are not adequate to draw a definite conclusion due to low quality of included trials. More rigorous clinical trials with high quality are warranted to give high level of evidence.

  9. Secondary metabolites from the roots of Astragalus maximus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Ghasemian-Yadegari

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background and objectives: Astragalus is one of the most abundant genera of flowering plants in Iran. There are a few reports on phytochemical investigation of this valuable genus. Saponins, flavonoids and polysaccharides have been reported as the most important metabolites in Astragalus species. In the present research, we aimed to identify the foremost constituents of Astragalus maximus. Method: Phytochemical analysis of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc fraction of Astragalus maximus roots was performed using different methods of chromatography such as HPLC, SPE and preparative TLC. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectral evidence from 1D and 2D NMR including DQF-COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and DEPT, in comparison with reported values in the literature. Results: Analysis of the extract yielded three flavonoids namely liquiritigenin, formononetin, isoquercitrin and one acylated cycloartane-type saponin, astragaloside I. Conclusion: According to the results of our study, cycloartane-type saponin and flavonoids were the important metabolites in A. maximus.

  10. Um Banco na Misericórdia de Viana do Castelo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hugo Silveira Pereira

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available On the second half of the XIX century, the Portuguese governments believed that the development of the kingdom required the widening of the credit to agriculture and the fostering of communications and education. In 1866 and 1867, to achieve the first of those requirements, the government published two laws that allowed charity institutions like the Misericórdias to use their assets in order to create rural and industrial banks. In Viana do Castelo, the local Misericórdia took advantage of that law and created the Banco Agrícola e Industrial Vianense.

  11. Symbiotic dinitrogen fixation measurement in vetch-barley mixed swards using 15 N methodology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurdali, F.; Sharabi, N.E.

    1995-01-01

    Field experiment on vetch and barley grown in monoculture and in mixed culture (3:1) under rain-fed conditions was conducted in 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 growing season. Three harvests were effectuated on one treatment throughout the growing season. While, other plots were harvested once at physiological maturity stage. Our results showed the importance of mixed cropping system of vetch and barley grown under rain fed conditions in terms of dry matter production, total nitrogen content and land use efficiency expressed as land equivalent ration (L.E.R). This advantage is clear in the plants harvested once at the end of the season. Therefore, it is important to grow legumes and cereals under rain fed conditions and to be left until late stage of growth and fed by animals directly. On the other hand, only two harvests could be done in the season with no additional harvests because this may weaken the plant growth, and as a result of the last approach we will obtained poor production due to unpredicated an appropriate rain fall after the second harvest (April). Nitrogen fixation efficiency in vetch measured by sup 1 sup 5 N isotop dilution method varied with the number of harvests and the procedure adopted in culture. Comparing the results of %Ndfa of vetch between monoculture and mixed culture showed that the values in most cases were higher in mixed culture. The competition between vetch and barley in the mixed stand for soil N-uptake made the barley supplements its N requirements from soil. The poor competitiveness of vetch capability for soil N-uptake enhanced it to fix more nitrogen. On the other hand, N residual after harvest was higher in the mixed treatment than the others. Positive and high final nitrogen balance were observed with the inclusion of vetch in the mixture. We excluded, under the current experimental conditions, the possibility of N-transfer from vetch to barley due to the insignificant differences in the value of sup 1 sup 5 N atom excess for

  12. Symbiotic dinitrogen fixation measurement in vetch-barley mixed swards using {sup 15} N methodology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kurdali, F; Sharabi, N E [Atomic Energy Commission, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic). Dept. of Radiation Agriculture

    1995-01-01

    Field experiment on vetch and barley grown in monoculture and in mixed culture (3:1) under rain-fed conditions was conducted in 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 growing season. Three harvests were effectuated on one treatment throughout the growing season. Our results showed the importance of mixed cropping system of vetch and barley grown under rain fed conditions in terms of dry matter production, total nitrogen content and land use efficiency expressed as land equivalent ration (L.E.R). This advantage is clear in the plants harvested once at the end of the season. Therefore, it is important to grow legumes and cereals under rain fed conditions and to be left until late stage of growth and fed by animals directly. On the other hand, only two harvests could be done in the season with no additional harvests because this may weaken the plant growth, and as a result of the last approach we obtained poor production due to unpredicated an appropriate rain fall after the second harvest (April). Nitrogen fixation efficiency in vetch measured by {sup 1 5} N isotope dilution method varied with the number of harvests and the procedure adopted in culture. Comparing the results of %Ndfa of vetch between monoculture and mixed culture showed that the values in most cases were higher in mixed culture. The competition between vetch and barley in the mixed stand for soil N-uptake made the barley supplements its N requirements from soil. The poor competitiveness of vetch capability for soil N-uptake enhanced it to fix more nitrogen. On the other hand, N residual after harvest was higher in the mixed treatment than the others. Positive and high final nitrogen balance were observed with the inclusion of vetch in the mixture. We excluded, under the current experimental conditions, the possibility of N-transfer from vetch to barley due to the insignificant differences in the value of {sup 1 5} N atom excess for barley between the two types of farming. 35 refs., 2 figs., 15 tabs.

  13. [Autotoxicity of aqueous extracts from plant of cultivated Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xin-Hui; Lang, Duo-Yong; Chen, Jing; Zhao, Yun-Sheng; Wu, Xiu-Li; Fu, Xue-Yan

    2014-02-01

    To exploring the relationship between continuous cropping obstacle and autotoxicity of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus, autotoxic effect of plant aqueous extract were determined. Distilled water (CK), aqueous extract of plant, including root, stem and leaf (12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/mL respectively)were applied to testing their effect on early growth of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus. Specifically, seed germination rate, germination index, emergence rate, elongation of radical and embryo, and seedling vigor index were determined. The aqueous extract of root, stem, and leaf at 25 mg/mL significantly inhibited the seed germination and seedling growth of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus, and this inhibitory effect generally increased with the increase of the concentration of aqueous extracts. To the comprehensive allelopathic effect, the extracts from Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus stem were more inhibitory than those from leaf and root. The germination index and seedling vigor index were more sensitive to extract than other determined parameters. Aqueous extracts from Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus plant gave inhibitory effects on Astragalus. membranaceus var. mongholicus germination and seedling growth, and this inhibitory effect generally increased with the increases of aqueous extract concentration at a certain ranges. In conclusion, there is an autotoxicity in continuous cropping of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus.

  14. Study on toxicity mutation of crown-vetch induced by radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yi Huying; Yu Hongbin; Ma Jianzong

    1992-01-01

    The suckers of Germany crown-vetch were irradiated by 60 Co gamma ray and fast neutron. The toxicity mutation frequency and genetic stability of crown-vetch were studied. The various toxicity mutants were found in M 1 . Most of the toxicity mutants was unstable in M 2 , Stable mutant was very few (about 2.0-12.9%). β-nitropropionic acid in the low toxicity mutants selected was 31.7-39.8 mg/g. Genetic characteristics of low toxicity mutants were stable in M 3 -M 5

  15. Effect of 15n-labeled hairy vetch and nitrogen fertilization on maize nutrition and yield under no-tillage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almeida Acosta, Jose Alan de; Amado, Telmo Jorge Carneiro; Silva, Leandro Souza da; Silveira Nicoloso, Rodrigo da

    2011-01-01

    This study evaluated the effect of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) as cover crop on maize nutrition and yield under no tillage using isotope techniques. For this purpose, three experiments were carried out: quantification of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in hairy vetch; estimation of the N release rate from hairy vetch residues on the soil surface; quantification of 15 N recovery by maize from labeled hairy vetch under three rates of mineral N fertilization. This two year field experiment was conducted on a sandy Acrisol (FAO soil classification) or Argissolo Vermelho distrofico arenico (Brazilian Soil Classification), at a mean annual temperature of 18 deg C and mean annual rainfall of 1686 mm. The experiment was arranged in a double split-plot factorial design with three replications. Two levels of hairy vetch residue (50 and 100 % of the aboveground biomass production) were distributed on the surface of the main plots (5 x 12 m). Maize in the sub-plots (5 x 4 m) was fertilized with three N rates (0, 60, and 120 kg ha -1 N), with urea as N source. The hairy vetch-derived N recovered by maize was evaluated in microplots (1.8 x 2.2 m). The BFN of hairy vetch was on average 72.4 %, which represents an annual input of 130 kg ha -1 of atmospheric N. The N release from hairy vetch residues was fast, with a release of about 90 % of total N within the first four weeks after cover crop management and soil residue application. The recovery of hairy vetch 15 N by maize was low, with an average of 12.3 % at harvest. Although hairy vetch was not directly the main source of maize N nutrition, the crop yield reached 8.2 Mg ha -1 , without mineral fertilization. There was an apparent synergism between hairy vetch residue application and the mineral N fertilization rate of 60 kg ha -1 , confirming the benefits of the combination of organic and inorganic N sources for maize under no tillage. (author)

  16. Sowing Depth Effects on Vetch Yield in Maragheh Dry Lands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J Asghari Meidany

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Increases forage production and economic production in rainfed condition requires attention to agricultural issues such as determination of appropriate sowing depth. So in order to determine the effect of different sowing depths of vetch this experiment was conducted in Agricultural Research Station of Maragheh as strip plot based on randomized complete block design with three species of vetch V. sativa , V. dasycarpa-kouhak and V. narbonensis velox67 as main plots and three sowing depth as sub factor. Results showed that the effect of sowing depth on Vicia yield was significant at the 1% level and the maximum yield of wet hay, dry hay, straw and seed depth of belong to 8-10 cm depth and respectively are 5.364, 3.416, 4.389 and 1.081 ton per ha whereas the minimum yield of wet hay, dry hay, straw and seed depth of belong to 2-4 cm depth and respectively are 4.888, 2.318, 3.729 and 0.825. Among the three Vicia species the highest yield of wet hay, dry hay , straw and seed belongs to V. dasykarpa and respectively are 5.632, 3.532, 4.614 and 1.065 ton/ha. Soil moisture study in the field of these vetches at the time of 10 % vetch flowering showed water differences. V.dasycarpa had lower water depletion from soil. The amount of average soil water for species included: V. dasycarpa 26.31, V. sativa 23.76 and V. narbonesis 22.5.

  17. Effect of {sup 15}n-labeled hairy vetch and nitrogen fertilization on maize nutrition and yield under no-tillage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almeida Acosta, Jose Alan de [Drakkar Solos, Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Amado, Telmo Jorge Carneiro; Silva, Leandro Souza da, E-mail: tamado@smail.ufsm.b, E-mail: leandro@smail.ufsm.b [Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), RS (Brazil). Soil Dept.; Neergaard, Andreas de; Vinther, Mads, E-mail: adn@life.ku.d [University of Copenhagen (Denmark); Silveira Nicoloso, Rodrigo da, E-mail: rodrigo.nicoloso@cnpsa.embrapa.b [Embrapa Swine and Poultry, Concordia, SC (Brazil)

    2011-07-15

    This study evaluated the effect of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) as cover crop on maize nutrition and yield under no tillage using isotope techniques. For this purpose, three experiments were carried out: quantification of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in hairy vetch; estimation of the N release rate from hairy vetch residues on the soil surface; quantification of {sup 15}N recovery by maize from labeled hairy vetch under three rates of mineral N fertilization. This two year field experiment was conducted on a sandy Acrisol (FAO soil classification) or Argissolo Vermelho distrofico arenico (Brazilian Soil Classification), at a mean annual temperature of 18 deg C and mean annual rainfall of 1686 mm. The experiment was arranged in a double split-plot factorial design with three replications. Two levels of hairy vetch residue (50 and 100 % of the aboveground biomass production) were distributed on the surface of the main plots (5 x 12 m). Maize in the sub-plots (5 x 4 m) was fertilized with three N rates (0, 60, and 120 kg ha{sup -1} N), with urea as N source. The hairy vetch-derived N recovered by maize was evaluated in microplots (1.8 x 2.2 m). The BFN of hairy vetch was on average 72.4 %, which represents an annual input of 130 kg ha{sup -1} of atmospheric N. The N release from hairy vetch residues was fast, with a release of about 90 % of total N within the first four weeks after cover crop management and soil residue application. The recovery of hairy vetch {sup 15}N by maize was low, with an average of 12.3 % at harvest. Although hairy vetch was not directly the main source of maize N nutrition, the crop yield reached 8.2 Mg ha{sup -1}, without mineral fertilization. There was an apparent synergism between hairy vetch residue application and the mineral N fertilization rate of 60 kg ha{sup -1}, confirming the benefits of the combination of organic and inorganic N sources for maize under no tillage. (author)

  18. Dinitrogen fixation estimates in Vetch-barley swards using {sup 15} N-methodology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kurdali, F; Sharabi, N E [Atomic Energy Commission, P.O.Box 6091, Damascus, (Syrian Arab Republic)

    1995-10-01

    N 2- fixation in vetch (Vicia Sativa) grown alone and in mixture with barley (hordeum vulgare) in pots was evaluated using {sup 15} N isotope dilution method. Two harvests were made over the growing season. The proportion of the above-ground N, derived from atmospheric N 2 (% Ndfa) in mixed vetch was significantly higher than that of vetch in pure culture for the different harvests. However, this increase was not accompanied with the amount of N 2-fixation. On the other hand, no significant differences were observed in N-content or in N-derived from soil between barley grown in mixture and in monoculture, in spite of the difference in the number of plants between the tow cropping systems. These results indicate a high competing capacity of barley for soil nitrogen in mixed culture. Barley grown together with vetch had lower atom % 15 N excess than barley grown in mono-culture because it may have received some of their N from N-released by the legume in the second herbage but not in the first. Overall, results obtained from this experiment indicate the importance of mixed crops for forage production. Based on these results, further investigation must carried out in the field. 1 fig.

  19. 78 FR 37564 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Recovery Permit Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-21

    .... Alternatively, you may use one of the following methods to request hard copies or a CD-ROM of the documents...) Barneby ridge-cress (Lepidium barnebyanum), Barney reed-mustard (Schoenocrambe barnebyi), Holmgren milk... (Pediocactus despainii), Shivwitz milk-vetch (Astragalus ampullarioides), shrubby reed-mustard (Schoenocrambe...

  20. Evolution and homology of the astragalus in early amniotes: new fossils, new perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Keefe, F Robin; Sidor, Christian A; Larsson, Hans C E; Maga, Abdoudaye; Ide, Oumarou

    2006-04-01

    The reorganization of the ankle in basal amniotes has long been considered a key innovation allowing the evolution of more terrestrial and cursorial behavior. Understanding how this key innovation arose is a complex problem that largely concerns the homologizing of the amniote astragalus with the various ossifications in the anamniote tarsus. Over the last century, several hypotheses have been advanced homologizing the amniote astragalus with the many ossifications in the ankle of amphibian-grade tetrapods. There is an emerging consensus that the amniote astragalus is a complex structure emerging via the co-ossification of several originally separate elements, but the identities of these elements remain unclear. Here we present new fossil evidence bearing on this contentious question. A poorly ossified, juvenile astragalus of the large captorhinid Moradisaurus grandis shows clear evidence of four ossification centers, rather than of three centers or one center as posited in previous models of astragalus homology. Comparative material of the captorhinid Captorhinikos chozaensis is also interpretable as demonstrating four ossification centers. A new, four-center model for the homology of the amniote astragalus is advanced, and is discussed in the context of the phylogeny of the Captorhinidae in an attempt to identify the developmental transitions responsible for the observed pattern of ossification within this clade. Lastly, the broader implications for amniote phylogeny are discussed, concluding that the neomorphic pattern of astragalus ossification seen in all extant reptiles (including turtles) arose within the clade Diapsida.

  1. SUPPLEMENTARY VALUE OF VETCH (VICIA DASYCARPA) HAY ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Personal

    on feed intake and digestibility as well as milk production and composition in lactating F1 crossbred. (Boran x Friesian) cows fed .... the start of the experiment. The calves were separated from their dams five days after parturition. Experimental feeds. Vetch was harvested at 50% flowering, field cured, baled and stored in a ...

  2. Effect of compounds astragalus extract and cysteamine on finishing pigs growth and protein turnover

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Cheng; Wang Zhisheng; Zhou Anguo; Liu Guilian; Xue Bai

    2008-01-01

    32 PIC pigs, weighted 59.82±1.32 kg on average, were subjected randomly to 4 treatments for determining the effects of extrogenous metabolism-regulating agents on pig performance, protein turn-over and nitrogen retention by using isotope ( 15 N-Gly) technique and nitrogen balance trial. The 4 treatments were: (1) basal diet; (2) basal diet plus cysteamine (70mg/kg, CS group); (3) basal diet plus non-stable astragalus extracts 250mg/kg (NCAE group); (4) basal diet plus stably astragalus extracts 250mg/kg (CAE group). Astragalus extracts and cysteamine, especially NCAE, redounded to increase pig performance, especially increase average day gain (P<0.05). Both astragalus extracts and cysteamine accelerated protein aggradation rate and amino acid utilization rate, as well as biological value. Astragalus extracts helped to accelerate the synthesis rate of amino acid into body protein and reduce the excretion rate of endogenous urine nitrogen. The mechanism of increasing protein deposition of cysteamine is reducing body protein degradation rate (26.71% reduction, compared to control group), while that of astragalus extracts is bilateral, reducing protein degradation rate (24.84% and 3.66% reduction for NCAE and CAE) and accelerating protein synthesis rate (22.86% and 19.18% increase for NCAE and CAE). Both astragalus extracts and cysteamine contributed the increasing nitrogen retention, net nitrogen utilization and biological value. (authors)

  3. Astragalus Polysaccharide Suppresses 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haifeng Li

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus membranaceus is a medicinal plant traditionally used in China for a variety of conditions, including inflammatory and neural diseases. Astragalus polysaccharides are shown to reduce the adverse effect of levodopa which is used to treat Parkinson’s disease (PD. However, the neuroprotective effect of Astragalus polysaccharides per se in PD is lacking. Using Caenorhabditis elegans models, we investigated the protective effect of astragalan, an acidic polysaccharide isolated from A. membranaceus, against the neurotoxicity of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, a neurotoxin that can induce parkinsonism. We show that 6-OHDA is able to degenerate dopaminergic neurons and lead to the deficiency of food-sensing behavior and a shorter lifespan in C. elegans. Interestingly, these degenerative symptoms can be attenuated by astragalan treatment. Astragalan is also shown to alleviate oxidative stress through reducing reactive oxygen species level and malondialdehyde content and increasing superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities and reduce the expression of proapoptotic gene egl-1 in 6-OHDA-intoxicated nematodes. Further studies reveal that astragalan is capable of elevating the decreased acetylcholinesterase activity induced by 6-OHDA. Together, our results demonstrate that the protective effect of astragalan against 6-OHDA neurotoxicity is likely due to the alleviation of oxidative stress and regulation of apoptosis pathway and cholinergic system and thus provide an important insight into the therapeutic potential of Astragalus polysaccharide in neurodegeneration.

  4. The street demonstrations of portuguese misericórdias within the baroque context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lobo de Araujo, María Marta

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyses some of the public demonstrations of the Portuguese Misericórdias within the baroque context, highlighting some of the most relevant aspects of those moments. Magnificence, splendour, pomp and charity were some of the ingredients that would be associated in these occasions, under the goal of publicizing their charity rituals and, simultaneously grant visibility to the power of those who were members of these institutions. Gestures, prepared to the detail, ceremonies that were designed to be unique and behaviours that were expected to be adequate, such were the mechanisms that the Misericórdias activated whenever they would elevate themselves in these public street demonstrations.

    Nuestro trabajo analiza algunas de las manifestaciones públicas de las Misericordias portuguesas en el contexto barroco, destacando los aspectos más relevantes de aquellos tiempos. Grandiosidad, esplendor, brillo y caridad eran algunos de los ingredientes que se asociaban a aquellas ocasiones, con el objetivo de publicitar los rituales de caridad y, simultaneamente, dar visibilidad al poder de aquellos que dirigían estas instituciones. Gestos preparados con meticulosidad, ceremonias que pretendían ser inigualables y comportamientos que se esperaban adecuados, eran mecanismos que las Misericordias desplegaban cuando estas manifestaciones públicas salían a las calles. [pt] O nosso trabalho analisa algumas das manifestações públicas das Misericórdias portuguesas em contexto barroco, procurando destacar os aspectos mais relevantes desses momentos. Grandiosidade, esplendor, brilho e caridade eram alguns dos ingredientes que se associavam nessas ocasiões, com o objectivo de publicitar os seus rituais de caridade e simultaneamente dar visibilidade ao poder dos que compunham estas instituições. Gestos preparados com minúcia, cerimónias que se desejavam inegualáveis e comportamentos que se esperavam adequados eram

  5. Diverse Mesorhizobium bacteria nodulate native Astragalus and Oxytropis in arctic and subarctic areas in Eurasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ampomah, Osei Yaw; Mousavi, Seyed Abdollah; Lindström, Kristina; Huss-Danell, Kerstin

    2017-01-01

    Rhizobia nodulating native Astragalus and Oxytropis spp. in Northern Europe are not well-studied. In this study, we isolated bacteria from nodules of four Astragalus spp. and two Oxytropis spp. from the arctic and subarctic regions of Sweden and Russia. The phylogenetic analyses were performed by using sequences of three housekeeping genes (16S rRNA, rpoB and recA) and two accessory genes (nodC and nifH). The results of our multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of the three housekeeping genes tree showed that all the 13 isolates belonged to the genus Mesorhizobium and were positioned in six clades. Our concatenated housekeeping gene tree also suggested that the isolates nodulating Astragalus inopinatus, Astragalus frigidus, Astragalus alpinus ssp. alpinus and Oxytropis revoluta might be designated as four new Mesorhizobium species. The 13 isolates were grouped in three clades in the nodC and nifH trees. 15 N analysis suggested that the legumes in association with these isolates were actively fixing nitrogen. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  6. [Effect of Water Extracts from Rhizosphere Soil of Cultivated Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus on It's Seed Germination and Physiological Characteristics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lang, Duo-yong; Fu, Xue-yan; Rong, Jia-wang; Zhang, Xin-hui

    2015-01-01

    To explore the relationship between continuous cropping obstacle and autotoxicity of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus. Distilled water(CK), water extracts of rhizosphere soil(50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/mL) were applied to test their effect on early growth and physiological characteristics of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus. The water extracts from rhizospher soil of cultivated Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus significantly increased seedling emergence rate, root length and vigor index of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seedling when at the concentration of 100 mg/mL or below, however,there was no significant effect at 200 mg/mL or higher. The water extracts from rhizosphere soil of cultivated Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus significantly reduced the SOD activity in Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seedling at 400 mg/mL and POD activity at 200 mg/mL and 400 mg/mL,while significantly increased the MDA content. Water extracts from Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus rhizosphere soil significantly affected Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus germination and seedling growth in a concentration-dependent manner, generally, low concentrations increased the SOD and POD activity which improved seed germination and seedling growth, while high concentrations caused cell membrane damage of the seedling.

  7. [Investigation on Main Cultivation of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus and Commercial Specifications Grades].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, He-ting; Wang, Jian; Cheng, Ming-en; Duan, Hai-yan; Peng, Hua-sheng

    2015-12-01

    To investigate the main cultivation areas of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus, and to clarify its present cultivation status and commercial specification grades. Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus cultivated in Hunyuan and Ying County of Shanxi, Longxi, Weiyuan and Min County of Gansu and Wuchuan, Guyang and Chifeng of Inner Mongolia were investigated, including their ecological environment, cultivation history and present situation, harvesting and processing as well as commercial specification grades. The cultivation methods of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus changed greatly in the main cultivation areas. In Gansu and Inner Mongolia, the current major cultivation method was 2 - 3 years of seedling transplantation method, while the 3 - 5 years of seed-directly-sowed method in Inner Mongolia had been almost abandoned, and the 6 - 8 years of mountain direct seeding method was still in application in Hunyuan county of Shanxi province. On the other hand, the harvest method of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus had been gradually changed from manual harvesting in ancient times to the current mechanical harvesting although the latter method did more damage to environment of cultivation areas and the resource of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus in regions Hunyuan county of Shanxi. Through investigating the processing methods of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus in different cultivation areas, it was found that processing method varied from area to area, and no unified specifications had been formulated on processing methods in market. In addition, the current processing method was too complicated in processing the slices of prepared Astragali Radix and most were self processing by farmers themselves, creating market disorders. Moreover, the Astragali Radix products were basically without grading classification but sold as bulk cargo. It is urgent to unify the specifications and grades of Astragali Radix product, and standardize

  8. DOES GARP REALLY FAIL MISERABLY? A RESPONSE TO STOCKMAN ET AL. (2006)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stockman et al. (2006) found that ecological niche models built using DesktopGARP 'failed miserably' to predict trapdoor spider (genus Promyrmekiaphila) distributions in California. This apparent failure of GARP (Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Production) was actually a failure ...

  9. Transcriptome Analysis of Two Vicia sativa Subspecies: Mining Molecular Markers to Enhance Genomic Resources for Vetch Improvement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tae-Sung Kim

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The vetch (Vicia sativa is one of the most important annual forage legumes globally due to its multiple uses and high nutritional content. Despite these agronomical benefits, many drawbacks, including cyano-alanine toxin, has reduced the agronomic value of vetch varieties. Here, we used 454 technology to sequence the two V. sativa subspecies (ssp. sativa and ssp. nigra to enrich functional information and genetic marker resources for the vetch research community. A total of 86,532 and 47,103 reads produced 35,202 and 18,808 unigenes with average lengths of 735 and 601 bp for V. sativa sativa and V. sativa nigra, respectively. Gene Ontology annotations and the cluster of orthologous gene classes were used to annotate the function of the Vicia transcriptomes. The Vicia transcriptome sequences were then mined for simple sequence repeat (SSR and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP markers. About 13% and 3% of the Vicia unigenes contained the putative SSR and SNP sequences, respectively. Among those SSRs, 100 were chosen for the validation and the polymorphism test using the Vicia germplasm set. Thus, our approach takes advantage of the utility of transcriptomic data to expedite a vetch breeding program.

  10. Breeding biology of the threadstalk milkvetch, Astragalus filipes (Fabaceae), with a review of the genus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) is an enormous and diverse plant genus with a cosmopolitan distribution, but relatively few breeding biologies are known for its member species. Threadstalk (or basalt) milkvetch, Astragalus filipes Torrey ex. A. Gray, is common and widespread throughout the US Intermountai...

  11. Vegetation studies, National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brandt, C.A.; Rickard, W.H.; Cadoret, N.A.

    1997-09-01

    During the spring of 1992, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) conducted surveys of the Avawatz and Granite mountains springs for the National Training Center (NTC) to evaluate the occurrence of sensitive plant species in these areas. PNNL also conducted a survey of the eastern outwash of the Paradise Range for the occurrence of Lane Mountain milk vetch (Astragalus jaegerianus). In spring of 1993, PNNL conducted an additional study of Lane Mountain milk vetch on the NTC to determine habitat characteristics for this plant and to develop a method for predicting its potential occurrence, based on simple habitat attributes. The results of these studies are itemized.

  12. Biomass production and nitrogen accumulation in pea, oat, and vetch green manure mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jannink, J.L.; Liebman, M.; Merrick, L.C.

    1996-01-01

    Interest in the use of green manures has revived because of their role in improving soil quality and their beneficial N and non-N rotation effects. This study evaluated biomass production, N content, radiation interception (RI), and radiation use efficiency (RUE) of pea (Pisum sativum L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) mixtures. Treatments were a three-way factorial of pea genotype ('Century' vs 'Tipu'), pea planting density (90 vs 224 kg ha -1 ), and cropping mixture (solecropped pea vs pea planted with a mixture of oat and hairy vetch). A mixture of oat and vetch without pea was also planted. Treatments were planted in early June on a Caribou gravelly loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid Typic Haplorthods) in Presque Isle, ME, in 1993 and 1994. Biomass production and radiation interception were measured by repeated sampling. Mixture biomass was affected by a year x pea density interaction: respective yields for mixtures containing low-density and high-density pea were 770 and 880 g m -2 in 1993 vs 820 and 730 g m -2 in 1994. Mixture N content paralleled biomass production and averaged 209 g m -2 across all treatments. While pea sole crops did not consistently produce biomass or N equal to three-species mixtures the two-species mixture of oat and vetch did, yielding 820 g m -2 of biomass and 21.7 g m -2 of N, averaged over the 2 yr. Multiple regression showed that 61% of the variability in mixture biomass production was accounted for by a combination of early-season pea RI and midseason total mixture RUE. Economic analyses showed that rotation including these green manures may be economically competitive with a conventional rotation of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) undersown with clover (Trifolium spp.) in a potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production system

  13. Early decomposer assemblages of soil organisms in litterbags with vetch and rye roots

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Georgieva, Slavka; Christensen, Søren; Petersen, Henning

    2005-01-01

    and predatory nematodes (the intraguild predator) protozoa (the intraguild prey) and bacteria (the common prey). The much higher fungal biomass in rye than in vetch litterbags was not reflected in the biomass of the fungal feeders. Due to the generally lower intrinsic rate of increase of the fungivores, as well...... as of the omnivores and predators, in comparison with the bacterial feeders, they were not able to generate dense populations at this early stage of decomposition....... relationship to flagellated protozoa. This suggests that these nematodes controlled the protozoan biomass constituting a lower fraction of the bacterivore biomass in vetch compared to in rye. Such intraguild predator-prey relationship is therefore indicated for microbivorous organisms among bacterivorous...

  14. Astragalus friederikeanus Kit Tan & Zeitlinger (Fabaceae), a new species from south Anatolia, Turkey

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tan, Kit; Zeitlinger, Jörg

    2007-01-01

    A new species from south Anatolia, Turkey, Astragalus friederikeanus Kit Tan & Zeitlinger (Fabaceae), is described and illustrated. The diagnostic morphological characters separating it from other members of sect. Onobrychium Boiss. are listed.......A new species from south Anatolia, Turkey, Astragalus friederikeanus Kit Tan & Zeitlinger (Fabaceae), is described and illustrated. The diagnostic morphological characters separating it from other members of sect. Onobrychium Boiss. are listed....

  15. Exploiting Illumina Sequencing for the Development of 95 Novel Polymorphic EST-SSR Markers in Common Vetch (Vicia sativa subsp. sativa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhipeng Liu

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The common vetch (Vicia sativa subsp. sativa, a self-pollinating and diploid species, is one of the most important annual legumes in the world due to its short growth period, high nutritional value, and multiple usages as hay, grain, silage, and green manure. The available simple sequence repeat (SSR markers for common vetch, however, are insufficient to meet the developing demand for genetic and molecular research on this important species. Here, we aimed to develop and characterise several polymorphic EST-SSR markers from the vetch Illumina transcriptome. A total number of 1,071 potential EST-SSR markers were identified from 1025 unigenes whose lengths were greater than 1,000 bp, and 450 primer pairs were then designed and synthesized. Finally, 95 polymorphic primer pairs were developed for the 10 common vetch accessions, which included 50 individuals. Among the 95 EST-SSR markers, the number of alleles ranged from three to 13, and the polymorphism information content values ranged from 0.09 to 0.98. The observed heterozygosity values ranged from 0.00 to 1.00, and the expected heterozygosity values ranged from 0.11 to 0.98. These 95 EST-SSR markers developed from the vetch Illumina transcriptome could greatly promote the development of genetic and molecular breeding studies pertaining to in this species.

  16. Oral Astragalus (Huang qi) for preventing frequent episodes of acute respiratory tract infection in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Guobin; Chen, Xiankun; Liu, Zhuangzhu; Yang, Lihong; Zhang, La; Stålsby Lundborg, Cecilia; Wen, Zehuai; Guo, Xinfeng; Qin, Xindong; Liang, Jueyao; Liu, Xusheng

    2016-12-01

    Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are common in children and can involve both upper and lower airways. Many children experience frequent ARTI episodes or recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) in early life, which creates challenges for paediatricians, primary care physicians, parents and carers of children.In China, Astragalus (Huang qi), alone or in combination with other herbs, is used by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners in the form of a water extract, to reduce the risk of ARTIs; it is believed to stimulate the immune system. Better understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms of Astragalus may provide insights into ARTI prevention, and consequently reduced antibiotic use. To assess the effectiveness and safety of oral Astragalus for preventing frequent episodes of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in children in community settings. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, Issue 12, 2015), MEDLINE (Ovid) (1946 to 31 December 2015), Embase (Elsevier) (1974 to 31 December 2015), AMED (Ovid) (1985 to 31 December 2015), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) (1979 to 31 December 2015) and Chinese Scientific Journals full text database (CQVIP) (1989 to 31 December 2015), China Biology Medicine disc (CBM 1976 to 31 December 2015) and Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform (WanFang) (1998 to 31 December 2015). We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing oral Astragalus as a sole Chinese herbal preparation with placebo to prevent frequent episodes of ARTIs in children. We used standard Cochrane methodological procedures for this review. We assessed search results to identify relevant studies. We planned to extract data using standardised forms. Disagreements were to be resolved through discussion. Risk of bias was to be assessed using the Cochrane 'Risk of bias' tool. We planned to use mean difference (MD) or standardised mean difference (SMD) for continuous data and risk

  17. Selenium hyperaccumulation by Astragalus (Fabaceae) does not inhibit root nodule symbiosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alford, Elan R; Pilon-Smits, Elizabeth A H; Fakra, Sirine C; Paschke, Mark W

    2012-12-01

    A survey of the root-nodule symbiosis in Astragalus and its interaction with selenium (Se) has not been conducted before. Such studies can provide insight into how edaphic conditions modify symbiotic interactions and influence partner coevolution. In this paper plant-organ Se concentration ([Se]) was investigated to assess potential Se exposure to endophytes. • Selenium distribution and molecular speciation of root nodules from Se-hyperaccumulators Astragalus bisulcatus, A. praelongus, and A. racemosus was determined by Se K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy. A series of greenhouse experiments were conducted to characterize the response of root-nodule symbiosis in Se-hyperaccumulators and nonhyperaccumulators. • Nodules in three Se-hyperaccumulators (Astragalus crotalariae, A. praelongus, and A. preussii) are reported for the first time. Leaves, flowers, and fruits from Se-hyperaccumulators were routinely above the hyperaccumulator threshold (1,000 µg Se g(-1) DW), but root samples rarely contained that amount, and nodules never exceeded 110 µg Se g(-1) DW. Nodules from A. bisulcatus, A. praelongus, and A. racemosus had Se throughout, with a majority stored in C-Se-C form. Finally, an evaluation of nodulation in Se-hyperaccumulators and nonhyperaccumulators indicated that there was no nodulation inhibition because of plant Se tolerance. Rather, we found that in Se-hyperaccumulators higher levels of Se treatment (up to 100 µM Se) corresponded with higher nodule counts, indicating a potential role for dinitrogen fixation in Se-hyperaccumulation. The effect was not found in nonhyperaccumulators. • As the evolution of Se hyperaccumulation in Astragalus developed, root-nodule symbiosis may have played an integral role.

  18. Breeding biology of the threadstalk milkvetch, Astragalus filipes (Fabaceae), with a review of the genus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kristal M. Watrous; James H. Cane

    2011-01-01

    Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) is an enormous and diverse plant genus with a cosmopolitan distribution, but relatively few breeding biologies are known for its member species. Threadstalk (or basalt) milkvetch, Astragalus filipes Torrey ex. A. Gray, is common and widespread throughout the U.S. Intermountain West, including the Great Basin. It is being studied and ultimately...

  19. Influence of Seeding Ratio, Planting Date, and Termination Date on Rye-Hairy Vetch Cover Crop Mixture Performance under Organic Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawson, Andrew; Cogger, Craig; Bary, Andy; Fortuna, Ann-Marie

    2015-01-01

    Cover crop benefits include nitrogen accumulation and retention, weed suppression, organic matter maintenance, and reduced erosion. Organic farmers need region-specific information on winter cover crop performance to effectively integrate cover crops into their crop rotations. Our research objective was to compare cover crop seeding mixtures, planting dates, and termination dates on performance of rye (Secale cereale L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) monocultures and mixtures in the maritime Pacific Northwest USA. The study included four seed mixtures (100% hairy vetch, 25% rye-75% hairy vetch, 50% rye-50% hairy vetch, and 100% rye by seed weight), two planting dates, and two termination dates, using a split-split plot design with four replications over six years. Measurements included winter ground cover; stand composition; cover crop biomass, N concentration, and N uptake; and June soil NO3(-)-N. Rye planted in mid-September and terminated in late April averaged 5.1 Mg ha(-1) biomass, whereas mixtures averaged 4.1 Mg ha(-1) and hairy vetch 2.3 Mg ha(-1). Delaying planting by 2.5 weeks reduced average winter ground cover by 65%, biomass by 50%, and cover crop N accumulation by 40%. Similar reductions in biomass and N accumulation occurred for late March termination, compared with late April termination. Mixtures had less annual biomass variability than rye. Mixtures accumulated 103 kg ha(-1) N and had mean C:N ratio rye, 97 kg ha(-1) for the mixtures, and 119 kg ha(-1) for hairy vetch. Weeds comprised less of the mixtures biomass (20% weeds by weight at termination) compared with the monocultures (29%). Cover crop mixtures provided a balance between biomass accumulation and N concentration, more consistent biomass over the six-year study, and were more effective at reducing winter weeds compared with monocultures.

  20. Structure Characterization of Honey-Processed Astragalus Polysaccharides and Its Anti-Inflammatory Activity In Vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Jingzhu; Li, Chanyi; Huang, Jing; Liu, Wuping; Chen, Hongce; Liao, Shuangye; Chen, Hongyuan; Rui, Wen

    2018-01-15

    Honey-processed Astragalus is a dosage form of Radix Astragalus mixed with honey by a traditional Chinese medicine processing method which strengthens the tonic effect. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), perform its immunomodulatory effects by relying on the tonic effect of Radix Astragalus , therefore, the improved pharmacological activity of honey-processed Astragalus polysaccharide (HAPS) might be due to structural changes during processing. The molecular weights of HAPS and APS were 1,695,788 Da, 2,047,756 Da, respectively, as determined by high performance gel filtration chromatography combined with evaporative light scattering detection (HPGFC-ELSD). The monosaccharide composition was determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatogram quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS) after pre-column derivatization with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP). The results showed that the essential components were mannose, glucose, xylose, arabinose, glucuronic acid and rhamnose, is molar ratios of 0.06:28.34:0.58:0.24:0.33:0.21 and 0.27:12.83:1.63:0.71:1.04:0.56, respectively. FT-IR and NMR analysis of HAPS results showed the presence of uronic acid and acetyl groups. The anti-inflammatory activities of HAPS were more effective than those of APS according to the NO contents and the expression of IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-22 and TNF-α in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells. This findings suggest that the anti-inflammatory and bioactivity improvement might be associated with molecular structure changes, bearing on the potential immunomodulatory action.

  1. Structure Characterization of Honey-Processed Astragalus Polysaccharides and Its Anti-Inflammatory Activity In Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingzhu Liao

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Honey-processed Astragalus is a dosage form of Radix Astragalus mixed with honey by a traditional Chinese medicine processing method which strengthens the tonic effect. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS, perform its immunomodulatory effects by relying on the tonic effect of Radix Astragalus, therefore, the improved pharmacological activity of honey-processed Astragalus polysaccharide (HAPS might be due to structural changes during processing. The molecular weights of HAPS and APS were 1,695,788 Da, 2,047,756 Da, respectively, as determined by high performance gel filtration chromatography combined with evaporative light scattering detection (HPGFC-ELSD. The monosaccharide composition was determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatogram quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS after pre-column derivatization with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP. The results showed that the essential components were mannose, glucose, xylose, arabinose, glucuronic acid and rhamnose, is molar ratios of 0.06:28.34:0.58:0.24:0.33:0.21 and 0.27:12.83:1.63:0.71:1.04:0.56, respectively. FT-IR and NMR analysis of HAPS results showed the presence of uronic acid and acetyl groups. The anti-inflammatory activities of HAPS were more effective than those of APS according to the NO contents and the expression of IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-22 and TNF-α in lipopolysaccharide (LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. This findings suggest that the anti-inflammatory and bioactivity improvement might be associated with molecular structure changes, bearing on the potential immunomodulatory action.

  2. Impact of vetch cover crop on runoff, soil loss, soil chemical properties and yield of chickpea in North Gondar, Ethiopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demelash, Nigus; Klik, Andreas; Holzmann, Hubert; Ziadat, Feras; Strohmeier, Stefan; Bayu, Wondimu; Zucca, Claudio; Abera, Atikilt

    2016-04-01

    Cover crops improve the sustainability and quality of both natural system and agro ecosystem. In Gumara-Maksegnit watershed which is located in Lake Tana basin, farmers usually use fallow during the rainy season for the preceding chickpea production system. The fallowing period can lead to soil erosion and nutrient losses. A field experiment was conducted during growing seasons 2014 and 2015 to evaluate the effect of cover crops on runoff, soil loss, soil chemical properties and yield of chickpea in North Gondar, Ethiopia. The plot experiment contained four treatments arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications: 1) Control plot (Farmers' practice: fallowing- without cover crop), 2) Chickpea planted with Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer with 46 k ha-1 P2O5 and 23 k ha-1 nitrogen after harvesting vetch cover crop, 3) Chick pea planted with vetch cover crop incorporated with the soil as green manure without fertilizer, 4) Chick pea planted with vetch cover crop and incorporated with the soil as green manure and with 23 k ha-1 P2O5 and 12.5 k ha-1 nitrogen. Each plot with an area of 36 m² was equipped with a runoff monitoring system. Vetch (Vicia sativa L.) was planted as cover crop at the onset of the rain in June and used as green manure. The results of the experiment showed statistically significant (P plant, above ground biomass and grain yield of chick pea. However, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) on average plant height, average number of branches and hundred seed weight. Similarly, the results indicated that cover crop has a clear impact on runoff volume and sediment loss. Plots with vetch cover crop reduce the average runoff by 65% and the average soil loss decreased from 15.7 in the bare land plot to 8.6 t ha-1 with plots covered by vetch. In general, this result reveales that the cover crops, especially vetch, can be used to improve chickpea grain yield in addition to reduce soil erosion in the

  3. Fetotoxicity of Astragalus lentiginosus (locoweed) in Spanish goats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Locoweeds (plant species of Astragalus and Oxytropis containing swainsonine) cause large economic losses to the livestock industry in the western United States and in other regions of the world. Embryo and fetal loss is commonly reported when pregnant animals grazed locoweeds. Pregnant Spanish goa...

  4. Carbon balance assessment by eddy covariance method for agroecosystems with potato plants and oats & vetch mixture on sod-podzolic soils of Russia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meshalkina, J. L.; Yaroslavtsev, A. M.; Vasenev, I. I.; Andreeva, I. V.; Tihonova, M. V.

    2018-01-01

    The carbon balance for the agroecosystems with potato plants and oats & vetch mixture on sod-podzolics soils was evaluated using the eddy covariance approach. Absorption of carbon was recorded only during the growing season; maximum values were detected for all crops in July. The number of days during the vegetation period, when the carbon stocked in the fields with potatoes and oats & vetch mixture was about the same and accounted for 53-55 days. During this period, the increase in gross primary production (GPP) is well correlated with the crop yields. The curve of the gross primary productivity is closely linked to the phases of development of plants; for potatoes, this graph differs significantly for all phases. Form of oats & vetch mixture biomass curve shown linear increases. Carbon losses were observed for all the studied agroecosystems: for fields with an oats & vetch mixture they were 254 g C m-2 y-1, while for fields with potato plants they were 307 g C m-2 y-1. Values about 250-300 g C m-2 per year may be considered as estimated values for the total carbon uptake for agroecosystems with potato plants and oats & vetch mixture on sod-podzolic soils.

  5. Astragalus Mongholicus Regulate the Toll-Like-Receptor 4 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Backgroud: According to the traditional view, we depend on three methods to treat tumors; surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, these methods have its own limitations in application. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the oldest healing systems. Astragalus mongholicus (AMs) that is the common ...

  6. Developing methods of strip cropping cucumbers with rye/vetch

    OpenAIRE

    Ogutu, Maurice Okendo

    2000-01-01

    The purpose of this research carried out in 1998 and 1999 was to develop methods for strip cropping of cucumbers with rye/vetch and black plastic mulch. Effects of planting methods, weed control measures, and cover crop management techniques on pest and beneficial insects, petiole sap nitrate-nitrogen, soil moisture, yields and economic viability were assessed. Four treatments, namely cucumber direct seeded in black plastic mulch on tilled bare ground (conventional); cucumber d...

  7. Influence of Seeding Ratio, Planting Date, and Termination Date on Rye-Hairy Vetch Cover Crop Mixture Performance under Organic Management.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Lawson

    Full Text Available Cover crop benefits include nitrogen accumulation and retention, weed suppression, organic matter maintenance, and reduced erosion. Organic farmers need region-specific information on winter cover crop performance to effectively integrate cover crops into their crop rotations. Our research objective was to compare cover crop seeding mixtures, planting dates, and termination dates on performance of rye (Secale cereale L. and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth monocultures and mixtures in the maritime Pacific Northwest USA. The study included four seed mixtures (100% hairy vetch, 25% rye-75% hairy vetch, 50% rye-50% hairy vetch, and 100% rye by seed weight, two planting dates, and two termination dates, using a split-split plot design with four replications over six years. Measurements included winter ground cover; stand composition; cover crop biomass, N concentration, and N uptake; and June soil NO3(--N. Rye planted in mid-September and terminated in late April averaged 5.1 Mg ha(-1 biomass, whereas mixtures averaged 4.1 Mg ha(-1 and hairy vetch 2.3 Mg ha(-1. Delaying planting by 2.5 weeks reduced average winter ground cover by 65%, biomass by 50%, and cover crop N accumulation by 40%. Similar reductions in biomass and N accumulation occurred for late March termination, compared with late April termination. Mixtures had less annual biomass variability than rye. Mixtures accumulated 103 kg ha(-1 N and had mean C:N ratio <17:1 when planted in mid-September and terminated in late April. June soil NO3(--N (0 to 30 cm depth averaged 62 kg ha(-1 for rye, 97 kg ha(-1 for the mixtures, and 119 kg ha(-1 for hairy vetch. Weeds comprised less of the mixtures biomass (20% weeds by weight at termination compared with the monocultures (29%. Cover crop mixtures provided a balance between biomass accumulation and N concentration, more consistent biomass over the six-year study, and were more effective at reducing winter weeds compared with monocultures.

  8. Astragalus membranaceus-Polysaccharides Ameliorates Obesity, Hepatic Steatosis, Neuroinflammation and Cognition Impairment without Affecting Amyloid Deposition in Metabolically Stressed APPswe/PS1dE9 Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yung-Cheng Huang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus membranaceus is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for strengthening the host defense system. Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides is an effective component with various important bioactivities, such as immunomodulation, antioxidant, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. In the present study, we determine the effects of Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides on metabolically stressed transgenic mice in order to develop this macromolecules for treatment of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease with metabolic risk factors. Transgenic mice, at 10 weeks old prior to the appearance of senile plaques, were treated in combination of administrating high-fat diet and injecting low-dose streptozotocin to create the metabolically stressed mice model. Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides was administrated starting at 14 weeks for 7 weeks. We found that Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides reduced metabolic stress-induced increase of body weight, insulin and insulin and leptin level, insulin resistance, and hepatic triglyceride. Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides also ameliorated metabolic stress-exacerbated oral glucose intolerance, although the fasting blood glucose was only temporally reduced. In brain, metabolic stress-elicited astrogliosis and microglia activation in the vicinity of plaques was also diminished by Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides administration. The plaque deposition, however, was not significantly affected by Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides administration. These findings suggest that Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides may be used to ameliorate metabolic stress-induced diabesity and the subsequent neuroinflammation, which improved the behavior performance in metabolically stressed transgenic mice.

  9. Genetic characterization of three varieties of Astragalus lentiginosus (Fabaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brian J. Knaus; Rich C. Cronn; Aaron. Liston

    2005-01-01

    Astragalus lentiginosus is a polymorphic species that occurs in geologically young habitats and whose varietal circumscription implies active morphological and genetic differentiation. In this preliminary study, we evaluate the potential of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to resolve infraspecific taxa in three varieties of...

  10. Environmental Assessment: Military Family Housing Revitalization Travis Air Force Base, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-05-01

    area that, with the San Joaquin Valley to the south, forms the Great Central Valley of California. The Coast Ranges bound the valley to the west. In...Endangered Species Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status State Status Plants Colusa grass Neostapfia colusana T E Contra Costa goldfields...federally listed species, Contra Costa goldfields, vernal pool fairy shrimp, California tiger salamander, and alkali milk-vetch (Astragalus tener var. tener

  11. The rediscovery of Astragalus autranii (Fabaceae) on Mt Tomor, south central Albania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tan, Kit; Shuka, Lulezim; Gjeta, Ermelinda

    2015-01-01

    Astragalus autranii (Fabaceae) placed by Sytin & Podlech in a section of its own (A. sect. Baldaccia) was described from a single specimen in the Barbey-Boissier Herbarium at Geneva. Our observations show that its placement in A. sect. Hololeuce would also be appropriate. The species was first co...... by Markgraf. Information on habitat, ecology and threat status are also detailed for the first time. Mt Tomor is designated as a protected National Park; however, some of the Astragalus populations may be affected by future road construction....

  12. Effects of Elevated CO2 on the Swainsonine Chemotypes of Astragalus lentiginosus and Astragalus mollissimus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Daniel; Gardner, Dale R; Pfister, James A; Stonecipher, Clinton A; Robins, Joseph G; Morgan, Jack A

    2017-03-01

    Rapid changes in the Earth's atmosphere and climate associated with human activity can have significant impacts on agriculture including livestock production. CO 2 concentration has risen from the industrial revolution to the current time, and is expected to continue to rise. Climatic changes alter physiological processes, growth, and development in numerous plant species, potentially changing concentrations of plant secondary compounds. These physiological changes may influence plant population density, growth, fitness, and toxin concentrations and thus influence the risk of toxic plants to grazing livestock. Locoweeds, swainsonine-containing Astragalus species, are one group of plants that may be influenced by climate change. We evaluated how two different swainsonine-containing Astragalus species responded to elevated CO 2 concentrations. Measurements of biomass, crude protein, water soluble carbohydrates and swainsonine concentrations were measured in two chemotypes (positive and negative for swainsonine) of each species after growth at CO 2 levels near present day and at projected future concentrations. Biomass and water soluble carbohydrate concentrations responded positively while crude protein concentrations responded negatively to elevated CO 2 in the two species. Swainsonine concentrations were not strongly affected by elevated CO 2 in the two species. In the different chemotypes, biomass responded negatively and crude protein concentrations responded positively in the swainsonine-positive plants compared to the swainsonine-negative plants. Ultimately, changes in CO 2 and endophyte status will likely alter multiple physiological responses in toxic plants such as locoweed, but it is difficult to predict how these changes will impact plant herbivore interactions.

  13. An analytical approach based on ESI-MS, LC-MS and PCA for the quali-quantitative analysis of cycloartane derivatives in Astragalus spp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napolitano, Assunta; Akay, Seref; Mari, Angela; Bedir, Erdal; Pizza, Cosimo; Piacente, Sonia

    2013-11-01

    Astragalus species are widely used as health foods and dietary supplements, as well as drugs in traditional medicine. To rapidly evaluate metabolite similarities and differences among the EtOH extracts of the roots of eight commercial Astragalus spp., an approach based on direct analyses by ESI-MS followed by PCA of ESI-MS data, was carried out. Successively, quali-quantitative analyses of cycloartane derivatives in the eight Astragalus spp. by LC-ESI-MS(n) and PCA of LC-ESI-MS data were performed. This approach allowed to promptly highlighting metabolite similarities and differences among the various Astragalus spp. PCA results from LC-ESI-MS data of Astragalus samples were in reasonable agreement with both PCA results of ESI-MS data and quantitative results. This study affords an analytical method for the quali-quantitative determination of cycloartane derivatives in herbal preparations used as health and food supplements. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Astragalus in the Prevention of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection in Children with Nephrotic Syndrome: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chuan Zou

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims. To explore whether Astragalus or its formulations could prevent upper respiratory infection in children with nephrotic syndrome and how best to use it. Methods. We transformed a common clinical question in practice to an answerable question according to the PICO principle. Databases, including the Cochrane Library (Issue 5, 2012, PUBMED (1966–2012.8, CBM (1978–2012.8, VIP (1989–2012.8, and CNKI (1979–2012.8, were searched to identify Cochrane systematic reviews and clinical trials. Then, the quality of and recommendations from the clinical evidence were evaluated using the GRADEpro software. Results. The search yielded 537 papers. Only two studies with high validity were included for synthesis calculations. The results showed that Astragalus granules could effectively reduce URTI in children with nephrotic syndrome compared with prednisone treatment alone (23.9% versus 42.9%; RR = 0.56 and 95% CI = 0.33–0.93. The dose of Astragalus granules was 2.25 gram (equivalent to 15 gram crude Astragalus twice per day, at least for 3–6 months. The level of evidence quality was low, but we still recommended the evidence to the patient according to GRADEpro with the opinion of the expert. Followup showed the incidence of URTI in this child decreased significantly. Conclusions. Astragalus granules may reduce the incidence of URTI in children with nephrotic syndrome.

  15. Os azulejos da Misericórdia: a imagem documento na história da cultura religiosa luso-brasileira

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Eurydice de Barros Ribeiro

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Os azulejos portugueses em Portugal e no Brasil são considerados quase sempre como objetos da História da Arte. A proposta deste estudo consiste em abordar os azulejos não como objetos de arte, mas como documentos da história da cultura luso-brasileira. O conceito de imagem documento será desenvolvido por meio da análise de um dos ritos mais importantes da história da cultura religiosa ocidental: a procissão. A atenção do estudo recairá, em especial, sobre a Procissão dos Ossos, que se encontra representada nos painéis de azulejos (séc. XVIII da Igreja da Misericórdia em Salvador. A Procissão dos Ossos, instituída por D. Manoel em 1498, tinha como objetivo a retirada dos ossos dos justiçados, dando-lhes sepultura. Para a missão, o rei designou a Ordem da Misericórdia. O ato régio se estendeu ao Brasil, quando a primeira Casa da Misericórdia foi fundada na cidade do Salvador, em 1549. O painel, datado do século XVIII, representando a cerimônia, divide o espaço da igreja da Misericórdia com outras duas representações: a procissão do Senhor Morto, introduzida no Brasil (também pelos portugueses, e a Procissão do Fogaréu, introduzida pelos espanhóis. Entre a data da realização da primeira Procissão dos Ossos e o assentamento do painel de azulejos existe um espaço de tempo que permite avaliar a heterogeneidade dos tempos da arte, onde os ritmos diferenciados não coincidem, necessariamente, com os tempos da história.

  16. Exogenously applied D-pinitol and D-chiro-inositol modifies the accumulation of α-D-galactosides in developing tiny vetch (Vicia hirsuta [L.] S.F. Gray seeds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lesław B. Lahuta

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available In the present study we have investigated the effect of exogenous cyclitols on the accumulation of their galactosides and raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs, as well as on some enzymes important for their biosynthesis in seeds of tiny vetch (Vicia hirsuta [L.] S.F. Gray. Immature seeds during 6-day incubation with D-chiro-inositol (naturally does not appear in seeds of tiny vetch were accumulated cyclitol and its galactosides (fagopyritols: B1 and B2. Short 4-hour incubation with D-chiro-inositol, and subsequent slow desiccation process caused accumulation of free cyclitol only, without biosynthesis of its galactosides. Feeding D-chiro-inositol to pods of tiny vetch induced accumulation of high levels of its galactosides (fagopyritol B1, B2 and B3 in maturing seeds. Similarly, feeding D-pinitol increased accumulation of its mono-, di- and tri-galactosides: GPA, GPB, DGPA and TGPA in tiny vetch seed. Accumulation of both cyclitols and their galactosides drastically reduced accumulation of verbascose. Inhibition of RFOs biosynthesis by elevated levels of free cyclitols suggests some competition between formation of both types of galactosides and similarity of both biosynthetic routes in tiny vetch seeds. Galactinol synthase (GolS from tiny vetch seeds demonstrated ability to utilize D-chiro-inositol as galactosyl acceptor, instead of myo-inositol. Presence of both cyclitols, as substrates for GolS, caused synthesis of their galactosides: fagopyritol B1 and galactinol. However, formation of galactinol was more efficient than fagopyritol B1. D-chiro-Inositol and D-pinitol at concentrations several-fold higher than myo-inositol had inhibitory effect on GolS. Thus, we suggest that a level of free cyclitols can have an influence on the rate of galactinol biosynthesis and further accumulation of RFOs and galactosyl cyclitols in tiny vetch seeds.

  17. Astragalus membranaceus Extract Attenuates Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Intestinal Epithelial Cells via NF-κB Activation and Nrf2 Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simona Adesso

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus membranaceus, dried root extract, also known as Astragali radix, is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic remedy. Moreover, it has been reported that Astragalus membranaceus could attenuate intestinal inflammation; however, the underlying mechanism for its anti-inflammatory activity in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated Astragalus membranaceus extract (5–100 µg/mL in a model of inflammation and oxidative stress for IECs. We showed that Astragalus membranaceus extract reduced the inflammatory response induced by lipopolysaccharide from E. coli (LPS plus interferon-γ (IFN, decreasing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α release, cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS expression, nitrotyrosine formation, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB activation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS release in the non-tumorigenic intestinal epithelial cell line (IEC-6. The antioxidant potential of Astragalus membranaceus extract was also evaluated in a model of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2-induced oxidative stress in IEC-6, indicating that this extract reduced ROS release and increased nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2 activation and the expression of antioxidant cytoprotective factors in these cells. The results contributed to clarify the mechanisms involved in Astragalus membranaceus extract-reduced inflammation and highlighted the potential use of this extract as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant remedy for intestinal diseases.

  18. Benefits of Vetch and Rye Cover Crops to Sweet Corn under No-Tillage

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zotarelli, L.; Avila, L.; Scholberg, J.M.S.; Alves, B.J.R.

    2009-01-01

    Leguminous cover crops (CCs) may reduce N fertilizer requirements by fixing N biologically and storing leftover N-fertilizer applied in the previous year. The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of CCs [rye (Secale cereal L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)] on plant N

  19. TDZ-induced plant regeneration in Astragalus cicer L. | Basalma ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We developed a regeneration protocol using thidiazuron (TDZ) with a high frequency in vitro root induction in Astragalus cicer. High in vitro germination ratio (75%) for hard-seeds of A. cicer was also achieved. For this, hypocotyl and cotyledon explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with ...

  20. Secondary Metabolites of Astragalus cruciatus Link. and Their Chemotaxonomic Significance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wassila Benchadi

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available In continuation of our chemical studies on the secondary metabolites of Algerian saharan species, we report on the isolation, from the methanol extract of the whole plant Astragalus cruciatus Link. , of seven known compounds including two saponins named azukisaponin V (1 and astragaloside VIII (2, four flavonoids called narcissin (3, nicotiflorin (4, kaempferol 3-O- α -L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 ¦ 4- α -L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 ¦ 6-β-D-glucopyranoside (5 and 5,7,2’-trihydroxyflavone (6 and one phytosterol glycoside, daucosterol (7. All the isolated compounds were characterized by using spectroscopic methods especially 1D and 2D NMR and ESI mass spectrometry and comparison with literature data . The chemotaxonomic and systematic characters of the genus Astragalus are summarized in this study to show its interesting chemodiversity throughout the world, as well as to establish the chemotaxonomical classification of this genus.

  1. Enhancement of methylbenzene adsorption capacity through cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide-modified activated carbon derived from Astragalus residue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Ningchuan; Zhang, Yumei; Fan, Wei; Zhu, Meilin

    2018-02-01

    Activated carbon was prepared from astragalus residue by KOH and then treated with cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and used for the removal of methylbenzene from aqueous solution. The samples were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM and Boehm titration. The results showed that CTAB changed the physicochemical properties of activated carbon significantly. The isotherm adsorption studies of methylbenzene onto the astragalus residue activated carbon (ASC) and CTAB-modified astragalus residue activated carbon (ASCCTAB) were examined by using batch techniques and agreed well with the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity of ASC and ASC-CTAB for methylbenzene determined from the Langmuir model was183.56 mg/g and 235.18 mg/g, respectively. The results indicated that using CTAB as a modifier for ASC modification could markedly enhance the methylbenzene removal from water.

  2. The effect of Astragalus as an adjuvant treatment in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A (preliminary) meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Huiping; Lu, Jun; He, Hairong; Zhang, Lu; Dong, Yalin; Yao, Hongping; Feng, Weiyi; Wang, Siwen

    2016-09-15

    Astragalus is a traditional Chinese medicine that is widely used for tonifying Qi (Qi mainly means life energy) to treat diabetes mellitus and its complications. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of Astragalus in adjuvant treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to provide novel information to improve clinical decision-making. We conducted an exhaustive database search (PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI), Wanfang data and SinoMed) of studies associated with "Astragalus" and "type 2 diabetes mellitus" until December 2015. Following quality assessment of study eligibility, the extracted data were statistically analyzed using STATA, ver. 12.0 (Stata Corp.). A total of 13 studies with 1054 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Two subgroups were identified, based on Astragalus dosing regimens: control group vs. Astragalus injection (AI); control group vs. Astragalus aqueous decoction (AAD). The pooled results showed that, in comparison with control group, Astragalus administration significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in both the AI group (WMD=-0.28, 95% CI=-0.46 to -0.10, P=0.002, I(2)=18.5%) and the AAD group (WMD=-0.83, 95% CI=-1.07 to -0.58, P=0.000, I(2)=0.0%); postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) was also significantly reduced in the AI group (WMD=-0.47, 95% CI=-0.77 to -0.17, P=0.002, I(2)=46.8%) and the AAD group (WMD=-1.19, 95% CI=-1.63 to -0.75, P=0.000, I(2)=49.3%). Fasting insulin (Fins) was significantly reduced only in the AAD treatment group (SMD=-0.33, 95% CI=-0.55 to -0.10, P=0.005, I(2)=1.0%) as was the homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IRI) levels (SMD=-1.66, 95% CI=-3.24 to -0.09, P=0.038, I(2)=94.0%). Although AAD treatment significantly reduced levels of glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (WMD=-1.77, 95% CI=-3.06 to -0.47, P=0.007, I(2)=90.8%), AI treatment failed to show significant efficacy (WMD=-0.28, 95% CI=-0.63 to 0

  3. [Structural characterization of Astragalus polysaccharides using partial acid hydrolysis-hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Tu; Fu, Qing; Xin, Huaxia; Li, Fangbing; Jin, Yu; Liang, Xinmiao

    2014-12-01

    Water-soluble polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have properties of broad-spectrum treatment and low toxicity, making them as important components in natural medicines and health products. In order to solve the problem of polysaccharides characterization caused by their complex structures, a "bottom-up" approach was developed to complete the characterization of polysaccharides from Astragalus. Firstly, Astragalus pieces were extracted with hot water and then were precipitated by ethanol to obtain Astragalus polysaccharides. Secondly, a partial acid hydrolysis method was carried out and the effects of time, acid concentration and temperature on hydrolysis were investigated. The degree of hydrolysis increased along with the increase of hydrolysis time and acid concentration. The temperature played a great role in the hydrolysis process. No hydrolysis of the polysaccharides occurred at low temperature, while the polysaccharides were almost hydrolyzed to monosaccharide at high temperature. Under the optimum hydrolysis conditions (4 h, 1.5 mol/L trifluoroacetic acid, and 80 °C), Astragalus polysaccharides were hydrolyzed to characteristic oligosaccharide fragments. At last, a hydrophilic liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was used for the separation and structural characterization of the polysaccharide hydrolysates. The results showed that the resulting polysaccharides were mainly 1--> 4 linear glucan, and gluco-oligosaccharides with the degrees of polymerization (DP) of 4 - 11 were obtained after partial acid hydrolysis. The significance of this study is that it is the guidance for the characterization of other TCM polysaccharides.

  4. Effect of oral preparation of astragalus membranaceous on serum SOD levels in aged patients with chronic bronchial asthma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Zhiyong

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of oral liquid preparation of astragalus membranaceous in aged patients with chronic bronchial asthma with special reference on the serum SOD levels. Methods: Serum SOD levels were measured with RIA in 42 aged patients with chronic bronchial asthma both before and after a course of treatment with oral liquid preparation of astragalus membranaceous (10ml b. i. d for 3 months) as well as in 35 controls. Results: The patients general condition was greatly improved after the treatment. Before treatment, the serum SOD levels in the patients were significantly lower than those in controls (P 0.05). Conclusion: Oral liquid preparation of astragalus membranaceous was therapeutically useful for chronic bronchial asthma in aged patients with correction of the serum SOD levels. (authors)

  5. Selected aspects of tiny vetch [Vicia hirsuta (L. Gray S.F.] seed ecology: generative reproduction and effects of seed maturity and seed storage on seed germination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Kucewicz

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Vicia hirsuta (L. Gray S.F. (tiny vetch is a common and persistent segetal weed. Tiny vetch seeds and pods reach different stages of maturity during the crop harvest season. Some seeds that mature before cereal harvest are shed in the field and deposited in the soil seed bank, while others become incorporated into seed material. The objective of this study was to describe selected aspects of tiny vetch seed ecology: to determine the rate of individual reproduction of vetch plants growing in winter and spring grain crops and to evaluate the germination of seeds at different stages of maturity, subject to storage conditions. The seeds and pods of V. hirsuta were sorted according to their development stages at harvest and divided into two groups. The first group was stored under laboratory conditions for two months. In the autumn of the same year, the seeds were subjected to germination tests. The remaining seeds were stored in a storeroom, and were planted in soil in the spring. The germination rate was evaluated after 8 months of storage. Potential productivity (developed pods and flowers, fruit buds was higher in plants fruiting in winter wheat than in spring barley. Vetch plants produced around 17-26% more pods (including cracked, mature, greenish-brown and green pods and around 25% less buds in winter wheat than in spring barley. Immature seeds were characterized by the highest germination capacity. Following storage under laboratory conditions and stratification in soil, mature seeds germinated at a rate of several percent. After storage in a storeroom, seeds at all three development stages broke dormancy at a rate of 72- 75%. The high germination power of tiny vetch seeds stored in a storeroom indicates that this plant can be classified as an obligatory speirochoric weed species.

  6. Biomass decomposition and nutrient release from black oat and hairy vetch residues deposited in a vineyard

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Ademar Avelar Ferreira

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available A significant quantity of nutrients in vineyards may return to the soil each year through decomposition of residues from cover plants. This study aimed to evaluate biomass decomposition and nutrient release from residues of black oats and hairy vetch deposited in the vines rows, with and without plastic shelter, and in the between-row areas throughout the vegetative and productive cycle of the plants. The study was conducted in a commercial vineyard in Bento Gonçalves, RS, Brazil, from October 2008 to February 2009. Black oat (Avena strigosa and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa residues were collected, subjected to chemical (C, N, P, K, Ca, and Mg and biochemical (cellulose - Cel, hemicellulose - Hem, and lignin - Lig content analyses, and placed in litter bags, which were deposited in vines rows without plastic shelter (VPRWS, in vines rows with plastic shelter (VPRS, and in the between-row areas (BR. We collected the residues at 0, 33, 58, 76, and 110 days after deposition of the litter bags, prepared the material, and subjected it to analysis of total N, P, K, Ca, and Mg content. The VPRS contained the largest quantities and percentages of dry matter and residual nutrients (except for Ca in black oat residues from October to February, which coincides with the period from flowering up to grape harvest. This practice led to greater protection of the soil surface, avoiding surface runoff of the solution derived from between the rows, but it retarded nutrient cycling. The rate of biomass decomposition and nutrient release from hairy vetch residues from October to February was not affected by the position of deposition of the residues in the vineyard, which may especially be attributed to the lower values of the C/N and Lig/N ratios. Regardless of the type of residue, black oat or hairy vetch, the greatest decomposition and nutrient release mainly occurred up to 33 days after deposition of the residues on the soil surface, which coincided with the

  7. Population structures of Astragalus filipes collections from western North America

    Science.gov (United States)

    B. Shaun Bushman; Kishor Bhattarai; Douglas A. Johnson

    2010-01-01

    The majority of species used for revegetation in semi-arid western rangelands of North America are grasses, with few forbs and nearly no legumes. Astragalus filipes (Torr. Ex A. Gray) is a western North American legume and a promising candidate for use in rangeland revegetation, but assessments of plant species diversity and structure are necessary to determine which...

  8. Current Status of the Systematics of Astragalus L. (Fabaceae with Special Reference to the Himalayan Species in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lal Babu Chaudhary

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus is considered one of the most diverse genera in the family Leguminosae (nom. alt. Fabaceae. Although a large number of works have been carried out on the genus, no monograph is available except some regional accounts and revisions chiefly at sectional level. It may be due to the sheer size of the genus (ca. 3000 spp. and diverse nature, the genus is quite variable in habit and habitats, size of the plants, nature of indumentums, stipules, leaf rachis, types of inflorescence, relative length of petals, pods etc. Usually, genus is divided into eight to ten subgenera and more than 245 sections. In recently conducted molecular phylogenetic studies it has been shown that none of the subgenera and large sections are monophyletic. However, it has been clearly demonstrated that Astragalus is monophyletic except some outlier species. The chromosome numbers are also quite interesting and significant in Astragalus for its phylogenetic studies. There is a strong correlation between its geographic distribution and chromosome numbers. Currently about 80 species have been recorded from India chiefly from the Himalayas. Except some of our recent publications, not much studies have been carried out on the genus in India after 'The Flora of British India'. Astragalus is not of much economic importance, however, some of its species are well known for commercial gum tragacanth production especially in Iran and China. In India, A. candolleanus is a well known drug as ‘Rudanti’ or ‘Rudravanti’used for tuberculosis, skin diseases, coughs and blood purifier. The aim of this article is to review the entire work carried out on Astragalus and to bring out scattered information at one place for better understanding of the subject and to find out the future prospective of the research in India on the genus.

  9. Functional morphology of the bovid astragalus in relation to habitat: controlling phylogenetic signal in ecomorphology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barr, W Andrew

    2014-11-01

    Bovid astragali are one of the most commonly preserved bones in the fossil record. Accordingly, astragali are an important target for studies seeking to predict the habitat preferences of fossil bovids based on bony anatomy. However, previous work has not tested functional hypotheses linking astragalar morphology with habitat while controlling for body size and phylogenetic signal. This article presents a functional framework relating the morphology of the bovid astragalus to habitat-specific locomotor ecology and tests four hypotheses emanating from this framework. Highly cursorial bovids living in structurally open habitats are hypothesized to differ from their less cursorial closed-habitat dwelling relatives in having (1) relatively short astragali to maintain rotational speed throughout the camming motion of the rotating astragalus, (2) a greater range of angular excursion at the hock, (3) relatively larger joint surface areas, and (4) a more pronounced "spline-and-groove" morphology promoting lateral joint stability. A diverse sample of 181 astragali from 50 extant species was scanned using a Next Engine laser scanner. Species were assigned to one of four habitat categories based on the published ecological literature. A series of 11 linear measurements and three joint surface areas were measured on each astragalus. A geometric mean body size proxy was used to size-correct the measurement data. Phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) was used to test for differences between habitat categories while controlling for body size differences and phylogenetic signal. Statistically significant PGLS results support Hypotheses 1 and 2 (which are not mutually exclusive) as well as Hypothesis 3. No support was found for Hypothesis 4. These findings confirm that the morphology of the bovid astragalus is related to habitat-specific locomotor ecology, and that this relationship is statistically significant after controlling for body size and phylogeny. Thus, this study

  10. Seed rescue from photoperiod sensitive American Joint Vetch (Aeschynomene americana L.) accessions using hydroponic cloning and aeroponics

    Science.gov (United States)

    American joint vetch, Aeschynomene Americana L. is a self-pollinated tropical pasture legume and the USDA, ARS, PGRCU curates 137 accessions from the United States, S. America, Mexico, Central America, and Zambia. Many accessions in this collection are photoperiod sensitive due to their typical flow...

  11. Seed isolates of Alternaria and Aspergillus fungi increase germination of Astragalus utahensis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sean D. Eldredge; Brad Geary; Scott L. Jensen

    2016-01-01

    Astragalus utahensis (Torr.) Torr. & A. Gray (Fabaceae) (Utah milkvetch) is native lo the arid Great Basin and has desirable attributes that make it a good candidate for restoration in arid, noncompetitive situations. Seed dormancy is a significant barrier to consistent establishment for this species. Species of Alternaria and Aspergillus fungi have...

  12. Biomass and nitrogen accumulation of hairy vetch-cereal rye cover crop mixtures as influenced by species proportions

    Science.gov (United States)

    The performance and suitability of a legume-grass cover crop mixture for specific functions may be influenced by the proportions of each species in the mixture. The objectives of this study were to: 1) evaluate aboveground biomass and species biomass proportions at different hairy vetch (Vicia villo...

  13. [Santa Casa de Misericórdia and hygienist policies in Belém do Pará in the late nineteenth century].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda, Cybelle Salvador; Beltrão, Jane Felipe; Henrique, Márcio Couto; Bessa, Brena Tavares

    2015-01-01

    The article analyzes the relationship between hygienist policies in effect in Belém in the late nineteenth century and the expansion of activities of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Pará. Considered one of the first hospital institutions in the former Grão-Pará Province, in addition to its own hospital, the Brotherhood administered several other health facilities in the capital, and the study of its physical displacement made it possible to "map" three health centers in Belém: Pioneer, Expansion and the Santa Casa, which reinforce the growth vectors of the city. The expansion of its activities is configured as the expansion of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia to serve the underprivileged and sick, preceding the establishment of a public health system in Pará.

  14. Taxonomic Study of Endemic Species of Astragalus L. (Fabaceae of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lal Babu Chaudhary

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available The goal of the study is to provide a comprehensive taxonomic account of 12 endemic species of Astragalus occurring in India. The north-west Himalayan region harbors more endemic species (11 spp. than eastern Himalaya where only two species have been noticed from Sikkim. Jammu & Kashmir with seven species occupies first position in the list of endemic species. Five species are strictly confined to Jammu & Kashmir, while two species to Uttaranchal and one species to Sikkim. Only one species (A. tenuicaulis is found in both the Himalayas, otherwise the elements of both the Himalayas are quite distinct from each other. Most of the endemic species of Astragalus have been observed quite rare in the nature except A. uttaranchalensis. In the present investigation, A. turgidus, a newly described species from Jammu & Kashmir, has been found conspecific to A. kashmirensis. For each species nomenclature, description, distribution, phenology, taxonomic notes, list of the investigated materials, distribution map and figures are given. A new combination A. falconeri var. pilosus (Ali Chaudhary has been proposed based on A. hoffmeisteri var. pilosus Ali. A new endemic species A. nainitalensis from Kumaon Himalaya has also been described here along with illustrations.

  15. Weed Control Efficiency of wild Safflower (Carthamus oxyacanthus M. Bieb in Replacement Series Technique of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. and Common Vetch (Vicia sativa L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    abdolreza ahmadi

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction In agronomy, natural outlook has been expressed in different forms which stable agriculture is an example. Stable agriculture is ascribed to the authentic management of agricultural resources, which in addition to fulfilling the ever-changing needs of humans, maintains the health of environment and capacity of water and soil resources. Application of herbicides, besides being costly, resulted in the selection of herbicide resistant weed species and has become an environmental contamination factor. However, reduction of herbicide consumption is one of the goals of modern agriculture, with several methods being suggested, including intercropping. In natural conditions of production, environment conservation of weed existence requires cost. One of the important preparations in weed control from the perspective of sustainable agriculture, is using intercropping system. The aim of this study was to determine the role of crop diversity on weed and crop production based on the beneficial effects of intercropping system than pure. Materials and methods In order to study effects of mixed and sole cropping of barley with common vetch on their biologic yield and utilization indices, an experiment was conducted in Agricultural college of the University of Lorestan, during the growing season of 2013-2014 with 24 treatments using the method of rows replacement series technique by the randomized complete block design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. First factor included 6 levels of intercropping: sole cropping of common vetch (100%, 55-45 (Common vetch-barley, 35-65, 45-55, 65-35 and sole cropping of barley and second factor included 4 levels of weed wild safflower, control, 10, 15 and 20 plants per m2. In this experiment WCE, LER and CR were measured. The data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA using Mstat-C computer software. Mean comparisons were performed using Duncan’s multiple range test at two levels of

  16. Nitrogen cycling in an ecological farming system of milk vetch culture - pig raising - biogas fermentation - rice culture

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liu, J.R.; Berge, ten H.F.M.; Zhang, M.L.; Wu, J.F.; Guo, C.Z.; Liu, W.

    2002-01-01

    The [15]N - labeled technique was used to study the stock, transformation, fate and utilization efficiency of N in the farming-pig husbandry-biogas ecosystem in rice areas. It was shown that the crude protein digestibility of the ensilaged milk vetch by pig was 53.76%, the recovery rates of

  17. Researches on Determination Yield and Yield Components of Some Common Vetch (Vicia sativa L. Genotypes in Ecological Conditions of Diyarbakır

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyithan SEYDOŞOĞLU

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The research was conducted to determine yield and yield components of some common vetch genotypes in order to examine some of the traits, during 2011-2013 seasons in GAP International Agricultural Research and Training Center was carried out on the experimental field. In the study, a total of 20 different genotypes were used common vetch, field trials randomized block design with 3 replications was established. In the study, herbage yield, hay yield and seed yield in addition to days to %50 flowering duration, plant height, main stem length, main stem number, pod number per plant, grain number per pod as affecting yield some properties were also investigated. In both years of the study, days to %50 flowering duration and grain number per pod characteristics examined, except among genotypes for all other parameters are determined significant differences in statistical terms. According to the average of two years result; days to %50 flowering duration, plant height, main stem length, main stem number, pod number per plant, grain number per pod, herbage yield, hay yield, seed yield, 1000 seed weight were changed between 157.8-174.0 days, 33.9-62.6 cm, 52.0-83.3 cm, 1.6-2.6 number, 13.5-21.2 number, 4.7-5.6 number, 1522.0-3232.3 kg da-1, 308.0-919.5 kg da-1, 92.2-293.7 kg da-1, 46.5-84.5 g, respectively. According to these results, under the climate and soil conditions of Diyarbakır; for the grass production common vetch genotypes "D-135" was suggested and for the seed production common vetch genotypes "IFVS-715" and "GAP-59998" were suggested.

  18. Astragalus Granule Prevents Ca2+ Current Remodeling in Heart Failure by the Downregulation of CaMKII

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sinai Li

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Astragalus was broadly used for treating heart failure (HF and arrhythmias in East Asia for thousands of years. Astragalus granule (AG, extracted from Astragalus, shows beneficial effect on the treatment of HF in clinical research. We hypothesized that administration of AG prevents the remodeling of L-type Ca2+ current (ICa-L in HF mice by the downregulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII. Methods. HF mice were induced by thoracic aortic constriction (TAC. After 4 weeks of AG treatment, cardiac function and QT interval were evaluated. Single cardiac ventricular myocyte was then isolated and whole-cell patch clamp was used to record action potential (AP and ICa-L. The expressions of L-type calcium channel alpha 1C subunit (Cav1.2, CaMKII, and phosphorylated protein kinase A (p-PKA were examined by western blot. Results. The failing heart manifested distinct electrical remodeling including prolonged repolarization time and altered ICa-L kinetics. AG treatment attenuated this electrical remodeling, supported by AG-related shortened repolarization time, decreased peak ICa-L, accelerated ICa-L inactivation, and positive frequency-dependent ICa-L facilitation. In addition, AG treatment suppressed the overexpression of CaMKII, but not p-PKA, in the failing heart. Conclusion. AG treatment protected the failing heart against electrical remodeling and ICa-L remodeling by downregulating CaMKII.

  19. Compositional analysis and rheological characterization of gum tragacanth exudates from six species of Iranian Astragalus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Balaghi, Sima; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin; Zargaraan, Azizollaah

    2011-01-01

    The sugar composition and viscoelastic behaviour of Iranian gum tragacanth exuded by six species of Astragalus was investigated at a concentration of 1.3% and varying ionic strength using a controlled shear-rate rheometer. Compositional analysis of the six species of gum tragacanth by high...... of Astragalus, and this variation led to interesting differences in functional properties. Rheological measurements performed on dispersions of the six species of gum tragacanth demonstrated viscoelastic properties. The mechanical spectra derived from strain sweep and frequency sweep measurements indicated...... that the different gum tragacanth dispersions had distinctive viscoelastic behaviours. Investigation of the viscoelastic properties of the different gum dispersions in the presence of NaCl revealed that the addition of NaCl could lead to slight to drastic decreases in the G′, G″ or η∗ values of the various gums...

  20. Chemical constituents from Astragalus annularis Forssk. and A. trimestris L., Fabaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amr M. El-Hawiet

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Astragalus annularis Forssk. and A. trimestris L., Fabaceae, growing in Egypt, resulted in the isolation of eight compounds, for the first time from these two species. These compounds were identified by chemical methods, NMR spectroscopy, UV spectroscopy as well as MS analysis. The antimicrobial activity of the isolated compounds were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Esherichia coli and Candida albicans.

  1. Physiological and morphological characterization of basalt milkvetch (Astragalus filipes): Basis for plant improvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kishor Bhattarai; Douglas A. Johnson; Thomas A. Jones; Kevin J. Connors; Dale R. Gardner

    2008-01-01

    Astragalus filipes Torr. ex A. Gray (basalt milkvetch or threadstalk milkvetch) is a legume that is widely distributed in western North America andholds promise for revegetation and restoration programs in the western United States. Seed of 67 accessions was collected in 2003 from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, California, and Washington. Field-collected forage samples...

  2. Effects of Astragalus polysaccharides on memory impairment in a diabetic rat model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dun C

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Changping Dun,1 Junqian Liu,1 Fucheng Qiu,1 Xueda Wu,2 Yakun Wang,3 Yongyan Zhao,4 Ping Gu1 1Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 2Department of Cardiac Surgery, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 3Department of Endocrinology, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 4Department of Nursing, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Tangshan City, Tangshan, People’s Republic of China Objective: Astragalus polysaccharides (APS are active constituents of Astragalus membranaceus. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of APS on memory impairment in a diabetic rat model and their mechanisms. Methods: A diabetic model was established in 50 male Wistar rats with streptozotocin intraperitoneal injection. A blood glucose level higher than 16.7 mmol/L obtained 72 hours after the injection was regarded as a successful diabetic model. The modeled rats were divided into model group, high, medium, and low doses of APS, and piracetam groups (positive control. A group of ten rats without streptozotocin-induced diabetes were used as a normal control. After respective consecutive 8-week treatments, the levels of blood fasting plasma glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A1c, memory performance, hippocampal malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase were determined. Results: After the 8-week APS treatment, serum fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and insulin levels were decreased compared with those of the model group (P<0.05. Importantly, memory impairment in the diabetic model was reversed by APS treatments. In addition, hippocampal malondialdehyde concentration was lowered, whereas that of superoxide dismutase was higher after APS treatments. Conclusion: APS are important active components responsible for memory improvement in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The potential mechanism of action is associated with the effects of APS on glucose and lipid metabolism, and

  3. Astragalus kongrensis Benth. Ex Baker (Fabaceae, a New Record for Central and North-West Himalayas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lal Babu Chaudhary

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus kongrensis Benth. Ex Baker is reported for the first time from Central (Nepal and North-West Himalayas (India. Earlier the species was known from East Himalaya (Sikkim-India, Bhutan and China. The description and illustrations of the species are provided.

  4. Biosynthesis of raffinose family oligosaccharides and galactosyl pinitols in developing and maturing seeds of winter vetch (Vicia vlllosa Roth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lesław B. Lahuta

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Changes in the accumulation of two types of α-D-galactosides: raffinose family oligosaccharides and galactosyl pinitols were compared with changes in the activities of galactosyltransferases during winter vetch (Vicia villosa Roth. seed development and maturation. Occurrence of galactinol and raffinose in young seeds and changes in activities of galactinol synthase and raffinose synthase during seed development indicated that formation of raffinose oligosaccharides (RFOs preceded synthesis of galactopinitols. Although transfer of galactose residues into raffinose oligosaccharides increased as seeds were maturing, at late stages of seed maturation the accumulation of galactopinitols was preferred to that of RFOs. In the present study, activities of enzymes transferring galactose moieties from galactinol to D-pinitol forming galactopinitol A, and further transfer of galactose moieties from galactinol to mono- and di-galactopinitol A were detected throughout seed development and maturation. This is a new observation, indicating biological potential of winter vetch seeds to synthesize mono-, di- and tri-galactosides of D-pinitol in a pathway similar to RFOs. The pattern of changes in activities of stachyose synthase and enzymes synthesizing galactopinitols (named galactopinitol A synthase and ciceritol synthase suggests that formation of stachyose, mono- and di-galactopinitol A (ciceritol is catalyzed by one enzyme. High correlation between activities of verbascose synthase and enzyme catalyzing synthesis of tri-galactopinitol A from galactinol and ciceritol (named tri-galactopinitol A synthase also suggests that biosynthesis of both types of tri-galactosides was catalyzed by one enzyme, but distinct from stachyose synthase. Changes in concentrations of galactosyl acceptors (sucrose and D-pinitol can be a factor which regulates splitting of galactose moieties between both types of galactosides in winter vetch seeds.

  5. Allelopathy in the natural and agricultural ecosystems and isolation of potent allelochemicals from Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) and Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujii, Yoshiharu

    2003-06-01

    We have studied on allelopathy of plants and developed methods to identify the effective substances in root exudates, leaf leacheate, and volatile chemicals emitted from plants. We found traditional cover plants that show allelopathic activity are useful for weed control. It could eliminate the use of synthetic chemicals for this purpose. Allelopathy is a natural power of plants to protect themselves by producing natural organic chemicals. Some endemic plants in Asia, already known by farmers in the region, as either cover crops used in intercropping, hedgerow, or agroforestry, were found to possess strong allelopathic abilities. Our group identified several allelochemicals from these plants. These allelopathic cover crops, mostly leguminous plants, provide protein rich food, and grow easily without artificial fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. In this regards, these allelopathic cover crops could save food shortage in rural area, and are useful for environmental conservation. Screenings of allelopathic plants by specific bioassays and field tests have been conducted. Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) are two promising species for the practical application of allelopathy. An amino acid, L-DOPA, unusual in plants, plays an important role as allelochemical in Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens). Hairy vetch is the most promising cover plant for the weed control in orchard, vegetable and rice production and even for landscape amendment in abandoned field in Japan. We have isolated "cyanamide", a well known nitrogen fertilizer, from Hairy vetch. This is the first finding of naturally produced cyanamide in the world.

  6. [Astragalus polysaccharide may increase sensitivity of cervical cancer HeLa cells to cisplatin by regulating cell autophagy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhai, Qiu-Li; Hu, Xiang-Dan; Xiao, Jing; Yu, Dong-Qing

    2018-02-01

    This study aimed to investigate the possible sensitivity of Astragalus polysaccharides, in order to improve the chemosensitivity of cervical cancer HeLa cells to cisplatin by regulating the cell autophagy, and explore its possible mechanism. In this study, HeLa cells were divided into control group, cisplatin group, Astragalus polysaccharide group, and Astragalus polysaccharide combined with cisplatin group. MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of cervical cancer HeLa cells. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis and cycle of HeLa cells in each experimental group. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of autophagy-related proteins beclin1, LC3Ⅱ and p62. The expression levels of autophagy-related proteins beclin1, LC3Ⅱ, LC3Ⅰ and p62 were detected by WB method. MTT results showed that compared with the control group, the proliferation of HeLa cells was significantly inhibited in each administration group( P HeLa cells was significantly increased( P HeLa cells to cisplatin by regulating the cell autophagy. Its possible mechanism of action is correlated with the up-regulation of autophagy-related proteins beclin1, the promote the conversion from LC3Ⅰ to LC3Ⅱ, the down-regulation of labeled protein p62, and the enhancement of HeLa cell autophagic activity, thereby increasing the sensitivity of HeLa cells to cisplatin chemotherapy. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  7. Complete plastid genome of Astragalus mongholicus var. nakaianus (Fabaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, In-Su; Kim, Joo-Hwan; Choi, Byoung-Hee

    2016-07-01

    The first complete plastid genome (plastome) of the largest angiosperm genus, Astragalus, was sequenced for the Korean endangered endemic species A. mongholicus var. nakaianus. Its genome is relatively short (123,633 bp) because it lacks an Inverted Repeat (IR) region. It comprises 110 genes, including four unique rRNAs, 30 tRNAs, and 76 protein-coding genes. Similar to other closely related plastomes, rpl22 and rps16 are absent. The putative pseudogene with abnormal stop codons is atpE. This plastome has no additional inversions when compared with highly variable plastomes from IRLC tribes Fabeae and Trifolieae. Our phylogenetic analysis confirms the non-monophyly of Galegeae.

  8. Chemical composition and some anti-nutrient content of raw and processed bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia) seed for use as feeding stuff in poultry diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadeghi, Gh; Pourreza, J; Samei, A; Rahmani, H

    2009-01-01

    An experiment was conducted to determine chemical composition of raw and treated bitter vetch seed for use in poultry diets. Processing methods were: soaked in water for 12 h, then autoclaved and dried (SA); coarsely ground, soaked in water for 24 h, autoclaved and dried (GSA); coarsely ground, soaked in water for 47 h with exchange of water every 12 h, cooked and dried (GSC); coarsely ground, soaked in solution of 1% acetic acid for 24 h at 60 degrees C and dried (GAA). Raw bitter vetch seed was contained 94.52, 26.56, 0.4, 58.86, 3.38, 5.32, 12.28 and 14.20 percent DM, CP, EE, NFE, Ash, CF, ADF and NDF, respectively. Its GE, AME, AMEn, TME and TMEn values were 18.10, 13.15, 14.38, 14.10 and 14.69 MJ/kg, respectively. Results indicated that bitter vetch is a good source of Fe (340 ppm) and Cu (46.7 ppm). It s amino acid profile was suitable and methionine was the first limiting amino acid when compared with broiler and layer chicks requirements. Its canavanine and tannin content were 0.78 and 6.7 mg/kgDM, respectively. Processing methods improved CP and in some cases AMEn. All processing methods especially GSC resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in canavanine and tannin.

  9. Selenium hyperaccumulation - Astragalus bisulcatus, Cardamine hupingshanensis and Stanleya pinnata - may be useful for agromining selenium-rich soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selenium hyperaccumulator plants like Stanleya pinnata, Astragalus bisulcatus and the newly discovered Se-accumulator Cardamine hupingshanensis may play an important role in the Se cycle from soil to plant to human in China. Se-hyperaccumulators can be used for agromining or for phytoremediation of ...

  10. Astragalus root and elderberry fruit extracts enhance the IFN-β stimulatory effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus in murine-derived dendritic cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanne Frøkiær

    Full Text Available Many foods and food components boost the immune system, but little data are available regarding the mechanisms by which they do. Bacterial strains have disparate effects in stimulating the immune system. In dendritic cells, the gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli upregulates proinflammatory cytokines, whereas gram-positive Lactobacillus acidophilus induces a robust interferon (IFN-β response. The immune-modulating effects of astragalus root and elderberry fruit extracts were examined in bone marrow-derived murine dendritic cells that were stimulated with L. acidophilus or E. coli. IFN-β and other cytokines were measured by ELISA and RT-PCR. Endocytosis of fluorescence-labeled dextran and L. acidophilus in the presence of elderberry fruit or astragalus root extract was evaluated in dendritic cells. Our results show that both extracts enhanced L. acidophilus-induced IFN-β production and slightly decreased the proinflammatory response to E. coli. The enhanced IFN-β production was associated with upregulation of toll-like receptor 3 and to a varying degree, the cytokines IL-12, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α. Both extracts increased endocytosis in immature dendritic cells, and only slightly influenced the viability of the cells. In conclusion, astragalus root and elderberry fruit extracts increase the IFN-β inducing activity of L. acidophilus in dendritic cells, suggesting that they may exert antiviral and immune-enhancing activity.

  11. Combined effects of astragalus soup and persistent Taiji boxing on improving the immunity of elderly women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Qing-Hua; Xu, Rong-Mei; Zhang, Quan-Hai; Shen, Guo-Qing; Ma, Ming; Zhao, Xin-Ping; Guo, Yan-Hua; Wang, Yi

    2014-01-01

    To observe the combined effects of astragalus soup and persistent Taiji boxing on improving the immunity of women of advanced years. 120 elderly women lacking daily exercise were chosen as the study subjects. By using the table of random numbers, they were then divided into the control group and the experiment group, consisting of 60 each. The control group practiced Taiji boxing for 45 minutes twice a day. The experiment group did the same, and, in addition, took astragalus soup after each boxing. Indexes related to physical immunity of the two groups were observed and compared when they were first chosen, when the alternative treatment was applied three, six and twelve months later, respectively. The two groups demonstrated no significant differences in general data and research indexes when chosen (P > 0.05). Three months after the two groups were chosen and treated differently, the control group demonstrated no significant improvement while most indexes of the experiment group improved considerably (P > 0.05). After six months, the related indexes of both groups improved substantially (P soup.

  12. Antinociceptive activity of Astragalus gummifer gum (gum tragacanth) through the adrenergic system: A in vivo study in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagheri, Seyyed Majid; Keyhani, Leila; Heydari, Mehrangiz; Dashti-R, Mohammad Hossein

    2015-01-01

    In Iranian traditional medicine, gum obtained from Astragalus gummifer and some other species of Astragalus was used as analgesic agent. In this study, we investigated the antinociceptive effect of several concentrations (125, 250, and 500 μg/kg body weight) of Astragalus gummifer gum (AGG) on thermal and acetic acid induced pain in mice. AGG was dissolved in distillated water and injected i.p to male mice 15 minute before the onset of experiment. Writhing and hot-plate tests were applied to study the analgesic effect of AGG and compared with that of diclofenac sodium (30 mg/kg, i.p.) or morphine (8 mg/kg, i.p). To investigate the mechanisms involved in antinociception, yohimbine, naloxone, glibenclamide, and theophylline were used in writhing test. These drugs were injected intraperitoneally 15 min before the administration of AGG. The number of writhes were counted in 30 minutes and analyzed. AGG exhibited a significant antinociceptive effect and the most effective dose of AGG was 500 μg/kg. The most maximum possible effect (%MPE) was observed (117.4%) 15 min after drug administration. The %inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing in AGG 125, 250 and 500 was 47%, 50% and 54% vs %15 of control and 66.3% of diclofenac sodium group. The antinociceptive effect induced by this gum in the writhing test was reversed by the systemic administration of yohimbine (α2-adrenergic antagonist), but naloxone, glibenclamide, and theophylline did not reverse this effect. The findings of this study indicated that AGG induced its antinociceptive through the adrenergic system.

  13. Antinociceptive activity of Astragalus gummifer gum (gum tragacanth through the adrenergic system: A in vivo study in mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyyed Majid Bagheri

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: In Iranian traditional medicine, gum obtained from Astragalus gummifer and some other species of Astragalus was used as analgesic agent. Objective: In this study, we investigated the antinociceptive effect of several concentrations (125, 250, and 500 μg/kg body weight of Astragalus gummifer gum (AGG on thermal and acetic acid induced pain in mice. Materials and Methods: AGG was dissolved in distillated water and injected i.p to male mice 15 minute before the onset of experiment. Writhing and hot-plate tests were applied to study the analgesic effect of AGG and compared with that of diclofenac sodium (30 mg/kg, i.p. or morphine (8 mg/kg, i.p. To investigate the mechanisms involved in antinociception, yohimbine, naloxone, glibenclamide, and theophylline were used in writhing test. These drugs were injected intraperitoneally 15 min before the administration of AGG. The number of writhes were counted in 30 minutes and analyzed. Results: AGG exhibited a significant antinociceptive effect and the most effective dose of AGG was 500 μg/kg. The most maximum possible effect (%MPE was observed (117.4% 15 min after drug administration. The %inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing in AGG 125, 250 and 500 was 47%, 50% and 54% vs %15 of control and 66.3% of diclofenac sodium group. The antinociceptive effect induced by this gum in the writhing test was reversed by the systemic administration of yohimbine (α2 -adrenergic antagonist, but naloxone, glibenclamide, and theophylline did not reverse this effect. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicated that AGG induced its antinociceptive through the adrenergic system.

  14. Influence of Seeding Ratio, Planting Date, and Termination Date on Rye-Hairy Vetch Cover Crop Mixture Performance under Organic Management

    OpenAIRE

    Lawson, Andrew; Cogger, Craig; Bary, Andy; Fortuna, Ann-Marie

    2015-01-01

    Cover crop benefits include nitrogen accumulation and retention, weed suppression, organic matter maintenance, and reduced erosion. Organic farmers need region-specific information on winter cover crop performance to effectively integrate cover crops into their crop rotations. Our research objective was to compare cover crop seeding mixtures, planting dates, and termination dates on performance of rye (Secale cereale L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) monocultures and mixtures in the ma...

  15. Generation of the bovine viral diarrhea virus e0 protein in transgenic astragalus and its immunogenicity in sika deer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yugang; Zhao, Xueliang; Zang, Pu; Liu, Qun; Wei, Gongqing; Zhang, Lianxue

    2014-01-01

    The bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a single-stranded RNA virus, can cause fatal diarrhea syndrome, respiratory problems, and reproductive disorders in herds. Over the past few years, it has become clear that the BVDV infection rates are increasing and it is likely that an effective vaccine for BVDV will be needed. In this study, transgenic Astragalus was used as an alternative productive platform for the expression of glycoprotein E0. The immunogenicity of glycoprotein E0 expressed in transgenic Astragalus was detected in deer. The presence of pBI121-E0 was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), transcription was verified by reverse transcription- (RT-) PCR, and recombinant protein expression was confirmed by ELISA and Western blot analyses. Deer that were immunized subcutaneously with the transgenic plant vaccine developed specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against BVDV. This study provides a new method for a protein with weak immunogenicity to be used as part of a transgenic plant vaccine.

  16. Generation of the Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus E0 Protein in Transgenic Astragalus and Its Immunogenicity in Sika Deer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yugang Gao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV, a single-stranded RNA virus, can cause fatal diarrhea syndrome, respiratory problems, and reproductive disorders in herds. Over the past few years, it has become clear that the BVDV infection rates are increasing and it is likely that an effective vaccine for BVDV will be needed. In this study, transgenic Astragalus was used as an alternative productive platform for the expression of glycoprotein E0. The immunogenicity of glycoprotein E0 expressed in transgenic Astragalus was detected in deer. The presence of pBI121-E0 was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR, transcription was verified by reverse transcription- (RT- PCR, and recombinant protein expression was confirmed by ELISA and Western blot analyses. Deer that were immunized subcutaneously with the transgenic plant vaccine developed specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against BVDV. This study provides a new method for a protein with weak immunogenicity to be used as part of a transgenic plant vaccine.

  17. Astragalus-containing Traditional Chinese Medicine, with and without prescription based on syndrome differentiation, combined with chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, S F; Wang, Q; Jiao, L J; Huang, Y L; Garfield, D; Zhang, J; Xu, L

    2016-06-01

    Traditional Chinese Medicine (tcm) is used in China as part of the treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) and often includes prescription of herbal therapy based on syndrome differentiation. Studies of various Astragalus-based Chinese medicines combined with platinum-based chemotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer are popular in East Asia, particularly in China. The aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing platinum-based chemotherapy alone with platinum-based chemotherapy plus Astragalus-based Chinese botanicals, with and without prescription based on syndrome differentiation, as first-line treatment for advanced nsclc. We searched the Chinese Biomedical Literature database, the China National Knowledge Internet, the VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals Database, PubMed, embase, the Cochrane databases, and abstracts presented at meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the World Conference on Lung Cancer, the European Society for Medical Oncology, and the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology for all eligible studies. Endpoints were overall survival; 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates; performance status; overall response rate; and grade 3 or 4 adverse events. Subgroup analyses based on herbal formulae individualized using syndrome differentiation or on oral or injection patent medicines were performed using the Stata software application (version 11.0: StataCorp LP, College Station, TX, U.S.A.) and a fixed-effects or random-effects model in case of heterogeneity. Results are expressed as a hazard ratio (hr) or relative risk (rr), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (cis). Seventeen randomized studies with scores on the Jadad quality scale of 2 or more, representing 1552 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Compared with platinum-based chemotherapy alone, the addition of Astragalus-based tcm to chemotherapy was associated with significantly increased overall survival

  18. Structural Characterization and Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of Phenolic Compounds from Astragalus taipaishanensis and Their Structure-Activity Relationship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pu, Wenjun; Wang, Dongmei; Zhou, Dan

    2015-09-01

    Eight phenolic compounds were isolated using bio-guided isolation and purified from the roots of Astragalus taipaishanensis Y. C. Ho et S. B. Ho (A. taipaishanensis) for the first time. Their structures were elucidated by ESI-MS, HR-ESI-MS, 1D-NMR and 2D-NMR as 7,2‧-dihydroxy-3‧,4‧-dimethoxy isoflavan (1), formononetin (2), isoliquiritigenin (3), quercetin (4), kaempferol (5), ononin (6), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (7) and vanillic acid (8). Six flavonoids (compounds 1-6) exhibited stronger antioxidant activities (determined by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays) than those of BHA and TBHQ and also demonstrated noticeable protective effects (particularly quercetin and kaempferol) on Escherichia coli under oxidative stress. Additionally, the chemical constituents compared with those of Astragalus membranaceus and the structure-activity relationship of the isolated compounds were both analyzed. The results clearly demonstrated that A. taipaishanensis has the potential to be selected as an alternative medicinal and food plant that can be utilized in health food products, functional tea and pharmaceutical products.

  19. Effect of astragalus and dopamine on changes of blood and renal tissue contents of NO, ET in experimental rat models of acute renal failure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Yajun; Zheng Bingjie; Shi Lan; Fan Yaping

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To explore the effect of intravenous or intra-renal-capsular administration of astragalus and dopamine on the serum NO and renal tissue NO, ET contents in rat models of acute renal failure. Methods: Experimental rat models of acute renal failure induced by intraperitoneal injection of E. Coli endotoxin (lipo-polysaccharide) were prepared (n=60). Treatment with astragalus and dopamine was administered via either intravenous on intra-renal-capsular route (n=20 in each group). Serum NO and renal tissue NO (with nitric acid reductase method), ET (with RIA) contents were determined at 4, 8, 12, 16h after injection of endotoxin. Twenty shock models were left untreated and additional twenty rats receiving saline injection only served as controls. Results: In the intravenously treated group, the increase of serum NO and renal tissue NO, ET contents were significantly less than those in the untreated group (P<0.05). In the group treated via the intracapsular route , the increase of renal tissue NO and ET contents were much less than those in the intravenous group at 12 and 16h (P<0.05). Conclusion: Combined treatment with astragalus and dopamine could abate the abnormally high renal tissue contents of NO and ET after endotoxin shock in experimental rats and treatment with intra capsular administration seems to be more effective. (authors)

  20. Relationship between molecular weight, monosaccharide composition and immunobiologic activity of Astragalus polysaccharides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Yiping; Qi, Xiaohui; Gao, Kai; Liu, Wenjun; Li, Na; Cheng, Ningbo; Ding, Gang; Huang, Wenzhe; Wang, Zhenzhong; Xiao, Wei

    2016-10-01

    Four Astragalus polysaccharides (APS1-APS4) were isolated from the water extract of Radix Astragali and purified through ethanol precipitation with 20 %, 40 %, 60 % and 80 % ethanol, respectively. The total sugar content was measured by sulfuric acid-phenol method. Their molecular weight was determined using high performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) and their monosaccharide composition was analyzed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after pre-column derivatization. Then the immunobiologic activity of APS was evaluated by the experiment of spleen lymphocytes proliferation in vitro. The data suggested that precipitation by different concentration of ethanol will obtain different molecular weight APS, the higher concentration of ethanol the smaller molecular weight for APS. The molecular weights of four APS were 257.7 kDa, 40.1 kDa, 15.3 kDa and 3.2 kDa. Monosaccharide composition analysis indicated that APS1 consisted of glucose only, and APS2 all consisted of arabinose. APS3 consisted of rhamnose, glucose, galactose and arabinose and APS4 consisted of galactose and arabinose, in a molar ratio of 1:10.76:6.55:12 and 3.02:1. The result of immunobiologic activity assay showed that both APS2 and APS3 can effectively stimulate normal spleen lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. Apart from this, the effect of APS2 also showed dose dependent tendency from 6.25 μg/mL to 800 μg/mL. The result of this research indicated that Astragalus polysaccharides, which consist of arabinose and their molecular weight between 15.2 kDa to 40.1 kDa, neither too high nor too low, had significant immune activity.

  1. VARIABILITY OF LENGTH OF STEM OF DETERMINATE AND INDETERMINATE CULTIVARS OF COMMON VETCH (VICIA SATIVA L. SSP. SATIVA AND ITS IMPACT ON SELECTED CROPPING FEATURES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jadwiga ANDRZEJEWSKA

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available In the years 2001 and 2002, the study was conducted in six experiments in order to examine the conditioning of the length of stem variability and its impact on cropping features of determinate and indeterminate cultivars of common vetch. Rainfall in June and July as well as during the whole growing season was positively correlated with length of stem, but negatively correlated with seed yield, to a larger extent in the group of indeterminate cultivars than in the determinate one. Duration of blooming stage, length of stem, and seed yield showed the largest variability in both groups. Increase in length of stem of plants of indeterminate cultivars led to the delay in maturation, to less even maturation, and to the decrease in the thousand seed weight and seed yield. Increase in length of stem of plants of determinate cultivars delayed reaching the phase of technical maturation and decreased evenness of plant maturation. Determinate growth of common vetch did not lead to the reduction of lodging.

  2. Selenium and Trace Element Distribution in Astragalus Plants: Developing a Differential Pulse Polarographic Method for Their Determination

    OpenAIRE

    SOMER, Güler; ÇALIŞKAN, A. Cengiz

    2007-01-01

    Astragalus plants have a wide range of applications in pharmaceuticals (gum tragacanth), as thickening agents in foods, and may have applications in controlling cancer cells. They are used as feed for animals and they are indicator plants for selenium. Because of their use in health-related areas it is very important to determine their selenium and trace element content with high accuracy. A new differential pulse polarographic method was established for trace element determination (...

  3. A new species of Astragalus (Fabaceae from west coast of Baikal Lake (Irkutsk Oblast

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. V. Stepantsova

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available A new species, Astragalus rytyensis Stepantsova (Fabaceae, growing on the west coast of the lake Baikal, is described. Morphological differences from related taxa – A. versicolor Pall., A. austrosibiricus Schischk., and A. inopinatus Boriss., are discussed and uncertain position of the new species in the system of the genus is emphasized which is intermediate between subg. Phaca (L. Bunge sect. Hemiphaca Bunge and subg. Cercidothrix Bunge sect. Onobrychium Bunge. Ecological and phonological features of A. rytyensis are reported and chromosome numbers of the new (2n = 6x = 48 and related species are counted.

  4. Astragalus Polysaccharide Improves Palmitate-Induced Insulin Resistance by Inhibiting PTP1B and NF-κB in C2C12 Myotubes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong Li

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the effects of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS on palmitate-induced insulin resistance in C2C12 skeletal muscle myotubes. Palmitate-reduced glucose uptake was restored by APS. APS prevented palmitate-induced C2C12 myotubes from impaired insulin signaling by inhibiting Ser307 phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1 and increasing Ser473 phosphorylation of Akt. Moreover, the increases in protein-tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B protein level and NF-κB activation associated with palmitate treatment were also prevented by APS. However the treatment with APS didn’t change AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK activation in palmitate-induced myotubes. The results of the present study suggest that Astragalus polysaccharide inhibits palmitate-induced insulin resistance in C2C12 myotubes by inhibiting expression of PTP1B and regulating NF-κB but not AMPK pathway.

  5. Agronomic performances of three vetch species growing under different drought levels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sywar Haffani

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The current challenge of agriculture is to get the best yields while overcoming frequent water deficit conditions. The objective of this study was to compare performances of three vetch species (Vicia narbonensis L., V. sativa L., and V. villosa Roth subjected to water stress. Plants were sown in pots under rainout shelter and submitted to four water regimes: control (100% field capacity [FC], 80%, 60%, and 40% FC through 3 yr experiment. Results showed that V. narbonensis had the smallest declines in all the studied variables in response to water restriction but the highest water use efficiency (WUE and stress tolerance index (STI in both control and water-treated plants. This indicates the greater tolerance of this species to water constraint and its better water use. Vicia villosa was characterized by drastic declines in leaf area and DM yield (75% and 64%, respectively. It had also the smallest WUE and STI suggesting its low adaptation to water stress. Vicia sativa showed severe reductions in seed yield and yield components; accordingly, it was the most sensitive species in terms of seed yield. The three species implied avoidance strategies to cope with water stress. The different levels of drought tolerance explain the species ecological distribution in Tunisia.

  6. Complete genomic characterization of milk vetch dwarf virus isolates from cowpea and broad bean in Anhui province, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chenhua; Zheng, Hongying; Yan, Dankan; Han, Kelei; Song, Xijiao; Liu, Yong; Zhang, Dongfang; Chen, Jianping; Yan, Fei

    2017-08-01

    Cowpea and broad bean plants showing severe stunting and leaf rolling symptoms were observed in Hefei city, Anhui province, China, in 2014. Symptomatic plants from both species were shown to be infected with milk vetch dwarf virus (MDV) by PCR. The complete genomes of MDV isolates from cowpea and broad bean were sequenced. Each of them had eight genomic DNAs that differed between the two isolates by 10.7% in their overall nucleotide sequences. In addition, the MDV genomes from cowpea and broad bean were associated with two and three alphasatellite DNAs, respectively. This is the first report of MDV on cowpea in China and the first complete genome sequences of Chinese MDV isolates.

  7. Influence of Conservation Tillage on some Soil Physical Properties and Crop Yield in Vetch-Wheat Rotation in Dryland Cold Region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I Eskandari

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Winter wheat is an important, well-adapted grain crop under dryland condition of the northwest of Iran. Soil water is the most limiting resource for crop growth in dryland areas. Therefore, farmers need to use crop residues and minimum tillage to control the soil erosion and effectively store and to use the limited precipitation received for crop production. Crop rotation and tillage system could affect crop yield due to their effects on water conservation and soil chemical and physical properties. Galantini et al., (2000 studied the effect of crop rotation on wheat productivity in the Pampean semi-arid region of Argentina and found that a wheat–vetch (Vicia sativa L. rotation resulted in higher yield and protein content, and greater yield components than the other rotations.Payne et al. (2000 stated that where precipitation amount is marginal (400 mm, dry field pea offers a potential alternative to summer fallowing. The purpose of this study was to identify the optimal tillage system for increasing crop productivity in a vetch–wheat rotation in dryland farming of the northwest of Iran. Materials and Methods The field experiment was carried out from 2010 to 2014 at the Dryland Agricultural Research Station (latitude37° 12´N; longitude 46◦20´E; 1730 m a.s.l., 25 km east of Maragheh, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. The long-term (10 years average precipitation, temperature and relative humidity of the station are 336.5 mm, 9.4 ◦C and 47.5%, respectively. The soil (Fine Mixed, Mesic, Vertic Calcixerepts, USDA system; Calcisols, FAO system at the study site had a clay loam texture in the 0–15 cm surface layer and a clay texture in the 15–80 cm depth. This study was conducted in vetch (Vicia pannonica- wheat (Triticum aestivum L. rotation. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The tillage treatments consisted of (1 conventional tillage: moldboard plowing followed by one

  8. The Weeds Response to the Winter Vetch (Vicia villosa and Chicklingpea (Lathyrus sativus Cover Crops under Different Tillage Methods in Corn Fields

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javad Hamzei

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Using cover crops in conservation tillage systems offers many advantages, one of which is weed control through physical and chemical interferences. Most of the benefits of cover crops are well known. They prevent form wind and water erosions, conserve soil moisture by reducing evaporation and increasing infiltration, increase the content of organic matter, increase fertility by recycling nutrients, add nitrogen if they are legumes, and improve soil structure. Proper cover crops can also suppress weed growth by allelopathic activities and light interference. They impact on environmental quality through the protection of surface water and groundwater, as well as eliminating the need for using preemergence herbicides. Either increase or decreases have been reported for crop yields when the crop residues remain on soil surface. No-till system has been reported to increase the presence of certain difficult to control weeds. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tillage systems and cover crops on weed control and corn yield. Materials and Methods: Experiment was carried out as split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Bu-Ali Sina University in growing season of 2011. Tillage with moldboard, tillage with chisel (minimum tillage, and no tillage were considered as main plots and two cover crops, winter vetch and chicklingpea, chemical weed control and weed-infest treatment (control were considered as sub-plots. Cover crops were cultivated in late March 2011. In early June 2011, cover crops were harvested and were spread over the soil surface. The Plot size was 22.50 m-2. Five rows were in each plot with 75 cm intervals among rows and 18 cm among seedlings. 2 square were picked in the three central rows of each plot in order to determine the yield and yield components. From each plot three quadrants (1×1 mrandomly were picked and weeds and cover crops was separated. All

  9. Productivity of lactating cows fed on a diet of haylage from a vetch pea-oat mixture with the introduction of new biological preservative

    OpenAIRE

    P. I. Baryshnikov; V. N. Khaustov; S. V. Burtseva; R. V. Nekrasov; M. G. Chabaev; A. А. Zelenchikova; D. A. Durnikin

    2016-01-01

    The effect of a new biological preservative representing a mix of lyophilized Lactobacillus plantarum VKPM V-4173, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis VKPM V-2092 and Propionibacterium acidipropionici VKPMV-5723 strains (40 : 40 : 20) on the quality of haylage prepared from a mix of vetch, oats, and pea has been studied. The total bacteria content in the preservative was 1·1011 CFU/g. Five different variants of conservation of alfalfa haylage prepared at the budding stage were evaluated under la...

  10. Effect of silage from ryegrass intercropped with winter or common vetch for grazing dairy cows in small-scale dairy systems in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernández-Ortega, Martha; Heredia-Nava, Darwin; Espinoza-Ortega, Angelica; Sánchez-Vera, Ernesto; Arriaga-Jordán, Carlos M

    2011-06-01

    The objective was to determine the effect of including silages of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) intercropped with winter vetch (Vicia villosa) (ARG-VV) or with common vetch (Vicia sativa) (ARG-VS) compared with maize silage (MS) on milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows grazing cultivated perennial ryegrass-white clover pastures with supplemented concentrate during the dry season. Six Holstein dairy cows with a mean yield of 19.0 kg/cow/day at the beginning of the experiment were randomly assigned to a 3 × 3 repeated Latin square. Treatments were: 8 h/day intensive grazing, 3.6 kg of dry matter (DM) per cow per day of concentrate plus MS, and ARG-VV or ARG-VS ad libitum at a stocking rate of 3.0 cows/ha for three experimental periods of 3 weeks each. Milk yield (MY) and milk composition, live weight and body condition score as well as silage and concentrate intakes were recorded during the third week of each experimental period, and pasture intake was estimated indirectly from utilised metabolisable energy. Economic analysis was obtained by preparing partial budgets. There were no statistical differences (P > 0.10) in MY, milk fat or protein content nor for live weight, but there was significant difference (P dairy production systems in the dry season as it is comparable to MS in animal performance and slightly better in economic terms.

  11. Review of the botanical characteristics, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Juan; Wang, Zenghui; Huang, Linfang; Zheng, Sihao; Wang, Dongmei; Chen, Shilin; Zhang, Haitao; Yang, Shihai

    2014-09-01

    Astragalus membranaceus is one of the most widely used traditional Chinese herbal medicines. It is used as immune stimulant, tonic, antioxidant, hepatoprotectant, diuretic, antidiabetic, anticancer, and expectorant. The current paper reviews the botanical characteristics, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Astragali Radix. Information on Astragali Radix was gathered via the Internet (using Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, Elsevier, ACS, Medline Plus, CNKI, and Web of Science) as well as from libraries and local books. More than 100 compounds, including flavonoids, saponins, polysaccharides, and amino acids, have so far been identified, and the various biological activities of the compounds have been reported. As an important traditional Chinese medicine, further studies on Astragali Radix can lead to the development of new drugs and therapies for various diseases. The improvement of its utilization should be studied further. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Relating N2O emissions from energy crops to the avoided fossil fuel-derived CO2 – a study on bioethanol and biogas produced from organically managed maize, rye, vetch and grass-clover

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carter, Mette Sustmann; Hauggard-Nielsen, Henrik; Thomsen, Sune Tjalfe

    2010-01-01

    ‐derived CO2, where the N2O emission has been subtracted. This value does not account for farm machinery CO2 emissions and fuel consumption during biofuel production. We obtained the greatest net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by co‐production of bioethanol and biogas or by biogas alone produced from...... fuel‐derived CO2, which is obtained when energy crops are used for biofuel production. The analysis includes five organically managed crops (viz. maize, rye, rye‐vetch, vetch and grass‐clover) and three scenarios for conversion of biomass to biofuel. The scenarios are 1) bioethanol production, 2......) biogas production and 3) co‐production of bioethanol and biogas, where the energy crops are first used for bioethanol fermentation and subsequently the residues from this process are utilized for biogas production. The net reduction in greenhouse gas missions is calculated as the avoided fossil fuel...

  13. Astragalus polysaccharides lowers plasma cholesterol through mechanisms distinct from statins.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunjiu Cheng

    Full Text Available To determine the efficacy and underlying mechanism of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS on plasma lipids in hypercholesterolemia hamsters. The effect of APS (0.25 g/kg/d on plasma and liver lipids, fecal bile acids and neutral sterol, cholesterol absorption and synthesis, HMG-CoA reductase activity, and gene and protein expressions in the liver and small intestine was investigated in twenty-four hypercholesterolemia hamsters. Treatment periods lasted for three months. APS significantly lowered plasma total cholesterol by 45.8%, triglycerides by 30%, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 47.4%, comparable to simvastatin. Further examinations revealed that APS reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver, increased fecal bile acid and neutral sterol excretion, inhibited cholesterol absorption, and by contrast, increased hepatic cholesterol synthesis and HMG-CoA reductase activity. Plasma total cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels were significantly correlated with cholesterol absorption rates. APS up-regulated cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase and LDL-receptor gene expressions. These new findings identify APS as a potential natural cholesterol lowering agent, working through mechanisms distinct from statins.

  14. Generation of the Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus E0 Protein in Transgenic Astragalus and Its Immunogenicity in Sika Deer

    OpenAIRE

    Gao, Yugang; Zhao, Xueliang; Zang, Pu; Liu, Qun; Wei, Gongqing; Zhang, Lianxue

    2014-01-01

    The bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a single-stranded RNA virus, can cause fatal diarrhea syndrome, respiratory problems, and reproductive disorders in herds. Over the past few years, it has become clear that the BVDV infection rates are increasing and it is likely that an effective vaccine for BVDV will be needed. In this study, transgenic Astragalus was used as an alternative productive platform for the expression of glycoprotein E0. The immunogenicity of glycoprotein E0 expressed in tr...

  15. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE FOUND IN VICTOR HUGO’S LES MISERABLE NOVEL: A SEMANTICS APPROACH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hotma Hutasoit

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Penelitian ini membahas terjadinya bahasa kiasan dalam karya Victor Hugo yang berjudul Les Miserable melalui pendekatan semantik. Tujuan skripsi ini adalah (1 untuk memahami bahasa kiasan perbandingan dan pertentangan yang di temukan dalam novel “Les Miserables” karya Victor Hugo,(2 untuk memahami bahasa kiasan hubungan yang di temukan dalam novel “Les Miserables” karya Victor Hugo, (3 untuk memahami bahasa kiasan perulangan yang di temukan dalam novel “Les Miserables” karya Victor Hugo. Peneliti didukung oleh teori Leech (1981 dalam semantik terutama untuk makna konotasi dan Dancygier dan Sweetser (2014, Keraf (1994 dan Cruse (2006 untuk bahasa kiasan. Metode kualitatif digunakan dalam penelitian ini dan penelitian pustaka sebagai teknik yang digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data. Peneliti mengambil 55 sampel dari bahasa kiasan dari novel. Bahasa kiasan perbandingan dan pertentangan yaitu 3 personifikasi, 6 metafora, 6 simile, 6 hiperbola, 2 litotes, and 5 paradox. Bahasa kiasan hubungan yaitu 1 metonimi, 6 sinekdot, 4 alusi, dan 1elipsis. Bahasa kiasan perulangan yaitu 2 pleonasme, 2 klimaks, 1 anti-klimaks, 6 retorika, dan 4 repetisi.Temuan dari penelitian ini adalah dari 55 sampel dari bahasa kiasan yang ditemukan dalam novel, peneliti menemukan yang paling banyak 28 bahasa kiasan yang terjadi pada majas perbandingan dan pertentangan, diikuti denagn 15 bahasa kiasan yang terjadi pada majas perulangan, dan yang paling sedikit 12 bahasa kiasan yang terjadi pada majas hubungan dari setiap kategori.

  16. An Evaluation of Root Phytochemicals Derived from Althea officinalis (Marshmallow) and Astragalus membranaceus as Potential Natural Components of UV Protecting Dermatological Formulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curnow, Alison; Owen, Sara J

    2016-01-01

    As lifetime exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation has risen, the deleterious effects have also become more apparent. Numerous sunscreen and skincare products have therefore been developed to help reduce the occurrence of sunburn, photoageing, and skin carcinogenesis. This has stimulated research into identifying new natural sources of effective skin protecting compounds. Alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) was employed to assess aqueous extracts derived from soil or hydroponically glasshouse-grown roots of Althea officinalis (Marshmallow) and Astragalus membranaceus, compared with commercial, field-grown roots. Hydroponically grown root extracts from both plant species were found to significantly reduce UVA-induced DNA damage in cultured human lung and skin fibroblasts, although initial Astragalus experimentation detected some genotoxic effects, indicating that Althea root extracts may be better suited as potential constituents of dermatological formulations. Glasshouse-grown soil and hydroponic Althea root extracts afforded lung fibroblasts with statistically significant protection against UVA irradiation for a greater period of time than the commercial field-grown roots. No significant reduction in DNA damage was observed when total ultraviolet irradiation (including UVB) was employed (data not shown), indicating that the extracted phytochemicals predominantly protected against indirect UVA-induced oxidative stress. Althea phytochemical root extracts may therefore be useful components in dermatological formulations.

  17. An Evaluation of Root Phytochemicals Derived from Althea officinalis (Marshmallow and Astragalus membranaceus as Potential Natural Components of UV Protecting Dermatological Formulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alison Curnow

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available As lifetime exposure to ultraviolet (UV radiation has risen, the deleterious effects have also become more apparent. Numerous sunscreen and skincare products have therefore been developed to help reduce the occurrence of sunburn, photoageing, and skin carcinogenesis. This has stimulated research into identifying new natural sources of effective skin protecting compounds. Alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay was employed to assess aqueous extracts derived from soil or hydroponically glasshouse-grown roots of Althea officinalis (Marshmallow and Astragalus membranaceus, compared with commercial, field-grown roots. Hydroponically grown root extracts from both plant species were found to significantly reduce UVA-induced DNA damage in cultured human lung and skin fibroblasts, although initial Astragalus experimentation detected some genotoxic effects, indicating that Althea root extracts may be better suited as potential constituents of dermatological formulations. Glasshouse-grown soil and hydroponic Althea root extracts afforded lung fibroblasts with statistically significant protection against UVA irradiation for a greater period of time than the commercial field-grown roots. No significant reduction in DNA damage was observed when total ultraviolet irradiation (including UVB was employed (data not shown, indicating that the extracted phytochemicals predominantly protected against indirect UVA-induced oxidative stress. Althea phytochemical root extracts may therefore be useful components in dermatological formulations.

  18. Extraction of a Novel Cold-Water-Soluble Polysaccharide from Astragalus membranaceus and Its Antitumor and Immunological Activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    An-jun Liu

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The polysaccharides of Astragalus membranaceus have received extensive study and attention, but there have been few reports on the extraction of these polysaccharides using cold water (4 °C. In this study, we fractionated a novel cold-water-soluble polysaccharide (cAMPs-1A from Astragalus membranaceus with a 92.00% carbohydrate content using a DEAE-cellulose 52 anion exchange column and a Sephadex G-100 column. Our UV, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, high-performance gel permeation chromatography, and ion chromatography analysis results indicated the monosaccharide composition of cAMPs-1A with 1.23 × 104 Da molecular weight to be fucose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, and xylose, with molar ratios of 0.01:0.06:0.20:1.00:0.06, respectively. The UV spectroscopy detected no protein and nucleic acid in cAMPs-1A. We used FTIR analysis to characterize the α-d-pyranoid configuration in cAMPs-1A. In addition, we performed animal experiments in vivo to evaluate the antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of cAMPs-1A. The results suggested that cAMPs-1A oral administration could significantly inhibit tumor growth with the inhibitory rate of 20.53%, 36.50% and 44.49%, respectively, at the dosage of 75,150, and 300 mg/kg. Moreover, cAMPs-1A treatment could also effectively protect the immune organs, promote macrophage pinocytosis, and improve the percentages of lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of tumor-bearing mice. These findings demonstrate that the polysaccharide cAMPs-1A has an underlying application as natural antitumor agents.

  19. EFFECTS OF CREATINE, GINSENG, AND ASTRAGALUS SUPPLEMENTATION ON STRENGTH, BODY COMPOSITION, MOOD, AND BLOOD LIPIDS DURING STRENGTH-TRAINING IN OLDER ADULTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael E. Rogers

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available The effects of supplemental dietary creatine and a botanical extract consisting of ginseng and astragalus were evaluated in 44 adults aged 55-84 years participating in a 12-week strength-training program. Participants consumed creatine only (Cr, creatine plus botanical extract (CrBE, or placebo (PL, and performed bench press, lat pull down, biceps curl, leg press, knee extension, and knee flexion for 3 sets of 8-12 reps on 3 days per week for 12 weeks. The 1-repetition maximum for each exercise, body composition (full-body DEXA, blood lipids, and mood states were evaluated before and after the intervention. Training improved (p < 0.05 strength and lean mass for all groups, however greater gains were observed with Cr and CrBE compared with placebo (but no difference was found between Cr and CrBE. Only CrBE improved blood lipids and self-reported vigor, and the CrBE group lost significantly more body fat and gained more bench press strength than Cr. These results indicate that strength and lean mass gains achieved by older adults participating in a strength training program can be enhanced with creatine supplementation, and that ginseng and astragalus may provide additional health and psychological benefits. However, these herbs do not appear to have an additive effect on strength and lean mass gains during training

  20. Recent Advances in Astragalus membranaceus Anti-Diabetic Research: Pharmacological Effects of Its Phytochemical Constituents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kojo Agyemang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The disease burden of diabetes mellitus is increasing throughout the world. The need for more potent drugs to complement the present anti-diabetic drugs has become an imperative. Astragalus membranaceus, a key component of most Chinese herbal anti-diabetic formulas, has been an important prospect for lead anti-diabetic compounds. It has been progressively studied for its anti-diabetic properties. Ethnopharmacological studies have established its potential to alleviate diabetes mellitus. Recent studies have sought to relate its chemical constituents to types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus. Its total polysaccharides, saponins, and flavonoids fractions and several isolated compounds have been the most studied. The total polysaccharides fraction demonstrated activity to both types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus. This paper discusses the anti-diabetic effects and pharmacological action of the chemical constituents in relation to types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus.

  1. [Study of genuineness based on changes of ancient herbal origin--taking Astragalus membranaceus and Salvia miltiorrhiza as examples].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Zhi-Lai; Deng, Ai-Ping; Peng, Hua-Sheng; Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Guo, Lan-Ping; Huang, Lu-Qi

    2016-09-01

    Basically, Dao-di hers are produced in specific area which has a long history, good quality, good medicine, curative effect. However genuine medicinal material area in history is not static, this makes the establishment of genuine medicinal material origin and the in-depth research be very difficult. This paper has profoundly analyzed the origin of different historical periods taking Astragalus membranaceus and Salvia miltiorrhiza as examples, and then summarized the reasons of herbal origin changes from the humanities, social and natural three aspects. This paper provides a basis for establishment and the further research of high-quality genuine producing area. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  2. Evaluation of the Possibility of Cultivation of Eggplant and Common Vetch in a Mercury Contaminated Area; Evaluacion de la posibilidad de cultivo de veza y berenjena en un area contaminada con mercurio

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sierra, M J; Millan, R; Esteban, E

    2006-12-18

    This study is framed in the project Recuperacion de Terrenos Afectados por Mercurio Ambiental (RETAMA) which determines the behaviour of mercury in the soil-plant system within the area of Almaden. It forms part of experimental work of doctoral thesis carried out by Maria Jose Sierra and directed by Rocio Millan and Elvira Esteban. The objective of this work was to study the mercury absorption capacity of Solanum melongena (eggplant) and Vicia sativa (common vetch), and the distribution of this metal in this crop. The possible use of eggplant culture as an economic alternative in a mercury contaminated area has been evaluated. The present study has been carried out using a soil from the mercury mining district of Almaden (Spain). The total mercury concentration of this soil is 14.16 + 0.65 mg kg-1 on average. The selected crops are typical in the area of study, eggplant is much appreciated for human consumption and common vetch is an important forage crop. At the end of the document (Anexo V) a critical reading of several articles related to the study subject have been enclosed. (Author) 50 refs.

  3. Stabilization of emulsions by gum tragacanth (Astragalus spp.) correlates to the galacturonic acid content and methoxylation degree of the gum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ahmadi Gavlighi, Hassan; Meyer, Anne S.; Abang Zaidel, Dayang Norulfairuz

    2013-01-01

    Gum tragacanth samples from six species of Iranian Astragalus bush plants (“goat's-horn”) were evaluated for their emulsion stabilizing effects and their detailed chemical composition in order to examine any possible correlation between the make-up and the emulsion stabilizing properties of gum......:50 (A. rahensis, A. microcephalus, A. compactus) or tipped toward higher bassorin than tragacanthin (A. gossypinus). The monosaccharide make-up of the six gums also varied, but all the gums contained relatively high levels of galacturonic acid (∼100–330 mg/g), arabinose (50–360 mg/g), xylose (∼150...

  4. Astragalus root and elderberry fruit extracts enhance the IFN-ß stimulatory effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus in murine-derived dendritic cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frøkiær, Hanne; Henningsen, Louise; Metzdorff, Stine Broeng

    2012-01-01

    Many foods and food components boost the immune system, but little data are available regarding the mechanisms by which they do. Bacterial strains have disparate effects in stimulating the immune system. In dendritic cells, the gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli upregulates proinflammatory......-ß and other cytokines were measured by ELISA and RT-PCR. Endocytosis of fluorescence-labeled dextran and L. acidophilus in the presence of elderberry fruit or astragalus root extract was evaluated in dendritic cells. Our results show that both extracts enhanced L. acidophilus-induced IFN-ß production...

  5. Perdas de água e solo por erosão hídrica em duas direções de semeadura de aveia e ervilhaca Water and soil losses through water erosion under oat and vetch sown in two directions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Vieira Luciano

    2009-06-01

    acumuladas de solo (PS aumentaram com a lâmina (LC e a erosividade (EI30 acumulada das chuvas, entre os testes 1 e 4, segundo as equações: PS = 0,859(1-e-0,0059LC (R² = 0,99 e PS = 0,832(1-e-0,0004EI30 (R² = 0,99.The sowing direction influences soil surface roughness, which, combined with rainfall and other variables, e.g., canopy cover, affects soil water erosion. Using a rotating-boom rainfall simulator, five tests of simulated rainfall were applied to black oat (Avena strigosa, and vetch (Vicia sativa, at a constant intensity of 64 mm h-1, between August and November 2006, to assess water and soil loss in the following treatment: mechanized seeding of oats in downslope rows; mechanized seeding of oats along contour lines; mechanized seeding of vetch in downslope rows, and mechanized seeding of vetch along contour lines. The experiment was conducted in two replications on an Inceptisol, with a mean slope of 0.119 m m-1. The canopy cover was greater in oat than vetch until rainfall test 2 and higher in vetch in the tests 3 and 4, with no variation due to the sowing direction of the crops and increasing from the beginning to the end of the growth period. The time until the water started to run off was longer in the treatments with seeding along contour lines than downslope, in both crops; the maximum runoff rate along the contour lines was lower and the time until maximum runoff rate longer. The sediment concentration in runoff decreased over the rainfall tests; it was lower in oat than vetch, and 52 % lower in contour than downslope sowing. Soil loss decreased over the rainfall tests; these losses were 12 % lower in oat and 56 % lower in vetch contour than downslope sowing; the water loss had the same performance as soil loss, although with lower magnitudes. The accumulated soil losses increased with accumulated rain volume (VR and rain erosivity (EI30, between the first and fourth test, according to the equations: SL = 0.859 (1-e-0.0059VR (R² = 0.99 and SL = 0.832 (1

  6. Chinese Herb Astragalus membranaceus Enhances Recovery of Hemorrhagic Stroke: Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Chung Chen

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We tested the effect of Astragalus membranaceus (AM on acute hemorrhagic stroke. Seventy-eight patients were randomly assigned to Group A (3 g of AM three times/day for 14 days; or Group B (3 g of placebo herb. A total of 68 patients (Group A 36, Group B 32 completed the trial. The increase of functional independence measure scale score between baseline and week 4 was 24.53 ± 23.40, and between baseline and week 12 was 34.69 ± 28.89, in the Group A was greater than 11.97 ± 11.48 and 23.94 ± 14.8 in the Group B (both P≦0.05. The increase of Glasgow outcome scale score between baseline and week 12 was 0.75 ± 0.77 in the Group A was greater than 0.41 ± 0.50 in the Group B (P<0.05. The results are preliminary and need a larger study to assess the efficacy of AM after stroke.

  7. Acceleration of skin wound healing with tragacanth (Astragalus) preparation: an experimental pilot study in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fayazzadeh, Ehsan; Rahimpour, Sina; Ahmadi, Seyed Mohsen; Farzampour, Shahrokh; Sotoudeh Anvari, Maryam; Boroumand, Mohammad Ali; Ahmadi, Seyed Hossein

    2014-01-01

    Gum tragacanth is a natural complex mixture of polysaccharides and alkaline minerals extracted from species of Astragalus plant, which is found widely in arid regions of the Middle East. In a pilot experimental study we examined the effects of its topical application on wound healing in ten albino adult male rats. Two similar parasagittal elliptical full-thickness wounds (control vs. test samples) were created on the dorsum of each animal. Test group samples were fully covered by a thin layer of gum tragacanth daily. The extent of wound healing was evaluated by planimetric analysis on multiple occasions during the 10-day study period. On the 7th day of the study, the percent of wound closure was significantly higher in gum tragacanth-treated specimens compared to the control samples (87%±2% vs. 70%±4%, Ptragacanth in acceleration of skin wound contraction and healing. More studies are encouraged to identify the implicating agents and precisely understand the mechanism by which they exert their wound healing effects.

  8. Effects of the ultra-high pressure on structure and α-glucosidase inhibition of polysaccharide from Astragalus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Zhen-Yuan; Luo, You; Dong, Guo-Ling; Ren, Yuan-Yuan; Chen, Li-Jing; Guo, Ming-Zhu; Wang, Xiao-Ting; Yang, Xue-Ying; Zhang, Yongmin

    2016-06-01

    A novel homogeneous polysaccharide fraction (APS) was extracted from Astragalus by hot water and purified by Sephadex G-100 and G-75 column. Its molecular weight was 693kDa. APS and APS with ultra-high pressure treatment exhibited significant inhibitory abilities on a-glucosidase, inhibition rate from high to low in order was 400MPa-APS, 300MPa-APS, 500MPa-APS and APS. The inhibition ​percentage of 400MPa-APS (1.5mg/mL) was 49% (max.). This suggested that the inhibitory activity of APS on a-glucosidase was improved by ultra-high pressure treatment. FT-IR, SEM, CD spectra, atomic force microscope and Congo red test analysis of APS and 400MPa-APS showed ultra-high pressure treatment didn't change the preliminary structure but had an effect on its advanced structure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Productivity of lactating cows fed on a diet of haylage from a vetch pea-oat mixture with the introduction of new biological preservative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. I. Baryshnikov

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The effect of a new biological preservative representing a mix of lyophilized Lactobacillus plantarum VKPM V-4173, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis VKPM V-2092 and Propionibacterium acidipropionici VKPMV-5723 strains (40 : 40 : 20 on the quality of haylage prepared from a mix of vetch, oats, and pea has been studied. The total bacteria content in the preservative was 1·1011 CFU/g. Five different variants of conservation of alfalfa haylage prepared at the budding stage were evaluated under laboratory conditions. The variants included a self-conserved control and the preservative at two different dosages (3 and 6 g/ton with and without the addition of cellulolytic enzymes. The best results were observed in the case of both the enzyme-free and the enzyme-containing preservative at the dosage equal to 6 g/ton. These variants provided the maximum protein content in the haylage (94.3% and 94.5% of the initial content, respectively and a high content of lactic acid (62.9% and 65.4% of the total acid content, respectively and also good organoleptic characteristics. The determined optimum biopreservative dosage was tested under industrial conditions using 750 tons of vetch-oats-pea haylage. The use of the biopreservative provided a high-quality haylage of high nutritive value. Industrial evaluation of the effect on the productivity of milk cattle (n = 15 of the addition of the biopreservative to the haylage showed that the maximum average daily yield of milk with basic fat content (3.4% was obtained from cows of the experimental group whose ration included haylage prepared with the use of the studied preservative. This yield came to32.7 kg , which exceeded the yield for the control group (fed on self-conserved haylage by 7.0%. Three months feeding of cows with the haylage prepared with the use of the new preservative brought a significant saving of money (4,862 rubles per a head at the prices of 2015–2016.

  10. Green manuring effect of pure and mixed barley - hairy vetch winter cover crops on maize and processing tomato N nutrition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tosti, Giacomo; Benincasa, Paolo; Farneselli, Michela

    2012-01-01

    this can influence the N uptake and N status of different subsequent summer cash crops. In this study the N effect of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) grown in pure stands or in mixtures with different sowing proportion was tested on maize (Zea Mays L.) and processing......Adopting mixtures between legumes and non legumes can be an efficient tool to merge the advantages of the single species in the fall-sown cover crop practice. Nevertheless there is a lack of information on how the species proportion may affect N accumulation and C/N of the cover crops and how...... of the relationship between cover crop C/N and Neff was confirmed, so mixtures can be used to adjust the extent and timing of mineralisation of the incorporated biomass to the subsequent cash crop requirements. Prediction of the cash crops N status on the cover crop C/N appears to be a useful approach, but, it may...

  11. Climatic Characteristics of the Natural Habitats of Astragalus gossypinus Fisher in Isfahan Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Saboohi

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The relationship between plant species and climatic factors has always been an important subject in plant ecology and the use of multivariate statistical methods might be effective in detecting the relationship between climatic factors and the distribution of plant species. In the present study, climatic characteristics of Astragalus gossypinus Fisher producing tragacanth stretched in a relatively vast area in Isfahan province (approximatley seven percent of natural habitat of Isfahan province to shed lights on determinant climatic factors on distribution of this species were investigated. In this study, 56 climatic variables were evaluated in the months of January, March, and July in the annual interval and to reduce the number of variables and determine the most important factors. Factor analysis was applied using principal components analysis. The results showed that four factors, namely cooling temperature-humidity, precipitation-storm, cloudiness, and windiness account for 39.05%, 32.77%, 11.44%, and 8.63%, and totally 91.88% of the variance of the data, respectively. Also, the cooling temperature-humidity factor has the greatest impact on presence of this species, therefor, in areas where this species can be seen, the cooling temperature-humidity factor is positive and vice versa.

  12. Profile of Heart Donors from the Human Valve Bank of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Curitiba.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Renata Maria; da Costa, Marise Teresinha Brenner Affonso; Canciglieri Junior, Osiris; Sant'Anna, Ângelo Márcio Oliveira

    2016-04-01

    Human heart valves are used as replacement valves and have satisfactory functional results compared with conventional prostheses. Characterize the profile of effective heart donors from the human valve bank of the santa casa de misericórdia de curitiba and analyze the association between the profile variables. It consists of a retrospective and quantitative study of electronic medical records from heart donors for heart valves. every heart donation made to the bank between january 2004 and december 2014 was studied. 2,149 donations were analyzed, from donors aged 0 to 71 years old, with an average of 34.9 ± 15.03 years old. most donors were male 65.7% (n=1,411) and 34.3% (n=738) were female. among the most frequent causes of the donors' death are trauma at 53% (n=1,139) and cerebral vascular accident at 34.2% (n=735). there was significant statistical association between the analyzed variables. There has been an improvement in brazil's donation rate, being essential that the tissue banks work together with the state and federal district centers for notification, procurement and distribution of organs in order to increase the number of donors.

  13. Green Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticles by Gum Tragacanth (Astragalus gummifer: A Dual Functional Reductant and Stabilizer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aruna Jyothi Kora

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A simple and ecofriendly procedure have been devised for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using the aqueous extract of gum tragacanth (Astragalus gummifer, a renewable, nontoxic natural phyto-exudate. The water soluble components in the gum act as reductants and stabilizers. The generated nanoparticles were analyzed using UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The role of gum concentration and reaction time on the synthesis of nanoparticles was studied. By regulating the reaction conditions, spherical nanoparticles of 13.1±1.0 nm size were produced. Also, the possible functional groups involved in reduction and capping of nanoparticles has been elucidated. The antibacterial activity of the fabricated nanoparticles was tested on model Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains with well-diffusion method. These nanoparticles exhibited considerable antibacterial activity on both the Gram classes of bacteria, implying their potential biomedical applications.

  14. Intoxicación por Astragalus pehuenches: caracterización clínica, bioquímica e histopatológica en cobayos y ovinos

    OpenAIRE

    Martínez, Agustín

    2015-01-01

    El presente trabajo de tesis tiene como finalidad evaluar el potencial toxigénico de la planta Astragalus pehuenches en la región sur de la Provincia de Río Negro, Argentina y caracterizar clínica, bioquímica e histopatológicamente la intoxicación producida en cobayos y ovinos. Se cosecharon 110 kg de A. pehuenches en establecimientos cercanos las localidades de Los Menucos, Maquinchao e Ingeniero Jacobacci, determinándose concentraciones del principio activo swainsonina de 0,070 % a 0,097% S...

  15. Yield and Yield Components of Vetch (Vigna radiata as Affected by the Use of Vermicompost and Phosphate Bio-fertilizer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Mehdi Rahimi

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available To evaluate the effects different levels of phosphate biofertilizer barvar-2 and vermi compost on yield and yield components of vetch plant (Vigna radiata L.in Yasouj a factorial experiments was performed in completely randomized design in crop year of 2013. Experimental treatments were phosphate biofertilizer barvar-2 at 3 levels (0, 50, 100 gram per hectare and vermicompost at 4 levels (0, 10, 20, 30 ton per hectare. In this study stem height, root length, biological yield, seed yield and harvest index was measured. ANOVA and comparison of means showed that vermicompost significantly increased stem height, economic and biological yields. Results, also, indicated that highest yield and biomass, 4.3 and 18.8 g/plant, observed respectively when 100 g/ha of barvar-2 and 30 t/ha of vermi compost were used. Using both of phosphate biofertilizer barvar-2 and vermicompost was better than their individnal usage. This indicates that combined use of these 2 factors would produce higher yield. It can be concluded that application of 100 g/ha of barvar-2 and 30 t/ha of vermicompost would a proper recommendation.

  16. Astragalus membranaceus Improves Exercise Performance and Ameliorates Exercise-Induced Fatigue in Trained Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tzu-Shao Yeh

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus membranaceus (AM is a popular “Qi-tonifying” herb with a long history of use as a Traditional Chinese Medicine with multiple biological functions. However, evidence for the effects of AM on exercise performance and physical fatigue is limited. We evaluated the potential beneficial effects of AM on ergogenic and anti-fatigue functions following physiological challenge. Male ICR strain mice were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 10 per group for treatment: (1 sedentary control and vehicle treatment (vehicle control; (2 exercise training with vehicle treatment (exercise control; and (3 exercise training with AM treatment at 0.615 g/kg/day (Ex-AM1 or (4 3.075 g/kg/day (Ex-AM5. Both the vehicle and AM were orally administered for 6 weeks. Exercise performance and anti-fatigue function were evaluated by forelimb grip strength, exhaustive swimming time, and levels of serum lactate, ammonia, glucose, and creatine kinase after 15-min swimming exercise. Exercise training combined with AM supplementation increased endurance exercise capacity and increased hepatic and muscle glycogen content. AM reduced exercise-induced accumulation of the byproducts blood lactate and ammonia with acute exercise challenge. Moreover, we found no deleterious effects from AM treatment. Therefore, AM supplementation improved exercise performance and had anti-fatigue effects in mice. It may be an effective ergogenic aid in exercise training.

  17. A New Flavonol Triglycoside and Other Flavonol Glycosides from Astragalus armatus Willd. (Fabaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Assia Khalfallah

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available From the aerial parts of Astragalus armatus, a new acylated flavonol triglycoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-(5'''-p-hydroxybenzoyl-β-apiofuranosyl-(1→2[ α -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6]- β -galactopyranoside (1 which we named astrarmatuside, has been isolated and structurally elucidated together with seven known flavonol glycosides: tamarixetin-3-O- α -apiofuranosyl-(1→2[ α -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6]- β -galactopyranoside (2 (m illettias p ec oside D , isorhamnetin-3-O-β-apiofuranosyl-(1→2[α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6]-β-galacto-pyranoside (3, kaempferol-3-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2[α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6]-β-glucopyranoside (4, kaempferol-3-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2[α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6]-β-galactopyranoside (mauritianin (5, isorhamnetin-3-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2[α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6]-β-galactopyranoside (6, kaempferol-3-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6]-β-glucopyranoside (nikotiflorin (7 and isorhamnetin-3-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6]-β-glucopyranoside (narcissin (8 . The structures of the isolated compounds were established by means of 2D NMR experiments, HPLC-DADMS, HR-MS and UV spectral analyses. Pivotal role in the structure elucidation and in particular in the determination of sugar sequence, played HSQC-TOCSY and ROESY experiments whereas those of the known compounds (2–8 were established by spectral comparison with those published in the literature.

  18. Insight into the genomic diversity and relationship of Astragalus glycyphyllos symbionts by RAPD, ERIC-PCR, and AFLP fingerprinting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gnat, Sebastian; Małek, Wanda; Oleńska, Ewa; Trościańczyk, Aleksandra; Wdowiak-Wróbel, Sylwia; Kalita, Michał; Wójcik, Magdalena

    2015-11-01

    We assessed the genomic diversity and genomic relationship of 28 Astragalus glycyphyllos symbionts by three methodologies based on PCR reaction, i.e., RAPD, ERIC-PCR, and AFLP. The AFLP method with one PstI restriction enzyme and selective PstI-GC primer pair had a comparable discriminatory power as ERIC-PCR one and these fingerprinting techniques distinguished among the studied 28 A. glycyphyllos symbionts 18 and 17 genomotypes, respectively. RAPD method was less discriminatory in the genomotyping of rhizobia analyzed and it efficiently resolved nine genomotypes. The cluster analysis of RAPD, ERIC-PCR, and AFLP profiles resulted in a generally similar grouping of the test strains on generated dendrograms supporting a great potential of these DNA fingerprinting techniques for study of genomic polymorphism and evolutionary relationship of A. glycyphyllos nodulators. The RAPD, ERIC-PCR, and AFLP pattern similarity coefficients between A. glycyphyllos symbionts studied was in the ranges 8-100, 18-100, and 23-100%, respectively.

  19. Effect of exogenous abscisic acid on accumulation of raffinose family oligosaccharides and galactosyl cyclitols in tiny vetch seeds (Vicia hirsuta [L.] S.F. Gray

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lesław B. Lahuta

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The role of the abscisic acid (ABA in biosynthesis of raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs and galactosyl cyclitols (Gal-C in tiny vetch (Vicia hirsuta [L.] S.F. Gray seeds was investigated. The ABA was applied through incubation of seed at various stage of its development. The level of RFOs and Gal-C was determined in seed maturing on plant and in seed maturing in vitro. In early stages of V. hirsuta seed development, the ABA activated the biosynthesis of galactinol, although the level of arisen galactinol quickly declined. In the later stages of V. hirsuta seed development ABA had stimulatory effect of RFOs and Gal-C biosynthesis. Influence of ABA on biosynthesis of a-galactosides in Vicia hirsuta seed seems to be dependent on abscisic acid concentration. Low concentration of ABA had stimulatory effect on a-galactosides biosynthesis, but high concentration of ABA inhibited the process.

  20. The effect of Astragalus polysaccharides on attenuation of diabetic cardiomyopathy through inhibiting the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in high glucose -stimulated H9C2 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Shuqin; Yang, Shuo; Dai, Min; Jia, Xiujuan; Wang, Qiyan; Zhang, Zheng; Mao, Yongjun

    2017-06-13

    Apoptosis plays a critical role in the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC). Astragalus polysaccharides (APS), an extract of astragalus membranaceus (AM), is an effective cardioprotectant. Currently, little is known about the detailed mechanisms underlying cardioprotective effects of APS. The aims of this study were to investigate the potential effects and mechanisms of APS on apoptosis employing a model of high glucose induction of apoptosis in H9C2 cells. A model of high glucose induction of H9C2 cell apoptosis was adopted in this research. The cell viabilities were analyzed by MTT assay, and the apoptotic response was quantified by flow cytometry. The expression levels of the apoptosis related proteins were determined by Real-time PCR and western blotting. Incubation of H9C2 cells with various concentrations of glucose (i.e., 5.5, 12.5, 25, 33 and 44 mmol/L) for 24 h revealed that cell viability was reduced by high glucose dose-dependently. Pretreatment of cells with APS could inhibit high glucose-induced H9C2 cell apoptosis by decreasing the expressions of caspases and the release of cytochrome C from mitochondria to cytoplasm. Further experiments also showed that APS could modulate the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax in mitochondria. APS decreases high glucose-induced H9C2 cell apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins of both the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways and modulating the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax in mitochondria.

  1. Systems of organic farming in spring vetch I: Biological response of sucking insect pests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivelina Nikolova

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Four systems of organic farming and a conventional farming system were studied over the period 2012-2014. The organic system trial variants included: I – an organic farming system without any biological products used (growth under natural soil fertility – Control; II – an organic farming system involving the use of a biological foliar fertilizer and a biological plant growth regulator (Polyversum+Biofa; III – an organic farming system in which a biological insecticide (NeemAzal T/S was used; IV – an organic farming system including a combination of three organic products: the foliar fertilizer, the plant growth regulator and the bioinsecticide (Polyversum+Biofa+NeemAzal T/S. Variant V represented a conventional farming system in which synthetic products were used in combination (foliar fertilizer, plant growth regulator and insecticide: Masterblend+Flordimex 420+Nurelle D. Treatment of vetch plants with the biological insecticide NeemAzal in combination with Biofa and Polyversum resulted in the lowest density of sucking pests, compared to all other organic farming methods tested (i.e. without NeemAzal, with NeemAzal alone, and its combination with Biofa and Polyversum. The greatest reduction in pest numbers during the vegetation period in that variant was observed in species of the order Thysanoptera (36.0-41.4%, followed by Hemiptera, and the families Aphididae (31.6-40.3% and Cicadellidae (27.3-28.6%. This combination showed an efficient synergistic interaction and an increase in biological efficacy as compared to individual application of NeemAzal. The highest toxic impact was found against Thrips tabaci, followed by Acyrthosiphon pisum. An analysis of variance regarding the efficacy against the species A. pisum, E. pteridis and T. tabaci showed that type of treatment had the most dominant influence and statistically significant impact.

  2. Application of Logistic Regression Tree Model in Determining Habitat Distribution of Astragalus verus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Saki

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The relationship between plant species and environmental factors has always been a central issue in plant ecology. With rising power of statistical techniques, geo-statistics and geographic information systems (GIS, the development of predictive habitat distribution models of organisms has rapidly increased in ecology. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of Logistic Regression Tree model to create potential habitat map of Astragalus verus. This species produces Tragacanth and has economic value. A stratified- random sampling was applied to 100 sites (50 presence- 50 absence of given species, and produced environmental and edaphic factors maps by using Kriging and Inverse Distance Weighting methods in the ArcGIS software for the whole study area. Relationships between species occurrence and environmental factors were determined by Logistic Regression Tree model and extended to the whole study area. The results indicated species occurrence has strong correlation with environmental factors such as mean daily temperature and clay, EC and organic carbon content of the soil. Species occurrence showed direct relationship with mean daily temperature and clay and organic carbon, and inverse relationship with EC. Model accuracy was evaluated both by Cohen’s kappa statistics (κ and by area under Receiver Operating Characteristics curve based on independent test data set. Their values (kappa=0.9, Auc of ROC=0.96 indicated the high power of LRT to create potential habitat map on local scales. This model, therefore, can be applied to recognize potential sites for rangeland reclamation projects.

  3. Chinese Milk Vetch as Green Manure Mitigates Nitrous Oxide Emission from Monocropped Rice System in South China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Zhijian; Shah, Farooq; Tu, Shuxin; Xu, Changxu; Cao, Weidong

    2016-01-01

    Monocropped rice system is an important intensive cropping system for food security in China. Green manure (GM) as an alternative to fertilizer N (FN) is useful for improving soil quality. However, few studies have examined the effect of Chinese milk vetch (CMV) as GM on nitrous oxide (N2O) emission from monocropped rice field in south China. Therefore, a pot-culture experiment with four treatments (control, no FN and CMV; CMV as GM alone, M; fertilizer N alone, FN; integrating fertilizer N with CMV, NM) was performed to investigate the effect of incorporating CMV as GM on N2O emission using a closed chamber-gas chromatography (GC) technique during the rice growing periods. Under the same N rate, incorporating CMV as GM (the treatments of M and NM) mitigated N2O emission during the growing periods of rice plant, reduced the NO3- content and activities of nitrate and nitrite reductase as well as the population of nitrifying bacteria in top soil at maturity stage of rice plant versus FN pots. The global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) of N2O from monocropped rice field was ranked as Mrice grain yield and soil NH4+ content, which were dramatically decreased in the M pots, over the treatment of FN. Hence, it can be concluded that integrating FN with CMV as GM is a feasible tactic for food security and N2O mitigation in the monocropped rice based system.

  4. As misericórdias e as transferências de bens: o caso dos Monteiros, entre o Porto e a Ásia (1580-1640

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel dos Guimarães Sá

    Full Text Available Resumo Os testamentos de dois mercadores da mesma família, envolvidos na viagem do Japão, Antônio e Domingos Monteiro, revelam um modo de vida marcado pela mobilidade entre vários territórios do Sudeste Asiático, transacionando grande variedade de produtos. Por meio de sua rede de relações, é possível discernir a presença de parentes seus, sobretudo sobrinhos, e de outros negociantes portuenses, sugerindo que o modelo português de emigração para o Brasil já estava em ação no Oriente. Embora a transmissão de bens competisse aos provedores dos defuntos e ausentes, as misericórdias transferiam capitais de defuntos para a metrópole, em detrimento dos agentes diretos do rei, embora fosse impossível evitar a ingerência destes últimos. Apesar da vontade em fazer chegar o dinheiro à metrópole rapidamente para convertê-lo em padrões de juro, conveniências do trato, a burocracia régia e litígios sucessórios tornavam moroso o processo de transferência.

  5. Effects of dietary Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) on growth performance, immunological parameters, digestive enzymes, and intestinal morphology of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahran, Eman; Risha, Engy; Abdelhamid, Fatma; Mahgoub, Hebata Allah; Ibrahim, Tarek

    2014-05-01

    This work investigated the potential immunomodulatory and growth-promoting effects of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The dietary supplementation with APS (1500 mg/kg of diet) caused a significant increase in growth parameters (initial and final weight, weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and feed intake (FI), when compared to non-supplemented control basal diet. In addition, APS upregulated the phagocytic activity, the respiratory burst activity, plasma lysozyme, the bactericidal activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and amylase activity. However, it had no effect on serum nitric oxide (NO) or Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. While APS had no effect of intestinal histology, a slight increase in the villi length was recorded. Collectively, our results indicate that dietary APS supplementation could improve the growth performance and the immune parameters of cultured tilapia fish. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Effects of an Astragalus Polysaccharide and Rhein Combination on Apoptosis in Rats with Chronic Renal Failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yonghong Lian

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To investigate the effects and to analyze the mechanism of the combination of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS and Rhein on apoptosis in rats with chronic renal failure (CRF. Methods. Thirty-seven male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a low-dose APS and Rhein combination group, and a high-dose APS and Rhein combination group. CRF was induced by orogastric gavage with adenine. Rats were observed for renal function, electrolyte, and pathological changes for 7 weeks after administration. Renal tubular cell apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL and protein expressions of IRE1 and CHOP were detected by Western-blotting. Results. The combination of APS and Rhein decreased the kidney weight and index, improved renal pathological injury, maintained the stability of serum electrolytes, and reduced SCr and BUN levels in rat models. Moreover, APS and Rhein combination could effectively inhibit the apoptosis and reduce the protein expressions of IRE1and CHOP of renal tubular cells. Conclusions. The combination of APS and Rhein could improve renal function and reduce renal cell apoptosis to protect against further progression of CRF, whose mechanism may be related to alleviate endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS in the renal cells.

  7. Chinese Milk Vetch as Green Manure Mitigates Nitrous Oxide Emission from Monocropped Rice System in South China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhijian Xie

    Full Text Available Monocropped rice system is an important intensive cropping system for food security in China. Green manure (GM as an alternative to fertilizer N (FN is useful for improving soil quality. However, few studies have examined the effect of Chinese milk vetch (CMV as GM on nitrous oxide (N2O emission from monocropped rice field in south China. Therefore, a pot-culture experiment with four treatments (control, no FN and CMV; CMV as GM alone, M; fertilizer N alone, FN; integrating fertilizer N with CMV, NM was performed to investigate the effect of incorporating CMV as GM on N2O emission using a closed chamber-gas chromatography (GC technique during the rice growing periods. Under the same N rate, incorporating CMV as GM (the treatments of M and NM mitigated N2O emission during the growing periods of rice plant, reduced the NO3- content and activities of nitrate and nitrite reductase as well as the population of nitrifying bacteria in top soil at maturity stage of rice plant versus FN pots. The global warming potential (GWP and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI of N2O from monocropped rice field was ranked as M

  8. [Study on quality evaluation of sequence and SSR information in transcriptome of Astragalus membranacus].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Yue; Yang, Song; Liu, Zhen-Peng; Ren, Wei-Chao; Liu, Jie; Ma, Wei

    2016-04-01

    In this study, 454/Roche GS FLX sequencing technology was used to obtain the data of the Astragalus membranaceus. Four hundred and fifty-four Sequencing System Software was applied to carry out the transcription of the group from scratch. Using MISA tools, 9 893 unigenes were selected for the sequence of the genome of A. membranaceus, and the information of SSR locus was analyzed. According to the result, the average length of reads was 413 bp, about 86% of the reads was involved in the splicing, the length of the N50 was 1 205 bp, the number of unigenes was measured by the whole transcript. 1 729 SSR loci in the A. membranaceus transcriptome were searched, the occurrence frequency of SSR was 9.24%, the frequency of SSR in the whole transcriptome was 13.42%, the average length of SSR was 7.97 kb. One hundred and twenty-seven kinds of core repeat sequences were found, the dominant type was TG/AC type of dinucleotide, it appeared to account for 4.25% of the total SSR locus. The results of the sequence of the transcription of the A. membranaceus transcriptome revealed the overall expression, and a large number of unigenessequence was obtained, and the SSR locus in the genome of the A. membranaceus is high, and the type is diverse, and the polymorphism of the gene is high. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  9. Ultraviolet Radiation-Elicited Enhancement of Isoflavonoid Accumulation, Biosynthetic Gene Expression, and Antioxidant Activity in Astragalus membranaceus Hairy Root Cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, Jiao; Gai, Qing-Yan; Wang, Wei; Luo, Meng; Gu, Cheng-Bo; Fu, Yu-Jie; Ma, Wei

    2015-09-23

    In this work, Astragalus membranaceus hairy root cultures (AMHRCs) were exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C) for promoting isoflavonoid accumulation. The optimum enhancement for isoflavonoid production was achieved in 34-day-old AMHRCs elicited by 86.4 kJ/m(2) of UV-B. The resulting isoflavonoid yield was 533.54 ± 13.61 μg/g dry weight (DW), which was 2.29-fold higher relative to control (232.93 ± 3.08 μg/g DW). UV-B up-regulated the transcriptional expressions of all investigated genes involved in isoflavonoid biosynthetic pathway. PAL and C4H were found to be two potential key genes that controlled isoflavonoid biosynthesis. Moreover, a significant increase was noted in antioxidant activity of extracts from UV-B-elicited AMHRCs (IC50 values = 0.85 and 1.08 mg/mL) in comparison with control (1.38 and 1.71 mg/mL). Overall, this study offered a feasible elicitation strategy to enhance isoflavonoid accumulation in AMHRCs and also provided a basis for metabolic engineering of isoflavonoid biosynthesis in the future.

  10. Protective effects of Astragalus-Lilygranules on intestinal mucosal barrier of mice in high altitude hypoxia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling LI

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective  To investigate the protective effect of Astragalus-Lily Granules on intestinal mucosa and intestinal flora homeostasis in mice under high altitude hypoxia condition. Methods  We put mice into high altitude hypoxia cabin to establish high altitude hypoxia model mice. Sixty Kunming mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, Astragalus-Lily particles (ALP low, medium and high dose groups [1.75, 3.5, 7g/(kg•d] respectively. After three days of routine feeding, the ALP mice received drug by intragastric administration, once a day for continuous 17 days,control group and model group were given double distilled water in same volume. From the 15th day, all the mice but control group were exposed to simulated high altitude hypoxia condition for 3 days in a high altitude hypoxia cabin after they were gavaged for half an hour daily. By the 18th day, the fresh mouse feces were collected and smeared to observe the changes of microflora. The pathological changes of intestinal tissues were observed by HE staining and the expression of HIF-1αprotein in intestines was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results  The enterococci and gram negative bacteria showed a higher proportion (65.2%±2.4% and 56.7%±3.3%, respectively in the model group compared with the control group (24.7%±1.2%, 23.2%±1.5%, respectively, P<0.05. The pathological score of intestinal mucosal necrosis and edema (3.10±0.99, 3.30±0.67 respectively and inflammatory cell count (15.93±3.30, 16.40±3.97/ HP respectively was higher compared with the model group (0.70±0.67, 0.80±0.78; 4.07±2.12, 4.28±2.16/HP respectively; P<0.05. HIF-1αexpression increased significantly compared with the model group (P<0.05. The enterococci (46.7%±2.0%, 32.0%±2.6% respectively and gram negative bacteria rate (34.2%±1.6%, 38.0%±2.8% respectively in the ALP medium and high dose groups were lower compared with the model group (24.7%±1.2%, 23.2%±1.5% respectively, P<0

  11. Chinese Milk Vetch Improves Plant Growth, Development and 15N Recovery in the Rice-Based Rotation System of South China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Zhijian; He, Yaqin; Tu, Shuxin; Xu, Changxu; Liu, Guangrong; Wang, Huimin; Cao, Weidong; Liu, Hui

    2017-06-15

    Chinese milk vetch (CMV) is vital for agriculture and environment in China. A pot experiment combined with 15 N labeling (including three treatments: control, no fertilizer N and CMV; 15 N-labeled urea alone, 15 NU; substituting partial 15 NU with CMV, 15 NU-M) was conducted to evaluate the impact of CMV on plant growth, development and 15 NU recovery in rice-based rotation system. The 15 NU-M mitigated oxidative damage by increasing antioxidant enzymes activities and chlorophyll content while decreased malondialdehyde content in rice root and shoot, increased the biomass, total N and 15 N uptake of plant shoots by 8%, 12% and 39% respectively, thus inducing a noticeable increase of annual 15 N recovery by 77% versus 15 NU alone. Remarkable increases in soil NH 4 + and populations of bacteria, actinomycetes and azotobacter were obtained in legume-rice rotation system while an adverse result was observed in soil NO 3 - content versus fallow-rice. CMV as green manure significantly increased the fungal population which was decreased with cultivating CMV as cover crop. Therefore, including legume cover crop in rice-based rotation system improves plant growth and development, annual N conservation and recovery probably by altering soil nitrogen forms plus ameliorating soil microbial communities and antioxidant system which alleviates oxidative damages in plants.

  12. Dust deposition effects on growth and physiology of the endangered Astragalus jaegerianus (Fabaceae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wijayratne, Upekala C.; Scoles-Sciulla, Sara J.; Defalco, Lesley A.

    2009-01-01

    Human expansion into the Mojave Desert is a significant threat to rare desert plants. While immediate habitat loss is often the greatest concern, rare plants situated near areas where soil surfaces experience frequent disturbance may be indirectly impacted when fine particulate dust accumulates on leaf surfaces. Remaining populations of the federally listed Astragalus jaegerianus (Lane Mountain milkvetch) occur on land open to expanding military activities and on adjacent public land with increasing recreational use. This study was initiated to determine whether dust accumulation could decrease the vigor and fitness of A. jaegerianus through reduced growth. Beginning in early May 2004, plants located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land were dusted bimonthly at canopy-level dust concentrations ranging from 0 to 32 g/m2, and physiology and growth were monitored until late June when plants senesced. The maximum experimental dust level simulates dust concentrations of Mojave Desert perennials neighboring military activities at a nearby army training center. Average shoot growth declined with increasing dust accumulation, but seasonal net photosynthesis increased. Further investigation of plants grown in a greenhouse supported similar trends. This pattern of greater net photosynthesis with increasing dust accumulation may be explained by higher leaf temperatures of dusted individuals. Ambient dust deposition measured in traps near field plants (May 2004–July 2004) ranged from 0.04–0.17 g/m2/ d, which was well below the lowest level of dust on experimental plants (3.95 g/m2/d). With this low level of ambient deposition, we expect that A. jaegerianus plants in this population were not greatly affected by the dust they receive at the level of recreational use during the study.

  13. Mitochondrial Protection and Anti-aging Activity of Astragalus Polysaccharides and Their Potential Mechanism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-Juan Xin

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available The current study was performed to investigate mitochondrial protection and anti-aging activity of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS and the potential underlying mechanism. Lipid peroxidation of liver and brain mitochondria was induced by Fe2+–Vit C in vitro. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA colorimetry was used to measure the content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS. Mouse liver mitochondrial permeability transition (PT was induced by calcium overload in vitro and spectrophotometry was used to measure it. The scavenging activities of APS on superoxide anion (O2•- and hydroxyl radical (•OH, which were produced by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH—N-Methylphenazonium methyl sulfate (PMS and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2–Fe2+ system respectively, were measured by 4-nitrobluetetrazolium chloride (NBT reduction and Fenton reaction colorimetry respectively. The Na2S2O3 titration method was used to measure the scavenging activities of APS on H2O2. APS could inhibit TBARS production, protect mitochondria from PT, and scavenge O2•-, •OH and H2O2 significantly in a concentration-dependent manner respectively. The back of the neck of mice was injected subcutaneously with D-galactose to induce aging at a dose of 100 mg/kg/d for seven weeks. Moreover, the activities of catalase (CAT, surperoxide dismutase (SOD and glutathione peroxidase (GPx and anti-hydroxyl radical which were assayed by using commercial monitoring kits were increased significantly in vivo by APS. According to this research, APS protects mitochondria by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS, inhibiting mitochondrial PT and increasing the activities of antioxidases. Therefore, APS has the effect of promoting health.

  14. Geographical isolation caused the diversification of the Mediterranean thorny cushion-like Astragalus L. sect. Tragacantha DC. (Fabaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardion, Laurent; Dumas, Pierre-Jean; Abdel-Samad, Farah; Bou Dagher Kharrat, Magda; Surina, Bostjan; Affre, Laurence; Médail, Frédéric; Bacchetta, Gianluigi; Baumel, Alex

    2016-04-01

    Understanding the origin and evolution of Mediterranean vascular flora within the long-term context of climate change requires a continuous study of historical biogeography supported by molecular phylogenetic approaches. Here we provide new insights into the fascinating but often overlooked diversification of Mediterranean xerophytic plants. Growing in some of the most stressing Mediterranean environments, i.e. coastal and mountainous opened habitats, the circum-Mediterranean Astragalus L. sect. Tragacantha DC. (Fabaceae) gathers several thorny cushion-like taxa. These have been the subjects of recent taxonomical studies, but they have not yet been investigated within a comprehensive molecular framework. Bayesian phylogenetics applied to rDNA ITS sequences reveal that the diversification of A. sect. Tragacantha has roots dating back to the Pliocene, and the same data also indicate an eastern-western split giving rise to the five main lineages that exist today. In addition, AFLP fingerprinting supports an old east-west pattern of vicariance that completely rules out the possibility of a recent eastern origin for western taxa. The observed network of genetic relationships implies that contrary to what is widely claimed in the taxonomic literature, it is range fragmentation, as opposed to a coastal-to-mountain ecological shift, that is likely the main driver of diversification. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Astragalus Extract Mixture HT042 Increases Longitudinal Bone Growth Rate by Upregulating Circulatory IGF-1 in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donghun Lee

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus extract mixture HT042 is a standardized ingredient of health functional food approved by Korean FDA with a claim of “height growth of children.” HT042 stimulates bone growth rate and increases local IGF-1 expression in growth plate of rats which can be considered as direct stimulation of GH and its paracrine/autocrine actions. However, it remains unclear whether HT042 stimulates circulatory IGF-1 which also plays a major role to stimulate bone growth. To determine the effects on circulatory IGF-1, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 expressions and phosphorylation of JAK2/STAT5 were evaluated in the liver after 10 days of HT042 administration. HT042 upregulated liver IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 mRNA expression, IGF-1 protein expression, and phosphorylation of JAK2/STAT5. HT042 also increased bone growth rate and proliferative zonal height in growth plate. In conclusion, HT042 stimulates bone growth rate via increment of proliferative rate by upregulation of liver IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 mRNA followed by IGF-1 protein expression through phosphorylation of JAK2/STAT5, which can be regarded as normal functioning of GH-dependent endocrine pathway.

  16. Immunomodulatory effects of herbal formula of astragalus polysaccharide (APS) and polysaccharopeptide (PSP) in mice with lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xing; Liu, Zijing; Long, Tingting; Zhou, Lijng; Bao, Yixi

    2018-01-01

    This study is to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of the herbal formula of astragalus polysaccharide (APS) and polysaccharopeptide (PSP) in mouse models of immunosuppression and lung cancer. Immune parameters were recorded for these model mice. Peripheral white blood cells (WBC) were detected with the automatic blood cell analyzer. Spleen and thymus indices, and tumor inhibition ratio were obtained. Percentage of peripheral blood CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes were detected by flow cytometry. Serum levels of Th1 (IL-2, TNF, and IFN-γ), Th2 (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10), and Th17 (IL-17A) were detected with the BD cytometric bead array (CBA) mouseTh1/Th2/Th17 cytokine kit. Compared with the NS group, the PSP and APS herbal formula significantly improved the WBC, thymus index, spleen index, CD4 + /CD8 + ratio, TNF, IFN-γ, IL-2, andIL-17Ainimmunosuppressivemice and lung cancer mice (PAPS herbal formula group (PAPS herbal formula group induced comparable tumor inhibiting effect with the AMD group (23.3% and 24.1%, respectively). The PSP+APS herbal formula have immunomodulatory effects and anti-tumor activity in mice with of lung cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Immune Regulation of RAW264.7 Cells In Vitro by Flavonoids from Astragalus complanatus via Activating the NF-κB Signalling Pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Li

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The current study aimed at investigating the effects of flavonoids from Astragalus complanatus (FAC on the proliferation, the contents, and gene expression levels of cytokines, secretion of surface stimulating factors, cell cycle, and the expression level of the NF-κB signalling pathway in RAW264.7 cells. Our results revealed that compared with control group, the contents of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and NO and the mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and iNOS in FAC-treated groups significantly increased (p<0.01. Moreover, FAC induced macrophage activation to release the above-mentioned mediators partly involved in NF-κB/MAPK signalling pathways. Therefore, FAC regulates immune function in RAW264.7 cells via activating the NF-κB signalling pathway. FAC could be applicable for agriculture, drug research, and food industry as a potent immune-modulatory agent.

  18. [Is the Hawkins sign able to predict necrosis in fractures of the neck of the astragalus?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Paz, S; Muñoz-Vives, J M; Froufe-Siota, M Á

    2013-01-01

    To assess if the Hawkins sign can predict whether or not astragalus fractures of the neck will develop avascular necrosis. It is also assessed whether the occurrence of this complication is related to the displacement of the fracture, soft tissue injury, or delay in the reduction or surgery. The results were compared with those found in the literature. A retrospective study was conducted on 23 talar neck fractures recorded over a a period of thirteen years. The following variables were analysed: displacement of the fracture, soft tissue injury, delay and type of treatment, complications, observation of the Hawkins sign, and functional outcome. There were 7 type I Hawkins fractures, 11 type II, and 4 type III and 1 type IV. Four cases developed avascular necrosis (2 Hawkins type II and 2 type III). Hawkins sign was observed in 12 cases, of which none developed necrosis. Four cases with negative Hawkins sign developed necrosis. No statistically significant differences were found when comparing the development of avascular necrosis with the displacement of the fracture, soft tissue injury, or delay in treatment. Differences were found when comparing the development of avascular necrosis with the Hawkins sign (P=.03). A positive Hawkins sign rules out that the fractured talus has developed avascular necrosis, but its absence does not confirm it. © 2013 SECOT. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  19. Acceleration of skin wound healing with tragacanth (Astragalus preparation: an experimental pilot study in rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ehsan Fayazzadeh

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Gum tragacanth is a natural complex mixture of polysaccharides and alkaline minerals extracted from species of Astragalus plant, which is found widely in arid regions of the Middle East. In a pilot experimental study we examined the effects of its topical application on wound healing in ten albino adult male rats. Two similar parasagittal elliptical full-thickness wounds (control vs. test samples were created on the dorsum of each animal. Test group samples were fully covered by a thin layer of gum tragacanth daily. The extent of wound healing was evaluated by planimetric analysis on multiple occasions during the 10-day study period. On the 7th day of the study, the percent of wound closure was significantly higher in gum tragacanth-treated specimens compared to the control samples (87%±2% vs. 70%±4%, P<0.001. The majority of wounds in the test group were completely closed by the 10th day of the study. The difference in wound healing index measured by histological examination on day 10 of the study was also statistically meaningful between the two groups (0.624±0.097 vs. 0.255±0.063, P<0.05. The results of this study clearly showed the useful effects of topical application of gum tragacanth in acceleration of skin wound contraction and healing. More studies are encouraged to identify the implicating agents and precisely understand the mechanism by which they exert their wound healing effects.

  20. Immobilization of Lead Migrating from Contaminated Soil in Rhizosphere Soil of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa) Using Hydroxyapatite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katoh, Masahiko; Risky, Elsya; Sato, Takeshi

    2017-10-23

    This study conducted plant growth tests using a rhizobox system to quantitatively determine the distance of immobilization lead migrating from contaminated soil into uncontaminated rhizosphere soil, and to assess the lead phases accumulated in rhizosphere soil by sequential extraction. Without the hydroxyapatite, exchangeable lead fractions increased as the rhizosphere soil got closer to the contaminated soil. Exchangeable lead fractions were higher even in the rhizosphere soil that shares a boundary with the root surface than in the soil before being planted. Thus, plant growth of hairy vetch was lower in the soil without the hydroxyapatite than in the soil with the hydroxyapatite. The presence of hydroxyapatite may immobilize the majority of lead migrating from contaminated soil into the rhizosphere soil within 1 mm from the contaminated soil. The dominant lead fraction in the rhizosphere soil with the hydroxyapatite was residual. Thus, plant growth was not suppressed and the lead concentration of the plant shoot remained at the background level. These results indicate that the presence of hydroxyapatite in the rhizosphere soil at 5% wt may immobilize most of the lead migrating into the rhizosphere soil within 1 mm from the contaminated soil, resulting in the prevention of lead migration toward the root surface.

  1. Comparative transcriptional profiling provides insights into the evolution and development of the zygomorphic flower of Vicia sativa (Papilionoideae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhipeng Liu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Vicia sativa (the common vetch possesses a predominant zygomorphic flower and belongs to the subfamily Papilionoideae, which is related to Arabidopsis thaliana in the eurosid II clade of the core eudicots. Each vetch flower consists of 21 concentrically arranged organs: the outermost five sepals, then five petals and ten stamens, and a single carpel in the center. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We explored the floral transcriptome to examine a genome-scale genetic model of the zygomorphic flower of vetch. mRNA was obtained from an equal mixture of six floral organs, leaves and roots. De novo assembly of the vetch transcriptome using Illumina paired-end technology produced 71,553 unigenes with an average length of 511 bp. We then compared the expression changes in the 71,553 unigenes in the eight independent organs through RNA-Seq Quantification analysis. We predominantly analyzed gene expression patterns specific to each floral organ and combinations of floral organs that corresponded to the traditional ABC model domains. Comparative analyses were performed in the floral transcriptomes of vetch and Arabidopsis, and genomes of vetch and Medicago truncatula. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our comparative analysis of vetch and Arabidopsis showed that the vetch flowers conform to a strict ABC model. We analyzed the evolution and expression of the TCP gene family in vetch at a whole-genome level, and several unigenes specific to three different vetch petals, which might offer some clues toward elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying floral zygomorphy. Our results provide the first insights into the genome-scale molecular regulatory network that controls the evolution and development of the zygomorphic flower in Papilionoideae.

  2. Improvement of Forage Quantity and Quality in Corn-Legumes Intercropping with Nitroxin Biofertilizer Application in Double Cropping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdollah Javanmard

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Forage quantity and quality in simultaneous cropping of maize with vetch (Vicia villosa, grass pea (Lathyrus sativus, sainfoin (Onobrychis vicifolia, berseem clover (Trifolium alexanderinum L., studied by experiment as randomized complete block design (RCBD with 14 treatments and three replications at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh during 2015. The treatments were monocultures of maize (SC 704, Vetch, Grass pea, Sainfoin, Berseem clover and intercropping maize with each legume in inoculated and non-inoculated with nitroxin biofertilizer. The results showed that the highest and lowest forage yield were obtained in maize (inoculation+ vetch intercropping and sainfoin monoculture, respectively. Also, the highest (277.5 g.kgDM-1 and the lowest (60.60 g.kgDM-1 crude protein were achieved in vetch and maize monoculture (without inoculation, respectively. In addition to, the highest acid detergent fiber (ADF and neutral detergent fiber (NDF values were obtained in monoculture of maize (no -inoculation. The lowest ADF and NDF values were obtained in vetch monoculture and intercropping of maize (inoculation + vetch. The highest values of DMI, DDM, RFV, NEL and TDN was observed in vetch monocultures. Also, between intercropping patterns, the highest values of these indices were obtained in intercropping of maize (inoculation + vetch. Generally, the results of this study exhibited that the effects of vetch on the quality and quantity of forages was higher than other legumes in intercropping patterns.

  3. Isolation and Identification of Phyllospheric Bacteria Possessing Antimicrobial Activity from Astragalus obtusifolius, Prosopis juliflora, Xanthium strumarium and Hippocrepis unisiliqousa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazinani, Zohreh; Zamani, Marzieh; Sardari, Soroush

    2017-01-01

    The widespread utilization of antimicrobial compounds has caused emergence of resistant microorganisms in the world. Hence, the research to probe the products with antimicrobial features has led to finding natural habitats and discovering new pharmaceutical products. In this study, an attempt was made to explore the niche of novel habitat to isolate pyllospheric bacteria from the above ground parts (stems and leaves) of Astragalus obtusifolius , Prosopis juliflora , Xanthium strumarium , and Hippocrepis unisiliqousa to evaluate their antimicrobial features. The inhibitory effects of these strains on the growth of two fungi ( Aspergillus niger , Aspergillus fumigatus ), two yeasts ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Candida albicans ) and six bacteria ( Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Bacillus subtilis , Salmonella typhi , Streptococcus pyogenes ) were tested. In total, 113 bacterial strains were isolated. Twenty five bacterial strains (B-1 to B-25) indicated promising antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) activities against aforementioned pathogens. The identification of the bacterial strains was ascertained by morphological, physiological, biochemical tests and two strains with the strongest antimicrobial activities were further characterized based on 16s rRNA sequencing. These two strains were identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens . Our results provide evidence that phyllospheric microorganisms are capable of producing some compounds with antimicrobial properties.

  4. Enhanced Production of Two Bioactive Isoflavone Aglycones in Astragalus membranaceus Hairy Root Cultures by Combining Deglycosylation and Elicitation of Immobilized Edible Aspergillus niger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, Jiao; Gai, Qing-Yan; Niu, Li-Li; Wang, Xi-Qing; Guo, Na; Zang, Yu-Ping; Fu, Yu-Jie

    2017-10-18

    A cocultivation system of Astragalus membranaceus hairy root cultures (AMHRCs) and immobilized food-grade fungi was established for the enhanced production of calycosin (CA) and formononetin (FO). The highest accumulations of CA (730.88 ± 63.72 μg/g DW) and FO (1119.42 ± 95.85 μg/g DW) were achieved in 34 day-old AMHRCs cocultured with immobilized A. niger (IAN) for 54 h, which were 7.72- and 18.78-fold higher than CA and FO in nontreated control, respectively. IAN deglycosylation could promote the formation of CA and FO by conversion of their glycoside precursors. IAN elicitation could intensify the generation of endogenous signal molecules involved in plant defense response, which contributed to the significantly up-regulated expression of genes in CA and FO biosynthetic pathway. Overall, the coupled culture of IAN and AMHRCs offered a promising and effective in vitro approach to enhance the production of two health-promoting isoflavone aglycones for possible nutraceutical and pharmaceutical uses.

  5. Paleoenvironments of the Shungura Formation (Plio-Pleistocene: Ethiopia) based on ecomorphology of the bovid astragalus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barr, W Andrew

    2015-11-01

    The Shungura Formation in southwestern Ethiopia preserves a long and relatively continuous record of eastern African mammalian and hominin evolution. This study reconstructs habitat preferences of the Shungura Formation bovids from ca. 3.4-1.9 Ma (million years ago), based on the ecomorphology of fossil bovid astragali. Habitat predictions are made using a Discriminant Function Analysis informed by functional analysis of the astragalus that controls for body size and phylogenetic signal. The high abundance of astragali in the Shungura record allows for habitat reconstructions on sub-unit timescales, rather than aggregating samples at the level of geological member. During much of the time period examined, the lower Omo Valley was dominated by relatively mesic habitats in close proximity to the ancestral Omo River. Previous research has suggested that environmental change at ∼ 2.85 Ma caused significant habitat change at Shungura, but the astragalar data do not support major habitat change at this time. However, there are significant fluctuations in inferred habitats, with more open habitats indicated in sub-units C-08 and C-09 (∼ 2.56 Ma), and in unit F-01 (just after 2.36 Ma). The cause of sub-unit fluctuations in habitat signal is difficult to determine, but local factors, including spatial habitat heterogeneity around the river channel and in its floodplain, may play a contributing role. In the light of faunal evidence from elsewhere in the greater Omo-Turkana Basin, hominins in the area likely had access to a variety of heterogeneous habitats. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Phylogeny of Symbiotic Genes and the Symbiotic Properties of Rhizobia Specific to Astragalus glycyphyllos L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gnat, Sebastian; Małek, Wanda; Oleńska, Ewa; Wdowiak-Wróbel, Sylwia; Kalita, Michał; Łotocka, Barbara; Wójcik, Magdalena

    2015-01-01

    The phylogeny of symbiotic genes of Astragalus glycyphyllos L. (liquorice milkvetch) nodule isolates was studied by comparative sequence analysis of nodA, nodC, nodH and nifH loci. In all these genes phylograms, liquorice milkvetch rhizobia (closely related to bacteria of three species, i.e. Mesorhizobium amorphae, Mesorhizobium septentrionale and Mesorhizobium ciceri) formed one clearly separate cluster suggesting the horizontal transfer of symbiotic genes from a single ancestor to the bacteria being studied. The high sequence similarity of the symbiotic genes of A. glycyphyllos rhizobia (99-100% in the case of nodAC and nifH genes, and 98-99% in the case of nodH one) points to the relatively recent (in evolutionary scale) lateral transfer of these genes. In the nodACH and nifH phylograms, A. glycyphyllos nodule isolates were grouped together with the genus Mesorhizobium species in one monophyletic clade, close to M. ciceri, Mesorhizobium opportunistum and Mesorhizobium australicum symbiovar biserrulae bacteria, which correlates with the close relationship of these rhizobia host plants. Plant tests revealed the narrow host range of A. glycyphyllos rhizobia. They formed effective symbiotic interactions with their native host (A. glycyphyllos) and Amorpha fruticosa but not with 11 other fabacean species. The nodules induced on A. glycyphyllos roots were indeterminate with apical, persistent meristem, an age gradient of nodule tissues and cortical vascular bundles. To reflect the symbiosis-adaptive phenotype of rhizobia, specific for A. glycyphyllos, we propose for these bacteria the new symbiovar "glycyphyllae", based on nodA and nodC genes sequences.

  7. Grace Omollo Misere and Anne Akoth Misere | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Combinatorics has led Grace to work on a conjecture proposed by John Conway, ... and governments in Kenya and the region improve their performance through the ... African women mathematical scientists working on climate change issues.

  8. Soil Organic Carbon Response to Cover Crop and Nitrogen Fertilization under Bioenergy Sorghum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sainju, U. M.; Singh, H. P.; Singh, B. P.

    2015-12-01

    Removal of aboveground biomass for bioenergy/feedstock in bioenergy cropping systems may reduce soil C storage. Cover crop and N fertilization may provide additional crop residue C and sustain soil C storage compared with no cover crop and N fertilization. We evaluated the effect of four winter cover crops (control or no cover crop, cereal rye, hairy vetch, and hairy vetch/cereal rye mixture) and two N fertilization rates (0 and 90 kg N ha-1) on soil organic C (SOC) at 0-5, 5-15, and 15-30 cm depths under forage and sweet sorghums from 2010 to 2013 in Fort Valley, GA. Cover crop biomass yield and C content were greater with vetch/rye mixture than vetch or rye alone and the control, regardless of sorghum species. Soil organic C was greater with vetch/rye than rye at 0-5 and 15-30 cm in 2011 and 2013 and greater with vetch than rye at 5-15 cm in 2011 under forage sorghum. Under sweet sorghum, SOC was greater with cover crops than the control at 0-5 cm, but greater with vetch and the control than vetch/rye at 15-30 cm. The SOC increased at the rates of 0.30 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 at 0-5 cm for rye and the control to 1.44 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 at 15-30 cm for vetch/rye and the control from 2010 to 2013 under forage sorghum. Under sweet sorghum, SOC also increased linearly at all depths from 2010 to 2013, regardless of cover crops. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on SOC. Cover crops increased soil C storage compared with no cover crop due to greater crop residue C returned to the soil under forage and sweet sorghum and hairy vetch/cereal rye mixture had greater C storage than other cover crops under forage sorghum.

  9. Acute and Sub-Acute Oral Toxicity Evaluation of Astragalus hamosus Seedpod Ethanolic Extract in Wistar Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammadmehdi Hassanzadeh-Taheri

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Oral consumption of Astragalus hamosus L. (AH seedpod has been widely prescribed in traditional medicine system. However, its toxicity evaluation has never been investigated. Hence, the current study was performed to evaluate the toxicological profile of AH seedpod in acute and subacute assessments based on the OECD-guidelines 425 and 407 in male and female Wistar rats. Methods: In the acute study, ethanolic extract of AH at a single dose of 2000 mg/kg was orally administrated to six female rats. In the subacute assay, AH at the three different oral doses (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg were administrated to both male and female rats for 28 consecutive days. Results: No death or behavioural changes were observed in the treated animals. In subacute test, in both sexes, no changes in organ weights observed. Biochemically, compared to the control, AH at the dose of 300 mg/kg slightly increased (p<0.05 uric acid and creatinine and declined total cholesterol levels in both male and female rats. However, there is no statistically difference in other parameters such as albumin, triglyceride, blood urea, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase between AH treated groups and untreated controls. Hematologic parameters showed that AH at the maximum dose decreased red blood cells count only in male rats. Histopathological evaluation of liver and kidney exhibited no noticeable alterations in AH treated animals. Conclusion: It could be concluded that high excessive and long term consumption of AH may lead to renal dysfunction and deficiency in hematopoietic system.

  10. Time-lagged effects of weather on plant demography: drought and Astragalus scaphoides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tenhumberg, Brigitte; Crone, Elizabeth E; Ramula, Satu; Tyre, Andrew J

    2018-04-01

    Temperature and precipitation determine the conditions where plant species can occur. Despite their significance, to date, surprisingly few demographic field studies have considered the effects of abiotic drivers. This is problematic because anticipating the effect of global climate change on plant population viability requires understanding how weather variables affect population dynamics. One possible reason for omitting the effect of weather variables in demographic studies is the difficulty in detecting tight associations between vital rates and environmental drivers. In this paper, we applied Functional Linear Models (FLMs) to long-term demographic data of the perennial wildflower, Astragalus scaphoides, and explored sensitivity of the results to reduced amounts of data. We compared models of the effect of average temperature, total precipitation, or an integrated measure of drought intensity (standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index, SPEI), on plant vital rates. We found that transitions to flowering and recruitment in year t were highest if winter/spring of year t was wet (positive effect of SPEI). Counterintuitively, if the preceding spring of year t - 1 was wet, flowering probabilities were decreased (negative effect of SPEI). Survival of vegetative plants from t - 1 to t was also negatively affected by wet weather in the spring of year t - 1 and, for large plants, even wet weather in the spring of t - 2 had a negative effect. We assessed the integrated effect of all vital rates on life history performance by fitting FLMs to the asymptotic growth rate, log(λt). Log(λt) was highest if dry conditions in year t - 1 were followed by wet conditions in the year t. Overall, the positive effects of wet years exceeded their negative effects, suggesting that increasing frequency of drought conditions would reduce population viability of A. scaphoides. The drought signal weakened when reducing the number of monitoring years. Substituting space for time

  11. Mixed cropping of annual feed legumes with barley improves feed quantity and crude protein content under dry-land conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khoshnood Alizadeh

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research is to determine a suitable mixture of annual feed legumes and barley as a winter crop under dry-land conditions. Seeds of Hungarian vetch (cv. 2670, smooth vetch (cv. Maragheh, and local varieties of grass pea and field pea were mixed with barley (cv. Abidar in a 1:1 ratio and were tested, along with related monoculture. All legumes in the mixture survived winter while legumes alone, except Hungarian vetch, did not survive in the cold areas. The maximum fresh and dry forage yields (56 and 15 ton ha-1 respectively were obtained from a mixture of smooth vetch and barley in provinces with mild winter and more than 400 mm of rainfall. The mixture of barley and smooth vetch resulted in the highest mean crude protein content (17%. Autumn seeding of smooth vetch and barley in a 1:1 ratio produced more than 2 ton ha-1 of dry biomass with good quality in all studied areas and thus could serve as an alternative cropping system after wheat/barley in cold and semi-cold dry land.

  12. The critical role of Astragalus polysaccharides for the improvement of PPARα [ correction of PPRAα]-mediated lipotoxicity in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Chen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Obesity-related diabetes mellitus leads to increased myocardial uptake and oxidation of fatty acids, resulting in a form of cardiac dysfunction referred to as lipotoxic cardiomyopathy. We have shown previously that Astragalus polysaccharides (APS administration was sufficient to improve the systemic metabolic disorder and cardiac dysfunction in diabetic models. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To investigate the precise role of APS therapy in the pathogenesis of myocardial lipotoxity in diabetes, db/db diabetic mice and myosin heavy chain (MHC- peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR α mice were characterized and administrated with or without APS with C57 wide- type mice as normal control. APS treatment strikingly improved the myocyte triacylglyceride accumulation and cardiac dysfunction in both db/db mice and MHC-PPARα mice, with the normalization of energy metabolic derangements in both db/db diabetic hearts and MHC-PPARα hearts. Consistently, the activation of PPARα target genes involved in myocardial fatty acid uptake and oxidation in both db/db diabetic hearts and MHC-PPARα hearts was reciprocally repressed by APS administration, while PPARα-mediated suppression of genes involved in glucose utilization of both diabetic hearts and MHC-PPARα hearts was reversed by treatment with APS. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that APS therapy could prevent the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy through a mechanism mainly dependent on the cardiac PPARα-mediated regulatory pathways.

  13. Designing conservation strategies to preserve the genetic diversity of Astragalus edulis Bunge, an endangered species from western Mediterranean region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julio Peñas

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus edulis (Fabaceae is an endangered annual species from the western Mediterranean region that colonized the SE Iberian Peninsula, NE and SW Morocco, and the easternmost Macaronesian islands (Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Although in Spain some conservation measures have been adopted, it is still necessary to develop an appropriate management plan to preserve genetic diversity across the entire distribution area of the species. Our main objective was to use population genetics as well as ecological and phylogeographic data to select Relevant Genetic Units for Conservation (RGUCs as the first step in designing conservation plans for A. edulis. We identified six RGUCs for in situ conservation, based on estimations of population genetic structure and probabilities of loss of rare alleles. Additionally, further population parameters, i.e. occupation area, population size, vulnerability, legal status of the population areas, and the historical haplotype distribution, were considered in order to establish which populations deserve conservation priority. Three populations from the Iberian Peninsula, two from Morocco, and one from the Canary Islands represent the total genetic diversity of the species and the rarest allelic variation. Ex situ conservation is recommended to complement the preservation of A. edulis, given that effective in situ population protection is not feasible in all cases. The consideration of complementary phylogeographic and ecological data is useful for management efforts to preserve the evolutionary potential of the species.

  14. Designing conservation strategies to preserve the genetic diversity of Astragalus edulis Bunge, an endangered species from western Mediterranean region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peñas, Julio; Barrios, Sara; Bobo-Pinilla, Javier; Lorite, Juan; Martínez-Ortega, M Montserrat

    2016-01-01

    Astragalus edulis (Fabaceae) is an endangered annual species from the western Mediterranean region that colonized the SE Iberian Peninsula, NE and SW Morocco, and the easternmost Macaronesian islands (Lanzarote and Fuerteventura). Although in Spain some conservation measures have been adopted, it is still necessary to develop an appropriate management plan to preserve genetic diversity across the entire distribution area of the species. Our main objective was to use population genetics as well as ecological and phylogeographic data to select Relevant Genetic Units for Conservation (RGUCs) as the first step in designing conservation plans for A. edulis. We identified six RGUCs for in situ conservation, based on estimations of population genetic structure and probabilities of loss of rare alleles. Additionally, further population parameters, i.e. occupation area, population size, vulnerability, legal status of the population areas, and the historical haplotype distribution, were considered in order to establish which populations deserve conservation priority. Three populations from the Iberian Peninsula, two from Morocco, and one from the Canary Islands represent the total genetic diversity of the species and the rarest allelic variation. Ex situ conservation is recommended to complement the preservation of A. edulis, given that effective in situ population protection is not feasible in all cases. The consideration of complementary phylogeographic and ecological data is useful for management efforts to preserve the evolutionary potential of the species.

  15. Impact of hospital infections on patients outcomes undergoing cardiac surgery at Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Marília

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucieni Oliveira Conterno

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: this study aimed to determine the incidence of nosocomial infections, the risk factors and the impact of these infections on mortality among patients undergoing to cardiac surgery. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 2060 consecutive patients from 2006 to 2012 at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Marília. Results: 351 nosocomial infections were diagnosed (17%, 227 non-surgical infections and 124 surgical wound infections. Major infections were mediastinitis (2.0%, urinary tract infection (2.8%, pneumonia (2.3%, and bloodstream infection (1.7%. The in-hospital mortality was 6.4%. Independent variables associated with non-surgical infections were age > 60 years (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.31, ICU stay > 2 days (OR 5, 49, 95% CI 2.98 to 10, 09, mechanical ventilation > 2 days (OR11, 93, 95% CI 6.1 to 23.08, use of urinary catheter > 3 days (OR 4.85 95% CI 2.95 -7.99. Non-surgical nosocomial infections were more frequent in patients with surgical wound infection (32.3% versus 7.2%, OR 6.1, 95% CI 4.03 to 9.24. Independent variables associated with mortality were age greater than 60 years (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.4 to3.0, use of vasoactive drugs (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.9 to 6, 0, insulin use (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.8, surgical reintervention (OR 4.4; 95% CI 2.1 to 9.0 pneumonia (OR 4.3; 95% CI 2.1 to 8.9 and bloodstream infection (OR = 4.7, 95% CI 2.0 to 11.2. Conclusion: Non-surgical hospital infections are common in patients undergoing cardiac surgery; they increase the chance of surgical wound infection and mortality.

  16. Astragalus Polysaccharide Suppresses Skeletal Muscle Myostatin Expression in Diabetes: Involvement of ROS-ERK and NF-κB Pathways

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Liu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The antidiabetes drug astragalus polysaccharide (APS is capable of increasing insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle and improving whole-body glucose homeostasis. Recent studies suggest that skeletal muscle secreted growth factor myostatin plays an important role in regulating insulin signaling and insulin resistance. We hypothesized that regulation of skeletal muscle myostatin expression may be involved in the improvement of insulin sensitivity by APS. Methods. APS was administered to 13-week-old diabetic KKAy and nondiabetic C57BL/6J mice for 8 weeks. Complementary studies examined APS effects on the saturated acid palmitate-induced insulin resistance and myostatin expression in C2C12 cells. Results. APS treatment ameliorated hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance and decreased the elevation of myostatin expression and malondialdehyde production in skeletal muscle of noninsulin-dependent diabetic KKAy mice. In C2C12 cells in vitro, saturated acid palmitate-induced impaired glucose uptake, overproduction of ROS, activation of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK, and NF-κB were partially restored by APS treatment. The protective effects of APS were mimicked by ERK and NF-κB inhibitors, respectively. Conclusion. Our study demonstrates elevated myostatin expression in skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic KKAy mice and in cultured C2C12 cells exposed to palmitate. APS is capable of improving insulin sensitivity and decreasing myostatin expression in skeletal muscle through downregulating ROS-ERK-NF-κB pathway.

  17. Grace Omollo Misere et Anne Akoth Misere | CRDI - Centre de ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Deux anciennes élèves de l'Institut africain des sciences mathématiques (AIMS) font désormais partie de la masse critique de leaders en STIM qui vont transformer le ... Journal of Combinatorics, tandis que l'autre a été accepté pour publication dans le Journal of Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science.

  18. Population Development of Pasteuria penetrans on Meloidogyne arenaria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oostendorp, M; Dickson, D W; Mitchell, D J

    1991-01-01

    A microplot study on the influence of cropping sequences with peanut in summer and bare fallowed or cover crops of rye or vetch in winter on the population development of Pasteuria penetrans was initiated in the spring of 1987. The number of spores of P. penetrans attached per second-stage juvenile of Meloidogyne arenaria race 1 increased from 0.11 in the fall of 1987 to 7.6, 8.6, and 3.6 in the fall of 1989 in the rye, vetch, and fallowed plots, respectively. Higher (P rye and vetch plots than in fallowed plots. No influence of P. penetrans on peanut, rye, or vetch yield was observed in 1987 and 1988, but in 1989 peanut yield was 64% higher (P cropping sequences in the spring of 1988 and 1989 but not in the fall following the peanut crop. In the spring the plots with rye had the lowest nematode numbers in either year (P rye, vetch, and fallowed).

  19. Effects of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) and chitooligosaccharides (COS) on growth, immune response and disease resistance of juvenile largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Shi-Mei; Jiang, Yu; Chen, Yong-Jun; Luo, Li; Doolgindachbaporn, Sompong; Yuangsoi, Bundit

    2017-11-01

    The effects of oral administration of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) and chitooligosaccharides (COS), single or combined, on the growth performance, immunity and disease resistance of M. salmoides were investigated. Largemouth bass juvenile were divided into 4 groups and each group was fed with diets supplemented with or without immunostimulant for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of feeding trial, five fish per tank were sampled for immunity determination, ten fish per tank were challenged by A. hydrophila. The results showed that the largemouth bass fed with two immunostimulants alone or in combination significantly enhanced the final weight and specific growth rate (SGR), decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P APS. In addition, both COS and APS upregulated respiratory burst activity (RBA), phagocytic activity (PA), lysozyme activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Meanwhile, COS also exhibited a increase in total leukocyte count, nitric oxide (NO) content and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity compared to the control. When challenged with A. hydrophila, the mortality of groups fed with COS and/or APS was lower than the control (P APS and COS had a synergistic effect on lysozme activity, iNOS activity, NO content and disease resistance of fish (P < 0.05). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Deacetylation biocatalysis and elicitation by immobilized Penicillium canescens in Astragalus membranaceus hairy root cultures: towards the enhanced and sustainable production of astragaloside IV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gai, Qing-Yan; Jiao, Jiao; Luo, Meng; Wang, Wei; Yao, Li-Ping; Fu, Yu-Jie

    2017-03-01

    A novel biotechnology approach by combining deacetylation biocatalysis with elicitation of immobilized Penicillium canescens (IPC) in Astragalus membranaceus hairy root cultures (AMHRCs) was proposed for the elevated production of astragaloside IV (AG IV). The highest AG IV accumulation was achieved in 36-day-old AMHRCs co-cultured with IPC for 60 h, which resulted in the enhanced production of AG IV by 14.59-fold in comparison with that in control (0.193 ± 0.007 mg/g DW). Meanwhile, AG IV precursors were almost transformed to AG IV by IPC deacetylation. Moreover, expression of genes involved in AG IV biosynthetic pathway was significantly up-regulated in response to IPC elicitation. Also, FTIR and SEM showed that cell wall lignification was enhanced following IPC treatment and root surface was likely to be IPC deacetylation site. Overall, dual roles of IPC (biocatalyst and elicitor) offered an effective and sustainable way for the mass production of AG IV in AMHRCs. © 2016 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Effects of cover crops incorporation and nitrogen fertilization on N2O and CO2 emissions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandel, T. P.; Gowda, P. H.; Northup, B. K.; DuPont, J.; Somenahally, A. C.; Rocateli, A.

    2017-12-01

    In this study, we measured N2O and CO2 fluxes from plots planted to hairy vetch (winter cover crop) and broadleaf vetch (spring cover crop) as N sources for the following crabgrass (summer forage crop) in El Reno, Oklahoma, USA. Comparisons also included 0 and 60 kg ha-1 mineral N fertilizer supplied as dry urea. No significant N2O fluxes were observed during rapid growing periods of cover crops (March-April, 2017), however, large fluxes were observed after hairy vetch incorporation. Immediately after the hairy vetch biomass incorporation, large rainfall events were recorded. The fluxes subsided gradually with drying soil condition but were enhanced after every consecutive rainfall events. A rainfall induced flux measuring up to 8.2 kg N2O ha-1 day-1 was observed after 26 days of biomass incorporation. In total, 29 kg N2O ha-1 (18 kg N ha-1) was emitted within a month after biomass incorporation from hairy vetch plots. Growth of broadleaf vetch was poor and N2O fluxes were also lower. Similarly, plots fertilized with 60 kg N ha-1 had significant fluxes of N2O but the magnitude was much lower than the hairy vetch plots. Dynamics of N2O and CO fluxes correlated strongly. The results thus indicated that although cover crops may provide many environmental/agronomic benefits such as N fixation, soil carbon built-up, weed suppression and erosion control, high N2O emissions may dwarf these benefits.

  2. Reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita on Winter Cover Crops Used in Cotton Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timper, Patricia; Davis, Richard F; Tillman, P Glynn

    2006-03-01

    Substantial reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita on winter cover crops may lead to damaging populations in a subsequent cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) crop. The amount of population increase during the winter depends on soil temperature and the host status of the cover crop. Our objectives were to quantify M. incognita race 3 reproduction on rye (Secale cereale) and several leguminous cover crops and to determine if these cover crops increase population densities of M. incognita and subsequent damage to cotton. The cover crops tested were 'Bigbee' berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum), 'Paradana' balansa clover (T. balansae), 'AU Sunrise' and 'Dixie' crimson clover (T. incarnatum), 'Cherokee' red clover (T. pratense), common and 'AU Early Cover' hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), 'Cahaba White' vetch (V. sativa), and 'Wrens Abruzzi' rye. In the greenhouse tests, egg production was greatest on berseem clover, Dixie crimson clover, AU Early Cover hairy vetch, and common hairy vetch; intermediate on Balansa clover and AU Sunrise crimson clover; and least on rye, Cahaba White vetch, and Cherokee red clover. In both 2002 and 2003 field tests, enough heat units were accumulated between 1 January and 20 May for the nematode to complete two generations. Both AU Early Cover and common hairy vetch led to greater root galling than fallow in the subsequent cotton crop; they also supported high reproduction of M. incognita in the greenhouse. Rye and Cahaba White vetch did not increase root galling on cotton and were relatively poor hosts for M. incognita. Only those legumes that increased populations of M. incognita reduced cotton yield. In the southern US, M. incognita can complete one to two generations on a susceptible winter cover crop, so cover crops that support high nematode reproduction may lead to damage and yield losses in the following cotton crop. Planting rye or Meloidogyne-resistant legumes as winter cover crops will lower the risk of increased nematode populations

  3. Tutoria com médicos residentes em anestesiologia: o programa da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcolino José Álvaro Marques

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A residência médica pode trazer desgaste emocional. Este artigo descreve um programa de tutoria durante o período de treinamento dos médicos em Anestesiologia. MÉTODO: O programa foi instituído na Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo. Vinte e sete residentes de Anestesiologia participaram do programa e quatro profissionais de saúde constituíram a equipe de tutoria. Um questionário sobre as impressões dos médicos residentes de primeiro e segundo anos, a respeito da formação médica em Anestesiologia foi desenvolvido com doze perguntas e três respostas para cada um, sendo aplicado antes e no fim do programa. Foram constituídos quatro grupos de residentes: residentes do 1º ano; residentes do 2º ano; residentes do 1º ano e 2º ano (2 grupos. As reuniões de tutoria ocorreram mensalmente às quintas-feiras, 7h00, com duração de uma hora. RESULTADOS: O cotidiano do residente foi considerado adequado. Houve redução na frustração e melhoria na auto-confiança. Um número elevado descreveu maior entusiasmo pela Anestesiologia e expectativas mais elevadas em relação ao futuro após a residência. Os tutores relataram a importância de reuniões obrigatórias, a possibilidade discutir a humanização e a possibilidade de despreparo dos tutores como um fator da limitação. CONCLUSÕES: O programa de tutoria pode ser considerado como um instrumento para a adaptação dos residentes no programa de Anestesiologia.

  4. Astragalar Morphology of Selected Giraffidae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikos Solounias

    Full Text Available The artiodactyl astragalus has been modified to exhibit two trochleae, creating a double pullied structure allowing for significant dorso-plantar motion, and limited mediolateral motion. The astragalus structure is partly influenced by environmental substrates, and correspondingly, morphometric studies can yield paleohabitat information. The present study establishes terminology and describes detailed morphological features on giraffid astragali. Each giraffid astragalus exhibits a unique combination of anatomical characteristics. The giraffid astragalar morphologies reinforce previously established phylogenetic relationships. We find that the enlargement of the navicular head is a feature shared by all giraffids, and that the primitive giraffids possess exceptionally tall astragalar heads in relation to the total astragalar height. The sivatheres and the okapi share a reduced notch on the lateral edge of the astragalus. We find that Samotherium is more primitive in astragalar morphologies than Palaeotragus, which is reinforced by tooth characteristics and ossicone position. Diagnostic anatomical characters on the astragalus allow for giraffid species identifications and a better understanding of Giraffidae.

  5. Effect of Winter Cover Crops on Soil Nitrogen Availability, Corn Yield, and Nitrate Leaching

    OpenAIRE

    Kuo, S.; Huang, B.; Bembenek, R.

    2001-01-01

    Biculture of nonlegumes and legumes could serve as cover crops for increasing main crop yield, while reducing NO3 leaching. This study, conducted from 1994 to 1999, determined the effect of monocultured cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), and bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch on N availability in soil, corn (Zea mays L.) yield, and NO3-N leaching in a silt loam soil. The field had been in corn and cover crop rotation sin...

  6. Autecology of Astragalus arpilobus Kar. & Kir, a promised species for restoration of the winter rangelands in the northeast of Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Jankju

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Studying the autecology of range plants provides the basic information on their ecological requirements, cultivation methods and the interactions with the prevailing environment. Such information is necessary for a proper range management. Some ecological characteristics of Astragalus arpilobus Kar. & Kir., were studied in the winter rangelands of Northern Khorasan province. It was naturally growing in Jargalan, Bojnourd, where the altitudinal range varied 500-600 a.s.l, slope 20-100%, and the average annual rainfall 236.85 mm. Soil properties were: loamy texture, average organic matter, low fertility, pH 7.32 and EC 2.30 ds.m-1. A. aripilobus started vegetative growth at the early March, flowering during early May, seed production during June, and terminated its yearly growth at early July. The highest nutritive values and forage quality were at the beginning of growth, which was gradually decreased towards the end of growth season. Crude protein (CP, and ash were decreased whereas acid detergent fiber (ADF, natural detergent fiber (NDF, and dry matter (DM increased by the growing season. Seeds were easily established within pots; however, seed germination rate was low (24%, which by sand paper scarification was increased up to 51%. In conclusion, feasibility of seedling establishment, high nutritive value, and concurrence of plant phenology with the time of maximum need to fodder, by livestocks, propose A. arpilobus as a promising forage plant species for restoration of the winter rangelands in Northern Khorasan province.

  7. Phytoextraction of rhenium by lucerne (Medicago sativa) and erect milkvetch (Astragalus adsurgens) from alkaline soils amended with coal fly ash.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Honghua; Dong, Zhigang; Pang, Jiayin; Wu, Gao-Lin; Zheng, Jiyong; Zhang, Xingchang

    2018-07-15

    Coal fly ash (CFA) is an industrial waste generated in huge amounts worldwide, and the management of CFA has become an environmental concern. Recovery of valuable metals from CFA is one of the beneficial reuse options of CFA. Rhenium (Re) is one of the rarest metals in the Earth's crust and one of the most expensive metals of strategic significance in the world market. A CFA at the Jungar Thermal Power Plant, Inner Mongolia, China, contains more Re than two alkaline soils in the surrounding region. Pot experiments were undertaken to grow lucerne (Medicago sativa) and erect milkvetch (Astragalus adsurgens) in a loessial soil and an aeolian sandy soil amended with different rates (5%, 10%, 20%, and 40%) of CFA. The results show that plant growth was considerably enhanced and Re concentration in plants was significantly increased when CFA was applied to the alkaline soils at rates of ≤20%; while in some cases plant growth was also markedly enhanced by the 40% CFA treatment, which increased plant Re concentration the most of all treatments. Both lucerne and erect milkvetch showed potential for phytoextracting Re from CFA-amended alkaline soils. Using CFA for soil amendment not only offers a potential solution for the waste disposal problem of CFA, but the phytoextraction of Re by both lucerne and erect milkvetch may also bring an economic profit in the future. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. INFLUÊNCIA DO CULTIVO CONSORCIADO DE AVEIA PRETA (AVENA STRIGOSA SCHIEB. E ERVILHACA COMUM (VICIA SATIVA L. NA PRODUÇÃO DE FITOMASSA E NO APORTE DE NITROGÊNIO INFLUENCE OF INTERCROPPED COMMON VETCH (VICIA SATIVA L. AND NAKED OAT (AVENA STRIGOSA ON BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND NITROGEN ADDITION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Heinrichs

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Em um Podzólico Vermelho Amarelo e sob preparo convencional, foi avaliada a influência de proporções de sementes de ervilhaca (Vicia sativa L. e de aveia preta (Avena strigosa Schieb. cultivadas em consórcio, na produção de fitomassa e no aporte de nitrogênio no sistema. O experimento foi implantado em solo podzolico vermelho amarelo, de Santa Maria, RS. Os tratamentos foram casualizados em quatro blocos, constituindo-se de: 1- 100% Ervilhaca comum (E; 2- 90% E + 10% Aveia preta (A; 3- 75% E + 25% A; 4- 50% E + 50% A; 5- 25% E + 75% A; 6- 100% A; 7- pousio de inverno. A amostragem da fitomassa das coberturas verdes foi efetuada na ocasião do pleno florescimento em área de 0,8m2 por parcela. Os resultados evidenciaram que a aveia preta e a ervilhaca comum podem ser consorciadas, beneficiando assim, a produção de fitomassa e acúmulo de nitrogênio.The effect of intercropping common vetch (Vicia sativa L. with naked oat (Avena strigosa Schieb. at different seed proportions was evaluated. The trial was set up on a Red Yellow Podzolic soil of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. The treatments were the following: 1- 100% E (common vetch; 2- 90% E + 10% A (naked oat; 3- 75% E + 25% A; 4- 50% E + 50% A; 5- 25% E + 75% A; 6- 100% A; 7- fall tillage organized in four randomized blocks. Biomass production was evaluated at the flowering stage in an area of 0.8 m2 per plot. Data show that both species can be intercropped which is beneficial to biomass production and nitrogen accumulation.

  9. Astragalus membranaceus augment sperm parameters in male mice associated with cAMP-responsive element modulator and activator of CREM in testis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wonnam Kim

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Astragalus membranaceus BUNGE (AM; 黃芪 huáng qí has been widely used as a medicinal herb for different kinds of diseases. AM treatment in vitro enhance sperm motility and ameliorates testicular toxicity, it has demonstrated the ability as a potential treatment for male infertility. In order to gain further insights on the molecular understanding of how AM enhances spermatogenesis, this study investigated whether AM has an affect on sperm parameters associated with cAMP response element modulator (CREM and activator of CREM in testis (ACT expression. Five-week-old male ICR mice were divided into four groups; control group and three different concentrations of AM treated groups. Each group was treated for 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Testis samples were collected for real time quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. Epididymis was taken out and used for sperm analysis using the computer assisted semen analysis (CASA system. To facilitate expression of genes required for spermatogenesis, it is controlled by fine-tuning of CREM and its coactivator, ACT. AM treatment promotes CREM and ACT mRNA expression and also protein expression compared to control. AM enhances sperm values such as sperm count and motility compared to control. Overall, the study highlights, the ability of AM to increases CREM and ACT expression to facilitate sperm development and semen quality.

  10. IDENTIFICATION AND OCCURRENCE OF FUSARIUM SPECIES ON SEEDS OF COMMON WETCH, WHITE LUPINE AND SOME WILD LEGUMES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tihomir Miličević

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The presence and occurrence of Fusarium species was examined on the seeds of cultivated legumes – common vetch (Vicia sativa, white lupine (Lupinus albus, and wild legumes: bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus, wild alfalfa (Medicago sativa, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia, honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos, sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis, bird vetch (Vicia cracca and meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis. Thirteen Fusarium species were identified - F. verticillioides, F. acuminatum, F. avenaceum, F. tricinctum F. oxysporum, F. scirpi, F. semitectum, F. culmorum, F. proliferatum, F. pseudograminearum, F. sporotrichioides, F. sambucinum and F. heterosporum. Species F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum were determined on seeds of the cultivated legumes (common vetch and white lupine. Other 11 Fusarium species were determined on seeds of wild legumes (bird’s-foot trefoil, wild alfalfa, sweet clover and bird vetch among which the most prevalent were species F. avenaceum and F. acuminatum.

  11. [Effects of Astragali Radix combined with Angelicae Sinensis Radix on the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells senescence model in mice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ke-Sheng; Chen, Ling-Bo; Huang, Xiao-Ping; Deng, Chang-Qing

    2017-11-01

    The aim is to study the effect and its mechanism of Astragalus Radix combined with Angelicae Sinensis Radix on the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells(HSCs) in senescence model. After drug-containing plasma of rats was prepared via intragastric administration, HSCs of mice were cultured in vitro, and then they were divided into blank control group, model group, blank plasma group, Astragalus Radix + Angelicae Sinensis Radix 1∶1 group and 10∶1 group, Angelicae Sinensis Radix plasma group, and Astragalus Radix plasma group. HSCs senescence model was induced by using tert-butyl hydrogen peroxide(t-BHP), and intervened by drug-containing plasma. Cells senescence rate was tested by SA-β-galactosidase staining method; cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry; Cyclin D1, P21, and P53 mRNA were measured with RT-PCR, and Cyclin D1 protein expression was measured by Western blot. Results showed that after being induced by t-BHP, senescence rate of HSCs was increased; cell proliferation ability was decreased; count of G₀/G₁ phase cells was increased; count of G₂/M+S phase cells was reduced; Cyclin D1 expression was down-regulated while P53, P21 expression was up-regulated, which were reversed by Astragalus Radix + Angelicae Sinensis Radix 1∶1 and 10∶1, single Angelicae Sinensis Radix, and single Astragalus Radix plasma. Furthermore, the above effects were most obvious in Astragalus Radix+Angelicae Sinensis Radix 1∶1 group. These results suggested that t-BHP can promote HSCs senescence and reduce cell proliferation ability. Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Astragalus Radix and their combinations can inhibit HSCs senescence, promote HSCs proliferation as well as cell cycle conversion; moreover, the effects of 1∶1 Astragalus Radix+Angelicae Sinensis Radix were strongest. The mechanisms may be related to up-regulating the expression of cell cycle positive regulator, down-regulating the expression of cell cycle negative regulator, thus promoting

  12. Effects of Cover Crop Species and Season on Population Dynamics of Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua in Soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed-Jones, Neiunna L; Marine, Sasha Cahn; Everts, Kathryne L; Micallef, Shirley A

    2016-01-04

    Cover crops provide several ecosystem services, but their impact on enteric bacterial survival remains unexplored. The influence of cover cropping on foodborne pathogen indicator bacteria was assessed in five cover crop/green manure systems: cereal rye, hairy vetch, crimson clover, hairy vetch-rye and crimson clover-rye mixtures, and bare ground. Cover crop plots were inoculated with Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua in the fall of 2013 and 2014 and tilled into the soil in the spring to form green manure. Soil samples were collected and the bacteria enumerated. Time was a factor for all bacterial populations studied in all fields (P cover crop was a factor for E. coli in year 1 (P = 0.004) and for L. innocua in year 2 (P = 0.011). In year 1, E. coli levels were highest in the rye and hairy vetch-rye plots. In year 2, L. innocua levels were higher in hairy vetch-rye (P = 0.01) and hairy vetch (P = 0.03) plots than in the rye plot. Bacterial populations grew (P cover crops/green manures on bacterial population dynamics in soil varied, being influenced by bacterial species, time from inoculation, soil temperature, rainfall, and tillage; this reveals the need for long-term studies. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  13. Triterpene and Flavonoid Biosynthesis and Metabolic Profiling of Hairy Roots, Adventitious Roots, and Seedling Roots of Astragalus membranaceus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Yun Ji; Thwe, Aye Aye; Li, Xiaohua; Kim, Yeon Jeong; Kim, Jae Kwang; Arasu, Mariadhas Valan; Al-Dhabi, Naif Abdullah; Park, Sang Un

    2015-10-14

    Astragalus membranaceus is an important traditional Chinese herb with various medical applications. Astragalosides (ASTs), calycosin, and calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside (CG) are the primary metabolic components in A. membranaceus roots. The dried roots of A. membranaceus have various medicinal properties. The present study aimed to investigate the expression levels of genes related to the biosynthetic pathways of ASTs, calycosin, and CG to investigate the differences between seedling roots (SRs), adventitious roots (ARs), and hairy roots (HRs) using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). qRT-PCR study revealed that the transcription level of genes involved in the AST biosynthetic pathway was lowest in ARs and showed similar patterns in HRs and SRs. Moreover, most genes involved in the synthesis of calycosin and CG exhibited the highest expression levels in SRs. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that the expression level of the genes correlated with the content of ASTs, calycosin, and CG in the three different types of roots. ASTs were the most abundant in SRs. CG accumulation was greater than calycosin accumulation in ARs and HRs, whereas the opposite was true in SRs. Additionally, 40 metabolites were identified using gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) documented the differences among SRs, ARs, and HRs. PCA comparatively differentiated among the three samples. The results of PCA showed that HRs were distinct from ARs and SRs on the basis of the dominant amounts of sugars and clusters derived from closely similar biochemical pathways. Also, ARs had a higher concentration of phenylalanine, a precursor for the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway, as well as CG. TCA cycle intermediates levels including succinic acid and citric acid indicated a higher amount in SRs than in the others.

  14. Effect of granosan vapors on mitosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lishenko, N P; Lishenko, I D

    1974-01-01

    Experiments were performed to determine the effects of granosan on the germination of vetch seeds. Vetch seeds were stored from 4-6 days in ethyl mercuric chloride vapors. Results indicated that the vapors caused a sharp decrease in germination and caused chromosomal aberrations during the anaphase.

  15. A syphilis co-infection study in human papilloma virus patients attended in the sexually transmitted infection ambulatory clinic, Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lúcia Maria de Sena Souza

    Full Text Available Despite the prevalence of syphilis worldwide, little is known about its manifestations when associated with other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI, specifically the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV. Current epidemiological studies show that there is a high incidence of both diseases in ambulatory clinics all over Brazil. This study aims to estimate the incidence of syphilis - HPV co-infections, among patients from the STI ambulatory clinic at the Santa Casa da Misericórdia Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Two-hundred and seven patients were seen in the clinic between March and December 2005, of which 113 (54.6% sought care for an HPV infection. Blood samples were taken from all patients to check syphilis serology using the flocculation and the non-treponemic test or VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory and the TPHA (Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutination Assay treponemic and confirmatory method. Of the 207 patients, 113 (54.6% consulted referring to HPV as their primary complaint, and of these, 18 (15.9% also presented with positive syphilis serology, demonstrating a high incidence of coinfection. The average age of the patients varied between 20 and 25 years, 203 (98.1% were male and 4 (1.9% were female. The predominance of the male sex in this sample confirms the profile usually treated in STI clinics across the country, and the age range is that of typically high sexually activity. Conclusion: The results demonstrated the need for a differentiated examination of all STD patients.

  16. Carbon contributions from roots in cotton based rotations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, D. K. Y.; Hulugalle, N. R.

    2012-04-01

    Most research on the decline in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in Australian cotton farming systems has focussed on the inputs from above-ground crop residues, with contribution from roots being less studied. This paper aims to outline the contribution of cotton roots and roots of other crops to soil carbon stocks in furrow-irrigated Vertisols in several cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)-based rotations. Data was collected from cotton-based rotation systems: cotton monoculture, cotton-vetch (Vicia benghalensis) Roth.), cotton-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), cotton-wheat-vetch, cotton-corn, corn-corn, cotton-sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and from BollgardTM II (Bt) and non-Bt cotton. Land management systems were permanent beds, with or without standing stubble, and conventional tillage. Root growth in the surface 0.10 m was measured with the core-break method, and that in the 0.10 to 1.0 m depth with a minirhizotron and I-CAP image capture system. These measurements were used to derive root C added to soil through intra-seasonal root death (Clost), C in roots remaining at the end of season (Croot), and total root C added to soil (Ctotal = Croot + Clost). Ctotal in non-Bt cotton (Sicot 80RRF, 0.9 t C/ha/year) was higher than in Bt cotton (Sicot 80RRF, 0.6 t C/ha/year). Overall, Ctotal from cotton roots ranges between 0.5 to 5 t C/ha/year, with Clost contributing 25-70%. Ctotal was greater with vetch than with wheat and was in the order of vetch in cotton-wheat-vetch (5.1 t C/ha/year) > vetch in cotton-vetch (1.9 t C/ha/year) > wheat in cotton-wheat (1.6 t C/ha/year) = wheat in cotton-wheat-vetch (1.7 t C/ha/year). Intra-seasonal root mortality accounted for 12% of total root carbon in vetch and 36% in wheat. Average corn Ctotal with monoculture was 9.3 t/ha and with cotton-corn 5.0 t/ha. Ctotal averaged between both treatments was, thus, of the order of 7.7 t C/ha/year and average Clost 0.04 t/ha/yr. Sorghum roots contributed less carbon with conventional tillage (8.2 t

  17. Cover crop and nitrogen fertilization influence soil carbon and nitrogen under bioenergy sweet sorghum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cover crop and N fertilization may maintain soil C and N levels under sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) biomass harvested for bioenergy production. The effect of cover crops (hairy vetch [Vicia villosa Roth], rye [Secaele cereale L.], hairy vetch/rye mixture, and the control [no cover crop...

  18. Effects of Geven root extract on proliferation of HeLa cells and bcl-2 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Yomi

    2012-03-01

    , Turkey. 3Research ... Geven (Astragalus L.) root extract is used for asthma, diarrhea, and cancer therapy in Chinese ... 0.1 mg/ml concentrations of Astragalus root extract were applied to HeLa cell cultures for 24, 48 and 72 h.

  19. Effect of Winter Cover Crops on Soil Nitrogen Availability, Corn Yield, and Nitrate Leaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Kuo

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Biculture of nonlegumes and legumes could serve as cover crops for increasing main crop yield, while reducing NO3 leaching. This study, conducted from 1994 to 1999, determined the effect of monocultured cereal rye (Secale cereale L., annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum, and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa, and bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch on N availability in soil, corn (Zea mays L. yield, and NO3-N leaching in a silt loam soil. The field had been in corn and cover crop rotation since 1987. In addition to the cover crop treatments, there were four N fertilizer rates (0, 67, 134, and 201 kg N ha-1, referred to as N0, N1, N2, and N3, respectively applied to corn. The experiment was a randomized split-block design with three replications for each treatment. Lysimeters were installed in 1987 at 0.75 m below the soil surface for leachate collection for the N0, N2, and N3 treatments. The result showed that vetch monoculture had the most influence on soil N availability and corn yield, followed by the bicultures. Rye or ryegrass monoculture had either no effect or an adverse effect on corn yield and soil N availability. Leachate NO3-N concentration was highest where vetch cover crop was planted regardless of N rates, which suggests that N mineralization of vetch N continued well into the fall and winter. Leachate NO3-N concentration increased with increasing N fertilizer rates and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standard of 10 mg N l�1 even at recommended N rate for corn in this region (coastal Pacific Northwest. In comparisons of the average NO3-N concentration during the period of high N leaching, monocultured rye and ryegrass or bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch very effectively decreased N leaching in 1998 with dry fall weather. The amount of N available for leaching (determined based on the presidedress nitrate test, the amount of N fertilizer applied, and N uptake correlated well with average NO3

  20. Effect of winter cover crops on soil nitrogen availability, corn yield, and nitrate leaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuo, S; Huang, B; Bembenek, R

    2001-10-25

    Biculture of nonlegumes and legumes could serve as cover crops for increasing main crop yield, while reducing NO3 leaching. This study, conducted from 1994 to 1999, determined the effect of monocultured cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), and bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch on N availability in soil, corn (Zea mays L.) yield, and NO3-N leaching in a silt loam soil. The field had been in corn and cover crop rotation since 1987. In addition to the cover crop treatments, there were four N fertilizer rates (0, 67, 134, and 201 kg N ha(-1), referred to as N0, N1, N2, and N3, respectively) applied to corn. The experiment was a randomized split-block design with three replications for each treatment. Lysimeters were installed in 1987 at 0.75 m below the soil surface for leachate collection for the N 0, N 2, and N 3 treatments. The result showed that vetch monoculture had the most influence on soil N availability and corn yield, followed by the bicultures. Rye or ryegrass monoculture had either no effect or an adverse effect on corn yield and soil N availability. Leachate NO3-N concentration was highest where vetch cover crop was planted regardless of N rates, which suggests that N mineralization of vetch N continued well into the fall and winter. Leachate NO3-N concentration increased with increasing N fertilizer rates and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's drinking water standard of 10 mg N l(-1) even at recommended N rate for corn in this region (coastal Pacific Northwest). In comparisons of the average NO3-N concentration during the period of high N leaching, monocultured rye and ryegrass or bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch very effectively decreased N leaching in 1998 with dry fall weather. The amount of N available for leaching (determined based on the presidedress nitrate test, the amount of N fertilizer applied, and N uptake) correlated well with average NO3-N during

  1. Cover Crops and Fertilization Alter Nitrogen Loss in Organic and Conventional Conservation Agriculture Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shelton, Rebecca E.; Jacobsen, Krista L.; McCulley, Rebecca L.

    2018-01-01

    Agroecosystem nitrogen (N) loss produces greenhouse gases, induces eutrophication, and is costly for farmers; therefore, conservation agricultural management practices aimed at reducing N loss are increasingly adopted. However, the ecosystem consequences of these practices have not been well-studied. We quantified N loss via leaching, NH3 volatilization, N2O emissions, and N retention in plant and soil pools of corn conservation agroecosystems in Kentucky, USA. Three systems were evaluated: (1) an unfertilized, organic system with cover crops hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum), or a mix of the two (bi-culture); (2) an organic system with a hairy vetch cover crop employing three fertilization schemes (0 N, organic N, or a fertilizer N-credit approach); and (3) a conventional system with a winter wheat cover crop and three fertilization schemes (0 N, urea N, or organic N). In the unfertilized organic system, cover crop species affected NO3-N leaching (vetch > bi-culture > wheat) and N2O-N emissions and yield during corn growth (vetch, bi-culture > wheat). Fertilization increased soil inorganic N, gaseous N loss, N leaching, and yield in the organic vetch and conventional wheat systems. Fertilizer scheme affected the magnitude of growing season N2O-N loss in the organic vetch system (organic N > fertilizer N-credit) and the timing of loss (organic N delayed N2O-N loss vs. urea) and NO3-N leaching (urea >> organic N) in the conventional wheat system, but had no effect on yield. Cover crop selection and N fertilization techniques can reduce N leaching and greenhouse gas emissions without sacrificing yield, thereby enhancing N conservation in both organic and conventional conservation agriculture systems. PMID:29403512

  2. Cover Crops and Fertilization Alter Nitrogen Loss in Organic and Conventional Conservation Agriculture Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca E. Shelton

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Agroecosystem nitrogen (N loss produces greenhouse gases, induces eutrophication, and is costly for farmers; therefore, conservation agricultural management practices aimed at reducing N loss are increasingly adopted. However, the ecosystem consequences of these practices have not been well-studied. We quantified N loss via leaching, NH3 volatilization, N2O emissions, and N retention in plant and soil pools of corn conservation agroecosystems in Kentucky, USA. Three systems were evaluated: (1 an unfertilized, organic system with cover crops hairy vetch (Vicia villosa, winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, or a mix of the two (bi-culture; (2 an organic system with a hairy vetch cover crop employing three fertilization schemes (0 N, organic N, or a fertilizer N-credit approach; and (3 a conventional system with a winter wheat cover crop and three fertilization schemes (0 N, urea N, or organic N. In the unfertilized organic system, cover crop species affected NO3-N leaching (vetch > bi-culture > wheat and N2O-N emissions and yield during corn growth (vetch, bi-culture > wheat. Fertilization increased soil inorganic N, gaseous N loss, N leaching, and yield in the organic vetch and conventional wheat systems. Fertilizer scheme affected the magnitude of growing season N2O-N loss in the organic vetch system (organic N > fertilizer N-credit and the timing of loss (organic N delayed N2O-N loss vs. urea and NO3-N leaching (urea >> organic N in the conventional wheat system, but had no effect on yield. Cover crop selection and N fertilization techniques can reduce N leaching and greenhouse gas emissions without sacrificing yield, thereby enhancing N conservation in both organic and conventional conservation agriculture systems.

  3. Comparative enzymology of the adenosine triphosphate sulfurylases from leaf tissue of selenium-accumulator and non-accumulator plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shaw, W H; Anderson, J W

    1974-01-01

    ATP sulfurylases were partially purified (20-40-fold) from leaf tissue of Astragalus bisulcatus, Astragalus racemosus (selenium-accumulator species) and Astragalus hamosus and Astragalus sinicus (non-accumulator species). Activity was measured by sulfate-dependent PP/sub 1/-ATP exchange. The enzymes were separated from pyrophosphatase and adenosine triphosphatase activities. The properties of the Astragalus ATP sulfurylases were similar to the spinach enzyme. The ATP sulfurylases from both selenium-accumulator and non-accumulator species catalyzed selenate-dependent PP/sub 1/-ATP exchange; selenate competed with sulfate. The ratio of V(selenate)/V(sulfate) and K/sub m/ (selenate)/K/sub m/(sulfate) was approximately the same for the enzyme from each species. Sulfate-dependent PP/sub 1/-ATP exchange was inhibited by ADP, chlorate and nitrate. The kinetics of the inhibition for each enzyme were consistent with an ordered reaction mechanisms, in which ATP is the first substrate to react with the enzyme and PP/sub 1/ is the first product released. Synthesis of adenosine 5'-(/sup 35/S)sulfatophosphate from (/sup 35/S)sulfate was demonstrated by coupling the Astrgalus ATP sulfurylases with Mg/sup 2 +/-dependent pyrophosphatase; the reaction was inhibited by selenate. An analogous reaction using (/sup 75/Se)selenate as substrate could not be demonstrated.

  4. Assessment of agro-ecological service crop managements combined with organic fertilisation strategies in organic melon crop

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariangela Diacono

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In organic horticultural systems, cover crops could provide several ecological services, therefore, they can be defined agroecological service crops (ASCs. The objective of this two-year research was to study the suitability on melon production of different ASC termination strategies, in combination with organic fertilisers application. In a split-block design, the main-plot was the ASC management, comparing: i green manure, in which the vetch was chopped and plowed into the soil; and ii roller-crimper (RC, in which the vetch was flattened by a roller-crimper; with iii fallow control, without vetch. The subplot consisted of offfarm organic inputs: i commercial humified fertiliser; ii anaerobic digestate fertiliser; iii composted municipal solid wastes; which were compared to iv unfertilised control (N0. At vetch termination, above soil biomass and nitrogen (N content were determined. At harvesting, crop yield performance and quality, N status and N efficiency were investigated. Also, main soil characteristics were assessed at the end of the trial. Among the ASC managements, the slightly reduced yield in the RC plots particularly in combination with N0 might have been the result of less N supplied by the vetch during the melon cycle. Anyway, no negative effects were observed for yield quality. The use of the RC showed a great potential in enhancing soil fertility. Our study suggests the suitability in organic farming of properly matching management of ASC and fertilisation strategies on melon crop.

  5. Astragalus

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Events Multimedia (Video, Images, and Audio) NCCIH Clinical Digest A monthly newsletter with evidence-based information on ... require a viewer such as the free Adobe Reader . NCCIH Publication No.: D384 Updated: September 2016 Print ...

  6. Pinnipedia belonging to collection of Department of Paleontology of the Science Faculty

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez Garcia, M.

    1998-01-01

    Pinnipedia belonging to collection of Department of Paleontology, Facultad de Ciencias, are shown. They are an astragalus and partial humerus, found the former in the coast of Departamento of San Jose and the latter in Rocha Department. The astragalus is assigned to Arctocephalus (southern fur seal) and humerus to Phocidae. (author)

  7. Foudah et al., Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med., (2017) 14 (5): 31 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    phenolic and flavonoid content of Astragalus squarrosus Bunge. Afr. J. Biotechnol., 10: 19176-19180. 2. Bagheri, S., L. Keyhani, M. Heydari and H. Dashti, 2015. Antinociceptive activity of Astragalus gummifer gum. (gum tragacanth) through the adrenergic system: An in vivo study in mice. J. Ayurveda Integr. Med., 6: 19-23.

  8. Improving yield and water use efficiency of apple trees through intercrop-mulch of crown vetch (Coronilla varia L.) combined with different fertilizer treatments in the Loess Plateau

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zheng, W.; Li, Y.; Gong, Q.; Zhang, H.; Zhao, Z.; Zheng, Z.; Zhai, B.; Wang, Z.

    2016-07-01

    Improving water use efficiency (WUE) and soil fertility is relevant for apple production in drylands. The effects of intercrop-mulch (IM) of crown vetch (Coronilla varia L.) combined with different fertilizer treatments on WUE of apple trees and soil fertility of apple orchards were assessed over three years (2011, 2013 and 2014). A split-plot design was adopted, in which the main treatments were IM and no intercrop-mulch (NIM). Five sub-treatments were established: no fertilization (CK); nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer (NP); manure (M); N, P and potassium fertilizer (NPK); and NPK fertilizer combined with manure (NPKM). Due to mowing and mulching each month during July–September, the evapotranspiration for IM was 17.3% lower than that of NIM in the dry year of 2013. Additionally, the soil water storage of NPKM treatment was higher than that of CK during the experimental period. Thus, single fruit weight and fruit number per tree increased with IM and NPKM application. Moreover, applying NPKM with IM resulted in the highest yield (on average of three years), which was 73.25% and 130.51% greater than that of CK in IM and NIM, respectively. The WUE of NPKM combined with IM was also the highest in 2013 and 2014 (47.69 and 56.95% greater than applying IM alone). In addition, due to application of IM combined with NPKM, soil organic matter was increased by 25.8% compared with that of CK (in NIM). Additionally, application of IM combined with NPKM obtained more economic net return, compared to other combinations. Therefore, applying NPKM with IM is recommended for improving apple production in this rain-fed agricultural area.

  9. Effects of Geven root extract on proliferation of HeLa cells and bcl-2 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Geven (Astragalus L.) root extract is used for asthma, diarrhea, and cancer therapy in Chinese Medicine. Liquid Astragalus root extracts are traditionally used in Anatolia for leukemia and wound healing. 439 species of this plant, which has 3000 species in the world, grow in Turkey and 204 of these are endemic. In this study ...

  10. Production of Se-methylselenocysteine in transgenic plants expressing selenocysteine methyltransferase

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harris Hugh

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It has become increasingly evident that dietary Se plays a significant role in reducing the incidence of lung, colorectal and prostate cancer in humans. Different forms of Se vary in their chemopreventative efficacy, with Se-methylselenocysteine being one of the most potent. Interestingly, the Se accumulating plant Astragalus bisulcatus (Two-grooved poison vetch contains up to 0.6% of its shoot dry weight as Se-methylselenocysteine. The ability of this Se accumulator to biosynthesize Se-methylselenocysteine provides a critical metabolic shunt that prevents selenocysteine and selenomethionine from entering the protein biosynthetic machinery. Such a metabolic shunt has been proposed to be vital for Se tolerance in A. bisulcatus. Utilization of this mechanism in other plants may provide a possible avenue for the genetic engineering of Se tolerance in plants ideally suited for the phytoremediation of Se contaminated land. Here, we describe the overexpression of a selenocysteine methyltransferase from A. bisulcatus to engineer Se-methylselenocysteine metabolism in the Se non-accumulator Arabidopsis thaliana (Thale cress. Results By over producing the A. bisulcatus enzyme selenocysteine methyltransferase in A. thaliana, we have introduced a novel biosynthetic ability that allows the non-accumulator to accumulate Se-methylselenocysteine and γ-glutamylmethylselenocysteine in shoots. The biosynthesis of Se-methylselenocysteine in A. thaliana also confers significantly increased selenite tolerance and foliar Se accumulation. Conclusion These results demonstrate the feasibility of developing transgenic plant-based production of Se-methylselenocysteine, as well as bioengineering selenite resistance in plants. Selenite resistance is the first step in engineering plants that are resistant to selenate, the predominant form of Se in the environment.

  11. Traditional Chinese medicine Astragalus polysaccharide enhanced antitumor effects of the angiogenesis inhibitor apatinib in pancreatic cancer cells on proliferation, invasiveness, and apoptosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Jun; Wang, Jing; Su, Qiang; Ding, Wei; Li, Teng; Yu, Junxian; Cao, Bangwei

    2018-01-01

    Traditional chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapy have shown modest effects on the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. The current study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of apatinib, Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), and the combination of both the drugs in pancreatic cancer cells and further explore the molecular mechanisms in vitro. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) in human pancreatic cancer cell lines ASPC-1, PANC-1, and SW1990 was detected by Western blotting. Cell proliferation was measured by MTS, and migration and invasion were detected by wound-healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Cell apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry and cellular autophagy level affected by apatinib, and APS was analyzed by Western blotting. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines ASPC-1 and PANC-1 expressed VEGFR-2, but VEGFR-2 was not detected in SW1990. Either apatinib or APS inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in ASPC-1 and PANC-1. APS in combination with apatinib showed enhanced inhibitory effects on cell migration and invasion compared with apatinib monotherapy in ASPC-1 and PANC-1. Meanwhile, APS combined with apatinib strongly increased cell apoptosis percentage. Western blotting showed that the combination of APS and apatinib significantly enhanced the downregulation of phosphorylated protein kinase B (AKT) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) (p-AKT and p-ERK) as well as matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) expression. In addition, both apatinib and APS induced cellular autophagy. However, the expression of autophagy-related proteins was not further elevated in the combination group. The study first demonstrated that apatinib showed potentially inhibitory effects in pancreatic cancer cells and that APS enhanced the antitumor effects of apatinib through further downregulating the expression of phosphorylation of AKT and ERK as well as MMP-9.

  12. Native legume transplant survivorship and subsequent seedling recruitment on unamended coal mine soils in the Canadian Rocky Mountains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smyth, C.R.

    1997-05-01

    Transplant survivorship, growth, and reproductive performance of several indigenous high-elevation legume species grown in unamended spoil were studied at three coal mines in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Survivorship varied with species but was highest for Astragalus aboriginum (62%), Astragalus alpinus (73-57%), Astragalus vexilliflexus var. nubilus (73-63%), and Oxytropis sericea (77-62%). Mortality was greatest during the first two years for most species. The causes of transplant mortality are considered to be drought stress, deep-seated `frost-popping`/root exposure, and damage, for example, root exposure and destruction of meristematic tissues by foraging mammals such as bighorn sheep, mountain goats, grizzly bears, and marmots. Survivorship, growth, and reproductive activity were greatest at the two subalpine disturbances. Growth varied with species, but the greatest growth increments (height and diameter) were recorded during the first and second years. Reproductive activity for the Astragalus species began during the first year at one location but, in general, flowering and seed set did not begin until the second or third years. Recruitment from seed was small ({lt} 10/year). Several of these species appear to be suitable for revegetation of subalpine and alpine surface mine disturbances.

  13. Produtividade de feijão-guará e efeito supressivo de culturas de cobertura de inverno em espontâneas de verão = Common bean yield and the suppressive effect of winter cover crops on summer weeds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henrique von Hertwig Bittencourt

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Investigou-se o efeito das coberturas de inverno centeio, aveia, azevém, ervilhaca e nabo forrageiro (e suas associações, em sistema de plantio direto, sobre a cobertura do solo e a produção de biomassa das coberturas de inverno, sobre a biomassa de plantas espontâneas deverão, no período crítico de competição, e sobre a produtividade do feijão, cv Guará. O experimento foi instalado em delineamento experimental constituído por blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Observaram-se as maiores percentagens de cobertura do solo no inverno, com os tratamentos centeio + ervilhaca, centeio + ervilhaca + nabo forrageiro e aveia + ervilhaca; a produção de biomassa de cobertura foi maior com centeio + ervilhaca + nabo forrageiro. Oefeito de supressão observado foi maior no monocultivo de azevém e no consórcio de centeio + ervilhaca + nabo forrageiro, porém não foi detectada correlação da biomassa de cobertura com a supressão de plantas espontâneas de verão. Os melhores rendimentos de feijão foram obtidos com o monocultivo de azevém, monocultivo de aveia e combinação centeio + ervilhaca, que atingiram 1.950, 1.730 e 1.790 kg ha-1, respectivamente. O azevém e a aveia em monocultivo apresentaram os menores custos com sementes e as maiores receitas, ou seja, os maiores retornos por unidade monetária investida.The effect of the winter cover crops rye, oat, ryegrass, vetch and fodder radish (and their mixtures in no-tillage systems was investigated on soil cover, cover crop biomass and summer weed biomass during the critical competition stage with common bean. Bean yield was also evaluated. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks and four repetitions. The highest soil cover during winter was observed in the treatments rye + vetch, rye + vetch +fodder radish and oat + vetch. The highest values of cover crops biomass production were observed in the treatments rye + vetch + fodder radish. Weed suppression was higher

  14. 当归补血汤及其拆方影响肝脏血管新生的药效特点及作用机制

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GUO Tao

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveTo observe the pharmacodynamic characteristics of Danggui Buxue decoction (containing Angelica sinensis and its separated recipes in treating liver fibrosis and angiogenesis. MethodsForty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal group, model group, Danggui Buxue decoction group, Astragalus membranaceus group, Angelica sinensis group, and sorafenib control group. In all groups except normal group, a rat model of liver fibrosis was established using carbon tetrachloride combined with high-fat and low-protein diet. Liver tissue inflammation was observed by HE staining, while collagen deposition by Sirius red staining. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST, and albumin (Alb and the malondialdehyde (MDA content, superoxide dismutase (SOD activity, nitric oxide (NO content, and nitricoxide synthase (NOS activity in liver tissue were determined by a test kit. The hydroxyproline (Hyp content in liver tissue was determined by hydrochloric acid hydrolysis. Sinusoidal endothelial fenestrae were observed by scanning electron microscope, and liver capillaries by synchrotron radiation X-ray two-dimensional imaging. Comparisons between groups were made by one-way analysis of variance; the least significant difference test was used when variances were equal, and the Tamhane′s T2 test was used when variances were unequal. ResultsThe Danggui Buxue decoction group, Astragalus membranaceus group, and Angelica sinensis group had significantly increased serum Alb levels (P<0.05 and significantly decreased serum AST levels (P<0.05; the Danggui Buxue decoction group and Astragalus membranaceus group had significantly decreased serum ALT levels (P<005. All treatment groups had significantly decreased liver hydroxyproline content (P<0.05. In the liver tissues of all treatment groups, the vascular texture was reduced, and the number of sinusoidal endothelial fenestrae was increased . The

  15. EFFECT OF DIFFERENT COVER CROP RESIDUES, MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT UNDER A TOMATO CROP (LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George Njomo Karuku

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available SUMMARYThe soil water storage, soil water content, available water content and soil water balance under various cover crop residue management practices in a Nitisol were evaluated in a field experiment at the Kabete Field Station, University of Nairobi. The effects of surface mulching, above and below ground biomass and roots only incorporated of (mucuna pruriens, Tanzanian sunnhemp (Crotalaria ochroleuca and Vetch (Vicia benghalensis cover crops, fertilizer and non fertilized plots on soil water balance were studied. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum was used as the test crop. Since water content was close to field capacity, the drainage component at 100 cm soil depth was negligible and evapotranspiration was therefore derived from the change in soil moisture storage and precipitation. Residue management showed that above and below ground biomass incorporated optimized the partitioning of the water balance components, increasing moisture storage, leading to increased tomato yields and water use efficiency. Furthermore, vetch above and below ground biomass incorporated significantly improved the quantity and frequency of deep percolation. Soil fertilization (F and non fertilization (NF caused the most unfavourable partitioning of water balance, leading to the lowest yield and WUE. Tomato yields ranged from 4.1 in NF to 7.4 Mg ha-1 in Vetch treated plots. Vetch above and belowground biomass incorporated had significant (p ≤ 0.1 yields of 11.4 Mg ha-1 compared to all other residue management systems. Vetch residue treatment had the highest WUE (22.7 kg mm-1 ha-1 followed by mucuna treated plots (20.7 kg mm-1 ha-1 and both were significantly different (p ≤ 0.05 compared to the others irrespective of residue management practices.

  16. Development, Characterization, and Optimization of Protein Level in Date Bars Using Response Surface Methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Nadeem

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This project was designed to produce a nourishing date bar with commercial value especially for school going children to meet their body development requirements. Protein level of date bars was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM. Economical and underutilized sources, that is, whey protein concentrate and vetch protein isolates, were explored for protein supplementation. Fourteen date bar treatments were produced using a central composite design (CCD with 2 variables and 3 levels for each variable. Date bars were then analyzed for nutritional profile. Proximate composition revealed that addition of whey protein concentrate and vetch protein isolates improved the nutritional profile of date bars. Protein level, texture, and taste were considerably improved by incorporating 6.05% whey protein concentrate and 4.35% vetch protein isolates in date bar without affecting any sensory characteristics during storage. Response surface methodology was observed as an economical and effective tool to optimize the ingredient level and to discriminate the interactive effects of independent variables.

  17. Chondroprotective Effects of a Standardized Extract (KBH-JP-040) from Kalopanax pictus, Hericium erinaceus, and Astragalus membranaceus in Experimentally Induced In Vitro and In Vivo Osteoarthritis Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Md Mahbubur; Kim, Hyun-Kyu; Kim, Seong-Eun; Kim, Myung-Jin; Kim, Do-Hyung; Lee, Hak Sung

    2018-03-15

    The aim of this study was to investigate the chondroprotective effect of a standardized extract (KBH-JP-040) of the Korean traditional herbs Kalopanax pictus Castor-Aralia, Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Persoon, and Astragalus membranaceus Schischkin on in vivo and in vitro osteoarthritis (OA) models. Cultured rat chondrocytes were pre-treated with KBH-JP-040 (50, 100 and 200 μg/mL) for 1 h, then recombinant human IL-1α (rhIL-1α) for 24 h. For the in vivo model, rabbits ( n = 60) were equally divided into experimental groups: normal control (NC), a collagenase-induced OA group, and OA groups treated with KBH-JP-040 (75, 100, and 150 mg/kg body weight) and celecoxib (Cx, 100 mg/kg) orally for 28 days. Treatment with KBH-JP-040 significantly attenuated inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), suppressed the expression of IκBα, NF-κB, and JNK/p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, and upregulated aggrecan and collagen type-II expression in rhIL-1α-stimulated chondrocytes. Furthermore, the serum and synovial levels of inflammatory cytokines of rabbits also decreased in the treatment groups when compared with the OA group. Improved magnetic resonance imaging and histopathological findings further confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of KBH-JP-040 against OA. In conclusion, these results indicate that KBH-JP-040 possesses chondroprotective effects, suppressing inflammation and MMPs, and downregulating IκBα, NF-κB, and JNK/p38 MAP kinase-signaling pathways. This might be a potential therapeutic candidate for OA treatment.

  18. Chondroprotective Effects of a Standardized Extract (KBH-JP-040 from Kalopanax pictus, Hericium erinaceus, and Astragalus membranaceus in Experimentally Induced In Vitro and In Vivo Osteoarthritis Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Mahbubur Rahman

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the chondroprotective effect of a standardized extract (KBH-JP-040 of the Korean traditional herbs Kalopanax pictus Castor-Aralia, Hericium erinaceus (Bull. Persoon, and Astragalus membranaceus Schischkin on in vivo and in vitro osteoarthritis (OA models. Cultured rat chondrocytes were pre-treated with KBH-JP-040 (50, 100 and 200 μg/mL for 1 h, then recombinant human IL-1α (rhIL-1α for 24 h. For the in vivo model, rabbits (n = 60 were equally divided into experimental groups: normal control (NC, a collagenase-induced OA group, and OA groups treated with KBH-JP-040 (75, 100, and 150 mg/kg body weight and celecoxib (Cx, 100 mg/kg orally for 28 days. Treatment with KBH-JP-040 significantly attenuated inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs, suppressed the expression of IκBα, NF-κB, and JNK/p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP kinase, and upregulated aggrecan and collagen type-II expression in rhIL-1α-stimulated chondrocytes. Furthermore, the serum and synovial levels of inflammatory cytokines of rabbits also decreased in the treatment groups when compared with the OA group. Improved magnetic resonance imaging and histopathological findings further confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of KBH-JP-040 against OA. In conclusion, these results indicate that KBH-JP-040 possesses chondroprotective effects, suppressing inflammation and MMPs, and downregulating IκBα, NF-κB, and JNK/p38 MAP kinase-signaling pathways. This might be a potential therapeutic candidate for OA treatment.

  19. Biological and microbiological attributes in Oxisol managed with cover crops

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Ferreira da Silva

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The inclusion of winter cover crops and fertilization with nitrogen to the soil can have an effect on their biological and microbiological attributes. The aim of this study was to evaluate biological and microbiological attributes in soil under different winter cover crops and nitrogen doses. The experiment was conducted at the Frederico Westphalen-RS campus of the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM in a Rhodic Hapludox soil. The experimental design was a randomized block in factorial arrangement (2 x 10: 10 winter cover crops systems (Fallow [control], black oats, white oats, ryegrass, forage turnip, vetch, white lupine; black oat + forage turnip; black oat + vetch and black oat + vetch + fodder turnip, and two nitrogen rates in the form of urea applied in successive crops of beans common and maize, with four replications. We assessed the biological attributes (Margalef’s richness, Simpson’s dominance, Shannon’s diversity and abundance of organisms and microbiological (carbon and nitrogen microbial biomass, basal respiration, metabolic quotient and microbial quotient of the soil. The fallow with wild species and white lupine showed greater Simpson’s dominance and abundance of organisms due to the increase in the number of individuals of the order Collembola. Vetch improved the biological attributes of the soil with increase in Collembola abundance and diversity of organisms of soil fauna. The application of nitrogen favored the microbial biomass carbon and reduced the metabolic quotient.

  20. [Inhibitory effect and the mechanism of Astragalus polysaccharide combined with cisplatin on growth of inplanted Lewis lung carcinoma in mice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuang, Mengjie; Liu, Dan; Chen, Yanwen; Ming, Haixia; Li, Yang

    2017-04-01

    Objective To observe the effect of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) combined with cisplatin (DDP) on the expressions of cytochrome C (CytC) and high temperature required serine protease A2 (Omi/HtrA2) in the mice with Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) transplantated tumors. Methods Ninty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, and (50, 100, 200) μg/mL APS groups, 6 mg/kg DDP group, 3 mg/kg DDP combined with (50, 100, 200) μg/mL APS groups. Each group included 10 mice. Except the mice in the normal group, the rest mice were inoculated subcutaneously with LLC cells (1×10 7 mL) at the right fore axillary fossa to establish tumor-bearing mouse models. In the second day of building models, the mice in the treatment group were given intraperitoneal injection of 0.3 mL of the drug. DDP was given once a week, and the other drugs once a day. The mice in the normal group and the model group were administrated the same amount of saline injection for continuous 20 days. All mice were killed at the 21st day. The pathological changes of tumor tissues were observed by HE staining. The expressions and location of CytC and Omi/HtrA2 proteins in the transplanted tumor tissues were detected by immunohistochemical staining and image analysis. Results The mass of tumor decreased in the mice of (100, 200) μg/mL APS group and 3 mg/kg DDP combined with (100, 200) μg/mL APS group. Compared with the model group, the necrosis of tumor tissues in 200 μg/mL APS combined with 3 mg/kg DDP group was the most obvious. The expressions of CytC and Omi/HtrA2 increased in the treatment groups, and the increase was the most remarkable in 200 μg/mL APS combined with 3 mg/kg DDP group. Conclusion APS and APS combined with DDP can restrain the growth of Lewis Lung cancer in C57BL/6J mice, which may be related to the increased expressions of CytC and Omi/HtrA2.

  1. A comparative study on inhibition of total astragalus saponins and astragaloside IV on TNFR1-mediated signaling pathways in arterial endothelial cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qin-she Liu

    Full Text Available Both total astragalus saponins (AST and it's main component astragaloside IV (ASIV have been used in China as cardiovascular protective medicines. However, the anti-inflammatory activities that are beneficial for cardiovascular health have never been compared directly and the molecular mechanisms remain unresolved. This study was conducted to compare the inhibitory effects of these drugs on TNFα-induced cell responses, related signaling pathways, and the underlying mechanisms in mouse arterial endothelial cells.Real-time qRT-PCR was performed to determine the expression of cell adhesion molecule (CAM genes. Immunofluorescent staining was used to detect the nuclear translocation of transcription factor NF-κB-p65. Western Blot analysis was used to identify TNFα-induced NF-κB-p65 phosphorylation, IκBα degradation, and caspase-3 cleavage. Cell surface proteins were isolated and TNFα receptor-1(TNFR1 expression was determined. The results suggest that both AST and ASIV attenuate TNFα-induced up-regulation of CAMs mRNA and upstream nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of NF-κB-p65. However, TNFR1-mediated IκBα degradation, cleavage of caspase-3 and apoptosis were inhibited only by AST. These differences in the actions of AST and ASIV could be explained by the presence of other components in AST, such as ASII and ASIII, which also had an inhibitory effect on TNFR1-induced IκBα degradation. Moreover, AST, but not ASIV, was able to reduce TNFR1 protein level on the cell surface. Furthermore, mechanistic investigation demonstrated that TNFR1-mediated IκBα degradation was reversed by the use of TAPI-0, an inhibitor of TNFα converting enzyme (TACE, suggesting the involvement of TACE in the modulation of surface TNFR1 level by AST.ASIV was not a better inhibitor than AST, at least on the inhibition of TNFα-induced inflammatory responses and TNFR1-mediated signaling pathways in AECs. The inhibitory effect of AST was caused by the

  2. Effect of different component ratio of Astragalus total saponins and Verbena total glycosides on the cerebral infarction area and serum biochemical indicators in the focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rat model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erping Xu

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Our purpose is to study the effect of different component ratio of Astragalus Total Saponins (ATS and Verbena Total Glycosides (VTG on the cerebral infarction area and the serum biochemical indicators in the focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rat model. Compared with the model group, different component ratio of ATS and VTG could significantly improve the neurological deficit scores to the focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rat model, and the group of 7:3, 6:4, 5:5 got the best results; it could reduce the mortality of rat model to a certain extent, and the group of 5:5 group got the best results; it can significantly reduce the cerebral infarction area, and the group of 7:3, 5:5, 4:6 got the best results; it could significantly reduce the content of TNF-α, and the group of 8:2, 6:4 got the best results; it could significantly reduce the content of NO, and the group of 7:3, 5:5 got the best results; it could significantly increase the content of SOD, and the group of 6:4, 5:5 got the best results. This indicates that different component ratio of ATS and VTG may protect the damage of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rat model to a certain extent, which are compared using the comprehensive weight method and the ratio of 5:5 was proved to be the optimal active ratio.

  3. Dinitrogen fixation measurements in some legume crops grown under irrigated condition without bacteria inoculation using 15N

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurdali, F.; Sharabi, N.D.

    1991-01-01

    N 2 -fixation in some legume crops: Faba bean Vicia faba, common bean pisum sativum, lentil lens esculenta, chick pea cicer artinum and vetch vicia arvillia grown under irrigated conditions without Rhizobium inoculation was estimated using 15 N-labelled fertilizer method. Barley was used as a reference crop. Significant differences occured in N 2 -fixation capacity among legume crops at flowering and podding stages. The highest percentage of Nitrogen fixed occured in faba bean (88% of total N), while lower values were observed in the other crops: Lentil 84%, vetch 68%, common pea 67% and chick pea 57%. Moreover, amounts of N 2 -fixed were 171, 138, 100, 90 and 13 Kg. N. ha -1 respectively for faba bean, lentil, vetch, common pea and chick pea. This clearly indicates the importance of biological dinitrogen fixation in local legume crops nodulated with indigenous Rhizobium strains regarding to N-soil enrichment. Further investigations must be focused on the selection of both plant species and Rhizobium strains in order to obtain a good symbiotic system. (author). 2 figs

  4. Microbial biomass and soil fauna during the decomposition of cover crops in no-tillage system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciano Colpo Gatiboni

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The decomposition of plant residues is a biological process mediated by soil fauna, but few studies have been done evaluating its dynamics in time during the process of disappearance of straw. This study was carried out in Chapecó, in southern Brazil, with the objective of monitoring modifications in soil fauna populations and the C content in the soil microbial biomass (C SMB during the decomposition of winter cover crop residues in a no-till system. The following treatments were tested: 1 Black oat straw (Avena strigosa Schreb.; 2 Rye straw (Secale cereale L.; 3 Common vetch straw (Vicia sativa L.. The cover crops were grown until full flowering and then cut mechanically with a rolling stalk chopper. The soil fauna and C content in soil microbial biomass (C SMB were assessed during the period of straw decomposition, from October 2006 to February 2007. To evaluate C SMB by the irradiation-extraction method, soil samples from the 0-10 cm layer were used, collected on eight dates, from before until 100 days after residue chopping. The soil fauna was collected with pitfall traps on seven dates up to 85 days after residue chopping. The phytomass decomposition of common vetch was faster than of black oat and rye residues. The C SMB decreased during the process of straw decomposition, fastest in the treatment with common vetch. In the common vetch treatment, the diversity of the soil fauna was reduced at the end of the decomposition process.

  5. An Investigation of Partizan Misere Games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Meghan Rose

    2010-08-01

    Combinatorial games are played under two different play conventions: normal play, where the last player to move wins, and mis play, where the last player to move loses. Combinatorial games are also classified into impartial positions and partizan positions, where a position is impartial if both players have the same available moves and partizan otherwise. Mis play games lack many of the useful calculational and theoretical properties of normal play games. Until Plambeck's indistinguishability quotient and mis monoid theory were developed in 2004, research on mis play games had stalled. This thesis investigates partizan combinatorial mis play games, by taking Plambeck's indistinguishability and mis monoid theory for impartial positions and extending it to partizan ones, as well as examining the difficulties in constructing a category of mis play games in a similar manner to Joyal's category of normal play games. This thesis succeeds in finding an infinite set of positions which each have finite mis monoid, examining conditions on positions for when * + * is equivalent to 0, finding a set of positions which have Tweedledum-Tweedledee type strategy, and the two most important results of this thesis: giving necessary and sufficient conditions on a set of positions Upsilon such that the mis monoid of Upsilon is the same as the mis monoid of * and giving a construction theorem which builds all positions ξ such that the mis monoid of ξ is the same as the mis monoid of *.

  6. 'Splendeurs et miseres' of Hawking's effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hajicek, P [Bern Univ. (Switzerland). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik

    1977-01-01

    The paper deals with the emission of particles from a black hole, in particular Hawking's effect. Quantum field theory is applied in curved space-time. Spherically symmetrical gravitational collapse is considered.

  7. ''Splendeurs et miseres'' of Hawking's effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hijicek, P

    1977-01-01

    The Hawking effect, the result that a Schwarzschild black hole will emit particles as if it were a hot body with a given temperature depending upon the mass of the hole and the sun, the Planck, Newton, and Boltzmann constants, and the light velocity, is considered. Restriction is made to the Schwarzschild space-time, in order to suppress the geometrical, purely general relativistic aspects as far as possible. The treatment includes quantum field theory in curved space--times, and spherically symmetric collapse. 23 references. (JFP)

  8. Doença granulomatosa sistêmica em bovinos no Rio Grande do Sul associada ao pastoreio de ervilhaca (Vicia spp Systemic granulomatous disease in cattle in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, associated with grazing vetch (Vicia spp

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio S. L. Barros

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available Dois surtos de uma doença associada ao pastoreio de duas espécies de ervilhaca (predominantemente Vicia villosa e, em menor grau, V. sativa foram observados em agosto-setembro de 2001, em vacas Holandesas adultas de duas propriedades rurais do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram afetadas, em uma das propriedades, quatro de 42 vacas (9,5% e, na outra, uma de oito vacas (12,5%. Os sinais clínicos incluíam, embora não em todos os casos, febre, prurido, espessamento e enrugamento da pele com placas multifocais de alopecia, conjuntivite, corrimento nasal seroso, perda de peso, acentuada queda na produção de leite e diarréia. O curso clínico foi de aproximadamente duas semanas. Todas as vacas afetadas clinicamente morreram, uma foi sacrificada; três foram necropsiadas. Em cada um desses animais havia um padrão de lesões sistêmicas que consistiam de nódulos multifocais ou coalescentes, macios ou moderadamente firmes e branco-acinzentados, que infiltravam vários órgãos, mas eram particularmente proeminentes no miocárdio, nos linfonodos, no baço, na glândula adrenal e no córtex renal. Essas lesões resultavam em aumento de volume e alteração na arquitetura do órgão invadido. Microscopicamente, as lesões consis-tiam de extensa infiltração celular composta de proporções variáveis de macrófagos epitelióides, linfócitos, plasmócitos, células gigantes multinucleadas e eosinófilos. Os números de eosinófilos eram geralmente altos. Essa infiltração granulomatosa causava degeneração e perda de células parenquimatosas no órgão afetado. A intensidade das lesões variou entre as três vacas e entre os vários órgãos de cada animal. Essa é a primeira documentação no Brasil de doença granulomatosa sistêmica em bovinos associada ao pastoreio de ervilhaca.Two outbreaks of a disease associated with grazing vetch species (predominantly Vicia villosa and to a lesser extent V. sativa were observed during August-September 2001, in

  9. Atributos físicos de um Hapludox em função de sistemas de produção integração lavoura-pecuária (ILP, sob plantio direto = Soil physical characteristics of an Oxisol as affected by production systems lay farming, under no-tillage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvio Tulio Spera

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Alguns atributos físicos do solo foram avaliados, após oito anos da instalação do experimento (1995 a 2003, num Latossolo Vermelho distrófico típico, em Coxilha, Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, em seis sistemas de produção de grãos com pastagens anuais de inverno e deverão: sistema I (trigo-soja / pastagem de aveia preta + ervilhaca-milho; sistema II (trigo-soja / pastagem de aveia preta + ervilhaca + azevém-milho; sistema III (trigo-soja / pastagem de aveia preta + ervilhaca-pastagem de milheto; sistema IV (trigo-soja / pastagem de aveia preta + ervilhaca + azevém-pastagem de milheto; sistema V (trigo-soja / aveia branca-soja / pastagem de aveia preta + ervilhaca-pastagem de milheto; e sistema VI (trigo-soja / aveia branca-soja /pastagem de aveia preta + ervilhaca + azevém-pastagem de milheto. A densidade de solo e resistência à penetração foram maior na camada 10-15 cm do que na camada 0-5 cm. Nos sistemas I, V e VI, houve diminuição da porosidade total e aumento da densidade e da resistência à penetração de solo, na camada 10-15 cm, em relação à camada 0-5 cm, devido maior intensidade das atividades agropastoris. Após oito anos, os sistemas de manejo com integração lavoura pecuárianão provocaram degradação, em níveis limitantes, nas propriedades físicas do solo manejado sob sistema plantio direto. Soil physical characteristics were evaluated, after eight years (1995 to 2003, on a typic Hapludox located in Coxilha, Rio Grande do SulState, Brazil. Six crop production systems were evaluated: system I (wheat-soybean / black oat + common vetch pasture-corn; system II (wheat-soybean / black oat + common vetch + annual ryegrass pasture-corn; system III (wheat-soybean / black oat + common vetch pasture-pearl millet pasture; system IV (wheat-soybean / black oat + common vetch + annual ryegrass pasture-pearl millet pasture; system V (wheat-soybean, white oat-soybean / black oat + common vetch pasture-pearl millet pasture

  10. [Miserable labor pain? Myths and nursing care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gau, Meei-Ling; Kao, Chien-Huei

    2013-12-01

    Pain is a common, normal, and healthy physical phenomenon during childbirth. However, widely held public and clinical perspectives treat pain as a pathologic process and consider labor pain in a negative context. These perspectives ignore the positive effects of pain in the domains of protection, new life, expectation, purpose, preparation, and progression. The pain interpretation and pain experience of new mothers deeply impact their mental health, maternal-infant relationship, and transition to motherhood. This paper introduces the common myths related to labor pain, the three stages of pain transmission, and the current approaches to pain management. The authors hope childbirth caregivers may accept labor pain as a meaningful, pleasant, and positive gift, which is the first and most important step toward effective pain management.

  11. Consorciação de plantas de cobertura antecedendo o milho em plantio direto: I - Dinâmica do nitrogênio no solo Cover crop mixtures preceding no-till corn: I - Soil nitrogen dynamics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Aita

    2004-08-01

    ém que o potencial de perdas de N por lixiviação foi maior após a ervilhaca solteira do que após a aveia e o nabo solteiros e os consórcios de aveia e ervilhaca.The dynamics of nitrogen in soils under no-tillage in Southern Brazil are poorly studied so far. A field experiment on a typic Hapludalf on the experimental area of the Soil Science Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, was carried out in 1998/99 and 1999/00 to evaluate the effect of single crop and mixtures of black oat (BO (Avena strigosa Schieb, common vetch (CV (Vicia sativa L. and oilseed radish (OR (Raphanus sativus L. var. oleiferus Metzg. on the soil nitrogen (N dynamics. The experiment was set in a complete randomized block design with four replications. The treatments were: 100 % BO (80 kg ha-1 of seeds, 100 % CV (80 kg ha-1, 100 % OR (14 kg ha-1, 15 % BO + 85 % CV, 45 % BO + 55 % CV, and 30 % BO + 70 % OR. Additionally, two plots under winter fallow were also used for comparison. Other two control treatments were corn cultivated without N fertilizer in one plot and fertilized with 180 kg ha-1 of N-urea in another one. Mineral soil N was measured nine times, beginning ten days after cover crops were killed. Samples were taken from the 0-5, 5-15, 15-30, 30-60, and 60-90 cm soil layers. The sum of mineral N in the five soil depths was greater for single common vetch than for fallow and single BO treatment. At the end of the first month, common vetch had already approximately 30 kg ha-1 more N than the other treatments. The soil under oilseed radish had lower mineral N contents than single common vetch and similar values to those of the mixture between oat and common vetch. The results of this study indicated that the oat-vetch mixture reduced the amount of mineral soil N in relation to single vetch and this effect was proportional to the amount of oat in the crop mixture. It was also verified that the potential N loss by leaching was greater

  12. Prevalência da retinopatia diabética no Ambulatório de Endocrinologia Pediátrica da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy at the Pediatric Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic of the Santa Casa de São Paulo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel de Souza Pereira

    2004-02-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Verificar a prevalência de retinopatia diabética encontrada na população de diabéticos tipo 1, acompanhada no Ambulatório de Endocrinologia Pediátrica da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, entre 29 de agosto de 2000 e 17de agosto de 2001, e sua relação com o sexo, a idade do paciente na ocasião do diagnóstico do diabete e a duração do diabete. MÉTODO: Foi realizado mapeamento de retina, biomicroscopia de fundo e retinografia em 81 pacientes, 41 do sexo feminino e 40 do masculino, a fim de detectar e classificar a retinopatia diabética nessa população. RESULTADOS: A idade dos pacientes variou entre 4 e 23 anos (média = 12,0 ± 12,0, a idade do paciente na ocasião do diagnóstico, entre 6 meses e 15 anos (média = 3,4 ± 5,8 e a duração do diabete, entre 7 meses e 20 anos (média = 5,8 ± 4,4. A retinopatia diabética foi observada em 14 pacientes (17,3%, 7 (8,6% com a forma não proliferativa muito leve, 5 (6,2% com forma não proliferativa leve, 1 (1,2% com forma proliferativa de alto risco e 1 (1,2% com forma proliferativa avançada. CONCLUSÕES: A prevalência da retinopatia diabética na nossa amostra é 17,3%. Não há diferença entre os portadores e não portadores de retinopatia diabética quanto a sexo e idade do paciente na ocasião do diagnóstico. Quanto maior a duração da diabete, maior a prevalência da retinopatia diabética.PURPOSE: To verify the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy found in a type I diabetic population, accompanied at the Pediatric Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic of the "Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo", between August 29, 2000 and August 17, 2001, and it's relationship with sex, the patient's age on occasion of the diagnosis of diabetes and the duration of diabetes. METHODS: Retinal mappings, biomicroscopic fundus and retinography were accomplished in 81 patients, 41 female and 40 male, in order to detect and to classify the diabetic retinopathies in that

  13. Effect of different adjuvant formulations on the immunogenicity and protective effect of a live Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine after intramuscular inoculation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Qiyan; Wei, Yanna; Xie, Haidong; Feng, Zhixin; Gan, Yuan; Wang, Chunlai; Liu, Maojun; Bai, Fangfang; Xie, Fang; Shao, Guoqing

    2014-06-05

    Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) vaccine strain 168 is an intrapulmonically injected attenuated live vaccine that is available in the Chinese market. The aim of this study was to develop suitable adjuvants for this live vaccine to provide effective protection after intramuscular inoculation. Several adjuvant components were screened to assess their toxicity for the live vaccine, and various adjuvant formulations were then designed and prepared. Vaccines supplemented with these adjuvants were used to immunize mice intramuscularly to assess the capacity of the adjuvants to induce a specific immune response. The screened formulations were then evaluated in pigs. Seven of the eight adjuvant components did not affect the viability of the live vaccine, and seven different adjuvant formulations were then designed. In mice, the ISCOM-matrix adjuvant and the levamisole-chitosan mixture adjuvant significantly enhanced serum IgG responses against M. hyopneumoniae, while lymphocyte proliferation was enhanced by the ISCOM-matrix adjuvant, the carbomer-astragalus polysaccharide mixture adjuvant and an oil-in-water emulsion adjuvant. These four adjuvants were evaluated in pigs. Enhancement of specific lymphocyte proliferation responses was observed in the groups vaccinated with the ISCOM-matrix adjuvant and the carbomer-astragalus polysaccharide mixture adjuvant. Significant enhancement of serum IgG antibody production was observed before challenge in pigs vaccinated with the carbomer-astragalus polysaccharide mixture adjuvant and the levamisole-chitosan mixture adjuvant, while after challenge, all of the animals that received vaccines containing adjuvants had higher antibody concentrations against M. hyopneumoniae than unvaccinated animals. Animals inoculated with a vaccine containing the ISCOM-matrix adjuvant (median score 3.57) or the carbomer-astragalus polysaccharide mixture adjuvant (median score 5.28) had reduced lesion scores compared to unvaccinated animals

  14. A study on the qualitative and quantitative traits of barley (Hordeum ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    Key words: Qualitative and quantitative, barley, narbon vetch, weed, dry land. ... and biomass production (Baishya and Sharma, 1990; ..... pakistan. Digitalverlag gmbh, germany. 157: 1-5. Pisulewska E, Hanczowski P, Pisulewski P (2003).

  15. Effect of Cover Crops and Nitrogen Fertilizer on Total Production of Forage Corn and Dry Weight of Weeds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Fakhari

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available To evaluate the effect of cover crops, split application of nitrogen and control weeds on forage corn and weed biomass a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications and three factors was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station of Ardabil (Iran during 2012 crop year. The first factor was cover crops (consisting of winter rye, hairy vetch, berseem clover, with and without weeding as controls. The second factor was two levels of split application of 225 kg.ha-1 urea at two growth stages forage corn: the first level (N1= 1/2 at planting and 1/2 at 8-10 leaf stage, second level (N2= 1/3 at planting, 1/3 at 8-10 leaf and 1/3 one week before tasselling stage. The third factor consisted of two levels of weed control: weeding at 8 leaves and weeding one week before tasselling. Results showed that winter rye, hairy vetch and berseem clover cover crops decreased total weed dry weights up to 87, 82 and 65 % respectively as compared to control (without weeding. Cover crops and nitrogen application time had a significant effect on yield of fresh forage corn and cover crops. Based on the advantages of effective weed control and higher forage production of hairy vetch it can be recommended as proper cover crop.

  16. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid content of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ajl yemi

    2011-12-19

    Dec 19, 2011 ... Key words: Astragalus squarrosus, antioxidant, phenolics, flavonoids. INTRODUCTION ... Phenolic and flavonoid compounds are widely distri- buted plant constituents. ..... Antioxidant effects of some ginger constituents.

  17. Variabilidad temporal de algunas propiedades químicas en un suelo sometido a distintas sucesiones de cultivo Temporal variability of chemical properties in a soil with three cultivation systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orozimbo Silveira Carvalho

    1999-12-01

    Full Text Available El presente trabajo ha sido realizado en la Finca Experimental "La Poveda" en Arganda del Rey (Madrid, con las siguientes coordenadas geográficas: latitud 40º19' N; longitud 3º19' W Gr; y altitud 550 m. El objetivo principal consiste en el estudio de la variabilidad temporal de algunas propiedades químicas en un suelo sometido a distintas sucesiones de cultivo. Para el estudio de la variabilidad temporal de las características químicas el muestreo se realizó en los meses de febrero y septiembre de 1993 y febrero y septiembre de 1994. La materia orgánica del sistema Prado/Veza-Avena presenta el menor coeficiente de variación con respecto a los sistemas monocultivo de Cebada y Veza-Avena/Girasol. El menor contenido de materia orgánica a lo largo del tiempo lo presenta el sistema Cebada/Cebada. Los sistemas Prado/Veza-Avena y Veza-Avena/Girasol presentaron contenidos de materia orgánica 42,86% y 40,54% superiores al del sistema Cebada/Cebada.This study has been carried out at the Experimental Station "La Poveda" in Arganda del Rey (Madrid, with the following geographical coordinates: latitude 40º19' N; longitude 3º19' W Gr; and altitude 550 m. The main objective was to study the temporal variability of chemical properties in a soil with three cultivation systems. In order to study variation with time of chemical characteristics, samples were taken in February and September 1993 and February and September 1994. Organic matter content in the prairie/vetch-oat system had the smallest variation coefficient with respect to barley and vetch-oat/sunflower systems. Along with the time the barley/barley system presented a lower organic matter content. The crop systems pasture/vetch-oat and vetch-oat/sunflower presented an organic matter content 42.86 and 40.54% higher than that presented by barley/barley system, respectively.

  18. Depression (Major Depressive Disorder)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing why. Depression symptoms in children and teens Common signs and ... in normal activities, and avoidance of social interaction. Depression symptoms in older adults Depression is not a ...

  19. Carbon balance at represenative agroecosystems of Central European Russia with different crops assessed by eddy covariance method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yaroslavtsev, Alexis; Meshalkina, Joulia; Mazirov, Ilya

    2016-04-01

    Despite the fact that in Russia cropland's soils carbon loses 9 time higher than forest's soils ones (Stolbovoi, 2002), agroecosystems were not given sufficient attention and most of the papers are devoted to forestry and natural ecosystems. Carbon balance was calculated at the Precision Farming Experimental Fields of the Russian Timiryazev State Agricultural University, Moscow, Russia, for two agroecosystems with different crops from the same crop rotation studied for 2 years. The experimental site has a temperate and continental climate and situated in south taiga zone with Arable Sod-Podzoluvisols (Albeluvisols Umbric). Vertical fluxes of carbon dioxide were measured with eddy covariance technique, statistical method to measure and calculate turbulent fluxes within atmospheric boundary layers (Burba, 2013). Crop rotation included potato, winter wheat, barley and vetch and oat mix. Two fields of the same crop rotation were studied in 2013-2014. One of the fields (A) was used in 2013 for barley planting (Hordeum vulgare L.). The field B was in 2013 used for planting together vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and oats (Avena sativa L.). Inversely oats and vetch grass mixt was sown in 2014 on field A. Winter wheat was sown on field A in the very beginning of September. On the second field (B) in 2014 winter wheat occurred from under the snow in the phase of tillering, after harvesting it in mid of July, white mustard (Sinapis alba) was sown for green manure. Carbon uptake (NEE negative values) was registered only for the field with winter wheat and white mustard; perhaps because the two crops were cultivated on the field within one growing season. Three other cases showed CO2 emission. Great difference in 82 g C m-2 per year in NEE between two fields with vetch and oat mix was related to higher difference in grass yields. NEE for barley field was positive during the whole year; considering only the growing season, NEE for barley was 100 g C m-2 lower and was negative. Closed

  20. Enzymatic depolymerization of gum Tragacanth: Bifidogenic potential of low molecular weight oligosaccharides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ahmadi Gavlighi, Hassan; Michalak, Malwina; Meyer, Anne S.

    2013-01-01

    Gum tragacanth derived from the plant “goat’s horn” (Astragalus sp.) has a long history of use as a stabilizing, viscosity-enhancing agent in food emulsions. The gum contains pectinaceous arabinogalactans and fucose-substituted xylogalacturonans. In this work, gum tragacanth from Astragalus...... and galactose content. The growth-stimulating potential of the three enzymatically produced gum tragacanth fractions was evaluated via growth assessment on seven different probiotic strains in single culture fermentations on: Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum (2 strains), B. longum subsp. infantis (3 strains...... that on galactan (control). HAG3 completely inhibited the growth of the Cl. perfringens strain. Tragacanth gum is thus a potential source of prebiotic carbohydrates that exert no viscosity effects and which may find use as natural functional food ingredients....

  1. Severe asthma with markedly increased asbestos of 2 types & TXB2, and markedly reduced acetylcholine, DHEA & drug uptake in parts of upper lungs, & similar abnormalities at respiratory & cardiac center of medulla oblongata: complete elimination of this asthma within 15 days using one optimal dose of astragalus & application of strong red light & EMF neutralizer on respiratory centers of abnormal medulla oblongata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omura, Yoshiaki; Henoch, Avraham; Shimotsuura, Yasuhira; Duvvi, Harsha; Kawashima, Hiroshi; Ohki, Motomu

    2009-01-01

    When the window of an Asbestos-contaminated room from a broken ceiling was opened wide, A 73 year-old male physician of Oriental origin, who was sitting in the next room, suddenly developed a severe asthma attack, which did not stop by the use of a hand-held Albuterol inhaler. Temporary relief was obtained only by using a Compressor-Nebulizer (Inspiration 626 with Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Solution 0.083%). During the attack, abnormal areas were discovered at the upper lobes of both lungs, where Thromboxane B2 (TXB2) was markedly increased to 500 ng (BDORT units) (the rest of the lung had about 2.5 ng), 2 types of Asbestos (Chrysotile and Crocidolite) were abnormally increased to 0.120-0.135 mg, (BDORT units) Acetylcholine was markedly reduced to 0.5 ng (the rest of the lung was low, about 100 ng), DHEA was extremely reduced to 1 ng (the rest of the lung had about 52 ng), and telomere was less than 1 yg (= 10(-24) g). Bacterial & viral infections were also present in these abnormal areas, but no antibiotics entered the abnormal parts of the lungs. Therefore, one optimal dose of Astragalus was given once, which resulted in a rapid continuous excretion of large amounts of the above 2 types of Asbestos & TXB2 in urine & sputum, and Asthma symptoms reduced slightly in severity. Additional acupuncture & shiatsu given on all the known acupuncture points for lung disease only created slight, temporary improvement. Then, the respiratory & cardiac center of the Medulla Oblongata was found to have similar abnormalities as the lungs. Therefore, 100 mW output of Light Emitting Diode of red spectra (650 nm center spectrum) was projected on the abnormal area of the medulla oblongata on the back of the head. This resulted drug uptake of on and off and significantly reduced difficulty of breathing. Additional application of the EMF Neutralizer on the abnormal area of the Medulla Oblongata for 3 hours resulted in continuous drug uptake and complete disappearance of asthma. As a

  2. Soil microbial functionality in response to the inclusion of cover crop mixtures in agricultural systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego N. Chavarría

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Agricultural systems where monoculture prevails are characterized by fertility losses and reduced contribution to ecosystem services. Including cover crops (CC as part of an agricultural system is a promising choice in sustainable intensification of those demanding systems. We evaluated soil microbial functionality in cash crops in response to the inclusion of CC by analyzing soil microbial functions at two different periods of the agricultural year (cash crop harvest and CC desiccation during 2013 and 2014. Three plant species were used as CC: oat (Avena sativa L., vetch (Vicia sativa L. and radish (Raphanus sativus L. which were sown in two different mixtures of species: oat and radish mix (CC1 and oat, radish and vetch mix (CC2, with soybean monoculture and soybean/corn being the cash crops. The study of community level physiological profiles showed statistical differences in respiration of specific C sources indicating an improvement of catabolic diversity in CC treatments. Soil enzyme activities were also increased with the inclusion of CC mixtures, with values of dehydrogenase activity and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis up to 38.1% and 35.3% higher than those of the control treatment, respectively. This research evidenced that CC inclusion promotes soil biological quality through a contribution of soil organic carbon, improving the sustainability of agrosystems. The use of a CC mixture of three plant species including the legume vetch increased soil biological processes and catabolic diversity, with no adverse effects on cash crop grain yield.

  3. Soil microbial functionality in response to the inclusion of cover crop mixtures in agricultural systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chavarría, D.N.; Verdenelli, R.A.; Muñoz, M.J.; Conforto, C.; Restovich, S.B.; Andriulo, A.E.; Meriles, J.M.; Vargas-Gil, S.

    2016-11-01

    Agricultural systems where monoculture prevails are characterized by fertility losses and reduced contribution to ecosystem services. Including cover crops (CC) as part of an agricultural system is a promising choice in sustainable intensification of those demanding systems. We evaluated soil microbial functionality in cash crops in response to the inclusion of CC by analyzing soil microbial functions at two different periods of the agricultural year (cash crop harvest and CC desiccation) during 2013 and 2014. Three plant species were used as CC: oat (Avena sativa L.), vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) which weresown in two different mixtures of species: oat and radish mix (CC1) and oat, radish and vetch mix (CC2), with soybean monoculture and soybean/corn being the cash crops. The study of community level physiological profiles showed statistical differences in respiration of specific C sources indicating an improvement of catabolic diversity in CC treatments. Soil enzyme activities were also increased with the inclusion of CC mixtures, with values of dehydrogenase activity and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis up to 38.1% and 35.3% higher than those of the control treatment, respectively. This research evidenced that CC inclusion promotes soil biological quality through a contribution of soil organic carbon, improving the sustainability of agrosystems. The use of a CC mixture of three plant species including the legume vetch increased soil biological processes and catabolic diversity, with no adverse effects on cash crop grain yield. (Author)

  4. Validation of the DRAGON Score in a Chinese Population to Predict Functional Outcome of Intravenous Thrombolysis-Treated Stroke Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xinmiao; Liao, Xiaoling; Wang, Chunjuan; Liu, Liping; Wang, Chunxue; Zhao, Xingquan; Pan, Yuesong; Wang, Yilong; Wang, Yongjun

    2015-08-01

    The DRAGON score predicts functional outcome of ischemic stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Our aim was to evaluate its utility in a Chinese stroke population. Patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis were prospectively registered in the Thrombolysis Implementation and Monitor of acute ischemic Stroke in China. We excluded patients with basilar artery occlusion and missing data, leaving 970 eligible patients. We calculated the DRAGON score, and the clinical outcome was measured by the modified Rankin Scale at 3 months. Model discrimination was quantified by calculating the C statistic. Calibration was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient. The C statistic was .73 (.70-.76) for good outcome and .75 (.70-.79) for miserable outcome. Proportions of patients with good outcome were 94%, 83%, 70%, and 0% for 0 to 1, 2, 3, and 8 to 10 score points, respectively. Proportions of patients with miserable outcome were 0%, 3%, 9%, and 50% for 0 to 1, 2, 3, and 8 to 10 points, respectively. There was high correlation between predicted and observed probability of 3-month favorable and miserable outcome in the external validation cohort (Pearson correlation coefficient, .98 and .98, respectively, both P DRAGON score showed good performance to predict functional outcome after tissue-type plasminogen activator treatment in the Chinese population. This study demonstrated the accuracy and usability of the DRAGON score in the Chinese population in daily practice. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Les Nouveaux Miserables: modern victims of social asphyxia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, D R

    1995-10-01

    During the past 30 years, social and economic barriers to health care services have increased for many Americans, especially for the nation's most vulnerable populations. Health status actually has declined for certain populations during this time. Meanwhile, national attention has been focused primarily on containing health care costs and on devising strategies for reforming the financing of health care rather than strategies for achieving improvements in the health status of the population. Existing methods of financing health care services, health research priorities, the increasing centralization and compartmentalization of health care services, and the recent failure of national health reform all serve to hinder this nation's progress towards developing a comprehensive and accountable health care system focused on promoting and achieving improved health as well as treating sickness. Recent changes in the health care marketplace, however, including a growing movement toward measuring the outcomes of medical treatments and an emphasis on improving the quality of services, have increased interest among payers and providers of health care services in investing in preventive services. Health maintenance organizations and other integrated health care delivery systems are beginning to devise incentives for increasing preventive care as well as for containing costs. The transformation of the nation's current medical care system into a true health care system will require innovative strategies designed to merge the existing fragmented array of services into coordinated and comprehensive systems for delivering primary and preventive health care services in community settings. The Community-Oriented Primary Care concept successfully blends these functions and has achieved measurable results in reducing health care costs and improving access to preventive services for identified populations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  6. Influence of long-term fertilization on soil enzyme activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alina Dora SAMUEL

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Soil enzyme activities (actual and potential dehydrogenase, catalase, acid and alkaline phosphatase were determined in the 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm layers of a brown luvic soil submitted to a complex fertilization experiment with different types of green manure. It was found that each activity decreased with increasing sampling depth. It should be emphasized that greenmanuring of maize led to a significant increase in each of the five enzymatic activities determined. The enzymatic indicators of soil quality calculated from the values of enzymatic activities showed the order: lupinus + rape + oat > lupinus > vetch + oat + ryegrass > lupinus + oat + vetch > unfertilized plot. This order means that by determination of enzymatic activities valuable information can be obtained regarding fertility status of soils. There were significant correlations of soil enzyme activities with chemical properties.

  7. CINE-CLUB

    CERN Multimedia

    Cine Club

    2012-01-01

    Projection from DVD – entrance 2 CHF for info http://cern.ch/Cineclub/ Thursday 26 July 2012 at 20:00 CERN Council Chamber High Fidelity By Stephen Frears (UK/USA, 2000) With: John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso Original version English; French subtitles; 113 minutes High Fidelity follows the 'mid-life' crisis of Rob, a thirty-something record-store owner who must face the undeniable facts - he's growing up. In a hilarious homage to the music scene, Rob and the wacky, offbeat clerks that inhabit his store expound on the intricacies of life and song all the while trying to succeed in their adult relationships. Are they listening to pop music because they are miserable? Or are they miserable because they listen to pop music? This romantic comedy provides a whimsical glimpse into the male view of the affairs of the heart.

  8. Nematode succession and microfauna-microorganism interactions during root residue decomposition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Georgieva, Slavka; Christensen, Søren; Andersen, Karen Stevnbak

    2005-01-01

    assemblages (composed of 25 taxa) showed a clear relationship to initial plant resource quality as well as decomposition phase. Early successional microbivorous nematodes vary according to resource quality with demanding bacterivores+predators (Neodiplogasteridae) dominating in vetch and less demanding...

  9. Power to the people

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fife, Sandy.

    1991-01-01

    Canada's new energy pioneers have many ways to generate power-from glacial creeks to urban trash. The problem is, they only have one way to generate profits: Get miserly provincial hydro companies to pay what their output is worth

  10. Antihepatoma and Liver Protective Potentials of Ganoderma Lucidum (靈芝 Ling Zhi Fermented in a Medium Containing Black Soybean (黑豆 Hēi Dòu and Astragalus Membranaceus (生黃耆 Shēng Huáng Qí

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zheng-Yuan Su

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The antihepatoma activity and liver protective function of the fermentation products (5 L fermenator of Ganoderma lucidum (GL; 靈芝 Ling Zhi cultivated in a medium containing black soybean (BS; 黑豆 Hēi Dòu and Astragalus membranaceus (AM; 生黃耆 Shēng Huáng Qí at different fermentation temperatures were investigated in this study. Hep 3B cells pretreated with lovastatin were used to study the antihepatoma activity, and possible active components were analyzed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4-induced primary rat hepatocyte injury was further used to evaluate the liver protective activity of the fermentation products. While all the GL broth filtrates do not inhibit the growth of Hep 3B cells, the ethanolic extract from GL-2 mycelia (GL-2-mE, cultivated in the medium containing BS (50 g/L and AM (20 g/L at 24 °C for 11 days showed the best antihepatoma activity (IC50 26.6 μg/mL than the other ethanolic extracts from GL mycelia, GL fruiting body, BS, and AM did. The antihepatoma activities were correlated with some unknown active components in these samples. Furthermore, GL-2-mE (100 μg/mL without harmful effect on the growth of normal primary rat hepatocytes significantly maintained cell viability, reduced lactate dehydrogenase leakage, lowered lipid peroxidation, and increased glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase activities in the CCl4-induced damaged primary rat hepatocytes.

  11. (Vicia sativa L.) - triticale

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-10-19

    Oct 19, 2009 ... This study was carried to determine the best seed mixture of vetch and triticale for East Mediterranean .... Averaged dry matter yield in the second year was signifi- ... ever, dry matter yields of all mixtures with the exceptions ...

  12. The effect of different replications of humic acid fertilization on yield ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jane

    2011-06-22

    Jun 22, 2011 ... herbage yield (3045 kg ha-1) and plant height (61 cm) was obtained from soil 100% ... Key words: Crude protein, fertilization, fulvic acid, humic acid and vetch. .... The treatment material used in this study is liquid humic acid.

  13. 103-110 Grain Yield and Economic Benefit of Intercropping Barley ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    toshiba

    faba bean are important crops in the southern highlands of Ethiopia. However, rapid population .... faba bean and food barley on the productivity of the crops. Therefore ..... that the yields of cereals and vetch was reduced by about 40 and 20%, ...

  14. Livelihoods of squatter settlements : analysis from tenure perspective

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Shrestha, Ashokkumar; Nepali, Purna; Panday, U.S.; Shrestha, Reshma

    2017-01-01

    Squatter settlements are inevitable in most of the urban areas. Livelihood situation of squatter settlements seem poor, vulnerable and miserable. Living condition in these settlements suffered from overcrowding, inadequate accommodation, limited access to clean water and sanitation, lack of proper

  15. International Journal of Arts and Humanities (IJAH) Bahir Dar- Ethiopia

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DrNneka

    people of Nigeria an essay ensues: “Art makes the experiences of time ... shaped the mentality of the real people, hence their conditions of life in contrast ..... miserable condition in this open truck conveyance, it appears the only choice of travel.

  16. Herbs at a Glance

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... cautions, and resources for more information. Acai Aloe Vera Asian Ginseng Astragalus Bilberry Bitter Orange Black Cohosh ... app today. Subscribe Get dietary supplement updates by e-mail Email Address This page last modified June ...

  17. Carbon supply and storage in tilled and nontilled soils as influenced by cover crops and nitrogen fertilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sainju, Upendra M; Singh, Bharat P; Whitehead, Wayne F; Wang, Shirley

    2006-01-01

    Soil carbon (C) sequestration in tilled and nontilled areas can be influenced by crop management practices due to differences in plant C inputs and their rate of mineralization. We examined the influence of four cover crops {legume [hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)], nonlegume [rye (Secale cereale L.)], biculture of legume and nonlegume (vetch and rye), and no cover crops (or winter weeds)} and three nitrogen (N) fertilization rates (0, 60 to 65, and 120 to 130 kg N ha(-1)) on C inputs from cover crops, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)], and soil organic carbon (SOC) at the 0- to 120-cm depth in tilled and nontilled areas. A field experiment was conducted on Dothan sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Plinthic Paleudults) from 1999 to 2002 in central Georgia. Total C inputs to the soil from cover crops, cotton, and sorghum from 2000 to 2002 ranged from 6.8 to 22.8 Mg ha(-1). The SOC at 0 to 10 cm fluctuated with C input from October 1999 to November 2002 and was greater from cover crops than from weeds in no-tilled plots. In contrast, SOC values at 10 to 30 cm in no-tilled and at 0 to 60 cm in chisel-tilled plots were greater for biculture than for weeds. As a result, C at 0 to 30 cm was sequestered at rates of 267, 33, -133, and -967 kg C ha(-1) yr(-1) for biculture, rye, vetch, and weeds, respectively, in the no-tilled plot. In strip-tilled and chisel-tilled plots, SOC at 0 to 30 cm decreased at rates of 233 to 1233 kg C ha(-1) yr(-1). The SOC at 0 to 30 cm increased more in cover crops with 120 to 130 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) than in weeds with 0 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1), regardless of tillage. In the subtropical humid region of the southeastern United States, cover crops and N fertilization can increase the amount of C input and storage in tilled and nontilled soils, and hairy vetch and rye biculture was more effective in sequestering C than monocultures or no cover crop.

  18. Short-term cover crop decomposition inorganic and conventional soils : Soil microbial and nutrient cycling indicator variables associated with different levels of soil suppressiveness to Pythium aphanidermatum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grünwald, N.J.; Hu, S.; Bruggen, van A.H.C.

    2000-01-01

    Stages of oat–vetch cover crop decomposition were characterized over time in terms of carbon and nitrogen cycling, microbial activity and community dynamics in organically and conventionally managed soils in a field experiment and a laboratory incubation experiment. We subsequently determined which

  19. Invasive Species Guidebook for Department of Defense Installations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Identification, Control, and Restoration

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-11-01

    Crown vetch Coronilla varia MD, VA 14 Leafy spurge Euphorbia esula VA 15 Ground ivy Glechoma hederacea DC, MD, PA, VA, WV 17 Cogongrass Imperata ...INSTALLATIONS IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL METHODS Cogongrass ( Imperata cylindrica) Description & Biology – A large

  20. Shortcomings in assistance for deported Afghan youth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nassim Majidi

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Programmes to assist deported Afghan youth to reintegrate on their return are failing miserably. There needs to be much greater awareness of what it is like for them when they return, and of good practice in implementing such programmes.

  1. Search Results | Page 754 | IDRC - International Development ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2013-03-15

    Results 7531 - 7540 of 8492 ... Based on a survey of more than 400 women, this book exposes the miserable financial conditions endured by India's separated and divorced women. Publication Date. March 15, 2013. Research in Action. Climate change Water Natural disasters Sanitation ...

  2. Employment and Growth | Page 75 | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    ... book exposes the miserable financial conditions endured by India's separated and ... IDRC's Supporting Inclusive Growth (SIG) program supports the ... Increasingly, the concept of "inclusive growth," where the benefits of economic growth are ... of globalization, in general, and trade liberalization, in particular, on poverty.

  3. Investigation of the Possibility of Phytoremediating a Soil Contaminated with Anthracene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Ahmadi

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs are one of the most important organic pollutantsfrequently found in the environment. In this experiment, the effect of phytoremediation as a cost effectivemethod was studied on the concentration of anthracene (C14H10 which is one of PAHs. The effect of sorghum(V1, hairy vetch (V2 and oat (V3 was studied under four concentrations of anthracene (S1, S2, S3 and S4 insoil. In S1 level which pollution was the lowest, the three plants had the highest reduction rate. The reductionrate was decreased by increasing the pollution level (S2 and S3,; the lowest reduction rate was observed in S4level which had the highest pollution level. There was significant difference between the three plants and thefallow. Generally, hairy vetch had the highest phytoremediating capacity and resistance compared with theother plants.

  4. Field emissions of N2O during biomass production may affect the sustainability of agro-biofuels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carter, Mette Sustmann; Hauggaard-Nielsen, Henrik; Heiske, Stefan

    relate measured field emissions of N2O to the reduction in fossil fuel‐derived CO2, which is obtained when agricultural biomasses are used for biofuel production. The analysis includes five organically managed crops (viz. maize, rye, rye‐vetch, vetch and grass‐clover) and three scenarios for conversion...... of biomass to biofuel. The scenarios are 1) bioethanol, 2) biogas and 3) co‐production of bioethanol and biogas. In scenarios 3, the biomass is first used for bioethanol fermentation and subsequently the residue from this process is utilized for biogas production. The net reduction in greenhouse gas...... emissions is calculated as the avoided fossil fuel‐derived CO2, where the N2O emission has been subtracted. This value does not account for CO2 emissions from farm machinery and during biofuel production. We obtained the greatest net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by co‐production of bioethanol...

  5. Phytotoxic cyanamide affects maize (Zea mays) root growth and root tip function: from structure to gene expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soltys, Dorota; Rudzińska-Langwald, Anna; Kurek, Wojciech; Szajko, Katarzyna; Sliwinska, Elwira; Bogatek, Renata; Gniazdowska, Agnieszka

    2014-05-01

    Cyanamide (CA) is a phytotoxic compound produced by four Fabaceae species: hairy vetch, bird vetch, purple vetch and black locust. Its toxicity is due to complex activity that involves the modification of both cellular structures and physiological processes. To date, CA has been investigated mainly in dicot plants. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of CA in the restriction of the root growth of maize (Zea mays), representing the monocot species. CA (3mM) reduced the number of border cells in the root tips of maize seedlings and degraded their protoplasts. However, CA did not induce any significant changes in the organelle structure of other root cells, apart from increased vacuolization. CA toxicity was also demonstrated by its effect on cell cycle activity, endoreduplication intensity, and modifications of cyclins CycA2, CycD2, and histone HisH3 gene expression. In contrast, the arrangement of microtubules was not altered by CA. Treatment of maize seedlings with CA did not completely arrest mitotic activity, although the frequency of dividing cells was reduced. Furthermore, prolonged CA treatment increased the proportion of endopolyploid cells in the root tip. Cytological malformations were accompanied by an induction of oxidative stress in root cells, which manifested as enhanced accumulation of H2O2. Exposure of maize seedlings to CA resulted in an increased concentration of auxin and stimulated ethylene emission. Taken together, these findings suggested that the inhibition of root growth by CA may be a consequence of stress-induced morphogenic responses. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  6. Cover Crop Species and Management Influence Predatory Arthropods and Predation in an Organically Managed, Reduced-Tillage Cropping System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivers, Ariel N; Mullen, Christina A; Barbercheck, Mary E

    2018-04-05

    Agricultural practices affect arthropod communities and, therefore, have the potential to influence the activities of arthropods. We evaluated the effect of cover crop species and termination timing on the activity of ground-dwelling predatory arthropods in a corn-soybean-wheat rotation in transition to organic production in Pennsylvania, United States. We compared two cover crop treatments: 1) hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) planted together with triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) after wheat harvest, and 2) cereal rye (Secale cereale Linnaeus) planted after corn harvest. We terminated the cover crops in the spring with a roller-crimper on three dates (early, middle, and late) based on cover crop phenology and standard practices for cash crop planting in our area. We characterized the ground-dwelling arthropod community using pitfall traps and assessed relative predation using sentinel assays with live greater waxworm larvae (Galleria mellonella Fabricius). The activity density of predatory arthropods was significantly higher in the hairy vetch and triticale treatments than in cereal rye treatments. Hairy vetch and triticale favored the predator groups Araneae, Opiliones, Staphylinidae, and Carabidae. Specific taxa were associated with cover crop condition (e.g., live or dead) and termination dates. Certain variables were positively or negatively associated with the relative predation on sentinel prey, depending on cover crop treatment and stage, including the presence of predatory arthropods and various habitat measurements. Our results suggest that management of a cover crop by roller-crimper at specific times in the growing season affects predator activity density and community composition. Terminating cover crops with a roller-crimper can conserve generalist predators.

  7. Hrátky s kostmi. Astragaly jako doklady her v mladém pravěku

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nývltová Fišáková, Miriam; Parma, D.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 19, č. 1 (2014), s. 113-122 ISSN 1805-918X Institutional support: RVO:68081758 Keywords : Bronze Age * astragalus * games Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology http://digilib.phil.muni.cz/handle/11222.digilib/129974

  8. Climate change and agricultural water demand: Impacts and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    and loss of biodiversity may reduce the natural control of agricultural pests. .... and that released at head - works, which includes field canal efficiency .... Barley. 1180. 248.1. 177.3. 68.5. 0.1. Vetch. 89. 1727.5. 1297.6. 1186.5. 0.1. Alfalfa. 820.

  9. PLANT REMAINS FROM ASIKLI-HOYUK, A PRE-POTTERY NEOLITHIC SITE IN CENTRAL ANATOLIA

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    VANZEIST, W; DEROLLER, GJ

    Cereal crop plants at Asikli Hayuk included einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum), emmer wheat (T. dicoccum), free-threshing wheat (T. cf. durum), hulled two-rowed barley (Hordeum distichum) and naked barley (H. vulgare var. nudum). As for pulses, bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia), lentil (Lens culinaris)

  10. Organic matter in a dystroferric Red Latossol under no-tillageMatéria orgânica em um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico sob sistema plantio direto consolidado

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cinthia Raquel Mancin

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Soils of the Cerrado have chemical, physical, and biological limitations for agriculture, which, associated with climate factors, contribute to their impoverishment. The maintenance and accumulation of soil organic matter are considered the best option of addressing this problem and to ensure a sustainable production. The purpose of this study was to evaluate different fractions of organic matter, and carbon and nitrogen contained in these compartments of a very clayey dystroferric Red Latossol under different crop rotations and at different depths under long-term no-tillage in Dourados, state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with three replications, and the treatments in a 5x4 factorial design, with five crop rotation systems (1 – vetch + oat + oilseed radish/ soybean/ radish/ maize/ vetch + oats + radish/ soybean; 2 – sunflower/ soybean/ vetch + oat + radish/ maize/ sunflower/ soybean; 3 – oat/ soybean/ sunflower/ maize/ oat/ soybean; 4 – vetch + oat/ soybean/ brachiaria/ maize/ brachiaria/ soybean; 5 – vetch/soybean/vetch/maize/vetch/soybean, in four soil layers (0-5, 5-10, 10-15, 15-20 cm. Particle size was analyzed to determine the particulate fraction of organic matter (POM, and carbon (C-POM and nitrogen (N-POM in it. It was concluded that the levels and stock of C-POM, and nitrogen contents in the soil are not influenced by the different crop rotation systems. Crop rotation 4 increased the levels and stock of total organic carbon (TOC, carbon associated with soil minerals (C-MOM and the total C/N ratio and total C/N ratio associated with soil minerals. The highest levels of TOC, C-POM, C-MOM, total nitrogen, N-POM and nitrogen associated with soil minerals (N-MOM were found in the 0-5cm layer.Solos cultivados do Cerrado possuem limitações químicas, físicas e biológicas, que associadas a fatores climáticos contribuem para seu empobrecimento. A manutenção e acúmulo da mat

  11. The effect of cognitive load on social categorization in the category confusion paradigm

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spears, R; Haslam, SA; Jansen, R

    1999-01-01

    The category confusion paradigm (Taylor, Fiske, Etcoff & Ruderman, 1978) was used to examine the relationship between cognitive load and the extent of social categorization. The original prediction made by Taylor et al. (1978; Experiment 2) and inferences from the cognitive miser model suggest that

  12. Drug: D06976 [KEGG MEDICUS

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available root [DR:D06739], Cnidium rhizome [DR:D06748], Rehmannia root [DR:D06736], Uncaria hook [DR:D06762], Astraga...lus root [DR:D06687], Phellodendron bark [DR:D06689] ... Therapeutic category: 5200 ... PubChem: 51091318 ...

  13. Strain identification in Rhizobium by starch gel electrophoresis of isoenzymes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Engvild, Kjeld Christensen; Nielsen, G.

    1985-01-01

    Sonieated extracts of rhizobia, especiaUy Rhizobium leguminosarum from pea and vetch, were run in horizontal starch gel electrophoresis in the cold. The rhizobia were grown on agar on a slime suppressing substrate of tryptone-yeast extract-CaCl2 with small amounts of mannitol, sorbitol...

  14. International Journal of Arts and Humanities (IJAH) Bahir Dar- Ethiopia

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nneka Umera-Okeke

    plagued by vices where the poor and the weak are at the mercy of the powerful ... evil forces connive with Koto to make life miserable for Dad and his family as well as others. .... prepared to do anything to be rich and to massage her ego.

  15. Relevance of Armor in Counterinsurgency Operations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-08

    effectively oppose the militia should they begin high intensity operations against the coalition forces. The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Les Aspin, denied...that was responsible for the area of operations had failed miserably in defeating the insurgency.6 The Sunni fighters, taking advantage of the summer

  16. Intercropping effect on root growth and nitrogen uptake at different nitrogen levels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ramirez-Garcia, Javier; Martens, Helle Juel; Quemada, Miguel

    2015-01-01

    of root growth and N foraging for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and vetch (Vicia sativa L.), frequently grown in mixtures as cover crops. N was added at 0 (N0), 50 (N1) and 150 (N2) kg N ha−1. The roots discrimination relying on the anatomical and morphological differences observed between dicots......Aims Intercropping legumes and non-legumes may affect the root growth of both components in the mixture, and the non-legume is known to be strongly favored by increasing nitrogen (N) supply. The knowledge of how root systems affect the growth of the individual species is useful for understanding...... the interactions in intercrops as well as for planning cover cropping strategies. The aim of this work was (i) to determine if different levels of N in the topsoil influence root depth (RD) and intensity of barley and vetch as sole crops or as an intercropped mixture and (ii) to test if the choice of a mixture...

  17. Study of Allelopathic Interaction of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and Some Weed Species Using Equal - Compartment – Agar Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. R Labbafi

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available There are many methods for weed management one of them is putting allelopathic and cover crop in weed management programs. In order to study the effect of sowing time (delayed sowing, synchronic sowing and wheat cultivars (Shiraz, Roshan, Tabasi, Niknejad on allelopathic interaction of wheat and weed species (Secale cereale L., Avena ludoviciana L.: monocotyledon, Convolvulus arvensis L. and Vicia villosa L.: dicotyledon, an experiment was conducted with factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design and 4 replications. According to the results, the inhibitory effect of wheat on monocot weeds (oat and rye was more than in synchronic sowing and the inhibitory effect of wheat on dicot weeds (bindweed and vetch was more than in delayed sowing. Effect of wheat cultivars on rye and oat (except hypocotyls length was inhibitory and that of vetch was stimulatory. Hypocotyls length showed the most sensitivity to released allelochemicals from wheat cultivars, because root has the most contact with allelochemicals in the soil.

  18. Estimation of the effect of radionuclide contamination on Vicia sativa L. induction of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters using "Floratest" optical biosensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruban, Yu.; Illienko, V.; Nesterova, N.; Pareniuk, O.; Shavanova, K.

    2017-12-01

    The presented research was aimed to determine the parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence (IChH) curve induction for Vicia sativa L. that were grown on radionuclide contaminated soils by using "Floratest" fluorometer. Plants were inoculated with 5 species of bacteria that might potentially block radionuclide uptake (Agrobacterium radiobacter IMBB-7246, Azotobacter chroococcum UKMB-6082, A. chroococcum UKMB-6003, Bacillus megaterium UKMB-5724, Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viceae) and grown in sod-podzolic, chernozem and peat-bog soils, contaminated with 137Cs (4000±340 Bq/kg). As a result of research, it was determined that the most stressful factors for vetch plants are combination of soil radionuclide and presence of Bacillus megaterium UKM B-5724, as the number of inactive chlorophyll increased. In addition, the vetch plants significantly increased fixed level of fluorescence (Fst) under the influence of radioactive contamination in presence of Bacillus megaterium UKM B-5724, indicating inhibition of photosynthetic reactions. Other bacteria showed radioprotective properties in almost all types of soil.

  19. Investigation of the Possibility of Phytoremediating a Soil Contaminated with Anthracene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Ahmadi

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs are one of the most important organic pollutants frequently found in the environment. In this experiment, the effect of phytoremediation as a cost effective method was studied on the concentration of anthracene (C14H10 which is one of PAHs. The effect of sorghum (V1, hairy vetch (V2 and oat (V3 was studied under four concentrations of anthracene (S1, S2, S3 and S4 in soil. In S1 level which pollution was the lowest, the three plants had the highest reduction rate. The reduction rate was decreased by increasing the pollution level (S2 and S3,; the lowest reduction rate was observed in S4 level which had the highest pollution level. There was significant difference between the three plants and the fallow. Generally, hairy vetch had the highest phytoremediating capacity and resistance compared with the other plants.

  20. Greenhouse gas emissions from cultivation of energy crops may affect the sustainability of biofuels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carter, Mette Sustmann; Hauggaard-Nielsen, Henrik; Heiske, Stefan

    2011-01-01

    will be lower than indicated by our data. We obtained the greatest net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by co-production of bioethanol and biogas or by biogas alone produced from either fresh grass-clover or whole crop maize. Here the net reduction corresponded to about 8 tons CO2 per hectare per year...... or incorporation of crop residues. In this study we relate measured field emissions of N2O to the reduction in fossil fuel-derived CO2, which is obtained when energy crops are used for biofuel production. The analysis includes five organically managed crops (viz. maize, rye, rye-vetch, vetch and grass......-clover) and three scenarios for conversion of biomass to biofuel. The scenarios are 1) bioethanol production, 2) biogas production and 3) co-production of bioethanol and biogas, where the energy crops are first used for bioethanol fermentation and subsequently the residues from this process are utilized for biogas...

  1. Extraction-condition Optimization of Baicalein and Schisandrin from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    effects of individual factors on extraction rates of baicalein and schisandrin determined by high performance liquid ..... Huang HL, Wang YJ, Zhang QY, Liu B, Wang FY, Li JJ,. Zhu RZ. ... Liu C, Zhao X, Fan Y, Han G, Nguyen T. Astragalus.

  2. Enzymatic production of polysaccharides from gum tragacanth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2014-01-01

    Plant polysaccharides, relating to the field of natural probiotic components, can comprise structures similar to human milk oligosaccharides. A method for enzymatic hydrolysis of gum tragacanth from the bush-like legumes of the genus Astragalus, using a combination of pectin hydrolases...

  3. Postclosure risks of alternative SRP nuclear waste forms in geologic repositories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheung, H.; Edwards, L.; Harvey, T.; Revelli, M.

    1982-05-01

    The postclosure risk of REFERENCE and ALTERNATIVE waste forms for the defense high-level waste at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) were compared by analyses with a computer code, MISER, written to study the effects of repository features in a probabilistic framework. MISER traces radionuclide flows through a network of stream tubes from the repository to risk-sensitive points. Uncertainties in waste form, package properties, and geotechnical data are accounted for with Monte Carlo techniques. Our results show: (1) for generic layered-salt and basalt repositories, the difference in performance between the two waste forms is insignificant; (2) where the doses are sensitive to uncertainties in leaching rates, the doses are orders of magnitude below background; (3) disruptive events contribute only slightly to the risk of a layered-salt repository; (4) simple design alterations have strong effects on near field doses; (5) great care should be exercised in selecting the location at which repository risks are to be measured, calculated, or regulated

  4. Assessment of selenium mineralization and availability from catch crops

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stavridou, Eleftheria; Thorup-Kristensen, Kristian; Young, S.D.

    2011-01-01

    Selenium (Se) release from four plant species (Indian mustard, fodder radish, Italian ryegrass and hairy vetch) was measured under controlled leaching conditions and in a pot incubation experiment as part of a study of the potential for using these plant species as Se catch crops. Catch crops may...

  5. A Christmas Carol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dickens, Charles

    2005-01-01

    A Christmas Carol was an overnight success when first published in 1843, and was followed by two further Christmas books, The Chimes and The Cricket on the Hearth, also included in this volume. But A Christmas Carols Ebenezer Scooge is one of Dickenss most unforgettable characters, a miserable

  6. In Praise of George Peabody, 1795-1869.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Franklin

    1994-01-01

    One of several papers on self-made millionaire and educational philanthropist George Peabody defends Peabody's philanthropy against those who criticized him as miserly, highlighting his establishment of colleges, libraries, museums, hospitals, and other charities. The paper details his life, work, politics, and death, describing the causes that he…

  7. Celebrate Theatre!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlesinger, Sarah; Garrett, Sherrye Dee

    Developed in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Broadway theater, this guide provides activities that encourage middle, junior, and senior high school students to use newspapers to answer questions about 22 plays. Detailed lesson plans are included for three Broadway hits: "Cats,""Les Miserables," and "Jelly's…

  8. Corruption of Democratic Principles as a Source of Internal Conflict in Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-02

    following examples demonstrate, the Nigerian government has failed miserably in meeting the intent of these constitutional articles. Two organizations...caused the value of the Nigerian Naira to fall from nearly $2 to les than $0.01. xix The literature is fairly clear that there is a very strong

  9. Bao et al., Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. (2012) 9(4):548-552

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    AJTCAM

    The Chinese herbal formula consisting of Astragalus membranaceus, Epimedium brevicornum,. Paeoniae Alba Radix and Radix Ophiopogonis in proper proportions were adopted in order to investigate the immunoenhancing properties of the herbal formula. Fifty ICR mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (NS,.

  10. Effects of mushroom and herb polysaccharides, as alternative for an antibiotic, on the cecal microbial ecosystem in broiler chickens

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guo, F.; Williams, B.A.; Kwakkel, R.P.; Li, H.S.; Li, X.P.; Luo, J.Y.; Li, W.K.; Verstegen, M.W.A.

    2004-01-01

    An in vivo experiment was conducted to study the potential prebiotic effects of mushroom and herb polysaccharide extracts, Lentinus edodes extract (LenE), Tremella fuciformis extract, and Astragalus membranaceus Radix extract, on chicken growth and the cecal microbial ecosystem, as compared with the

  11. Preliminary study of polysaccharides in the tragacanth of Astragalus gossipinus Fisch and Astragalus keyserlingii Bunge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Ebrahimzadeh F. Mighani

    1997-08-01

    Full Text Available From the point of gum production, Fabaceae is one of the most richest plant families. Tragacanth is one of the most important gums and has medicianl, industrial and food applications. The soluble and insoloble fractions are 40 and 60% in white gum and 70 and 30% in yellow gum, respectively. These fractions do not show considerable seasonal variations. Total sugar in white gum and yellow gum are 70% and 90% , respectively; monosaccharides in both kind of tragacanths include galacturonic acid, galactose, glucose, arabinose, xylose, fucose, and rhamnose and the amount of xylose in the composition is higher than that of others. Insoluble fraction of white gum, the amount of xylose is more than that of arabinose pJus fucose while in yellow gum its amount is lower than that of arabinose plus fucose. fln insoluble fraction of both kind of tragacanths, the amount of arabinose plus fucose is high. The quality of white gum, in comparison to yellow gum, is better due to the higher in soluble fraction and arabinose plus fucose to xylose in this fraction . The gum tragacartti of both species has a xylan backbone.

  12. Impact of long-term conservation management on soil microbial N cycling and greenhouse gas emissions in a humid agroecosystem in West Tennessee

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaeffer, S. M.; Konkel, J. M.; Jin, V.

    2017-12-01

    Conservation practices such as no-tillage, cover crops, and reduced mineral fertilizer application are thought to help mitigate atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations through building soil organic matter. However, some studies have shown that both no-till and cover crops can increase GHG emissions, perhaps due to increased microbial activity. It is possible that these results are confounded by perturbations caused when management practices are newly implemented. There is a clear lack of data from long-term sites where experimental plots are well equilibrated to the management systems. Starting in 2016, we measured fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in twelve combinations of tillage (disk, no-till), N fertilizer rate (0, 67 kg N ha-1), and winter cover crops (none, hairy vetch, winter wheat) under continuous cotton production for 35 years. During the cotton growing season, the largest daily fluxes of N2O (36.9±11.9 g N ha-1 d-1) occurred in tilled plots regardless of cover crop or fertilization rate. However, over the entire year, the largest fluxes were observed during winter cover crop growth (63.0±21.4 g N ha-1 d-1). Overall, N2O fluxes were lower in no-till compared to tilled soils, save those under hairy vetch, a nitrogen fixing cover crop. These results, combined with our observation of higher rates of microbial N mineralization and nitrification in no-till and vetch plots, suggest vetch cover crops may stimulate both GHG and inorganic N production. We observed seasonal patterns in CH4 flux with net CH4 production during Spring and early Summer (from 0.2±0.8 to 4.8±3.2 g C ha-1 d-1), switching to net CH4 consumption by late summer (from -6.3±3.4 to 0.8±0.5 g C ha-1 d-1). Cumulative CH4 fluxes suggest that reduced tillage and fertilization may change these agroecosystems from weak sources to weak sinks for CH4. Our results highlight the impact of nitrogen availability on GHG emissions, and the need for improved

  13. THE STRUCTURE AND YIELD LEVEL OF SWEET CORN DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF WINTER CATCH CROPS AND WEED CONTROL METHOD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Rosa

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Organic manuring is suggested to be necessary in sweet corn cultivation. It is not always possible to use farmyard manure due to economic, production or technical reasons. Catch crops used as green manures can be an alternative source of organic matter. The experiment was carried out in central-east Poland (52°06’N, 22°55’E, in years 2008–2011. The successive effect of winter catch crops (hairy vetch, white clover, winter rye, Italian ryegrass, winter turnip rape and the type of weed control on the growth and yielding of sweet corn was examined. The catch crops were sown in early September, incorporated in early May. The effect of the winter catch crops on yield was compared to the effect of FYM at a rate of 30 t·ha-1 and the control without organic manuring. The sweet corn was grown directly after organic fertilization. Three methods of weed control was used: Hw – hand weeding, twice during the growing period, GCM – herbicide Guardian CompleteMix 664 SE, immediately after sowing the seed corn, Z+T – a mixture of herbicides Zeagran 340 SE + Titus 25 WG, in the 3–4 leaf stage sweet corn. The highest yields of biomass were found for winter rye (35.5 t·ha-1 FM and 7.3 t·ha-1 DM, the most of macroelements accumulated winter turnip rape (480.2 kg N+P+K+Ca+Mg·ha-1. Generally, leguminous catch crops had similar to the FYM and better than non-leguminous catch crops yield-forming effect. The highest yield of marketable ears of sweet corn was obtained after FYM (14.4 t·ha-1 and after hairy vetch catch crop (14.0 t·ha-1. A similar yield-forming effect also had white clover and Italian ryegrass. The most of ears from 1 ha was achieved after white clover catch crop (59.3 tausend, similar after FYM and hairy vetch catch crop. The highest kernel yields were found after FYM (10.7 t·ha-1. The yields of kernel after hairy vetch and white clover catch crops were significantly higher than after non-leguminous catch crops. Z+T weed control

  14. Differential Effects of Legume Species on the Recovery of Soil Microbial Communities, and Carbon and Nitrogen Contents, in Abandoned Fields of the Loess Plateau, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jin Hua; Jiao, Shu Mei; Gao, Rong Qing; Bardgett, Richard D.

    2012-12-01

    Plant-soil interactions are known to influence a wide range of ecosystem-level functions. Moreover, the recovery of these functions is of importance for the successful restoration of soils that have been degraded through intensive and/or inappropriate land use. Here, we assessed the effect of planting treatments commonly used to accelerate rates of grassland restoration, namely introduction of different legume species Medicago sativa, Astragalus adsurgens, Melilotus suaveolens, on the recovery of soil microbial communities and carbon and nitrogen contents in abandoned fields of the Loess Plateau, China. The results showed effects were species-specific, and either positive, neutral or negative depending on the measure and time-scale. All legumes increased basal respiration and metabolic quotient and had a positive effect on activity and functional diversity of the soil microbial community, measured using Biolog EcoPlate. However, soil under Astragalus adsurgens had the highest activity and functional diversity relative to the other treatments. Soil carbon and nitrogen content and microbial biomass were effectively restored in 3-5 years by introducing Medicago sativa and Astragalus adsurgens into early abandoned fields. Soil carbon and nitrogen content were retarded in 3-5 years and microbial biomass was retarded in the fifth year by introducing Melilotus suaveolens. Overall, the restoration practices of planting legumes can significantly affect soil carbon and nitrogen contents, and the biomass, activity, and functional diversity of soil microbial community. Therefore, we propose certain legume species could be used to accelerate ecological restoration of degraded soils, hence assist in the protection and preservation of the environment.

  15. Effects of green manure crops and mulching technology on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Green manure crops are primarily used in environmentally friendly agricultural practices to reduce the application of chemical fertilizer and herbicide. In this study, a two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of paper and plastic mulching with hairy vetch alone or in combination with barley on weed ...

  16. Source Attributions and Persuasion: Perceived Honesty as a Determinant of Message Scrutiny.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Priester, Joseph R.; Petty, Richard E.

    1995-01-01

    Examined hypothesis that cognitive misers (CM)--individuals low in the need for cognition--forego effortful message scrutiny with a presumably truthful communicator. Results showed that CMs depended more on message scrutiny when a knowledgeable source is of questionable honesty than when the source's honesty is clear. Other factors are discussed.…

  17. Using Participatory Photo Novels to Teach Marketing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Kallol

    2012-01-01

    Teaching the restless young generation business students of today is not easy. Furthermore, the traditional lecture method has failed miserably to engage the business students and deliver significant learning. The author presents a discussion on the photo novel as an attractive communication medium and the participatory photo novel as an…

  18. Embodied Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolz, Steven A.

    2015-01-01

    This article argues that psychological discourse fails miserably to provide an account of learning that can explain how humans come to understand, particularly understanding that has been grasped meaningfully. Part of the problem with psychological approaches to learning is that they are disconnected from the integral role embodiment plays in how…

  19. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid content of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The antioxidant capacity of the flowering aerial parts of Astragalus squarrosus was determined by 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferric thiocyanate methods. The phenolic and flavonoid content was also measured. A. squarrosus showed weak free radical scavenging activity with the DPPH ...

  20. In vitro fermentation characteristics of two mushroom species, an herb, and their polysaccharide fractions, using chicken cecal contents as inoculum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guo, F.; Williams, B.A.; Kwakkel, R.P.; Verstegen, M.W.A.

    2003-01-01

    In vitro fermentabilities of two mushrooms (Lentinus edodes - LenS; Tremella fuciformis - TreS), an herb (Astragalus membranaceus - AstS), and their polysaccharide fractions (LenE, TreE, and AstE) were investigated using microflora from chicken ceca. Polysaccharides were extracted using the hot

  1. Proporção e tamanho de sedimentos e teor de carbono orgânico na enxurrada e no solo para dois cultivos e duas formas de semeadura Sediment size and organic carbon content in runoff and soil under two crops and two seed row directions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabrício Tondello Barbosa

    2010-10-01

    eroded soil, under oat and vetch sown in two row directions. Four simulated rainfalls were applied between March and November 2006, during the crop cycle, at a constant intensity of 64 mm h-1 for one hour, in Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil, to an Inceptisol with a slope of 0.119 m m-1. The treatments consisted of the combination of two crops and two seed row directions in relation to the slope. Oat (Avena strigosa and vetch (Vicia sativa were sown mechanically in parallel downhill rows and contour rows of the slope. Runoff sediment was sampled in a set of sieves that collected the constant rate runoff flow for 50 min during each rain test. Oat cropping decreased the amount of runoff-transported sediment by 46 % in comparison to vetch cropping and the contour seed row reduced this by 56 % in relation to downhill seed row. The proportion of sediments in runoff decreased 63 % from the start to the end of the crop cycle. The proportion of the fine size sediment class (< 0.038 mm was 17 % higher under oat than vetch, and the contour seed row increased the proportion by 10 % in comparison with the downhill seed row. The D50 sediment index in runoff was 0.043 mm in oat and 0.119 mm in vetch; it reached 0.047 mm in the contour and 0.117 mm in the downhill seed rows. The ratio between organic carbon level in sediments and in the 0-2.5 cm soil layer was 1.39 in oat, 1.21 in vetch, 1.43 in the contour and 1.17 in downhill seed rows.

  2. Effect of Cover Crops on Vertical Distribution of Leaf Area and Dry Matter of Soybean (Glycine max L. in Competition with Weeds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    seyyedeh samaneh hashemi

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Amount and vertical distribution of leaf area are essential for estimating interception and utilization of solar radiation of crop canopies and, consequently dry matter accumulation (Valentinuz & Tollenaar, 2006. Vertical distribution of leaf area is leaf areas per horizontal layers, based on height (Boedhram et al., 2001. Above-ground biomass is one of the central traits in functional plant ecology and growth analysis. It is a key parameter in many allometric relationships (Niklas & Enquist, 2002. The vertical biomass distribution is considered to be the main determinant of competitive strength in plant species. The presence of weeds intensifies competition for light, with the effect being determined by plant height, position of the branches, and location of the maximum leaf area. So, this experiment was conducted to study the vertical distribution of leaf area and dry matter of soybean canopy in competition with weeds and cover crops. Materials and methods This experiment was performed based on complete randomized block design with 3 replications in center of Agriculture of Joybar in 2013. Soybean was considered as main crop and soybean and Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L., fenugreek (Trigonella foenum–graecum L., chickling pea (Lathyrus sativus L. and winter vetch (Vicia sativa L. were the cover crops. Treatments were included cover crops (Persian clover, fenugreek, chickling pea and winter vetch and cover crop planting times (simultaneous planting of soybean with cover crops and planting cover crops three weeks after planting of soybeans and also monoculture of soybeans both in weedy and weed free conditions were considered as controls. Soybean planted in 50 cm row spacing with 5 cm between plants in the same row. Each plot was included 5 rows soybeans. Cover crop inter-seeded simultaneously in the main crop. Crops were planted on 19 May 2013 for simultaneous planting of soybean. The dominant weed species were green

  3. Sexospécificités | Page 19 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Based on a survey of more than 400 women, this book exposes the miserable financial conditions endured by India's separated and divorced women. The law does not provide them with the right to any of the property and assets that they have helped to acquire during the marital relationship. The book recommends ...

  4. Asie centrale | Page 94 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Based on a survey of more than 400 women, this book exposes the miserable financial conditions endured by India's separated and divorced women. The law does not provide them with the right to any of the property and assets that they have helped to acquire during the marital relationship. The book recommends ...

  5. Emerging epidemic of drug resistant tuberculosis in vulnerable ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    the incidence of TB/MDR-TB in domestic interactions of MDR-TB patients1. Domestic contacts of MDR-TB suggest more recurrent threat of developing active TB and MDR-TB but such studies are rare19. Homelessness is a miserable condition, incorporating several liabilities that strikingly intensify the risk of being diseased, ...

  6. Protection of Chinese herbs against Adenine-induced chronic renal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of Chinese herbs (Angelica sinensis, Ligusticum wallichii, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Rhizoma dioscoreae, Rhodiola crenilata, Astragalus membranaceus and Angelica sinensis) on adenine-induced chronic renal failure in rats. 30 age-matched male Wistar rats were divided into three ...

  7. Effects of Mushroom and Herb Polysaccharides on Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses of Eimeria tenella-Infected Chickens

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guo, F.C.; Kwakkel, R.P.; Williams, B.A.; Parmentier, H.K.; Li, W.K.; Yang, Z.Q.; Verstegen, M.W.A.

    2004-01-01

    We investigated the effects of polysaccharide extracts from 2 mushrooms, Lentinus edodes (LenE) and Tremella fuciformis (TreE), and an herb, Astragalus membranaceus (AstE), on cellular and humoral immune responses of Eimeria tenella-infected chickens. A total of 150 broiler chicks were assigned to 5

  8. Coccidiosis Immunization: Effects of Mushroom and Herb Polysaccharides on Immune Responses of Chickens Infected with Eimeria Tenella

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guo, F.C.; Kwakkel, R.P.; Williams, B.A.; Suo, X.; Li, W.K.; Verstegen, M.W.A.

    2005-01-01

    An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of polysaccharide extracts (E) of two mushrooms, Lentinus edodes (LenE) and Tremella fuciformis (TreE), and an herb, Astragalus membranaceus (AstE), on the immune responses of chickens infected with Eimeria tenella. A total of 180 broiler

  9. Bird embryos uncover homology and evolution of the dinosaur ankle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ossa-Fuentes, Luis; Mpodozis, Jorge; Vargas, Alexander O

    2015-11-13

    The anklebone (astragalus) of dinosaurs presents a characteristic upward projection, the 'ascending process' (ASC). The ASC is present in modern birds, but develops a separate ossification centre, and projects from the calcaneum in most species. These differences have been argued to make it non-comparable to dinosaurs. We studied ASC development in six different orders of birds using traditional techniques and spin-disc microscopy for whole-mount immunofluorescence. Unexpectedly, we found the ASC derives from the embryonic intermedium, an ancient element of the tetrapod ankle. In some birds it comes in contact with the astragalus, and, in others, with the calcaneum. The fact that the intermedium fails to fuse early with the tibiale and develops an ossification centre is unlike any other amniotes, yet resembles basal, amphibian-grade tetrapods. The ASC originated in early dinosaurs along changes to upright posture and locomotion, revealing an intriguing combination of functional innovation and reversion in its evolution.

  10. Consorciação de plantas de cobertura antecedendo o milho em plantio direto: II - Nitrogênio acumulado pelo milho e produtividade de grãos Cover crop mixtures preceding no-till corn: II - Nitrogen accumulation by corn and grain yield

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. J. Giacomini

    2004-08-01

    possível atingir uma produtividade de grãos de milho equivalente àquela da ervilhaca solteira e a 70 % daquela obtida com o uso de 180 kg ha-1 de N-uréia no pousio.No-tillage has been increasingly adopted by farmers in South Brazil and it has increased the interest for the mixtures of cover crops in the autumn/winter as source of nitrogen to the corn in succession. A field experiment was carried out on a typic Hapludalf at the experimental area of the Soil Science Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, in 1998/99 and 1999/00 to evaluate the effect of single crop and mixtures of black oat (BO (Avena strigosa Schieb, common vetch (CV (Vicia sativa L. and oilseed radish (OR (Raphanus sativus L. var. oleiferus Metzg. on N accumulation and grain yield by corn. The experiment was set in a complete randomized block design with four replications. The treatments were: 100 % BO (80 kg ha-1 of seeds, 100 % CV (80 kg ha-1, 100 % OR (14 kg ha-1, 15 % BO + 85 % CV, 30 % BO + 70 % CV, 45 % BO + 55 % CV, 15 % BO + 85 % OR and 30 % BO + 70 % OR. Two additional plots under winter fallow were also used for comparison. Other control treatments were corn cultivated without N fertilizer in one plot and fertilized with 180 kg ha-1 of N-urea in another one. Corn grain yield, dry matter and total N concentration in corn biomass was evaluated at different crop stages. The amount of N accumulated by corn and the grain yield in succession of oat + vetch mixtures were not different from the single vetch, and were proportional to the N amount in the vetch biomass of the crop mixtures. Vetch and oilseed radish as single crop or in mixtures with black oat provided a higher corn grain yield than after fallow and single oat. Results of this study indicated that oat + vetch mixtures, up to a maximum proportion of 30 % of oat, attained a productivity of corn grain equivalent to the single vetch and 70 % of that obtained with the use of 180 kg ha-1

  11. Validation of the DRAGON score in 12 stroke centers in anterior and posterior circulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strbian, Daniel; Seiffge, David J; Breuer, Lorenz; Numminen, Heikki; Michel, Patrik; Meretoja, Atte; Coote, Skye; Bordet, Régis; Obach, Victor; Weder, Bruno; Jung, Simon; Caso, Valeria; Curtze, Sami; Ollikainen, Jyrki; Lyrer, Philippe A; Eskandari, Ashraf; Mattle, Heinrich P; Chamorro, Angel; Leys, Didier; Bladin, Christopher; Davis, Stephen M; Köhrmann, Martin; Engelter, Stefan T; Tatlisumak, Turgut

    2013-10-01

    The DRAGON score predicts functional outcome in the hyperacute phase of intravenous thrombolysis treatment of ischemic stroke patients. We aimed to validate the score in a large multicenter cohort in anterior and posterior circulation. Prospectively collected data of consecutive ischemic stroke patients who received intravenous thrombolysis in 12 stroke centers were merged (n=5471). We excluded patients lacking data necessary to calculate the score and patients with missing 3-month modified Rankin scale scores. The final cohort comprised 4519 eligible patients. We assessed the performance of the DRAGON score with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in the whole cohort for both good (modified Rankin scale score, 0-2) and miserable (modified Rankin scale score, 5-6) outcomes. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.84 (0.82-0.85) for miserable outcome and 0.82 (0.80-0.83) for good outcome. Proportions of patients with good outcome were 96%, 93%, 78%, and 0% for 0 to 1, 2, 3, and 8 to 10 score points, respectively. Proportions of patients with miserable outcome were 0%, 2%, 4%, 89%, and 97% for 0 to 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9 to 10 points, respectively. When tested separately for anterior and posterior circulation, there was no difference in performance (P=0.55); areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.84 (0.83-0.86) and 0.82 (0.78-0.87), respectively. No sex-related difference in performance was observed (P=0.25). The DRAGON score showed very good performance in the large merged cohort in both anterior and posterior circulation strokes. The DRAGON score provides rapid estimation of patient prognosis and supports clinical decision-making in the hyperacute phase of stroke care (eg, when invasive add-on strategies are considered).

  12. Effects of drought and salt stress on seed germination of three ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The seeds of Medicago sativa (L.), Astragalus adsurgens (Pall.) and Coronilla varia (L.) were evaluated at germination for tolerance to salt (NaCl) and drought conditions induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) in an experiment of orthogonal design. The results reveal that the germination percentages of M. sativa and A.

  13. Effects of mushroom and herb polysaccharides, as alternatives for an antibiotic, on growth performance of broilers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guo, F.C.; Kwakkel, R.P.; Williams, B.A.; Li, W.K.; Li, H.S.; Luo, J.Y.; Li, X.P.; Wei, Y.X.; Yan, Z.T.; Verstegen, M.W.A.

    2004-01-01

    1. This in vivo trial was conducted to study the effects of polysaccharide extracts of two mushrooms, Lentinus edodes (LenE) and Tremella fuciformis (TreE), and a herb, Astragalus membranaceus (AstE) on growth performance, and the weights of organs and the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of broiler

  14. Combination Efficacy of Astragalus membranaceus and Curcuma wenyujin at Different Stages of Tumor Progression in an Imageable Orthotopic Nude Mouse Model of Metastatic Human Ovarian Cancer Expressing Red Fluorescent Protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Gang; Tang, Decai; Dai, Jianguo; Liu, Min; Wu, Mianhua; Sun, Y U; Yang, Zhijian; Hoffman, Robert M; Li, Lin; Zhang, Shuo; Guo, Xiuxia

    2015-06-01

    The present study determined the efficacy of extracts of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) and Curcuma wenyujin (CW), a traditional Chinese medicine herbal mixture, at different tumor stages of an orthotopic nude mouse model of human ovarian cancer expressing red fluorescent protein. The tumor-bearing mice were treated with cisplatinum (CDDP), AM, CW, or a combination of AM and CW in each of three tumor stages, using the same regimen. Group 1 received saline as negative control. Group 2 received CDDP i.p. as positive control with a dose of 2 mg/kg, every three days. Group 3 received AM daily via oral gavage, at a dose of 9120 mg/kg. Group 4 received CW daily via oral gavage, at a dose of 4560 mg/kg. Groups 5, 6 and 7 received combinations of AM and CW daily via oral gavage at low (AM, 2280 mg/kg; CW, 1140 mg/kg), medium (AM, 4560 mg/kg; CW 2280 mg/kg), and high (AM, 9120 mg/kg; CW, 4560 mg/kg) doses. The expression of angiogenesis- and apoptosis-related genes in the tumors were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox-2), and by polymerase chain reaction for MMP-2, FGF-2 and Bcl-2. CDDP, AM, and its combination with CW-induced significant growth inhibition of Stage I tumors. Strong efficacy of the combination of AM and CW at high dose was observed. Monotherapy with CDDP, AM, CW, and the combination treatments did not significantly inhibit Stage II and III tumors. The expression of MMP-2, VEGF, FGF-2, and Cox-2 was significantly reduced in Stage I tumors treated with AM, CW, and their combination, suggesting a possible role of these angiogenesis- and apoptosis-related genes in the observed efficacy of the agents tested. This study is the first report on the efficacy of anticancer agents at different stages of ovarian cancer in an orthotopic mouse model. As the tumor progressed, it became treatment

  15. The phenomenon of microscale flow and mass transfer in medicinal herb materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, J.H.; Di, Q.Q.; Sun, M.D. [Tianjin Univ., Tianjin (China). School of Mechanical Engineering; Zhang, T.J.; Gong, S.X. [Tianjin Inst. of Pharmaceutical Research, Tianjin (China)

    2008-07-01

    Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) is a combination of a microwave technique and conventional solvent extraction used in the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. The effective component of medicinal herbs is mostly cellular material which can be released via solvent extraction. The material is diffused to solvents via the porous membrane wall. The structure of herb morphology and characteristics of the solute's molecular weight play an important role in the extraction process of target compounds. Astragalus pieces were chosen for this study in which an ultra-filtration membrane method was used to determine the molecular weight distribution characteristics of Astragalus water extraction liquid in the process of MAE. The fine structure of matrix materials was also characterized by scanning election microscopy (SEM). The phenomenon of mass flow and mass transfer in the plant porous media was discussed along with the enhancement mechanism of microwave field on medicinal plant solvent extraction. The results showed that the water-soluble components in the parenchyma cells of Astragalus pieces pass through the plasmodesma with a diameter of 10 nm to adjacent cell, then through an aperture with a diameter of 0.1 {mu}m to 1 {mu}m into a trachea with a diameter of about 10 {mu}m. The water-soluble components then come onto the surface of matrix material and the main solution via the trachea. The main mass transfer occurs by the trachea and its aperture. It was concluded that in order to promote the dissolution of effective components in medicinal herb in the extraction process, a suitable extraction technology is needed to maintain the permeability of transportation tissue and parenchyma in materials. 11 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs.

  16. Legume ground covers alter defoliation response of black walnut saplings to drought and anthracnose

    Science.gov (United States)

    J. W. Van Sambeek

    2003-01-01

    Growth and premature defoliation of black walnut saplings underplanted 5 or 6 years earlier with six different ground covers were quantified in response to a summer drought or anthracnose. Walnut saplings growing with ground covers of hairy vetch, crownvetch, and to a lesser extent sericea lespedeza continued to have more rapid height and diameter growth than saplings...

  17. Améliorer les politiques d'emploi des jeunes en Afrique francophone ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Centre de recherches pour le développement international Gouvernement du ... des bureaux de placement afin d'aider les jeunes à intégrer le marché du travail. ... Croissance inclusive : une expression à la mode ou une notion innovante ? ... Miser sur la recherche pour améliorer l'accès à la justice partout dans le monde.

  18. State U. vs. Target: Who Gets the Better Grade for Employee Treatment?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boeck, Claire

    2014-01-01

    The miserable pay of adjuncts and the transformation of colleges and universities into business are no longer foreign concepts in the public realm. What is a surprise, though, is that large companies, such as Target and Starbucks, take better care of their employees than those in higher education. This article focuses on the contrast between the…

  19. Recherche sur l'adaptation aux changements climatiques

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Corey Piccioni

    consortiums travaillent dans des zones vulnérables aux changements climatiques en Afrique et en Asie, notamment dans les bassins hydrographiques alimentés .... Le projet de recherche Pathways to Resilience in Semi-Arid Economies (PRISE) vise à réduire les risques et à opti- miser les possibilités de développement ...

  20. Free Money!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Cynthia

    2011-01-01

    School library budgets are about as miserably low or nonexistent as many librarians have ever seen. The population of school librarians who have not just one, but "many" school libraries to manage is growing. Time and funds are short, and needs for books, programming, and technology are high. Grant money is out there for librarians, and the author…

  1. Characterization of bovine ruminal and equine cecal microbial populations enriched for enhanced nitro-toxin metabolizing activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    The phytochemicals 3-nitro-1-propionic acid (NPA) and 3-nitro-1-propanol (NPOH) are produced by a wide variety of leguminous plants, including over 150 different species and varieties of Astragalus. These compounds are toxic to naive grazing animals, but can be safely fed to cattle and sheep that h...

  2. Evidence of Possible Evolutionary Divergence in Plant Genera Based on Antioxidant Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asai, Elizabeth; Cao, Sharon

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to determine if three Western species of the Panax, Lycium, and Astragalus genera had antibacterial and/or antioxidant properties, and how their properties compared to Eastern herbs in the same genera. The group hypothesized that when compared, the corresponding herbs would have identical antibacterial and…

  3. The effect of active forms of silicon on the biomass of agricultural crops during their growth period on technogenically altered soils of the Nikopol Manganese Ore Basin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    І. V. Wagner

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The problem of recovery of technogenically affected soils remains unsolved. Silicon which moves in the “soil – plant” system has been insufficiently studied, though this element takes part in many processes. For assessing the role of silicon compounds, we selected samples of technogenically affected soils of different types in the territory of the research station for land reclamation of Dnіpro State Agrarian-Economic University in the Nikopol Manganese Ore Basin. We conducted a vegetative experiment and a series of laboratory tests with adding SiO2. We chose the following crops: buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, 1794, vetch (Vicia sativa Linnaeus, 1753 and sunflower (Helianthus annuus Linnaeus, 1753. The рН of the studied soils fluctuated between 7.1 to 7.8. The content of available nitrogen and phosphorus in the soils was low, except the content of phosphorus in pedozems. We analyzed 240 samples of plants and measured their biomass. Vetch grew best on sod-lithogenous soils on forest-like lomy soils, buckwheat and sunflower – on sod-lithogenous soils on grey-green clays. The variant of experiment with 0.2% solution of SiO2 was most the efficient during growing all chosen crops on all types of studied soils. After adding amphoteric silicon, the best biomass indicators of vetch and buckwheat were observed on sod-lithogenous soils on forest-like loam, and indicators for sunflower – on sod-lithogenous soils on grey-green clays. After using 0.3% and 0.4% solution of SiO2, a gel film forms, which the seeds have no energy to penetrate and run out. Thus it slows the plant’s growth. An exception was an experiment with pedozems with adding 0.4% solution of SiO2, when the biomass of vetch was 1.5 times greater than in the experiment with 0.2% solution. We observed no similar positive effect in other variants of the experiment. All chosen crops on technogenically affected soils reacted to addition of silicon compounds by increasing

  4. [Effects of astragalus polysaccharide on intestinal immune function of rats with severe scald injury].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Cuilan; Zhan, Jianhua; Luo, Jinhua

    2015-02-01

    To observe the effects of astragalus polysaccharide (AP) on the intestinal mucosal morphology, level of secretory IgA (s-IgA) in intestinal mucus, and distribution of T lymphocyte subsets in Peyer's patch in rats with severe scald injury. One hundred and thirty SD rats were divided into sham injury group (SI, sham injured, n = 10), scald group (S, n = 30), low dosage group (LD, n = 30), moderate dosage group (MD, n = 30), and high dosage group (HD, n = 30) according to the random number table. Rats in the latter 4 groups were inflicted with 30% TBSA full-thickness scald on the back. From post injury hour 2, rats in groups LD, MD, and HD were intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 mL AP solution with the dosage of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg each day respectively, and rats in group S were injected with 0.5 mL normal saline instead. Ten rats from group SI immediately after injury and 10 rats from each of the latter 4 groups on post injury day (PID) 3, 7, 14 were sacrificed, and their intestines were harvested. The morphology of ileal mucosa was examined after HE staining; the level of s-IgA in ileal mucus was determined with double-antibody sandwich ELISA method; the proportions of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ T lymphocytes in Peyer's patches of intestine were determined with flow cytometer, and the proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ was calculated. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance, analysis of variance of factorial design, and SNK test. (1) Villi in normal form and intact villus epithelial cells were observed in rats of group SI immediately after injury, while edema of villi and necrosis and desquamation of an enormous amount of villi were observed in groups with scalded rats on PID 3, with significant infiltration of inflammatory cells. On PID 7, no obvious improvement in intestinal mucosal lesion was observed in groups with scalded rats. On PID 14, the pathology in intestinal mucosa of rats remained nearly the same in group S, and it was alleviated obviously

  5. O tratamento dos doentes insanos de Vila Viçosa no hospital de Rilhafoles (segunda metade do século XIX

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lobo de Araújo, Maria Marta

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In this work we examined the procedural requirements related to the sending of insane patients of Vila Viçosa to the hospital of Rilhafoles, in the second half of the 19th century, and the relationships established with the hospital of this Alentejo town relating to the payment of treatment. Faced with a severe financial crisis, the hospital of Vila Viçosa systematically refused the responsibility to send the insane patients to the Rilhafoles hospital in an attempt to pass this burden on the administration of the county, being very reluctant to pay the bills that came to him from the hospital of São José. The conflict between the two institutions came to the monarch with no other alternative than the payment, the hospital of village of the Alentejo region proceeded to sending parcels of money, albeit way too late. For the realization of this work we use the books of the Misericórdia and the documents of the Civil Governor found of the city of Évora under the custody of the Distrital Archive of the same city. This documents results, basically, from the correspondence between the Misericórdia of Vila Viçosa, the council administrator and the civil governor of Évora.[pt] Neste trabalho analisamos os trâmites processuais respeitantes ao envio de doentes insanos de Vila Viçosa para o hospital de Rilhafoles, na segunda metade do século XIX, e as relações estabelecidas com o hospital desta vila alentejana relativamente ao pagamento do tratamento. A braços com uma grave crise financeira, o hospital de Vila Viçosa recusava sistematicamente a responsabilidade de enviar os alienados para Rilhafoles, numa tentativa de passar esse ónus para a administração do concelho, mostrando-se muito renitente no pagamento das faturas que lhe chegavam do hospital de São José. O conflito entre as duas instituições chegou ao monarca e sem outra alternativa que a do pagamento, o hospital da vila alentejana procedeu ao envio de parcelas de dinheiro

  6. Radioactive elements found in plants contaminated by radioactive rain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tanidazawa, M; Ishihara, T

    1954-01-01

    Ashes obtained from contaminated trifolium repens, astragalus sinicus, and rumex japonicus were studied. The precipitate obtained by treating the acidic solution of the ash with H/sub 2/S followed by Fe/sup + +/ in the presence of NH/sub 3/ and NH/sub 4/Cl contained Y, Sr, and the rare earth elements.

  7. Intense uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau triggered rapid diversification of Phyllolobium (Leguminosae) in the Late Cenozoic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ming-Li Zhang; Yun Kang; Yang Zhong; Stewart C. Sanderson

    2012-01-01

    Phyllolobium, a recently established genus from subgenus Pogonophace of Astragalus, contains about 20 species and four sections, mostly endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). The uplift of the QTP undoubtedly affected organismic evolution in the region, but further molecular dating in a phylogenetic context is required to test whether diversification is linked...

  8. Recommended Species for Vegetative Stabilization of Training Lands in Arid and Semi-Arid Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    1985-09-01

    bitterbrush Purshia glandulosa Apache plume Fallugia paradoxa Arizona fesce Festuca arizonica Ashe juniper Juniperus ashei Australian saltbush Atriplex...elm Ulmus crassifolia *Cheatgrass Bromus tectorum -Chinkapin oak Quercus muhlenbergii Cholla Opuntia, spp. * Cicer milkvetch Astragalus cicer Clovers...Linum lewisii Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium *Littleleaf palo verde Cercidium microphyllum *Live oak Quercus virginiana Lovegrasses Eragrostis

  9. 78 FR 63625 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Dakota Skipper...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-24

    ... al. 2002, p. 6074; Cook et al. 2004, p. 1015). We recognize that critical habitat designated at a... oviposit (lay eggs) on broadleaf plants such as Astragalus spp. (McCabe 1981, p. 180) and grasses such as... available in close proximity to areas suitable for oviposition and larval feeding. Dakota skippers lay eggs...

  10. Liberação de fósforo e potássio durante a decomposição de resíduos culturais em plantio direto Phosphorus and potassium release during decomposition of crops residues in no-tillage system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandro José Giacomini

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a liberação de P e K de resíduos culturais de aveia-preta, ervilhaca comum e nabo forrageiro e de consórcios de aveia e ervilhaca, em plantio direto. Os resíduos culturais foram dispostos em bolsas de nylon com 20x20 cm e malha de 0,5 mm, as quais foram distribuídas na superfície do solo e coletadas após 15, 29, 43, 59, 71, 82, 112 e 182 dias. Em cada coleta o material foi secado a 65ºC, determinando-se as quantidades remanescentes de matéria seca e a sua concentração em P e potássio. Aos valores observados para as quantidades remanescentes de P (Pr e K (Kr foi ajustado o modelo assintótico [(Pr e Kr = Ae-kt + (100 - A] a partir do qual estimou-se a taxa (k de liberação de P e K e a proporção desses nutrientes dos compartimentos lábil (A e recalcitrante (100 - A dos resíduos culturais. A taxa de liberação do K foi 4,5 vezes maior do que a do fósforo. A quantidade de P remanescente na fase inicial da decomposição foi inversamente proporcional à concentração do P solúvel em água dos resíduos culturais. Nos resíduos culturais do consórcio aveia + ervilhaca, o P e o K foram liberados mais lentamente do que o observado nessas espécies em cultivo solteiro. Esses resultados indicam um maior potencial de sincronismo entre a demanda de P e K pelas culturas comerciais e a liberação desses nutrientes dos resíduos culturais provenientes de consórcios entre aveia e ervilhaca do que dos provenientes do cultivo isolado de ervilhaca.The objective of this work was to evaluate the release of P and K from residues of single oat, vetch and forage radish and from mixtures of oat and vetch, under notillage system. The residues were placed in 0.5 mm mesh nylon bags (20x20 cm, which were placed on soil surface and taken out at 15, 29, 43, 59, 71, 82, 112 and 182 days after. At each sampling date the material was dried at 65ºC and the amount of dry matter remaining and its concentration of P

  11. The Natural and Cultural Environmental Resources of the Aquilla Creek Watershed, Hill County, Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1972-11-01

    Vernonia baldwinii Torr. Western Ironweed Viburnum rufidulum Raf. Black Haw Vicia dasycarpa Ten. Winter (Wooly-pod) Vetch Vitex agnus -castus L. Chaste-tree... DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (of this Report) Approved for public release; distribution unlimited 17. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (of the abstract entered In...Bacteria. 207 Table 45. Macrobenthos. 208 Table 46. Turbidity. 209 Table 47. Relative Transparency. 209 Table 48. Distribution of invertebrates in

  12. The Coast Artillery Journal. Volume 82, Number 3, May-June 1939

    Science.gov (United States)

    1939-06-01

    Seraglio" from the opulence of its fields and women. But the Seraglio was now bare and brown as a miser’s cupboard, the horses disappearing into the stew -pot...April included the USAMP Baird, Captain N. A. Mc- Lamb , commanding; and the DB Boats &42 and L-so sent from Fort H. G. Wright for annual overhaul in Nar

  13. Genetically Modified Foods at the Intersection of the Regulatory Landscape and Constitutional Jurisprudence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghoshray, Saby

    2015-01-01

    An ecosystem...[y] ou always intervene and change something in it, but there's no way of knowing what all the downstream effects will be or how it might affect the environment. We have such a miserably poor understanding of how the organism develops from its DNA that I would be surprised if we don't get one rude shock after another.

  14. Homenagem a Jaime Dinis

    OpenAIRE

    Duprat, Régis

    2008-01-01

    Resenha crítica publicada no jornal A Tarde, de Salvador, Bahia, de 21/8/1993, (p. 9-10) quando do lançamento da obra do musicólogo Jaime C. Dinis (1/5/1924-27/5/1989): Os mestres da capela da Misericórdia da Bahia, 1647-1810. Centro Editorial e Didático da UFBA, Salvador, 1993.

  15. The Motive of the Murder——The Analysis of the Two Murders in Native Son%The Motive of the Murder--The Analysis of the Two Murders in Native Son

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    佟玉平

    2007-01-01

    This thesis focus on the analysis of the motive of the two murders--made by Bigger Thomas, a black man. The black people's miserable living condition is one of the reasons why the two murders happened. The white's bias towards the black is also responsible for them. Bigger Thomas's deformed, distorted personality is also part of the explanations for the murders.

  16. THE PERSPECTIVE OF CULTIVATION AND UTILIZATION OF THE NEW LEGUMINOUS GRASSES SPECIES IN MOLDOVA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandru TELEUŢĂ

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The development and modernization of our country’s agriculture is related to the revitalization of the animal breeding sector along with the implementation of new genotypes of animals and diversification of fodder production, balanced in terms of quantity and quality throughout the year, suitable for the physiological requirements of animals, and qualitative products as required in the market. Scientific research conducted in the Botanical Garden (Institute of the ASM over decades was aimed at mobilization, improvement and implementation of new non-traditional plant species that use efficiently photosynthetic active radiation and land resources to obtain fodder with a high level of vegetable protein, the fodder leguminous grasses (fam. Fabaceae Lindl. play an important role. We have studied the biological peculiarities, productivity, chemical composition and nutritional value of new fodder leguminous plant species Astragalus galegiformis, Onobrychis inermis and Medicago tianschanica of the collection of non-traditional fodder plants of the Botanical Garden (Institute of the ASM, the traditional forage crop alfalfa served as control variant. The nutritional value of fresh mass accounts: the Astragalus galegiformis - 0.27 nutritive units, 3.26 MJ metabolizable energy and 146g digestible protein/nutritive unit; Onobrychis inermis - 0.25 nutritive units, 2.56 MJ metabolizable energy and 154 g digestible protein/nutritive unit; Medicago tianschanica - 0.24 nutritive units, 2.86 MJ metabolizable energy and 173 g digestible protein/nutritive unit and alfalfa - 0.21 nutritive units, 2.28 MJ metabolizable energy and 164 g digestible protein/nutritive unit. Due to the productivity and high and stable quality of fodder, use of the plantation for a long period of time, capacity of fixing atmospheric nitrogen, the new fodder leguminous species Astragalus galegiformis, Onobrychis inermis and Medicago tianschanica can serve as initial material for enriching

  17. Lead contamination in soil and vegetation of areas surrounding ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The results show significant negative correlation between waste pH and Pb in industrial waste, plant and soil. Also the results show that Acantholimon sp. and Astragalus glancanthus were dominant plant in two mines upon floristic quantities assay. Lead concentration was 15.8 mg/kg DW and 1.61 mg/kg DW in Ghanat ...

  18. Tarsal morphology of the pleuraspidotheriid mammal Hilalia from the middle Eocene of Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gregoire Metais

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Pleuraspidotheriids are a group of primitive ungulate mammals that, until recently, were thought to be restricted to the late Paleocene of Western Europe. It has been hypothesized that this family actually survived in Central Anatolia until at least the middle Eocene. However, these anachronistically young Anatolian “survivors”, including the genus Hilalia, were previously documented mainly by dental remains. Here, we describe the previously unknown astragalus of Hilalia saribeya, which confirms the pleuraspidotheriid affinities of the genus, and supports phylogenetic reconstructions that place Hilalia as the sister group of Pleuraspidotherium. The morphology of the astragalus suggests sub-cursorial plantigrade locomotion for H. saribeya, although its tarsal morphology remains generalized enough that scansorial capabilities cannot be ruled out. The evolution of Hilalia is addressed in the context of the apparent geographic isolation of Central Anatolia during the Eocene. The endemic character of the mammalian fauna of Central Anatolia during the middle Eocene emphasizes how the complex paleogeography of the northern margin of Neotethys impacted local biotas in a region situated at the crossroads of very distinctive biogeographic zones.

  19. Suppression of Rhizome Rot in Organically Cultivated Ginger Using Integrated Pest Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang-Ki Shim

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted to control ginger rhizome rot treated with the combined treatment, the hairy vetch, carbonized rice husk and eggshell calcium in organic ginger farm. Early symptoms of leaf yellowing and plant wilt began in the chemical fertilizer treatment on July 1. Ginger rhizome rot was more progressed on October 2, and stem browning and dead plant showed a high disease incidence with from 36.7% to 43.0%. On the other hand, the combined treatment did not occur at all until July 1 and delayed the disease incidence to October 2. It showed a low disease incidence of 1.3% to 1.7%. In the combined treatment, the content of soil Na, Fe, Cu was decreased and organic matter was increased twice with 31.6% than previous. Population density of Pythium sp. is lower in the combined treatment (0.3-2.0×103 cfu/g than the chemical fertilizer treatments (12.0-12.3×103 cfu/g. The combined treatment, hairy vetch, carbonized rice husk and the eggshell calcium is able to control the ginger rhizome rot in organically cultivated ginger field.

  20. The structure and functions of bacterial communities in an agrocenosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobrovol'skaya, T. G.; Khusnetdinova, K. A.; Manucharova, N. A.; Balabko, P. N.

    2016-01-01

    The most significant factor responsible for the specific taxonomic composition of the bacterial communities in the agrocenosis studied was found to be a part or organ of plants (leaves, flowers, roots, fruits). A stage of plant ontogeny also determines changes of taxa. In the course of the plant growth, eccrisotrophic bacteria are replaced by hydrolytic ones that belong to the group of cellulose-decomposing bacteria. Representatives of the proteobacteria genera that are difficult to identify by phenotypic methods were determined using molecular-biological methods. They were revealed only on oat leaves in the moist period. As the vetch-oat mixture was fertilized with BIOUD-1 (foliar application) in the phyllosphere of both oats and vetch, on all the plant organs, representatives of the Rhodococcus genus as dominants were isolated. This fact was related to the capability of bacteria to decompose the complex aromatic compounds that are ingredients of the fertilizers applied. Another positive effect for plants of the bacterial communities forming in agrocenoses is the presence of bacteria that are antagonists of phytopathogenic bacteria. Thus, in agrocenoses, some interrelationships promoting the growth and reproduction of plants are formed in crop plants and bacteria.

  1. Nutritive evaluation of legume seeds for ruminant feeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos-Morales, E; Sanz-Sampelayo, M R; Molina-Alcaide, E

    2010-02-01

    Chemical composition, rumen degradability and the effect of particle losses, and intestinal digestibility of protein by using in situ-in vitro and in vitro techniques were stated for beans (Vicia faba), lupin (Lupinus albus), vetch (Vicia sativa) and bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia) and four diets including those legume seeds. In addition, the apparent digestibility of experimental diets was determined in goats. The legume seeds showed high protein content (206-319 g/kg dry matter). Effective degradability of protein for legumes and diets varied from 0.80 to 0.87 and 0.76 to 0.82, respectively, decreasing to 0.53-0.76 and 0.61-0.67, respectively, when particle loss was taken into account. Different intestinal digestibility values were obtained with both methodologies without significant relationship between them (y = 1.058-0.463x; R(2)=0.068; RSD = 0.140; p = 0.53). There were no differences in the apparent nutrients and energy digestibility among diets (p > 0.05). These legumes can supply rapidly degradable protein for microbial protein synthesis and contribute to the pool of amino acids available for the synthesis of milk protein and for retention in the body.

  2. THE ROLE OF IRRIGATED FODDER PRODUCTION TO SUPPLEMENT THE DIET OF FATTENING SHEEP BY SMALLHOLDERS IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melkamu Bezabih Derseh

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Feed shortage and poor quality of available feeds are major constraints for livestock production in the highlands of Ethiopia. A trial was conducted to assess if producing irrigated oat-vetch fodder during the dry period could adequately supplement the diet of fattening sheep and generate additional income for smallholders. A total of 14 farmers and 70 sheep (5 per farmer were involved in the trial. The farmers supplemented their fattening sheep with 200 g of irrigated oat-vetch fodder per day for about 70 days. The mean daily body weight gain of the fattened sheep ranged from 52 to 110 grams. The partial budget analysis revealed that while farmers with good feeding management could earn an additional income in the range of ETB 55 – 161 per sheep, farmers with the lower rate of weight gain could lose up to ETB 58 per sheep unless purchase and sale prices remained constant. Sheep prices do, however, fluctuate, peaking during major holiday periods occurring during the dry season. Therefore, timing of the fattening period is essential to profitability, and supplemental irrigated fodder production offers smallholders opportunities to produce good quality feed and target favourable markets for fattened animals.

  3. Plant-uptake of uranium: Hydroponic and soil system studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramaswami, A.; Carr, P.; Burkhardt, M.

    2001-01-01

    Limited information is available on screening and selection of terrestrial plants for uptake and translocation of uranium from soil. This article evaluates the removal of uranium from water and soil by selected plants, comparing plant performance in hydroponic systems with that in two soil systems (a sandy-loam soil and an organic-rich soil). Plants selected for this study were Sunflower (Helianthus giganteus), Spring Vetch (Vicia sativa), Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa), Juniper (Juniperus monosperma), Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea), and Bush Bean (Phaseolus nanus). Plant performance was evaluated both in terms of the percent uranium extracted from the three systems, as well as the biological absorption coefficient (BAC) that normalized uranium uptake to plant biomass. Study results indicate that uranium extraction efficiency decreased sharply across hydroponic, sandy and organic soil systems, indicating that soil organic matter sequestered uranium, rendering it largely unavailable for plant uptake. These results indicate that site-specific soils must be used to screen plants for uranium extraction capability; plant behavior in hydroponic systems does not correlate well with that in soil systems. One plant species, Juniper, exhibited consistent uranium extraction efficiencies and BACs in both sandy and organic soils, suggesting unique uranium extraction capabilities.

  4. Two new Anoplocheylus species (Acari: Trombidiformes: Pseudocheylidae) from Kurdistan province of Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khanjani, Mohammad; Hoseini, Mohammad Ahmad; Amini, Fatemeh

    2014-09-12

    Two new species of the genus Anoplocheylus Berlese, 1910 are described: Anoplocheylus marivaniensis sp. nov. collected from soil and rotten leaves under oak trees and Anoplocheylus qorvehiensis sp. nov. from soil under Astragalus sp. bushes in Kurdistan province, Iran. A key to females of all known species of Anoplocheylus is provided, based on original descriptions and other literature.

  5. New records and new host plants of powdery mildews (Erysiphales) from Idaho and Oregon (USA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uwe Braun; S. Krishna Mohan

    2013-01-01

    In the course of routine examinations of powdery mildews collected in Idaho and Oregon, USA, some of the identified species proved to be new to North America, in some cases on new host plants. Leveillula papilionacearum and L. picridis are first records from the USA. Astragalus filipes, Dalea ornata and D. searlsiae are new hosts for Leveillula papilionacearum....

  6. Evaluation of Vetch Species and their Accessions for Agronomic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    matter yield while early maturing species have higher seed yield and thousand seed weight ... Livestock is an integral component of the agricultural activities in ... conventional forage production systems) are important and appropriate in areas ...

  7. Chaplain Roles in Humanitarian and Civic Assistance Operations

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-04-08

    help one another is a cornerstone of the philanthropy that ha accompanied all religions and cultures since time began. INTERNATIONAL. Though no super...to cooperate internationally than to score cheap ideological victories. Pojlitic Considerations. Most elites in Third World countries are indifferent...of hostility-, b. The chasm separating tne elite trom the miserable masses is widened and deepqnpd oy ethnicl racial at religious cleavages. c

  8. In vitro fermentation of olive oil mill wastewaters using sheep rumen liquor as inoculum: Olive mill wastewaters an alternative for ruminant's nutrition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moufida Aggoun

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Olive oil mill wastewaters (OMWW are the main liquid effluents generated by the olive oil production industry. This liquid, considered pollutant and toxic, is characterised by its high content of organic matter including mainly sugars and fats, and phenols compounds, which can be used in ruminants feeding. The purpose of this study is to valorise this agricultural by-product in ruminant feeding by estimation its in vitro degradability in presence of ovine ruminale microbiota comparatively to vetch-oat hay, using in vitro gas production technique coupled with NH3-N and protozoa measurements. Cumulative gas production was recorded at 3, 6, 9, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of incubation. The determination of gazes produced (carbon dioxide and methane was recorded at 6, 9, 24, 48 and 96 hours. However, Ammonia and protozoa number were recorded after 24 hours of incubation. Fermentation profile was fitted to the exponential model y = a + b (1 – e-kt. The OMWW are characterized by their high sugars content (39.91% and their low content in ash (1.99% and crude protein (2.70%. This by-product is also characterized by its high concentration in total phenols (7.2% and tannins (4.5%. However, they contain a very small amount of condensed tannins (0.89%. Comparatively to vetch-oat hay, OMWW produced low amount of gas (-23.6 units. Furthermore, its in vitro fermentation generates low volume of methane (9.83%, V/V, suggesting that the OMWW nature enhanced the efficiency of ruminale microbiota towards microbial biomass production and inhibition of ruminale methanogenesis pathway. This result is reinforced by the reduction of ammonia production (-0.35 units and protozoa proliferation (-1 unit comparatively to vetch-oat hay. The anaerobic biodegradation of OMWW reveal their significant use by the rumen microbiota, allowing us to strongly recommend its use as a supplement in feed ruminant. In addition, it allows considering using this residue as a feed additive in

  9. Replacing fallow by cover crops: economic sustainability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabriel, José Luis; Garrido, Alberto; Quemada, Miguel

    2013-04-01

    Replacing fallow by cover crops in intensive fertilized systems has been demonstrated as an efficient tool for reducing nitrate leaching. However, despite the evident environmental services provided and the range of agronomic benefits documented in the literature, farmers' adoption of this new technology is still limited because they are either unwilling or unable, although adoption reluctance is frequently rooted in low economic profitability, low water se efficiency or poor knowledge. Economic analyses permit a comparison between the profit that farmers obtain from agricultural products and the cost of adopting specific agricultural techniques. The goal of this study was to evaluate the economic impact of replacing the usual winter fallow with cover crops (barley (Hordeum vulgare L., cv. Vanessa), vetch (Vicia villosa L., cv. Vereda) and rapeseed (Brassica napus L., cv. Licapo)) in irrigated maize systems and variable Mediterranean weather conditions using stochastic Monte-Carlo simulations of key farms' financial performance indicators. The three scenarios studied for each cover crop were: i) just leaving the cover crop residue in the ground, ii) leaving the cover crop residue but reduce following maize fertilization according to the N available from the previous cover crop and iii) selling the cover crop residue for animal feeding. All the scenarios were compared with respect to a typical maize-fallow rotation. With observed data from six different years and in various field trials, looking for different weather conditions, probability distribution functions of maize yield, cover crop biomass production and N fertilizer saving was fitted. Based in statistical sources maize grain price, different forage prices and the cost of fertilizer were fitted to probability distribution functions too. As result, introducing a cover crop involved extra costs with respect to fallow as the initial investment, because new seed, herbicide or extra field operations. Additional

  10. Mechanisms of Neuronal Apoptosis In Vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-02-01

    nitroproplonic acid, a compound from plants striatal tyrosine hydroxylase immunoperoxidase staining. Brain Res in the genus Astragalus. Arch Inst Cardiol...neurotransmitters stereotypic movements, and self-injurious behavior, in certain brain areas to environmental factors. There Furthermore, as adults, these...characterized by abnormal conduct such as repetitive may be related to similar abnormal behaviors of or stereotyped movements, poor skills in communica

  11. Effectiveness on mild stress and mixed urinary incontinence and impact on Quality of Life of a phytotherapic product containing astragalus, thyme, lavender, hop, equisetum, red clover, cypress and agrimonia at titrated concentrations. Results from a monocentric study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oreste Risi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To assess any beneficial effect on quality of life of a daily treatment with a phytotherapic product containing astragalus, thyme, lavender, hop, equisetum, red clover, cypress and agrimonia at titrated concentrations in a cohort of female patients complaining mild stress urinary incontinence (SUI or mixed urinary incontinence (MUI. Materials and methods: 42 non-consecutive female out-patients with mild SUI or mild MUI were assessed with a clinical evaluation, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF and Patients’ Perception of Intensity of Urgency Scale (PPIUS at baseline the start of the study and after two months of therapy with the phytotherapic product. At the end of the therapy the patients also compiled Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I. Results: After the completion of the study there was a trend towards better results in each item of ICIQ-SF, but without any statistical significance with an average score in ICIQ-SF-1 of 3.12 ± 0.981 versus 3.21 ± 0.914 (p = 0.556, in ICIQ-SF-2 of 3.69 ± 1.422 versus 3.79 ± 1.372 (p = 0.68 and in ICIQ-SF-3 of 5.95 ± 1.618 versus 6.14 ± 1.670 (p = 0.462. The average reduction of PPIUS was of 0.09 (1.26 ± 1.481 versus 1.357 ± 1.509, p = 0.705. There was a reduction of average consumption of pads/die from 1.69 ± 0.636 to 1.54 ± 0.543 (p = 0.101. In relation to the PGI score, 23/42 patients (54.7% reported no changes after the completion of the therapy, 13/42 (30.9% reported a slight improvement, 5/42 (11.9% were much improved and 1/42 (2.3% was slightly worsened. Only 2/42 (4.7% patients discontinued the treatment before of the completion of the study. We did not observe any adverse effects during the period of the study. Conclusions: The phytotherapic product seems to cause a slight improvement of the symptoms in a good rate of patients. Moreover it has a low rate of withdrawal, due to the lack of adverse events.

  12. Effectiveness on mild stress and mixed urinary incontinence and impact on Quality of Life of a phytotherapic product containing astragalus, thyme, lavender, hop, equisetum, red clover, cypress and agrimonia at titrated concentrations. Results from a monocentric study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Risi, Oreste; Manica, Michele; Lisanti, Rocca Carmela; Manfredi, Antonio; Tecci, Giuseppe Romeo

    2017-12-31

    To assess any beneficial effect on quality of life of a daily treatment with a phytotherapic product containing astragalus, thyme, lavender, hop, equisetum, red clover, cypress and agrimonia at titrated concentrations in a cohort of female patients complaining mild stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). 42 non-consecutive female out-patients with mild SUI or mild MUI were assessed with a clinical evaluation, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and Patients' Perception of Intensity of Urgency Scale (PPIUS) at baseline the start of the study and after two months of therapy with the phytotherapic product. At the end of the therapy the patients also compiled Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I). After the completion of the study there was a trend towards better results in each item of ICIQ-SF, but without any statistical significance with an average score in ICIQ-SF-1 of 3.12 ± 0.981 versus 3.21 ± 0.914 (p = 0.556), in ICIQ-SF-2 of 3.69 ± 1.422 versus 3.79 ± 1.372 (p = 0.68) and in ICIQ-SF-3 of 5.95 ± 1.618 versus 6.14 ± 1.670 (p = 0.462). The average reduction of PPIUS was of 0.09 (1.26 ± 1.481 versus 1.357 ± 1.509, p = 0.705). There was a reduction of average consumption of pads/die from 1.69 ± 0.636 to 1.54 ± 0.543 (p = 0.101). In relation to the PGI score, 23/42 patients (54.7%) reported no changes after the completion of the therapy, 13/42 (30.9%) reported a slight improvement, 5/42 (11.9%) were much improved and 1/42 (2.3%) was slightly worsened. Only 2/42 (4.7%) patients discontinued the treatment before of the completion of the study. We did not observe any adverse effects during the period of the study. The phytotherapic product seems to cause a slight improvement of the symptoms in a good rate of patients. Moreover it has a low rate of withdrawal, due to the lack of adverse events.

  13. Investigating the Effect of Cultivate Lines Direction, Bio-Fertilizer Nitroxin and Superabsorbent Materials on Yield and Yield Components of Broad Leaf Vetch (Vicia narbonensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E Latifinia

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction The excessive use of fertilizers has caused severe damages to the bio-cycle in the fields and has destroyed the sustainable agricultural machinery. These destructive effects have led to the recommended use of bio-fertilizers. Biodiversity is one of the key sources of supplying nutrients in sustainable agriculture. The use of biological fertilizers in a sustainable agricultural system leads to sustained yield in plant production. Biological fertilizer of nitroxin has increased biological yield and grain yield in fodder corn. Water shortage as a limiting factor has limited vegetation growth and development in these areas. Considering that Iran is a dry country, the use of super adsorbent is one of the ways to reduce water consumption. Investigators in the study of superabsorbent showed that superabsorbent had a significant and positive effect on the yield of forage plants. Crop directions can affect the amount of the product by increasing the leaf area and absorbing light. Proper orientation of crop lines increases the photosynthetic efficiency and increases the yield and yield components of the plant. Research has shown that yields are much higher in plants planted on the north-south lines compared with plants planted on east-west lines. Materials and Methods In order to investigate the effect of nitroxin and superabsorbent fertilizer on yield and yield components of broad leaf vetch in a research field of agricultural faculty, Lorestan University, as a split plot factorial based on a complete block design randomization was performed in three replicates. In this research, for main lines, the main factors were considered in the North-South and East-West directions in the main plots. Sub-factors In this experiment, nitroxin biosynthesis and superabsorbent materials were applied at two levels of consumption and non-consumption in sub plots. Nitroxin fertilizer was used as a seed lot at a rate of 1 liter per hectare and the stockosorb

  14. Economic evaluation of cereal cropping systems under semiarid conditions: minimum input, organic and conventional

    OpenAIRE

    Pardo,Gabriel; Aibar,Joaquín; Cavero,José; Zaragoza,Carlos

    2009-01-01

    Cropping systems like organic farming, selling products at a higher price and promoting environmental sustainability by reducing fertilizer and pesticides, can be more profitable than conventional systems. An economic evaluation of three cropping systems in a seven year period experiment was performed, using a common rotation (fallow-barley-vetch-durum wheat) in a semi-arid rainfed field of Spain. The minimum input system included mouldboard ploughing, cultivator preparation, sowing and harve...

  15. JPRS Report, Science & Technology, Europe, Economic Competitiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-04-25

    business), and entertainment electronics com- panies such as Sony , Pioneer, JVC, Hitachi and Mat- sushita ("National Panasonic") in particular are...of outsiders from Southeast Asia, who are making life miser- able for the already too numerous big producers, such as BASF, Sony , TDK, Maxell, FDM...Motor, Mitsubishi Motor, and Yamaha Motor (motorcycles, alongside its parent com- pany Yamaha Corporation, which is also in the musical instrument

  16. Pelvic Floor Disorders in Female Veterans: What a Difference an X Makes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-22

    vaginal support has weakened  Known risk factors:  Vaginal deliveries  Multiple deliveries  High birth weight deliveries  Chronic cough – increase...Mixed incontinence  28.5% Urge incontinence  More common with running as aerobic activity Larsen 2006 Urinary Incontinence  22 (15%) had prior...2010 Backup slides: UTI, Lowe Study Symptoms of vaginitis and urinary tract infections are miserable, distracting, and significantly affect women’s

  17. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now: Overeducation and Reduced Life Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piper, Alan

    2015-01-01

    Recently the supply of young graduates entering the UK labour market has undergone a sharp increase. A possible consequence of this is an increase in the number of individuals who are overeducated for the jobs that they do subsequent to participating in higher education. Using British panel data and dynamic panel analysis, I demonstrate that…

  18. The Cognitive-Miser Response Model: Testing for Intuitive and Deliberate Reasoning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bockenholt, Ulf

    2012-01-01

    In a number of psychological studies, answers to reasoning vignettes have been shown to result from both intuitive and deliberate response processes. This paper utilizes a psychometric model to separate these two response tendencies. An experimental application shows that the proposed model facilitates the analysis of dual-process item responses…

  19. Ensiling on chemical composition and in vitro fermentation in rabbits of different forages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Carlos Angeles Hernandez

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The effect of chemical composition of silages on in vitro gas fermentation profiles in rabbits was examined. The study was performed using 7 silages: beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, faba bean (FB, Vicia faba, common vetch (CV, Vicia sativa, ryegrass (Lolium perenne, barley (B, Hordeum vulgare, barley with common vetch (BCV and barley with faba bean (BFB. We used 3 New Zealand White (NZW rabbits as donors of caecal content in each incubation run (n=3. Data were analyzed in a completely randomized experimental design. The CV silage showed higher values of crude protein (CP, followed by FB and bean silages (P<0.001. Barley silage had the lowest CP content (96g kg-1 DM (P=0.001. The NDF and ADF content were lower (P<0.001 for beans and CV compared with the rest of the forage silages. Ryegrass silage had higher values of dry matter degradation, organic matter degradation, relative GP and SCFA (P<0.001. The highest values of digestible energy were for CV and bean silages (P<0.001. Ryegrass and CV silages showed higher levels in GP parameters, which could be associated with their better chemical composition characteristics, mainly protein and fiber content.

  20. High quality residues from cover crops favor changes in microbial community and enhance C and N sequestration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ileana Frasier

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of a change in management on the soil microbial community and C sequestration. We conducted a 3-year field study in La Pampa (Argentina with rotation of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor in zero tillage alternating with rye (Secale cereale and vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa. Soil was sampled once a year at two depths. Soil organic matter fractions, dissolved organic matter, microbial biomass (MBC and community composition (DNA extraction, qPCR, and phospholipid FAME profiles were determined. Litter, aerial- and root biomass were collected and all material was analyzed for C and N. Results showed a rapid response of microbial biomass to a bacterial dominance independent of residue quality. Vetch had the highest diversity index, while the fertilized treatment had the lowest one. Vetch–sorghum rotation with high N mineralization rates and diverse microbial community sequestered more C and N in stable soil organic matter fractions than no-till sorghum alone or with rye, which had lower N turnover rates. These results reaffirm the importance of enhanced soil biodiversity for maintaining soil ecosystem functioning and services. The supply of high amounts of N-rich residues as provided by grass–legume cover crops could fulfill this objective.

  1. Influence of orimulsion ashes on germinating power of seeds of cultured plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jankevicius, K.; Juskenas, R.; Klimantaviciute, M. G.; Salkauskas, M.

    1998-01-01

    Investigation on dissolution of orimulsion ashes, which contain MgSO 4 6H 2 0, and Ca 0.17 V 2 O 5 as well as nickel and iron, in water and acidic and basic water solution was fulfilled. Exothermic solubility in water reaches 18 % and such a saturated green or yellow solution (pH - 2,7) contains 0,3 mol/l of vanadium and 0,1 mol/l nickel. 4 % sodium hydroxide solution convert orimulsion ashes to gel, but 20 % sulfuric acid dissolve up to - 20 (a brown solution). Small quantities of water convert orimulsion ashes to a solid substance. The non-soluble part of orimulsion ashes consists of Fe 3 O 4 and Fe 2 O 3 which can be used as cheep pigments for paints. The bio testing method was used to estimate the toxic effects of orimulsion ashes from Elektrenai Electric Power Plant in Lithuania. It was established that 0,005% aqueous solution of orimulsion ashes stimulates the sprouting of wheat, rye and vetch seeds. Therefore, it is supposed that orimulsion ashes may be used as additives to fertilizers containing microelements. It was found that 0,5 % aqueous solution of orimulsion ashes inhibits the sprouting of wheat, rye and vetch seeds. (author)

  2. Weed Control with Cover Crops in Irrigated Potatoes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.H. Mehring

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Field experiments at Oakes, ND, USA in 2010 and Carrington, ND, USA in 2011 were conducted to evaluate the potential for cover crops grown in the Northern Great Plains, USA in order to reduce weed emergence and density in irrigated potatoes. Treatments included five cover crop treatments and three cover crop termination treatments. Termination of cover crops was done with glyphosate, disk-till, and roto-till. Cover crop biomass accumulation was greatest for rye/canola and triticale at Oakes, and hairy vetch and hairy vetch/rye at Carrington. Cover crop and termination affected weed control 14, 29, and 51 days after planting (DAP at Oakes. Weed control at Carrington was at least 90% for all cover crop and termination treatments at all three evaluation timings. Marketable yield at Oakes was greater when roto-till was used to terminate the cover crops compared with disk-till or herbicide, which is beneficial for organic systems where herbicides are not used. Marketable yield at Carrington was not affected by cover crop or termination treatments. Results suggest that cover crops can successfully be integrated into irrigated potato production for weed control with yields equal to no cover crop, and with attention to potential mechanical difficulties.

  3. US DOE Pipeline Unplugging Requirements Development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rivera, J.; McDaniel, D.

    2009-01-01

    Department of Energy (DOE) sites around the country have an ongoing effort to transport and process several tons of radioactive waste in the form of slurry (liquids and solids) from storage tanks to processing facilities. The system of pipes used for the transportation of this waste needs technology for maintenance and for the prevention (and correction) of pipeline plugging. The unplugging technologies that have been tested and evaluated at Florida International University include ones from NuVision Engineering, AIMM and AquaMiser. NuVision's technology acts as an ocean wave does on beach erosion. It can operate on a long pipeline that has drained down below a blockage. AIMM Technology's Hydrokinetic TM process uses a sonic resonance with a cleaning water stream. This sonic resonance travels through the water stream and transfers vibration to both the pipe and the blockage. The AquaMiser line of water blasting equipment combines 15,000- to 40,000-psi water injection technology to unplug pipelines. Some sites cannot allow this level of pressure in their pipes. After reviewing the results of every test, including the benefits, advantages and disadvantages of each technology, requirements were developed for pressure, personnel training, environmental concerns, safety, and compatibility with current systems, operability, reliability, maintainability and cost. (authors)

  4. Environmental Assessment for a Global Reach Deployment Center and Ancillary Facilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    2005-07-07

    akali milkvetch (Astragalus tener var. tener), Contra Costa goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens), and the San Joaquin spearscale (Atriplex joaquiniana... Costa goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens), a federally listed plant species. Building the Center at this site would also involve building within the land...AFB. Contra Costa goldfields is listed as federally endangered. Vernal pools are found throughout the Base. These sites vary in size from 1 acre

  5. Anti-osteoporosis activity of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Method: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: control group, ovariectomy (OVX) with vehicle group, OVX with 17β-estradiol (E2, 25 μg/kg/day) group, and OVX with AMBE doses (60, 120 ... Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that AMBE prevents OVX-induced osteoporosis in rats.

  6. Ruminal degradability and carbohydrates and proteins fractioning of triticale silages in singular culture or in mixtures with oat and/or legumes

    OpenAIRE

    Bumbieris Junior, Valter Harry; Jobim, Cloves Cabreira; Emile, Jean Claude; Rossi, Robson; Calixto Junior, Moyses; Branco, Antonio Ferriani

    2011-01-01

    It was aimed to evaluate the ruminal degradability, and the fractioning of carbohydrates, as well as of the nitrogen fractions of triticale silages in singular culture or in mixtures with oats and/or legumes. The treatments had been: triticale silage (X. Triticosecale Wittimack) (ST); triticale silage + forage pea (Pisum arvense) (STE); triticale silage + oats (Avena strigosa Scheb) + forage pea + vetch (Vicia sativa) (STAE). Three castrated bovine Prim’Holstein males had been used, with aver...

  7. The Neural Basis of Optimism and Pessimism

    OpenAIRE

    Hecht, David

    2013-01-01

    Our survival and wellness require a balance between optimism and pessimism. Undue pessimism makes life miserable; however, excessive optimism can lead to dangerously risky behaviors. A review and synthesis of the literature on the neurophysiology subserving these two worldviews suggests that optimism and pessimism are differentially associated with the two cerebral hemispheres. High self-esteem, a cheerful attitude that tends to look at the positive aspects of a given situation, as well as an...

  8. Changing life styles - changing competencies : Turkish migrant youth in Europe

    OpenAIRE

    Kagitcibasi, Cigdem

    2010-01-01

    "Dieser Artikel beschäftigt sich mit der Misere der türkischen jugendlichen Migranten in Europa unter dem Gesichtspunkt, dass Migration auch sozialen Wandel darstellt indem sich Lebensstile verändern, die neue Kompetenzen erforderlich machen. Damit jugendliche Migranten einen Gewinn statt einer Last für die Aufnahmegesellschaften darstellen ist eine volle Integration unumgänglich. Diese beinhaltet die Förderung von kognitiven Kompetenzen und der psychosozialen Entwicklung auch im Hinblick auf...

  9. Análise das atividades dos oito anos iniciais do Banco de Valvas Cardíacas Humanas do Hospital de Caridade da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Curitiba Analysis of the inicial eight years of activities of the Human Heart Valve Bank of the Hospital de Caridade da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Curitiba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marise Teresinha Brenner Affonso da Costa

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar, retrospectivamente, os primeiros oito anos de funcionamento do Banco de Valvas Cardíacas Humanas do Hospital de Caridade da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Curitiba (BVCHSC, analisando aspectos relacionados às atividades de captação, processamento, armazenamento e distribuição de enxertos homólogos cardiovasculares. MÉTODO: A seleção inicial dos doadores seguiu as diretrizes nacionais para captação de órgãos humanos, além de critérios específicos do BVCHSC. Os corações foram obtidos de doadores de múltiplos órgãos, doadores em parada cardíaca e receptores de transplante cardíaco, com somatória dos tempos de isquemia inferior a 48 horas. A idade dos doadores variou desde recém-nascidos até 60 anos para as valvas aórticas e 65 para as pulmonares. Os enxertos dissecados tiveram suas dimensões mensuradas e sua morfologia avaliada, sendo classificados como categoria 0 (descartados, 1 (alterações morfológicas mínimas ou 2 (perfeitos. Foram determinados a incidência e os germes responsáveis pela contaminação nos enxertos recebidos, assim como a eficiência da solução de descontaminação. Foram também avaliados aspectos relacionados à distribuição dos enxertos. RESULTADOS: De setembro de 1996 a fevereiro de 2005, 1059 corações provenientes de 19 Estados foram recebidos no BVCHSC. Destes, 977 (92,3% eram de doadores de morte encefálica. Foram processados 2105 enxertos, e dentre os aórticos e pulmonares analisados, 783 eram da categoria 2, 697 pertenciam à categoria 1 e 186 foram descartados por alterações morfológicas. No total, 433 enxertos recebidos estavam contaminados, sendo a solução de antibióticos eficiente na esterilização de 330 destes casos. Quinhentos e setenta e um (27,1% enxertos foram rejeitados em alguma fase do processo, sendo a contaminação e as alterações morfológicas as causas mais freqüentes. Foram distribu

  10. In vitro plant regeneration from Narbon Vetch (Vicia narbonensis L ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2008-07-18

    Jul 18, 2008 ... regeneration from cotyledonary node explants obtained from, in vitro raised seeds of 4 - 5 and 14 - 15 days old .... shoots in Vicia faba using different concentrations of. BAP-TDZ. ... feed legume crop for dry areas in west Asia.

  11. Water erosion in surface soil conditions: runoff velocity, concentration and D50 index of sediments in runoff

    OpenAIRE

    Ramos,Júlio César; Bertol,Ildegardis; Barbosa,Fabrício Tondello; Bertól,Camilo; Mafra,Álvaro Luiz; Miquelluti,David José; Mecabô Júnior,José

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Water erosion and contamination of water resources are influenced by concentration and diameter of sediments in runoff. This study aimed to quantify runoff velocity and concentration and the D50 index of sediments in runoff under different soil surface managements, in the following treatments: i) cropped systems: no-tilled soil covered by ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) residue, with high soil cover and minimal roughness (HCR); no tilled soil covered by vetch (Vicia sativa L.) res...

  12. Indicators of soil quality in the implantation of no-till system with winter crops.

    OpenAIRE

    NOGUEIRA, M. A.; TELLES, T. S.; FAGOTTI, D. dos S. L.; BRITO, O. R.; PRETE, C. E. C.; GUIMARÃES, M. de F.

    2014-01-01

    We assessed the effect of different winter crops on indicators of soil quality related to C and N cycling and C fractions in a Rhodic Kandiudult under no-till system at implantation, during two growing seasons, in Londrina PR Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with split-plot in time arrangement, with four replications. The parcels were the winter crops: multicropping of cover crops with black oat (Avena strigosa), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and fodder radish (Raphanus sat...

  13. Chemical and biological evaluation of the nutritive value of Algerian green seaweed Ulva lactuca using in vitro gas production technique fior ruminant animals

    OpenAIRE

    Zitouni, Hind; Arhab, Rabah; Boudry, Christelle; Bousseboua, Hacène; Beckers, Yves

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to determine the nutritive value of seaweed Ulva lactuca collected from the Algerian coast by estimation of its chemical composition and fermentation characteristics, comparatively to vetch-oat hay (control), using in vitro gas production technique. Seaweed and control were incubated with rumen liquor taken from fistulated and non lactating cows. Gas production was recorded at: 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72h. The in vitro rumen fermentation parameters were measured after 24h ...

  14. Epidemiological study of facial fractures at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service, Santa Casa de Misericordia Hospital Complex, Porto Alegre - RS - Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Zamboni, Rodrigo Andrighetti; Wagner, João Carlos Birnfeld; Volkweis, Maurício Roth; Gerhardt, Eduardo Luis; Buchmann, Elissa Muller; Bavaresco, Caren Serra

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objectives: to investigate the incidence and etiology of face trauma with diagnosis of facial fracture treated at the Buccomaxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology Service of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital Complex in Porto Alegre. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective epidemiological study of 134 trauma victims with 153 facial fractures. Results: the male gender was the most affected (86.6%) and the incidence was higher in the age group from 21 to 30 yea...

  15. Appendix the theory of space with introduction, comments, and addenda

    CERN Document Server

    Kárteszi, F

    1987-01-01

    The epoch-making work of János Bolyai is presented here, together with a supplement outlining Hungarian political and science history to help the reader to get acquainted with the miserable fate of János Bolyai and with his intellectual world. A facsimile of a copy of Bolyai''s original 1831 Scientia Spatii (also known as the Appendix) is included, together with a translation. Comments and notes, and a survey of the effects of his work, complete the volume.

  16. Effectiveness of carboxytherapy in the treatment of cellulite in healthy women: a pilot study

    OpenAIRE

    Sant'Ana, Estela Maria Correia; Pianez,Luana Ramalho Gomes; Custódio,Fernanda Silva; Guidi,Renata Michelini; de Freitas,Jauru Nunes

    2016-01-01

    Luana Ramalho Pianez,1 Fernanda Silva Custódio,1 Renata Michelini Guidi,1-4 Jauru Nunes de Freitas,5-7 Estela Sant’Ana8-10 1Ibramed Center for Education and Advanced Training (CEFAI), Amparo, 2Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital, Porto Alegre, 3University of Campinas, Campinas, 4Ibramed Research and Development Department, Amparo, São Paulo, Brazil; 5Universitá Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; 6Centro de Medicina Pesquisa e Ensino (CEMEPE), Belo ...

  17. Metabolic Signatures of Kidney Yang Deficiency Syndrome and Protective Effects of Two Herbal Extracts in Rats Using GC/TOF MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linjing Zhao

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Kidney Yang Deficiency Syndrome (KDS-Yang, a typical condition in Chinese medicine, shares similar clinical signs of the glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome. To date, the underlying mechanism of KDS-Yang has been remained unclear, especially at the metabolic level. In this study, we report a metabolomic profiling study on a classical model of KDS-Yang in rats induced by hydrocortisone injection to characterize the metabolic transformation using gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. WKY1, a polysaccharide extract from Astragalus membranaceus and Lycium barbarum, and WKY2, an aqueous extract from a similar formula containing Astragalus membranaceus, Lycium barbarum, Morinda officinalis, Taraxacum mongolicum, and Cinnamomum cassia presl, were used separately for protective treatments of KDS-Yang. The changes of serum metabolic profiles indicated that significant alterations of key metabolic pathways in response to abrupt hydrocortisone perturbation, including decreased energy metabolism (lactic acid, acetylcarnitine, lipid metabolism (free fatty acids, 1-monolinoleoylglycerol, and cholesterol, gut microbiota metabolism (indole-3-propionic acid, biosynthesis of catecholamine (norepinephrine, and elevated alanine metabolism, were attenuated or normalized with different degrees by the pretreatment of WKY1 or WKY2, which is consistent with the observations in which the two herbal agents could ameliorate biochemical markers of serum cortisone, adrenocorticotropic (ACTH, and urine 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS.

  18. The Effect of Organic and Conventional Cropping Systems on CO2 Emission from Agricultural Soils: Preliminary Results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano Grego

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available The effects of different agricultural systems on soil organic carbon content and CO2 emission are investigated in this work. In a long-term experiment a conventional system, characterized by traditional agricultural practices (as deep tillage and chemical inputs was compared with an organic one, including green manure and organic fertilizers. Both systems have a three-year crop rotation including pea – durum wheat – tomato; the organic system is implemented with the introduction of common vetch (Vicia sativa L. and sorghum (Sorghum vulgare bicolor as cover crops. In the year 2006 (5 years after the experimentation beginning was determined the soil C content and was measured the CO2 emissions from soil. The first results showed a trend of CO2 production higher in organic soils in comparison with conventional one. Among the two compared cropping systems the higher differences of CO2 emission were observed in tomato soil respect to the durum wheat and pea soils, probably due to the vetch green manuring before the tomato transplanting. These results are in agreement with the total organic carbon content and water soluble carbon (WSC, which showed the highest values in organic soil. The first observations suggest a higher biological activity and CO2 emission in organic soil than conventional one, likely due to a higher total carbon soil content.

  19. Adaptation amidst Prosperity and Adversity : Insights from Happiness Studies from around the World

    OpenAIRE

    Graham, Carol

    2011-01-01

    Some individuals who are destitute report to be happy, while others who are very wealthy report to be miserable. There are many possible explanations for this paradox; the author focuses on the role of adaptation. Adaptation is the subject of much work in economics, but its definition is a psychological one. Adaptations are defense mechanisms; there are bad ones like paranoia, and healthy ones like humor, anticipation, and sublimation. Set point theory--which is the subject of much debate in ...

  20. "Stuck in thorns". The effects of power on Liberian refugees in Guinea

    OpenAIRE

    Collins, Henry Ahorttor

    2013-01-01

    Abstract This thesis is about refugees who fled from Liberia to Guinea to join the miserable sea of humanity" (Malkki 1996) from January 1990 when the Charles Taylor led a rebel war that began in December 1989. Essentially, this thesis focuses on analyzing how first the bureaucratic power exercised by UNHCR and CNISR, as well as second, everyday power by Guinean majority affect Liberian refugees in Guinea, and how the refugees themself have found ways to address the challenges they meet. ...

  1. Fenomén Les Misérables - Bídníci: Nejdéle uváděný muzikál na světě

    OpenAIRE

    Pacasová, Veronika

    2017-01-01

    7 Abstract: In my bachelor thesis I focus on several points of view within the musical phenomenon Les Miserables. I describe it's history in France, England and Czechoslovakia. I analyze final musical dramatization from novel's original. I compare original french version of the musical to the english version. I ask question why is this musical so successful. From director and scenic points of view I compare productions of GOJA Music Hall Theatre and Brno City Theatre. In short I Also focus on...

  2. NEW AND RARE PLANTS FOR THE FLORA OF CENTRAL SIBERIА

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. I. Kurbatsky

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Three species (Ceratophyllum submersum L., Astragalus glycyphyllos L., Centaurea apiculata Ledeb. are reported for the first time for the flora of Central Siberia and two species (Amoria hybrida (L. C. Presl, Thyselium palustre (L. Rafin. for the flora of Khakassia. New localities of four rare species (Hackelia thymifolia (DC. Johnston, Chaenorhinum minus (L. Willk. et Lange, Orobanche uralensis G. Beck, Valeriana alternifolia Ledeb. of the flora of the Republic of Khakassia are also given.

  3. TDZ-induced plant regeneration in Astragalus cicer L.

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SERVER

    2008-04-17

    Apr 17, 2008 ... 1Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ankara, 06110 Dışkapı-Ankara, Turkey. ... seedling development and poor competition with weeds ... engineering methods may help to become widespread of.

  4. Effect of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch) Bunge extract on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    109.438 ± 3.52, p < 0.05) and ... Conclusion: The results suggest that AMBE may effectively normalize impaired antioxidant status in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in a dose-dependent manner. ... insulin resistance, insufficient insulin secretion, is.

  5. Genetic diversity in three morphological types of Astragalus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-09-15

    Sep 15, 2009 ... high genetic diversity suggested that each type had a potential to develop new strains or cultivars and .... herbs and widespread distributed species (Yao et al.,. 2008) ... 1) A. membranaceus var. mongholicus is a cross-.

  6. CERN Choir

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2015-01-01

      Do you like singing? The CERN Choir is looking for basses and tenors Join us! Programme Spring Session 2015: Donizetti: Misere & Missa di Gloria e Credo Bellini: Salve Regina Bruckner: Requiem in D minor Next concert: Sunday 31 May 2015 at 17:00 Musicales de Comesières (GE) Rehearsals at CERN Main Auditorium, building 500 On Wednesdays from 20.00 to 22:00 Membership fee: January to June 150 CHF September to December: 100CHF Contact: Baudouin.bleus@cern.ch Facebook/Choeur-du-CERN

  7. O Significado da pele para mulheres portadoras de dermatoses : abordagem para educação em saúde

    OpenAIRE

    Paz, Maria Hercilia Dias da

    2003-01-01

    Trata-se de um estudo com mulheres portadoras de dermatoses hospitalizadas numa instituição filantrópica de Fortaleza - Santa Casa de Misericórdia (SCM). Meu desempenho profissional como terapeuta ocupacional e também como docente despertou-me para investigar os significados atribuídos à pele no processo saúde/doença para este grupo de mulheres com dermatoses e identificar aspectos revelantes de suas vidas no contexto biopsicossocial que me permitisse compreender o cuidado desta clientela, pr...

  8. Aroma sebagai Komunikasi Artifaktual Pencetus Emosi Cinta: Studi Olfactics pada Memory Recall Peristiwa Romantis

    OpenAIRE

    Wahyuningtyas, Bhernadetta Pravita

    2015-01-01

    This study describes how scents can be a trigger for the memories about relationships. Scents inhaled do not only awaken a person's thoughts and feelings about the beautiful and fun memories in the past, but can trigger emotions also, especially the emotion of love ending up in miserable way, without power to strengthen it. Change is constant, as well as scent, its existence can always be a trigger of the emotional memories of love that is still tethered. Scents send specific messages of comm...

  9. Scorpio is Bright

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ellen McMahon

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Shaken from the series of traumatic events during my daughter Alice's fifteenth year, I was glad we were leaving town for our annual family vacation at my mother's beach house. Alice, still sullen and withdrawn, was miserable about being trapped with the family and geographically separated from her social life. One morning she pulled me aside "Mom, I need you to help me with something but you can't ask a lot of questions or tell me I can't do anything.”

  10. Effect of gum tragacanth on rheological and physical properties of a flavored milk drink made with date syrup.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keshtkaran, Maryam; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin; Asadi, Gholam Hassan; Nejad, Reza Azizi; Balaghi, Sima

    2013-08-01

    Date syrup as a nutritional additive and safe alternative to added sugar is one of the best choices for milk flavoring. In this study, a flavored milk beverage was formulated using date syrup for flavoring the product and gum tragacanth to obtain an acceptable mouth feel. Steady shear and dynamic oscillatory rheological properties of the samples contained 3 concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3%, wt/wt) of 2 types of gum tragacanth (Astragalus gossypinus and Astragalus rahensis) which at 3°C, were studied. Particle size distribution and colorimetric assays were determined by laser diffractometry and using reflection spectrometer, respectively. Sensory analysis was performed with 25 semitrained panelists, using a 5-point hedonic scale. The results showed that viscoelastic properties, flow behavior parameters, particle size, and color parameters (L*, a*, and b*, where L* represents lightness, a* represents the redness/greenness quality of the color, and b* represents the yellowness and blueness quality of the colors) were significantly affected by the concentration of the gum tragacanth and the severity of this effect was influenced by the type of gum. The use of appropriate type and concentration of gum tragacanth in date milk formulation can improve the texture and mouth feel by affecting on particle size and the flow behavior of this product. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Effect of gamma irradiation on rheological properties of polysaccharides exuded by A. fluccosus and A. gossypinus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alijani, Samira; Balaghi, Sima; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin

    2011-11-01

    In this study, Iranian gum tragacanth (GT) exudates from Astragalus fluccosus (AFG) and Astragalus gossypinus (AGG) were irradiated at 3, 7, 10 and 15 kGy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) data showed that irradiation did not induce changes in the chemical structure of either type of gum. Although particle size distribution and both steady shear and dynamic rheological properties were considerably affected by the irradiation process, the magnitude of the effect of irradiation on each of the rheological and size variables was different for the hydrocolloids. For instance, for AGG, increasing the irradiation dose from 3 to 10 kGy, the d(0.5) and D[3,2] values were reduced by one-sixth to one-eighth fold. Colour measurement revealed that the radiation process led to an increase in the yellow index and b* values for both types of GT in powder form, but it was more pronounced for AGG samples. Irradiation led to an approximate 13-fold increase in redness in AFG. Surface and shape changes of the gum crystals were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a smoother surface for irradiated samples was detected. The notable changes in functional properties of each variety of irradiated gum should be taken into consideration before using the radiation technology as a commercial tool for sterilisation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Determination of Mineral Contents of Some Legume and Cereal Forages Grown as Naturally in Pastures of Erzurum Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esra GÜRSOY

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This study was carried out to determine the mineral substances such as macro and micro minerals of legume and cereal forages grown as naturally in the pastures of Erzurum province. In present study, clover, (Medicago sativa, mountain hispanic sainfoin (Hedysarum elegans, bird vetch (Vicia cracca, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa, mountain vetch (Vicia alpestris, mountain clover (Trifolium montanum, caucasian clover (Trifolium ambiguum, the three-headed clover (Trifolium trichocephalum, tawny grass crown (Coronilla varia, the crown of the eastern horn of grass (Coronilla orientatis and yellow flowers gazelle (Lotus corniculatus from legume forages; cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum, red fescue (Festuca rubra, sheep ball (Festuca ovina, tawny bromine (Bromus variegatus, blue split (Agropyron intermedium, kelp tail grass (Phleum pratense, meadow bluegrass (Poa pratensis from cereal forages were investigated. The obtained data were subjected to an analysis of variance by using SPSS 12.0 package program. Significant differences between means were tested by using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. Macro minerals such as Nitrogen (N, Phosphorus (P, Potassium (K, Calcium (Ca, Magnesium (Mg and Sulfur (S assigned for legume forages changed between 2.39- 3.30%, 1.16-1.28%, 0.70-2.69%, 0.56-1.61%, 0.11-0.51% and 0.16-0.27%, respectively. The amounts of micro mineral like Iron (Fe, Virgin (Cu, Zinc (Zn, Manganese (Mn and Boron (B of legume forages were determined to be 105.9-893.7 ppm, 2.22-12.36 ppm, 14.11-195 ppm, 18.18-66.58 ppm and 5.91-40.39 ppm, respectively. Instances of macro minerals of cereal forages were found for N 1.76-of 2.19%, P 1.10-1.19%, K 1.99-3.25%, Ca 0.09-1.15%, Mg 0.07-0.26% and S 0.22-0.36% in present study. Micro minerals such as Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and B determined for cereal forages changed between 74.90-630.6 ppm, 4-9.84 ppm, 31.49-335.6 ppm, 24.63-94.51 ppm and 0.35-26.64 ppm, respectively. In conclusion

  13. Effect of natural bioflavonoid on in vitro ruminal microbiota activity in sheep rumen liquor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moufida Aggoun

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available A pure bioflavonoid (rutin was extracted from Eucalyptus globulus leaves and identified by Thin Layer Chromatography using purified flavonoids moieties as a control. The purified flavonoid was used in in vitro gas production test to evaluate its effect on rumen fermentation traits of three substrates: vetch-oat hay, alfalfa hay and wheat straw. The concentrations tested were at 0.5 and 1 mg/ml. Globally, the addition of rutin did not affect significantly gas production (P<0.001. Nevertheless, for both levels, rutin caused a slight decrease in methane production (P<0.05. The high reduction was observed for wheat straw (15.53%, 19.6% for 0.5mg/ml and 1mg/ml, respectively. However, in vitro degradability of the three substrates was increased but this increase was not statistically significant (P<0.001. There was not any significant change in PF and microbial biomass production due to the addition of rutin. At same, rutin inclusion did not affect ammonia production of alfalfa hay and vetch-oat hay, but that of wheat straw was significantly decreased (P<0.001. There was not any significant effect on the acetate : propionate ratio. This bioflavonoid has a potential to alter the rumen fermentation pattern, mainly, methane production. Thus, others studies will be conducted to evaluate the dose of administration which will have a maximum reduction in the methane emission and to establish its impact on ruminale microbiota composition especially protozoa and Archaea bacteria.

  14. Assessment of Changes in Weed Dry Weight and some Characteristics of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius under Different Sources of Fertilizer and Intercropping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeid Heydarzadeh

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available To study the effect of different organic and chemical fertilizers on weed biomass and some characteristics of safflower, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was done at the Urmia University Reaearch Farm in 2013. Treatments consisted of growing of cover crops (red clover, grass pea, hairy, bitter vetch along with the safflower rows and two weed control treatments (with and without weed as a first factor and application of organic manure (cattle manure+biofertilizer and the different nitrogen and phosphuros fertilizer levels (100 % of recommended chemical fertilizer, 67 and 63 % of recommended N and P, 50 and 40 % of recommended N and P as second factor. Results showed that the biomass yield of broad and narrow leaf weeds affected by the combined treatments of cover crops and use of fertilizers. The biomass yield of broad and narrow leaf weeds were redused by 74.78, 82.22% under vetch cover crop when 50 and 40% of recommended N and P fertilizers were used, in comparison with sole culture of safflower and use of 100% of recommended chemical fertilizers. The maximum of seed yield (3431 kg.ha-1 and biological yield (8239 kg.ha-1 of safflower obtained from using 100% of recommended chemical fertilizers and without growing cover crops. Results, as a whole, showed that at higher levels of chemical fertilizers the competitive effects of weeds on safflower were higher than lower levels of fertilizers.

  15. Marriage in Renaissance Drama: Defiance of Patriarchal Authority and Social Conventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim Abushihab

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the miserable position of women and marriage issues in Renaissance drama. Women were generally considered as a threat to male authority. Girls did not have the right to choose their future husbands and were mostly obliged to marry men they did not like because their choice was based on the principles of the law and norms. Under these miserable conditions, some writers of the period strived to change the negative position of society and challenged the tyranny of male authority. In Elizabeth Cary’s  The Tragedy of Mariam  (1613  and  John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi (1612, Mariam and the Duchess reject the demands of  their society to be obedient, and raise voices to assert their selfhood.  Mariam decides to get rid of these restrictions by breaking the convention of the silent women and to challenge her husband’s authority, and that of her patriarchal society. On a parallel line, The Duchess attempts to deny the authority of social conventions and impose her identity in a patriarchal society. They are rebellious women who refuse to be under male authority and represent the contradictions of female identity in patriarchal cultures. They could not bear their humiliation in their society, and they want to lead a normal life without being controlled. Both die at the end and pay their lives for defying patriarchal authority and social conventions.

  16. Operating systems and network protocols for wireless sensor networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Prabal; Dunkels, Adam

    2012-01-13

    Sensor network protocols exist to satisfy the communication needs of diverse applications, including data collection, event detection, target tracking and control. Network protocols to enable these services are constrained by the extreme resource scarcity of sensor nodes-including energy, computing, communications and storage-which must be carefully managed and multiplexed by the operating system. These challenges have led to new protocols and operating systems that are efficient in their energy consumption, careful in their computational needs and miserly in their memory footprints, all while discovering neighbours, forming networks, delivering data and correcting failures.

  17. Mood Expression in Real-Time Computer Generated Music using Pure Data

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scirea, Marco; Nelson, Mark; Cheong, Yun-Gyung

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents an empirical study that investigated if procedurally generated music based on a set of musical features can elicit a target mood in the music listener. Drawn from the two-dimensional affect model proposed by Russell, the musical features that we have chosen to express moods...... are intensity, timbre, rhythm, and dissonances. The eight types of mood investigated in this study are being bored, content, happy, miserable, tired, fearful, peaceful, and alarmed. We created 8 short music clips using PD (Pure Data) programming language, each of them represents a particular mood. We carried...

  18. The history of happiness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stearns, Peter N

    2012-01-01

    In the 18th century, the Enlightenment ushered in the notion that happiness was the attainment of a worthy life. Since then the pursuit of happiness has spread to every aspect of behavior, from religion and politics to work and parenting. Today the happiness imperative creates pressures that, paradoxically, can make us miserable. Sadness is often mistaken for a pathology. Understanding the cultural commitment to good cheer as an artifact of modern history, not as an inherent feature of the human condition, opens new opportunities for understanding key facets of our social and personal experience.

  19. La Criminología en relación a la obra “Los miserables”/Criminology in relation to the work “Les miserables”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pablo Jacob Ceballos Ramírez

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Los personajes de la reconocida obra de Víctor Hugo, Los miserables, son analizados bajo la postura criminológica del autor: Wael Hikal y de: Siegfrid Lamnek. A través de sus perspectivas teóricas se busca explicar las causas endógenas y exógenas que llevan a los Thernardier a delinquir. Igualmente se presenta la discusión acerca de la evolución del crimen, ya sea dentro de la vida del criminal o dentro de la etapa histórica de la humanidad.

  20. Ações educativas em saúde: uma proposta da terapia ocupacional para pessoas portadoras de dermatoses - doi:10.5020/18061230.2004.p72

    OpenAIRE

    Maria Hercília Dias da Paz; Raimunda Magalhães da Silva

    2012-01-01

    As dermatoses ocupacionais de contato e psicossomáticas desempenham papel de importância crescente nas sociedades, afetando os diferentes grupos etários e sociais, sem explicar um único nexo causal Trata-se de um relato de experiência, vivenciado na prática da Disciplina de Dermatologia, com alunos do Curso de Graduação de Terapia Ocupacional de uma Universidade paticular, sendo realizado na Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Fortaleza-Ce, no departamento da Clínica I– Dermatologia, o qual atende ...

  1. On Having a Good

    OpenAIRE

    Korsgaard, Christine M.

    2014-01-01

    In some recent papers I have been arguing that the concept ‘good-for’ is prior to the concept of ‘good’ (in the sense in which final ends are good), and exploring the implications of that claim. One of those implications is that everything that is good is good for someone. That implication seems to fall afoul of our intuitions about certain cases, such as the intuition that a world full of happy people and animals is better than a world full of miserable ones, even if the people and animals a...

  2. Effect of Integrated Weed Management Methods on Yield and Yield Components of Corn (Zea mays L. in Kermanshah Province, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Amini

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Corn (Zea mays L. is cultivated widely throughout the world and has the highest production among the cerealsafter rice and wheat. In Iran the total production of corn in 2013 was more than 2540000 tons. Weeds are one of the greatest limiting factors to decrease corn yield in Iran as the average yield loss due to weeds in the fields of Kermanshah in 2009 was 17.32 %. The herbicides are the main weed control method in conventional cropping systems but their application has been increased herbicide resistant weeds and environmental pollution. Integrated weed management combines all applicable including chemical and non-chemical methods to reduce the effect of weeds in the cropping systems. Thus, Weed control strategies such as tillage, mulch, cover crops and intercropping could be used for integrated weed management of corn. Previous studies showed that crop residues such as rye (Secale sereal L., wheat (Triticum aestivum L., barley (Hordeum vulgare L. and clover (Trifolium sp., cover crops and living mulch could inhibit weed germination and growth. Therefore the objective of this study was evaluating the effects of some integrated weed management treatments on weed characteristics, yield components and grain yield of corn. Materials and methods: In order to evaluate the effect of some weed management treatments on corn (Zea mays L. yield an experiment was conducted in 2014 in Ravansar, Kermanshah, Iran. This study was arranged based on randomized complete block design with 10 treatments and three replications. The weed management treatments were including 1-chemical control followed by mechanical control (application of nicosulfuron at a dose of 80 g.a.i.ha-1 + cultivator 40 days after emergence 2- chemical control followed by mechanical control (application of 2,4-D+MCPA at a dose of 675 g.a.i.ha-1 + cultivator 40 days after emergence 3- cultural control followed by mechanical control (planting hairy vetch (Vicia villosa in the fall

  3. Carbon balance and crop residue management in dynamic equilibrium under a no-till system in Campos Gerais

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ademir de Oliveira Ferreira

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The adoption of no-tillage systems (NT and the maintenance of crop residues on the soil surface result in the long-term increase of carbon (C in the system, promoting C sequestration and reducing C-CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the C sequestration rate and the minimum amount of crop residues required to maintain the dynamic C equilibrium (dC/dt = 0 of two soils (Typic Hapludox with different textural classes. The experiment was arranged in a 2 x 2 x 2 randomized block factorial design. The following factors were analyzed: (a two soil types: Typic Hapludox (Oxisol with medium texture (LVTM and Oxisol with clay texture (LVTA, (b two sampling layers (0-5 and 5-20 cm, and (c two sampling periods (P1 - October 2007; P2 - September 2008. Samples were collected from fields under a long-term (20 years NT system with the following crop rotations: wheat/soybean/black oat + vetch/maize (LVTM and wheat/maize/black oat + vetch/soybean (LVTA. The annual C sequestration rates were 0.83 and 0.76 Mg ha-1 for LVTM and LVTA, respectively. The estimates of the minimum amount of crop residues required to maintain a dynamic equilibrium (dC/dt = 0 were 7.13 and 6.53 Mg ha-1 year-1 for LVTM and LVTA, respectively. The C conversion rate in both studied soils was lower than that reported in other studies in the region, resulting in a greater amount of crop residues left on the soil surface.

  4. Mapping Utopia: Cartography and Social Reform in 19th Century Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew Graves

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available From the 16th century on, the great Southern continent figured in the European literary and political imagination as a field for utopian thought. While we might expect such Arcadian essays to tail off as the colonisation of Australia proceeded apace in the late 18th, early 19th centuries, such was not the case: there are many examples of utopian literature set in Australia in the 19th and 20th centuries, and several examples from the 1830s , the period examined in this article. This article explores the utopian elements in the work of three near contemporaries: Edward G. Wakefield (1796-1862, Thomas J. Maslen (1787-1857 and James Vetch (1789-1869 who mapped onto Australia political and social projects that had their origin and rationale in objectives for reform in the mother country. They brought to their self-appointed task underlying assumptions and biases that reveal a range of influences, not least those of colonial expansionism, and an imperial disregard for the realities of the terrain and inhabitants of a country they had never visited. The article undertakes a close reading of the maps, systems of nomenclature and division of territory proposed by two of the three: Maslen and Vetch, and their underlying rationale and function. Both writers sought to redraw the map of Australia in order to advance projects for reform, imposing on an ‘empty land’ principles of division and sub-division claimed to be rational and scientific and yet essentially utopian.

  5. Screening for antibacterial and antibiofilm activities in Astragalus angulosus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hussein Kanaan

    2017-03-01

    Methods: the plant was collected in April of 2013 and it was divided into several different portions, then its extracts were obtained by maceration using two different solvents. Extract analysis followed directly, where microtiter broth dilution method was employed to assess antibacterial activity, while antibiofilm potential was tested using colorimetric method. Results: whole plant ethanolic extract showed the highest bacteriostatic effect at a concentration of 12.78 mg ml-1 and also was the most versatile exerting its effect against 3 different strains. Other extracts also exhibited an effect but at higher concentrations and each against a single strain. Regarding antibiofilm activity, the majority of the extracts were able to eradicate >50% of Staphylococcus epidermidis preformed biofilm, where the highest activity was obtained with flower fraction extracted in water, achieving 67.7% biofilm eradication at 0.2 mg ml-1. Conclusions: This plant possesses a promising potential in regard to eradicating bacteria and their biofilms, and it is the first contributing step of establishing a library for the endemic Lebanese plants in this domain. [J Complement Med Res 2017; 6(1.000: 50-57

  6. Physical Stability of Oil in Water Emulsions in the Presence of Gamma Irradiated Gum Tragacanth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meybodi, Neda Mollakhalili; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin; Farhoodi, Mehdi

    2017-01-01

    Gum tragacanth (GT) exuded from an Iranian Astragalus species was γ-irradiated at 0, 0.75, 1.5, 3, 5, 7, 10 kGy and used to stabilize a model oil in water emulsion system. Stability and physicochemical properties of emulsion samples were investigated with respect to the effect of irradiation...... treatment on functional properties of gum tragacanth. Particle size distribution, interfacial tension, zeta potential, steady shear and oscillatory rheological measurements were used to characterize and evaluate the emulsion samples and obtain more information about the possible stability mechanism...

  7. A comparative study on the emulsifying properties of various species of gum tragacanth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farzi, Mina; Emam-Djomeh, Zahra; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin

    2013-06-01

    Emulsification activities of three different species of gum tragacanth containing Astragalus gossypinus, A. compactus and A. rahensis were investigated. Emulsion stability indexes, particle size distributions, steady and unsteady rheological properties and some other physicochemical attributes including the surface tensions and uronic acid contents were taken into consideration. It was revealed that A. gossypinus created the most stable emulsions although having lower viscosity than A. compactus. It is believed that higher insoluble fraction and higher uronic content made this species a good steric and electrostatic emulsifier. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Tragacanth Gum: Structural Composition, Natural Functionality and Enxymatic Conversion as Source of Potential Prebiotic Activity

    OpenAIRE

    Ahmadi Gavlighi, Hassan; Mikkelsen, Jørn Dalgaard; Meyer, Anne S.

    2013-01-01

    Tragantgummi afledt af planten (Astragalus sp.) Har en lang historie for anvendelse som en stabiliserende, viskositetsforøgende middel i fødevarer emulsioner.Gummiet er hovedsageligt produceres i Mellemøsten,og tilladt til anvendelse i fødevarer i USA såvel som i Europa(E-nummer E413). Tragantgummi er kendt for at givemeget høje viskositeter, når de er i vandig opløsning, oger beskrevet som en kompleks, særdeles forgrenet, heterogene hydrofil polysaccharid. Gummiet indeholder pectinaceous Ara...

  9. Combining mechanical rhizome removal and cover crops for Elytrigia repens control in organic barley systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Melander, B; Nørremark, M; Kristensen, E F

    2013-01-01

    of vegetative propagules located within the plough layer to allow for quick re-establishment of a plant cover. A field experiment comparing the effects of conventional practices (stubble cultivation) with different combinations of rotary cultivation (One, Two or four passes) and cover crops (none vs. rye......-vetch-mustard mixture) on Elytrigia repens rhizome removal, shoot growth and suppression of a subsequent barley crop was examined in two growing seasons. Four passes with a modified rotary cultivator, where each pass was followed by rhizome removal, reduced E. repens shoot growth in barley by 84% and 97%. In general...

  10. Inhibition of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) root growth by cyanamide is not always accompanied with enhancement of ROS production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soltys, Dorota; Gniazdowska, Agnieszka; Bogatek, Renata

    2013-05-01

    Mode of action of allelochemicals in target plants is currently widely studied. Cyanamide is one of the newly discovered allelochemical, biosynthesized in hairy vetch. Recently, it has been recognized that cyanamide is plant growth inhibitor, which affects mitosis in root tip cells and causes,e.g., disorder in phytohormonal balance. We also demonstrated that CA may act as oxidative stress agent but it strictly depends on plant species, exposure time and doses. Roots of tomato seedling treated with water solution of 1.2 mM cyanamide did not exhibit elevated reactive oxygen species concentration during the whole culture period.

  11. O papel do terceiro setor na promoção do turismo social

    OpenAIRE

    Almeida, Vasco

    2014-01-01

    Este capítulo pretende analisar o papel do terceiro setor na promoção do turismo social. Partindo da análise do projeto Turicórdia, criado pela União das Misericórdias Portuguesas, mostra-se que o terceiro setor deve ser encarado como uma forma de governação da atividade socioeconómica com uma lógica de funcionamento própria e que pode desenvolver formas inovadoras de organização da produção, contrariando algumas tendências de isomorfismo institucional, já evidenciadas na literatura. A anális...

  12. A lecture on lecturing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calnan, J

    1976-11-01

    There are major differences between a lecture and a paper for publication. Often the printed word is spoken at meetings, a kind of compulsive public reading which has robbed the lecturer of the chance of oratory and the audience of a little enjoyment. The simple fact is that although doctors read aloud badly (actors do this far better) most can learn to speak spontaneolsly and with animation; but this requires time and effort, both of which are donated in a miserly way. The successful lecturer is generous and considerate of his audience--a rare being at medical meetings.

  13. Obreros agrícolas migrantes en Sinaloa

    OpenAIRE

    Florencio Posadas Segura

    2015-01-01

    El objetivo de este artículo es demostrar la presencia significativa de los obreros agrícolas migrantes, algunas características que la explican y la pauperización que experimentan. La causa principal de la migración es la desocupación; los empresarios controlan los métodos de contratación, trasportación y explotación, y los jornaleros rurales migrantes trabajan más, ganan menos y su situación es mayormente miserable. Esto se ilustra con el caso de Villa Benito Juárez, Sinaloa, que prueba la ...

  14. OS CUIDADOS COM A SAÚDE E A CARIDADE: A CONSTRUÇÃO E O COTIDIANO DO HOSPITAL PEDRO II NA CIDADE DO RECIFE DURANTE A SEGUNDA METADE DO SÉCULO XIX

    OpenAIRE

    Carlos Alberto Cunha Miranda

    2013-01-01

    Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar o cotidiano do Hospital Pedro II na segunda metade do século XIX, na cidade do Recife. Dependente das ações da Santa Casa de Misericórdia, o nosocômio será caracterizado por tensões entre a caridade e as atividades dos médicos. Através do isolamento dos pacientes, submetidos a um rígido controle imposto pelas Irmãs de Caridade, fica evidente um tenso relacionamento entre eles, as religiosas e o corpo médico. Chamarei atenção...

  15. Burnout em Cuidadores Formais

    OpenAIRE

    Silva, Juliana Marisa Fernandes

    2016-01-01

    Dissertação apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Psicologia, ramo de Psicologia Clínica e da Saúde Este estudo é sobre a Síndrome de Burnout e teve como objetivo geral compreender se o Burnout está presente nos cuidadores formais da Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Castelo de Paiva e quais as variáveis socioprofissionais que poderão exercer influência no seu aparecimento. Pretendeu-se avaliar o Burnout dos cuidadores a tr...

  16. Politicised climate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaerner, Olavi

    1999-01-01

    Global warming is possible due to the increase of the greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. That circumstance, together with the general uncertainty about the exact definition of climate, enables politicians to give arbitrary interpretations of the time sequences collected on changes in temperatures, precipitations, etc., and thus, to intimidate people by predicting dire consequences. The paper explains some of the popular (mis)interpretations. The real effect on the contemporary climate caused by the increasing greenhouse gas reinforcement is still unknown owing to the complexity of the Earth's climatic system. Its modelling accuracy is still miserable. (author)

  17. Molecular studies on the function of tumor suppressor gene in gastrointestinal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, You Cheoul

    1993-01-01

    Cancer of stomach, colon and liver are a group of the most common cancer in Korea. However, results with current therapeutic modalities are still unsatisfactory. The intensive efforts have been made to understand basic pathogenesis and to find better therapeutic tools for the treatment of this miserable disease. We studies the alteration of tumor suppressor gene in various Gastrointestinal cancer in Korea. Results showed that genetic alteration of Rb gene was in 83% of colorectal cancer. Our results suggest that genetic alteration of Rb gene is crucially involved in the tumorigenesis of colorectum in Korea. (Author)

  18. Atributos químicos de um Cambissolo Húmico após 12 anos sob preparo convencional e semeadura direta em rotação e sucessão de culturas Chemical properties of a Humic Dystrudept after 12 years under conventional and no tillage with crop succession and rotation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andréia Patrícia Andrade

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available O manejo adequado do solo é uma das bases para a sustentabilidade do sistema agrícola. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar atributos químicos de um Cambissolo Húmico Alumínico após 12 anos em dois sistemas de preparo do solo, com rotação e sucessão de culturas. O experimento foi conduzido em Lages, SC, utilizando preparo convencional (PC e semeadura direta (SD, sob rotação (r e sucessão (s de culturas. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições. As sequências de cultivo foram: feijão-pousio-milho-pousio-soja-pousio no PCr; milho-pousio no PCs; feijão-aveia-milho-nabo-soja-ervilhaca na SDr; e milho-ervilhaca na SDs. As amostras de solo foram coletadas nas camadas 0-2,5; 2,5-5; 5-10; e 10-20cm. Avaliou-se carbono orgânico total (COT, cálcio, magnésio, alumínio trocável, fósforo, potássio, nitrogênio total (NT e pH em água. A SD aumentou os teores de COT e nutrientes em comparação ao PC, especialmente na camada superficial do solo. O cultivo de milho e ervilhaca em sucessão aumentou os teores de COT e NT na camada superficial do solo em comparação com a rotação sob semeadura direta.Suitable soil management is one of the bases for sustainability in agricultural systems. The study aimed to evaluate chemical properties of a Humic Dystrudept for 12 years under two tillage systems, with crops rotation and succession. The experiment was carried out in Lages, SC, under conventional tillage (CT and no-till (NT, with rotation (r and succession (s cropping systems, using crop sequences of beans-fallow-maize-fallow-soybean in CTr; maize-fallow in CTs; beans-oats-maize-fodder radish-soybean-vetch in NTr; and maize-vetch in NTs. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replicates. The soil samples were collected in the layers 0-2.5, 2.5-5, 5-10 and 10-20cm. The variables assessed were total organic carbon (TOC, calcium, magnesium, exchangeable aluminum, phosphorus, potassium

  19. Chemical characteristics and global density of an eutroferric red latosol cultivated with cover crops in Toledo District, Parana StateCaracterísticas químicas e densidade global de um latossolo vermelho eutróferrico cultivado com plantas de cobertura em Toledo-PR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maicon Vendrúscolo

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available The expansion of agricultural frontier through deforestation, adoption of mechanization and intensive use of inappropriate management practices, has promoted changes in the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil, resulting in degradation processes, thus reducing productivity. Based on this, the objective the work was to evaluate the chemical characteristics and the global density of an Eutroferric Red Latosol of the experimental area of the Parana Catholic University, Toledo Campus. The experimental design used was casualized blocks with four replicates, in which the treatments were: millet, hairy vetch and control (spontaneous vegetation. The evaluations were: dry mass production, with the highest amount for millet (7.07 Mg ha¹, global soil density in which the lowest value was under control and the highest in hairy vetch; density of weeds population in which the control treatment had the highest value on; soil chemical characteristics, in which both hairy vetch and millet presented higher results compared to the control, being different in some nutrients, such as phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen.A expansão da fronteira agrícola através de desmatamentos, adoção de mecanização intensiva e uso de práticas de manejo inadequadas, tem promovido alterações nas propriedades físicas, químicas e biológicas do solo, resultando em processos de degradação, reduzindo desta maneira a produtividade. Com base no exposto, o objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar características químicas e densidade global de um Latossolo Vermelho Eutróferrico, da área experimental da Fazenda da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Campus Toledo, sob tratamentos do milheto (Pennisetum glaucum e da ervilhaca peluda (Vicia villosa como plantas de cobertura. O delineamento utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições, em que os tratamentos foram: milheto, ervilhaca peluda e testemunha (vegetação espontânea. As avalia

  20. Análise econômica de sistemas de produção de grãos com pastagens anuais de inverno, em sistema plantio direto Economic analysis of grain production systems with annual winter pastures, under no-tillage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    RENATO SERENA FONTANELI

    2000-11-01

    Full Text Available Durante seis anos (1990 a 1995, foram avaliados, no CEPAGRO-Centro de Extensão e Pesquisa Agronômica, da Faculdade de Agronomia da Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF, em Passo Fundo, RS, quatro sistemas de produção de grãos com pastagens anuais de inverno. Os sistemas foram constituídos por: sistema I (trigo/soja, aveia-preta pastejada/soja e aveia-preta pastejada/soja; sistema II (trigo/soja e aveia-preta + ervilhaca pastejadas/milho; sistema III (trigo/soja, aveia-preta + ervilhaca pastejadas/soja e aveia-preta + ervilhaca pastejadas/milho; e sistema IV (trigo/soja, aveia-branca/soja e aveia-branca/soja. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com três repetições, e parcelas totalizando 500 m². Na média dos seis anos, o sistema II mostrou maior receita líquida (R$ 432,71/ha do que o sistema IV (R$ 322,93/ha. Por sua vez, o sistema II não diferiu significativamente dos sistemas I (R$ 377,93/ha e III (R$ 400,27/ha. A integração lavoura pecuária sob sistema de cultivo plantio direto foi viável tanto para as culturas de inverno e de verão como para a engorda de bovinos no período invernal.During six years (1990 to 1995, at the CEPAGRO-Centro de Extensão e Pesquisa Agronômica, of the Faculdade de Agronomia da Universidade de Passo Fundo, in Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil, the effects of grain production systems and annual winter pastures were assessed. The economic analysis on that period is presented in this paper. Four production systems were evaluated: system I (wheat/soybean, grazed black oats/soybean, and grazed black oats/soybean; system II (wheat/soybean and grazed black oats + grazed common vetch/pasture/corn; system III (wheat/soybean, grazed black oats + grazed common vetch/soybean, and grazed black oats + grazed common vetch/corn; and system IV (wheat/soybean, white oats/soybean, and white oats/soybean. An experimental design in blocks at random, with three replications and plots with 500 m², was used. In the

  1. Macroaggregation and soil organic carbon restoration in a highly weathered Brazilian Oxisol after two decades under no-till.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Oliveira Ferreira, Ademir; de Moraes Sá, João Carlos; Lal, Rattan; Tivet, Florent; Briedis, Clever; Inagaki, Thiago Massao; Gonçalves, Daniel Ruiz Potma; Romaniw, Jucimare

    2018-04-15

    Conclusions based on studies of the impacts of soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions and soil texture on macroaggregation and SOC stabilization in long-term (>20years) no-till (NT) fields remain debatable. This study was based on the hypothesis that the amount and frequency of biomass-C input associated with NT can be a pathway to formation of macroaggregates and to SOC buildup. The objectives were to: 1) assess the macroaggregate distribution (proportional mass, class mass) and the SOC and particulate organic carbon (POC) stocks of extra-large (8-19mm), large (2-8mm) and small (0.25-2mm) macroaggregate size classes managed for two decades by NT, and 2) assess the recovery of SOC stocks in extra-large macroaggregates compared to adjacent native vegetation (Andropogon sp., Aristida sp., Paspalum sp., and Panicum sp.). The crop rotation systems were: soybean (Glycine max L.), maize (Zea mays L.) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in summer; and black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb), white oat (Avena sativa), vetch (Vicia sativa L.), black oat.+vetch (Avena strigosa Schreb+vetch) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in winter. The experimental was laid out as 2×2 randomized block factorial with 12 replicates of a NT experiment established in 1997 on two highly weathered Oxisols. The factors comprised of: (a) two soil textural types: clay loam and sandy clay, and (b) two sampling depths: 0-5 and 5-20cm. The three classes of macroaggregates were obtained by wet sieving, and the SOC content was determined by the dry combustion method. The extra-large macroaggregate classes in 0-20cm depth for sandy clay (SdC) and clay loam (CL) Oxisol represented 75.2 and 72.4% of proportional mass, respectively. The SOC and POC stocks among macroaggregate classes in 0-5 and 5-20cm depths decreased in the order: 8-19mm>2-8mm ≈ 0.25-2mm. The SdC plots under soybean/maize at 3:1 ratio recovered 58.3%, while those at 1:1 ratio (high maize frequency) in CL recovered 73.1% of SOC stock in the extra

  2. Efeito de coberturas de inverno e sua época de manejo sobre a infestação de plantas daninhas na cultura de milho Effect of winter cover crops and their management timing on weed infestation in maize crop

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.A. Balbinot Jr.

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available No sistema de plantio direto, a presença de palha sobre o solo proporciona significativa supressão de plantas daninhas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial de coberturas de inverno e sua época de manejo em reduzir a infestação de plantas daninhas na cultura de milho quando semeada em sucessão. Dois experimentos foram realizados em Canoinhas, SC, nas safras 2003/04 e 2004/05. No primeiro experimento, avaliaram-se seis coberturas de solo no inverno: nabo forrageiro, aveia-preta, centeio, azevém, consórcio entre aveia-preta e ervilhaca e o consórcio entre nabo forrageiro, aveia-preta, centeio, azevém e ervilhaca. Essas coberturas foram roçadas em três épocas antes da semeadura do milho: 1, 10 e 25 dias. Já no segundo experimento, foram avaliados os efeitos de supressão de plantas daninhas pela palha das seis coberturas citadas anteriormente, mais a ervilhaca. As palhas de azevém e do consórcio das cinco espécies utilizadas no experimento apresentaram alta capacidade em suprimir a emergência e o acúmulo de massa seca das plantas daninhas, enquanto a palha de nabo forrageiro apresentou baixo potencial de supressão. O manejo das coberturas próximo à semeadura da cultura de milho reduziu a infestação de plantas daninhas.Straw on the soil significantly reduces weed infestation under the no-tillage system. The aim of this research was to evaluate the potential of winter cover crops and their management timing in reducing weed infestation in maize crop. Two experiments were carried out in Canoinhas, SC, Brazil, in 2003/2004 and 2004/2005. In the first experiment, six winter cover crops were investigated: oilseed radish, black oat, rye, rye grass, intercropped among black oat and common vetch and among oilseed radish, black oat, rye, ryegrass and common vetch. These cover crops were slashed down at three different times before maize seeding (1, 10 and 25 days. In the second experiment, the potential to reduce weed

  3. Corpo miserável, espírito empreendedor: empreendedorismo, pobreza e desemprego no Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Salgado

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available

    Neste artigo analiso a recente figura jurídica criada pelogoverno brasileiro, o Empreendedor Individual, como nova ferramentado processo de transferência de responsabilidade pelo acesso aomercado de trabalho – responsabilidade esta que deixa de ser coletiva, tornando-se individual.

    Sugiro que tal processo de transferência confere aos indivíduos a responsabilização não apenas por sua situaçãode desemprego, mas também de pobreza e miséria. Classificando o empreendedorismo como a melhor (ou mesmo a única alternativaao problema de desemprego e miséria, os discursos aqui analisadostrabalham na construção de subjetividades empreendedoras comosendo positivas, requeridas e heroicas. E ao difundirem que o brasileiro é um ser “naturalmente empreendedor”, naturalizam a noção de quequalquer um é capaz de sair do estado de pobreza por meio da ação empreendedora.

  4. Complexation of sodium caseinate with gum tragacanth: Effect of various species and rheology of coacervates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghorbani Gorji, Sara; Ghorbani Gorji, Elham; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin; Zargaraan, Azizollaah

    2014-06-01

    We investigated complex coacervation of sodium caseinate/Astragalus rahensis (A.r) as a function of pH with light scattering, spectrophotometry, and viscosity measurements. Interestingly, sodium caseinate/A.r displayed five structural transitions; pH 7.00 to pH ∼5.40: no interaction occurred, pH ∼5.40 to pH ∼4.80: initiation of the formation of primary soluble complexes, pH ∼4.80 to ∼4.30: formation of interpolymer complexes, pH ∼4.30 to ∼4.02: optimum coacervation and pH ∼4.02 to ∼2.50: suppression of coacervation. In addition, rheological properties of sodium caseinate/A.r coacervates were studied at various pH values. A much higher storage modulus (G') than loss modulus (G″) for all sodium caseinate/A.r coacervates suggests the formation of highly interconnected gel-like network structures with mainly elastic behaviour. Moreover, sodium caseinate/A.r coacervates at all pH values exhibited a shear thinning behaviour across the entire shear rate range investigated. Effects of different species of gum tragacanth on the interactions with sodium caseinate have been scarcely studied. Our study showed that systems containing various species (A.r, soluble fraction of A.r and Astragalus gossypinus (A.g)) had different critical pH values and particle sizes during complex coacervation, which could be due to different ratio of soluble to insoluble fractions and uronic acid content of various species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Indicator species of essential forest tree species in the Burdur district.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negiz, Mehmet Güvenç; Eser, Yunus; Kuzugüdenll, Emre; Izkan, Kürşad

    2015-01-01

    The forests of Burdur district for long have been subjected to over grazing and individual selection. As a result of this, majority of the forest areas in the district were degraded. In the district, afforestation efforts included majority of forestry implementations. It is well known that selecting suitable species plays an important role for achieving afforestation efforts. In this context, knowing the indicator species among the target species would be used in afforestation efforts, studies on the interrelationships between environmental factors and target species distribution is vital for selecting suitable species for a given area. In this study, Anatolian Black pine (Pinus nigra), Red pine (Pinus brutia), Crimean juniper (Juniperus excelsa) and Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani), essential tree species, were considered as target species. The data taken from 100 sample plots in Burdur district was used. Interspecific correlation analysis was performed to determine the positive and negative indicator species among each of the target species. As a result of ICA, 2 positive (Berberis crataegina, Juniperus oxycedrus), 2 negative (Phillyrea latifolia, Quercus coccifera) for Crimean Juniper, I positive (Juniperus oxycedrus), 3 negative (Onopordium acanthium, Fraxinus ornus, Phillyrea latifolia) for Anatolian black pine, 3 positive (Paliurus spina-christi, Quercus coccifer, Crataegus orientalis), 2 negative (Berberis crataegina, Astragalus nanus) for Red pine and 3 positive (Berberis crataegina, Rhamnus oleoides, Astragalus prusianus) 2 negative (Paliurus spina-christi, Quercus cerris) for Taurus cedarwere defined as indicator plant species. In this way, practical information was obtained for selecting the most suitable species, among the target species, for afforestation efforts in Burdur district.

  6. Enzymatic depolymerization of gum tragacanth: bifidogenic potential of low molecular weight oligosaccharides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavlighi, Hassan Ahmadi; Michalak, Malwina; Meyer, Anne S; Mikkelsen, J Dalgaard

    2013-02-13

    Gum tragacanth derived from the plant "goat's horn" (Astragalus sp.) has a long history of use as a stabilizing, viscosity-enhancing agent in food emulsions. The gum contains pectinaceous arabinogalactans and fucose-substituted xylogalacturonans. In this work, gum tragacanth from Astragalus gossypinus was enzymatically depolymerized using Aspergillus niger pectinases (Pectinex BE Color). The enzymatically degraded products were divided into three molecular weight fractions via membrane separation: HAG1 10 kDa. Compositional and linkage analyses showed that these three fractions also varied with respect to composition and structural elements: HAG1 and HAG2 were enriched in arabinose, galactose, and galacturonic acid, but low in fucose and xylose, whereas HAG3 was high in (terminal) xylose, fucose, and 1,4-bonded galacturonic acid, but low in arabinose and galactose content. The growth-stimulating potential of the three enzymatically produced gum tragacanth fractions was evaluated via growth assessment on seven different probiotic strains in single-culture fermentations on Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum (two strains), B. longum subsp. infantis (three strains), Lactobacillus acidophilus , B. lactis, and on one pathogenic strain of Clostridium perfringens . The fractions HAG1 and HAG2 consistently promoted higher growth of the probiotic strains than HAG3, especially of the three B. longum subsp. infantis strains, and the growth promotion on HAG1 and HAG2 was better than that on galactan (control). HAG3 completely inhibited the growth of the C. perfringens strain. Tragacanth gum is thus a potential source of prebiotic carbohydrates that exert no viscosity effects and which may find use as natural functional food ingredients.

  7. Mucilage production during the incompatible interaction between Orobanche crenata and Vicia sativa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-de-Luque, Alejandro; Lozano, M Dolores; Cubero, José I; González-Melendi, Pablo; Risueño, M Carmen; Rubiales, Diego

    2006-01-01

    Orobanche spp. (broomrapes) are holoparasites lacking in chlorophyll and totally dependent on their host for their supply of nutrients. O. crenata is a severe constraint to legumes cultivation and breeding for resistance remains as one of the best available methods of control. However, little is known about the basis of host resistance to broomrapes. It is a multicomponent event, and resistance based on hampering development and necrosis of broomrape tubercles has been reported. In the present work, the formation of mucilage and occlusion of host xylem vessels associated with the death of O. crenata tubercles were studied histologically. Samples of necrotic O. crenata tubercles established on resistant and susceptible vetch genotypes were collected. The samples were fixed, sectioned and stained using different procedures. The sections were observed at the light microscopy level, either under bright field, epi-fluorescence or confocal laser scanning microscopy. A higher proportion of necrotic tubercles was found on the resistant genotype and this was associated with a higher percentage of occluded vessels. Mucilage is composed mainly by carbohydrates (non-esterified pectins) and the presence of polyphenols was also detected. The mucilage and other substances composed by parasite secretions and host-degraded products was found to block host vessels and obstruct the parasite supply channel, being a quantitative defensive response against O. crenata in vetch, and probably also in other legumes and plants. The presence of foreign substances (i.e. parasite secretions) and host-degraded products (i.e. carbohydrates from cell walls) inside host vessels seems to activate this response and leads to xylem occlusion and further death of established Orobanche tubercles.

  8. Developmental morphology of cover crop species exhibit contrasting behaviour to changes in soil bulk density, revealed by X-ray computed tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burr-Hersey, Jasmine E; Mooney, Sacha J; Bengough, A Glyn; Mairhofer, Stefan; Ritz, Karl

    2017-01-01

    Plant roots growing through soil typically encounter considerable structural heterogeneity, and local variations in soil dry bulk density. The way the in situ architecture of root systems of different species respond to such heterogeneity is poorly understood due to challenges in visualising roots growing in soil. The objective of this study was to visualise and quantify the impact of abrupt changes in soil bulk density on the roots of three cover crop species with contrasting inherent root morphologies, viz. tillage radish (Raphanus sativus), vetch (Vicia sativa) and black oat (Avena strigosa). The species were grown in soil columns containing a two-layer compaction treatment featuring a 1.2 g cm-3 (uncompacted) zone overlaying a 1.4 g cm-3 (compacted) zone. Three-dimensional visualisations of the root architecture were generated via X-ray computed tomography, and an automated root-segmentation imaging algorithm. Three classes of behaviour were manifest as a result of roots encountering the compacted interface, directly related to the species. For radish, there was switch from a single tap-root to multiple perpendicular roots which penetrated the compacted zone, whilst for vetch primary roots were diverted more horizontally with limited lateral growth at less acute angles. Black oat roots penetrated the compacted zone with no apparent deviation. Smaller root volume, surface area and lateral growth were consistently observed in the compacted zone in comparison to the uncompacted zone across all species. The rapid transition in soil bulk density had a large effect on root morphology that differed greatly between species, with major implications for how these cover crops will modify and interact with soil structure.

  9. Mortalidade escrava durante a epidemia de cólera no Rio de Janeiro (1855-1856: uma análise preliminar Slave mortality during the cholera epidemic in Rio de Janeiro (1855-1856: a preliminary analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaori Kodama

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Apresenta uma primeira análise do perfil sociodemográfico dos óbitos registrados durante a primeira epidemia de cólera no Rio de Janeiro, a partir de dados coletados nos registros de óbito da Santa Casa de Misericórdia. Desde a manifestação do cólera, em 1855, relatos médicos brasileiros apontam seu viés social, que, no caso do país, implicava a alta mortalidade de escravos e livres pobres. Do ponto de vista histórico, entretanto, a epidemia e sua dinâmica foram pouco estudadas. A recuperação de dados originais sobre o cólera e a análise das taxas de mortalidade associadas à doença auxiliam-nos a melhor compreender aspectos do universo escravo na zona urbana da cidade, no período subsequente ao fim do tráfico negreiro.The article offers a preliminary analysis of the sociodemographic profile of deaths recorded during the first cholera epidemic in Rio de Janeiro, based on data gathered from death records at Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital. After cholera appeared in the country in 1855, Brazilian medical reports indicated a social bias, with slaves and the free poor suffering high mortality. From a historical perspective, however, little research has been done on the epidemic and its dynamics. The recovery of original data on cholera and the analysis of cholera mortality rates help us to better understand aspects of the slave universe in the urban zone of Rio de Janeiro in the period following the end of the slave trade.

  10. Radioactive contamination of plants in Japan covered with rainout from H-bomb detonations in March-May 1954 at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Island. Part II. Radioactive elements of contaminated plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yatazawa, M

    1955-01-01

    Following a fallout estimated at 0.2 microcurie/l, Trifolium repens, Astragalus sinicus, and Rumex japonicus were harvested and analyzed for radioactivity. Most of the radioactivity (2300 to 4700 counts/min/50 g plant ash) was associated with oxalate precipitate. A small amount of activity in the Zn group is attributed to /sup 65/Zn produced by reaction /sup 64/Zn (n,..gamma..) from Zn employed in the mechanical parts of the bomb. Sr-Ba radioactivity was 0.1 that of the rare earth group. Distribution of the radioactive elements was nearly the same as that found on the No. 5 Fukuryu-Maru.

  11. Nitrogen mineralization from selected 15N-labelled crop residues and humus as affected by inorganic nitrogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, J.A.

    1987-01-01

    The use of cover crops or crop residues as a source of N to succeeding crops has become a matter of increasing importance for economic and environmental reason. Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to determine the N contribution of four 15 N labelled crop residues, rye (Secale cereale L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), crimson clover (Trifolium encarnatum L.), and hairy vetch (Vicia sativa L.), to successive crops and to evaluate the effect of different organic (ON) and inorganic N (IN) combinations on mineralization of the above residues. Total 15 N recovery from the residues ranged from 51% to 85% and 4% to 74% for the greenhouse and field studies, respectively

  12. Plenitud de la muerte y la luz en la poesía de Bonilla Naar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ebel Botero

    1966-01-01

    Full Text Available Que el arte poético sea patrimonio exclusivo de los bohemios y de los "malditos" es un concepto absurdo harto común en nuestra tierra. Es innegable que estadísticamente se podría sustentar, al menos en países emotivos como el nuestro, pero no como una tesis universal sino como un mero hecho. Tratar de explicarlo como causado por la clase de vida que soportan tales artistas resulta más que aventurado, porque de ser la poesía efecto de la vida desarreglada o miserable, todos los desharrapados habrían de ser poetas.

  13. [Illness and death: slaves in the city of Pelotas, 1870-1880].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loner, Beatriz Ana; Gill, Lorena Almeida; Scheer, Micaele Irene

    2012-12-01

    The article analyzes diseases presented by slaves hospitalized at Santa Casa de Misericórdia in Pelotas. The focus is on the workers at 'charqueadas' (processing plants for dried meat), whose harsh and rigid work regimen had serious health consequences. Although we can find many descriptions of beef processing at 'charqueadas', we find less evidence of concerns about how slave labor was employed at these plants. By analyzing the period from 1870 to 1880, based on hospital records, travelers' observations, and newspaper reports, the article intends to contribute towards a better understanding of the health conditions of captives in the southern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

  14. From the "afflicted poor" to the "vicious lazy": conceptions of poverty in Buenos Aires (1700-1810

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucas Esteban Rebagliati

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to analyze the conceptions of poverty that circulated among the elites of Buenos Aires through the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. At first the privileged groups of the city collected the tradition of Ius Commune to qualify certain groups of the lower classes as miserables worthy of charity. But in the last decades of the colonial rule, there was a different reception of new speeches among royal authorities, council elite and intellectuals, and appeared the suspicion that among the dispossessed there was fertile ground for laziness and reluctance to work. So new projects and courses of action took place.

  15. El Camino de San Diego

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Gárate

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Resulta difícil explicar nuestra pasión sudamericana por el fútbol, pero lo es aún más cuando se trata de aquella que siente pueblo argentino por Diego Armando Maradona. No se trata del cariño propio a una gran estrella del balompié, sino del amor incondicional al “10”: el ídolo popular; el mismo que en 1986 lavó en una cancha de fútbol la afrenta de los ingleses, vencedores de la Guerra de las Malvinas. Pero Maradona también representa el éxito del chico pobre, que viene de las villas miser...

  16. RPBE-vdW Description of Benzene Adsorption on Au(111)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Jess Wellendorff; Kelkkanen, Kari André; Mortensen, Jens Jørgen

    2010-01-01

    Density functional theory has become a popular methodology for the analysis of molecular adsorption on surfaces. Despite this popularity, there exist adsorption systems for which commonly used exchange-correlation functionals fail miserably. Particularly those systems where binding is due to van...... der Waals interactions. The adsorption of benzene on Au(111) is an often mentioned such system where standard density functionals predict a very weak adsorption or even a repulsion, whereas a significant adsorption is observed experimentally. We show that a considerable improvement in the description...... of the adsorption of benzene on Au(111) is obtained when using the so-called RPBE-vdW functional....

  17. Concomitância da tireoidite de Hashimoto e o carcinoma diferenciado da tireóide

    OpenAIRE

    Roberti, Alexandre; Andrade Sobrinho, Josias de; Denardin, Odilon Victor Porto; Rapoport, Abrão

    2006-01-01

    OBJETIVO: Avaliar a associação da tireoidite auto-imune e o carcinoma diferenciado da tireóide na Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Goiânia-Goiás. MÉTODO: De 1395 tireoidectomias realizadas de 1994 a 2003, foram selecionadas 120 carcinomas diferenciados (27 foliculares e 93 papilíferos). Foram avaliadas as variáveis clínicas (idade e sexo) com apresentação de freqüências e de sumários de medidas-resumo na descrição estatística. Para aferir a associação de tireoidite auto-imune e carcinoma diferen...

  18. Mis muertos

    OpenAIRE

    Acosta, Juvenal

    2004-01-01

    El viento miserable de la noche, el rencor vivo, los murmullos que despiertan a los muertos. Juan Rulfo y Comala, la tierra caliente de la culpa y el remordimiento. No hay una sola lectura de Pedro Páramo y El llano en llamas, esas dos grandes obras de la literatura. Su obra va más allá de la denuncia y va más allá del lenguaje: no es nada más literatura, es sangre y es tierra. Rulfo confirmó que la escritura no es una parcela de los privilegiados y que hay que escribir sobre aquello de lo qu...

  19. Urbanization and its impacts on founded areas of big cities in pakistan: case studies of ichra and sanda areas in lahore

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aziz, A.; Mayo, S.M.

    2015-01-01

    Urbanization put immense pressure on urban infrastructure and services. Burdened with unrelenting pressure, the founded areas of Lahore have now been converted into slums. Poor services, urban infrastructure and dilapidated building have made lives of the resident miserable. A significant proportion of the people is living in dangerous buildings which could be declared unfit for habitation under section 34 of Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001 (PLGO 2001). The paper attempts to highlight situations of two founded areas of Lahore namely, Icchra and Sanda in comparison with slums areas to grade living standards of the people. Actions under PLGO 2001 and urban renewal programs are suggested to revitalize such areas. (author)

  20. Effect of Non-chemical Procedures of Weed Management on Growth Characteristics and Yield of Cumin (Cuminnum cyminum L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surur Khorramdel

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Medicinal and aromatic plants are major crops of domestic and industrial interest. The essential oil yield, seed yield and biomass of medicinal and aromatic plants are seriously affected by interspecific competition, meaning proper weed management becomes crucial. Competition with weeds is detrimental for medicinal and aromatic plants production for two main reasons. The first reason is that, in acting as an important stress factor, the interference of weeds is supposed to generate variations in photosynthesis rate and direction, pushing plants to allocate more carbon to roots (competition for nutrients or water or shoots (competition for light. These plants are increasingly organically grown to improve profitability. However, the presence of weeds may lead to a decline in both yield and quality. Therefore, nonchemical methods of weed management are needed. More attention has been paid worldwide about the technical means for weeding, generally addressed to a removal of weeds as complete as possible, and sometimes to the effects of weeds on medicinal and aromatic plants yields and quality.Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L. is an herbaceous and annual plant belonging to Apiaceae family which is planted in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran as medicinal plant. About 26% of the total area under cultivation of medicinal plants in Iran is allocated to cumin cultivation. This paper studied the methods of non-chemical weed control on yield components and quantitative and qualitative yield of cumin. Materials and Methods In order to study weed management methods, an experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with nine treatments and three replications at the Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during growing season 2012-2013. Treatments included tillage at night, false seed bed, three cover crops such as hairy vetch, chuckling vetch and fenugreek, crop residues of sunflower, barley and garlic and

  1. The Effect of Inoculation with Azotobacter and Nitrogen Levels on Grain and Corn Yield Components at Simultaneous Cropping System with Legumes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    mohammad mirzakhani

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Corn has been regarded as one of the important crops from the view point of both human and animal feeding resource. Intercropping defined as cultivation of two or more species together. The advantages of intercropping can be included: efficient use of water and sunlight, exchange of nutrients, weed competition reduction, reduction of pathogens and the increase of soil fertility. Research shows that intercropping combinations of legume–grass will increase forage quality. Because, grasses Grains have a lot of carbohydrates and legumes are rich in protein and vitamins. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of inoculation with azotobacter and nitrogen levels on grain and corn yield components at simultaneous cropping system with legumes under the weather conditions of Markazi province. Materials and methods: This study was carried out at agricultural research field of Payame Noor University, Arak Branch during 2011. A factorial arrangement of treatment in a randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Methods of plant nutrition (M0= inoculation with azotobacter, M1= inoculation with azotobacter + 37/5 Kg ha-1 of rare nitrogen with foliar application method, M2= inoculation with azotobacter + 150 Kg ha-1 of rare nitrogen mix with soil and simultaneous cropping treatment of legumes, [S1= corn + alfalfa (Medicago sativa L., S2= corn + bitter vetch (Lathyrus sativus L., S3= corn + mung bean (Vigna radiata L., S4= corn + chickpea (Cicer arientinum L., S5= corn + vetch (Vicia ervillia L. ] were assigned in plots. Each sub plot consisted of 4 rows, 6 m long with 60 cm between rows space and 20 cm between plants on the rows and S.C Apex hybrid was used. In this study characteristics such as: plant height, earing height, the number of grains per m-2, the number of rows per ear, the number of grains per row, surface of ear leaf, grain yield of corn, 1000 grain weight, harvest index of corn, nitrogen use

  2. Interactions of a hairy vetch-corn rotation and P fertilizer on the NPK ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jane

    2011-08-17

    Aug 17, 2011 ... air dried, gravel and plant roots were removed, and then it was ground to pass through 1, 0.25 .... the crop needs to absorb large amounts of N and K, and that the soil nutrient ..... the manure may volatilize ammonia and release carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, bringing some environmental ...

  3. How valuable is word of mouth?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, V; Petersen, J Andrew; Leone, Robert P

    2007-10-01

    The customers who buy the most from you are probably not your best marketers. What's more, your best marketers may be worth far more to your company than your most enthusiastic consumers. Those are the conclusions of professors Kumar and Petersen at the University of Connecticut and professor Leone at Ohio State University, who analyzed thousands of customers in research focused on a telecommunications company and a financial services firm. In this article, the authors present a straightforward tool that can be used to calculate both customer lifetime value (CLV), the worth of your customers' purchases, and customer referral value (CRV), the value of their referrals. Knowing both enables you to segment your customers into four constituent parts: those that buy a lot but are poor marketers (which they term Affluents); those that don't buy much but are very strong salespeople for your firm (Advocates); those that do both well (Champions); and those that do neither well (Misers). In a series of one-year experiments, the authors demonstrated the effectiveness of this segmentation approach. Offering purchasing incentives to Advocates, referral incentives to Affluents, and both to Misers, they were able to move significant proportions of all three into the Champions category. Both companies reaped returns on their marketing investments greater than 12-fold--more than double the normal marketing ROI for their industries. The power of this tool is its ability to help marketers decide where to focus their efforts. Rather than waste funds encouraging big spenders to spend slightly more while overlooking the power of customer evangelists who don't buy enough to seem important, you can reap much higher rewards by nudging big spenders to make referrals and urging enthusiastic proponents of your wares to buy a bit more.

  4. Múltiplos tuberculomas intracerebrais na vigência de terapia específica para tuberculose pulmonar: a propósito de um caso Intracranial tuberculomas developing during treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis: case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MARIA LÚCIA VELLUTINI PIMENTEL

    2000-06-01

    Full Text Available A forma clássica de apresentação da neurotuberculose é a meningite. Os tuberculomas cerebrais são formas raras de neurotuberculose e resultam da disseminação hematogênica de focos distantes de infecção pelo Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Aproximadamente 1% dos pacientes com tuberculose do sistema nervoso central desenvolve tuberculomas intracranianos, poucas semanas ou meses após o início da quimioterapia tuberculostática. A involução das lesões é lenta e não necessariamente significa resistência medicamentosa ou falta de aderência ao tratamento. Descrevemos o caso, diagnosticado e tratado na 25ª Enfermaria da Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro, de um paciente imunocompetente que apresentou meningite e tuberculomas múltiplos do sistema nervoso central, durante o tratamento específico de tuberculose miliar. A literatura é revisada e o diagnóstico, terapêutica e possíveis mecanismos imunológicos são discutidos.The classical presentation of neurotuberculosis is meningitis. Intracranial tuberculomas are a rare manifestation of neurotuberculosis and are due to hematogenous dissemination of distant focuses of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Around 1% of patients with central nervous system tuberculosis develop intracranial tuberculomas some weeks or months after the beginning of the specific treatment with tuberculostatic chemotherapy. The involution of the lesions is slow and does not mean drug resistance nor lack of adequate treatment. We describe the case, diagnosed and treated at the 25th Infirmary of Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro, of an immunocompetent male patient who developed meningitis and multiple intracranial tuberculomas during the specific treatment of miliary tuberculosis. The literature is revised and the diagnosis, treatment and possible immunological mechanisms are discussed.

  5. Achievements in research on vavilovia (Vavilovia formosa (Stev. Fed., a legume crop wild relative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mikić Aleksandar

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Vavilovia (Vavilovia formosa (Stev. Fed. belongs to the tribe Fabeae along with peas, vetchlings, vetches and lentils. It prefers high mountain areas in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Russia, Syria and Turkey. A true success in the ex situ conservation has recently been achieved, within the display plot Flora and Vegetation of Armenia in the Yerevan Botanic Garden. The hybridization between vavilovia and other Fabeae was done in the N. I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry with F1 seeds and F1 plants that did not produce the next generation. The recent molecular research showed that vavilovia belongs to a Lathyrus-Pisum-Vavilovia clade with a clearly distinct status.

  6. The brazilian nuclear policy with respect to the public opinion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freitas Brandao Bittencourt, C.

    1988-01-01

    Four decades of the Brazilian nuclear history have been analysed with special emphasis placed on government policy and its repercussion on public opinion. The implications of the new constitutional regulations which rule the issue are discussed. it is also studied the change in the nuclear program structure, enforced in August 1988. At different times, the government decisions on nuclear energy could be classified as miser, extravagant, dissimulated and frank, successively. Their aftermaths, which show little consistency with the expectations laid on them, have led to discredit by part of the society, which is controlled by a scientific - intellectual elite. However, recent successes are likely to reverse this trend, if the government explores them properly. (author) [pt

  7. El arlequín de limón: una joya en extinción

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula Peña

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Estos malignos y pestilentes animales…son detestables por su cuerpo frío, su palidez, esqueleto cartilaginoso, piel desagradable, aspecto feroz, ojos calculadores, olor irritante, voz chillona, moradas miserables y terrible veneno”. Así describió el naturalista sueco Carl Von Linneo en 1758 a los anfibios (Linneo, citado por Wells, 2007: 1. En la actualidad la reputación de sapos y ranas ha mejorado considerablemente, pero todavía existen aquellos que tienen una idea equivocada de estos animales. Lo que estas personas no saben es que las ranas y sapos son elementos de extrema importancia en los ecosistemas naturales, la medicina y la industria turística.

  8. [Healthcare in times of epidemics in Rio de Janeiro in the 19th century].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pimenta, Tânia Salgado

    2011-01-01

    This article aims to examine the provision of healthcare for the population of Rio de Janeiro in the mid-19th century and describe its reorganization during the crisis caused by outbreaks of yellow fever and cholera. In this context, it is essential to consider the significant changes taking place in healthcare during this period, also affecting the spaces in which hospital care was offered. Therefore, we focussed our investigation on Santa Casa da Misericórdia Hospital, the most important hospital in the capital of the Brazilian Empire. The sources used are the correspondence between the government and the hospital, the hospital annual reports, archives of the Central Board of Public Hygiene, and wide-circulation medical journals.

  9. Trauma in Toni Morrison's Home

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LIANG Yuan

    2017-01-01

    Morrison's latest novella Home (2012) reveals abundant grounds to discuss direct or indirect representations of characters'displacement and exile.The protagonist of the novella Frank Money encounters with diversified painful issues.This paper intends to explore and interpret Frank's traumatic memories from three dimensions of homeless,the Korean War and racial discrimination.Frank's feeling of alienation is provoked by loveless childhood memories,the participation in the Korean War and his miserable losses there,as well as the racism that he still experiences in America of the 1950s.Frank's journey to rescue his sister Cee assists him to partially overcome those traumatic memories and acquire some kind of spiritual redemption in the end.

  10. In Vitro efficacy of antimicrobial extracts against the atypical ruminant pathogen Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arjoon, Amanda V; Saylor, Charlotte V; May, Meghan

    2012-10-02

    Mycoplasmosis is a common infection in human and veterinary medicine, and is associated with chronic inflammation and high morbidity. Mycoplasma species are often intrinsically resistant to many conventional antimicrobial therapies, and the resistance patterns of pathogenic mycoplasmas to commonly used medicinal (antimicrobial) plant extracts are currently unknown. Aqueous extracts, ethanol extracts, or oils of the targeted plant species and colloidal silver were prepared or purchased. Activity against the wall-less bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri was determined and compared to activities measured against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution assays. The lethal or inhibitory nature of each extract was determined by subculture into neat growth medium. Growth of M. mycoides capri, E. coli, and B. subtilis was inhibited by elderberry extract, oregano oil, ethanol extract of oregano leaves, and ethanol extract of goldenseal root. No inhibition was seen with aqueous extract of astragalus or calendula oil. Growth of M. mycoides capri and B. subtilis was inhibited by ethanol extract of astragalus, whereas growth of E. coli was not. Similarly, M. mycoides capri and E. coli were inhibited by aqueous extract of thyme, but B. subtilis was unaffected. Only B. subtilis was inhibited by colloidal silver. Measured MICs ranged from 0.0003 mg/mL to 3.8 mg/mL. Bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects differed by species and extract. The atypical pathogen M. mycoides capri was sensitive to extracts from many medicinal plants commonly used as antimicrobials in states of preparation and concentrations currently available for purchase in the United States and Europe. Variation in bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities between species and extracts indicates that multiple effecter compounds are present in these plant species.

  11. In Vitro efficacy of antimicrobial extracts against the atypical ruminant pathogen Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arjoon Amanda V

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Mycoplasmosis is a common infection in human and veterinary medicine, and is associated with chronic inflammation and high morbidity. Mycoplasma species are often intrinsically resistant to many conventional antimicrobial therapies, and the resistance patterns of pathogenic mycoplasmas to commonly used medicinal (antimicrobial plant extracts are currently unknown. Methods Aqueous extracts, ethanol extracts, or oils of the targeted plant species and colloidal silver were prepared or purchased. Activity against the wall-less bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri was determined and compared to activities measured against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution assays. The lethal or inhibitory nature of each extract was determined by subculture into neat growth medium. Results Growth of M. mycoides capri, E. coli, and B. subtilis was inhibited by elderberry extract, oregano oil, ethanol extract of oregano leaves, and ethanol extract of goldenseal root. No inhibition was seen with aqueous extract of astragalus or calendula oil. Growth of M. mycoides capri and B. subtilis was inhibited by ethanol extract of astragalus, whereas growth of E. coli was not. Similarly, M. mycoides capri and E. coli were inhibited by aqueous extract of thyme, but B. subtilis was unaffected. Only B. subtilis was inhibited by colloidal silver. Measured MICs ranged from 0.0003 mg/mL to 3.8 mg/mL. Bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects differed by species and extract. Conclusions The atypical pathogen M. mycoides capri was sensitive to extracts from many medicinal plants commonly used as antimicrobials in states of preparation and concentrations currently available for purchase in the United States and Europe. Variation in bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities between species and extracts indicates that multiple effecter compounds are present in these plant species.

  12. Primate tarsal bones from Egerkingen, Switzerland, attributable to the middle Eocene adapiform Caenopithecus lemuroides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seiffert, Erik R; Costeur, Loïc; Boyer, Doug M

    2015-01-01

    The middle Eocene species Caenopithecus lemuroides, known solely from the Egerkingen fissure fillings in Switzerland, was the first Paleogene fossil primate to be correctly identified as such (by Ludwig Rütimeyer in 1862), but has long been represented only by fragmentary mandibular and maxillary remains. More recent discoveries of adapiform fossils in other parts of the world have revealed Caenopithecus to be a biogeographic enigma, as it is potentially more closely related to Eocene adapiforms from Africa, Asia, and North America than it is to any known European forms. More anatomical evidence is needed, however, to provide robust tests of such phylogenetic hypotheses. Here we describe and analyze the first postcranial remains that can be attributed to C. lemuroides-an astragalus and three calcanei held in the collections of the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel that were likely recovered from Egerkingen over a century ago. Qualitative and multivariate morphometric analyses of these elements suggest that C. lemuroides was even more loris-like than European adapines such as Adapis and Leptadapis, and was not simply an adapine with an aberrant dentition. The astragalus of Caenopithecus is similar to that of younger Afradapis from the late Eocene of Egypt, and parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses that include the new tarsal data strongly support the placement of Afradapis and Caenopithecus as sister taxa to the exclusion of all other known adapiforms, thus implying that dispersal between Europe and Africa occurred during the middle Eocene. The new tarsal evidence, combined with previously known craniodental fossils, allows us to reconstruct C. lemuroides as having been an arboreal and highly folivorous 1.5-2.5 kg primate that likely moved slowly and deliberately with little or no capacity for acrobatic leaping, presumably maintaining consistent powerful grasps on branches in both above-branch and inverted postures.

  13. Protective effects of two Astragalus species on ulcerative colitis in rats

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    management of UC are corticosteroids, 5- ... toothache, and neck pain, or orally for treating .... Macroscopic assessment of ulcerative colitis ... (version 8) software package (SPSS Inc, USA). ..... University Press, Edinburgh, 1970: 49–254. 6.

  14. Increase and improvement of protein content of cereals and legumes. Part of a coordinated programme on the use of nuclear techniques for seed protein improvement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hadjichristodoulou, A.

    1979-11-01

    Mutation breeding was studied on barley (variety Athenais) and Italian drurum wheat (variety Capeiti). Gamma radiation and fast neutrons were used. The intention is to use high protein lines of barley and wheat in crosses with the high-yielding varieties grown in Cyprus, in order to develop new varieties with high seed protein, without reducing grain yield. The work on forage legumes was limited to the screening of varieties of forage vetches and medics, as part of the programme on improving dryland forage crops. Tables indicate the relative performance of M 6 -lines of Attiki barley (1977-79) and of M 4 Athenais barley (1978-79). A list of 8 publications by the author, some of them jointly with A. della, is given, relating to the project

  15. Identification and characterisation of potential biofertilizer bacterial strains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karagöz, Kenan; Kotan, Recep; Dadaşoǧlu, Fatih; Dadaşoǧlu, Esin

    2016-04-01

    In this study we aimed that isolation, identification and characterizations of PGPR strains from rhizosphere of legume plants. 188 bacterial strains isolated from different legume plants like clover, sainfoin and vetch in Erzurum province of Turkey. These three plants are cultivated commonly in the Erzurum province. It was screen that 50 out of 188 strains can fix nitrogen and solubilize phosphate. These strains were identified via MIS (Microbial identification system). According to MIS identification results, 40 out of 50 strains were identified as Bacillus, 5 as Pseudomonas, 3 as Paenibacillus, 1 as Acinetobacter, 1 as Brevibacterium. According to classical test results, while the catalase test result of all isolates are positive, oxidase, KOH and starch hydrolysis rest results are variable.

  16. Emotional Experience of Caam2 in Teaching: Power and Interpretation of Teachers’ Work

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kwok Kuen Tsang

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The study explores the social psychological process of teachers’ emotional experiences. Twenty-one secondary schoolteachers in Hong Kong were interviewed. The findings show that the teachers generally felt caam2 (a Cantonese adjective that covers a range of meanings like gloomy, dreadful, tragic, pitiful, pathetic and miserable in teaching. The social psychological process of the emotional experience of caam2 involves how teachers interpret the significance of their actual work in attaining the teaching goal of making a difference. If they interpret their work as incapable of fulfilling the goal, they will experience negative emotions in teaching. The findings also suggest that the interpretation is affected by teachers’ power which is unequally distributed according to teachers’ teaching experience and managerial roles.

  17. Emotional Experience of Caam(2) in Teaching: Power and Interpretation of Teachers' Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsang, Kwok K; Kwong, Tsun L

    2016-01-01

    The study explores the social psychological process of teachers' emotional experiences. Twenty-one secondary schoolteachers in Hong Kong were interviewed. The findings show that the teachers generally felt caam(2) (a Cantonese adjective that covers a range of meanings like gloomy, dreadful, tragic, pitiful, pathetic, and miserable) in teaching. The social psychological process of the emotional experience of caam(2) involves how teachers interpret the significance of their actual work in attaining the teaching goal of making a difference. If they interpret their work as incapable of fulfilling the goal, they will experience negative emotions in teaching. The findings also suggest that the interpretation is affected by teachers' power which is unequally distributed according to teachers' teaching experience and managerial roles.

  18. Opioid Epidemic: Cellular & Molecular Anesthesia as a Key Solution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Dabbagh

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Opioids are one of the most important arsenals armamentarium of physicians for fighting against pain. During the decades, opioids have been used in a wide range of indications; both for treatment of acute and chronic pain; as natural and synthetic compounds and in a variety of delivery forms from intravenous infusion to intrathecal adjuvants of local anesthetics or as transdermal patches. There is no doubt that we are in an opioid misuse epidemic status; whether in the US or other countries; but if we want to resolve this miserable multilateral complication, there is no doubt that Cellular and Molecular aspects of Anesthesia has a key role in resolving the problem; through creating an opioid free pain management era.

  19. Teori-praksis-distinktionen og pædagogisk filosofi

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frølund, Sune

    2013-01-01

    philosophy of education, Carr suggests, would give up theory and the “foundationalist” idea of seeking a fi rm ground for practice outside of practice. The paper, firstly, takes up Carr’s debate with Paul Hirst on Carr’s notion of philosophy of education, and, secondly, moves on to inquire the interpretation......Educational philosopher Wilfred Carr claims that the formation of philosophy of education in accordance with the theory-centered paradigm of modernist philosophy is responsible for the miserable fact that educational practitioners take no interest in philosophy of education. A real contemporary...... of Aristotle’s practical philosophy by Hans-Georg Gadamer, whom Carr refers to. Finally, the paper outlines some merits of Gadamer’s hermeneutics that philosophy of education should adapt....

  20. Globalização vis-a-vis a história do nacionalismo na América Latina: o caso do Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Céli Regina Jardim Pinto

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The article has as start point a central question: Is it possible to identify a reaction to the globalization of capitalism, in term of a globalized movement that involves an alternative to the system or to the north hegemony in relation to the south countries, many of them in conditions of complete miserably and deep social inequality? To examine this question the article is divided in to four small sections: 1.The Internationalism and nationalism; 2. The Nationalism in Brazil; 3. The global civil society; 4. A conclusion. This article concludes that we are far away from a global civil society able to propose a way of life that problematize the capitalist system and all forms of exploitation and class, gender and race dominations.

  1. Green leviathan? Thomas hobbes, joel bakan and Arnold schwarzenegger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Robert G

    2007-02-01

    Thomas Hobbes postulates that men are driven by "a perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that ceaseth only in death." The miserable consequences of this drive for power and the competing "desire of ease and sensual delight" and "fear of death and wounds" lead them to establish and obey. Substituting "profit" for "power" yields a description of the modern corporation, but without the desires or fears of natural persons. Such "unnatural persons" lack the Hobbesian ground of obligation, yet have appropriated the privileges and protections of natural persons. They challenge or undermine the sovereign wherever it limits their profits. Governor Schwarzenegger's re-election in California, however, on a strong anti-CO(2) program, suggests a willingness by threatened natural persons to re-empower Leviathan.

  2. [Porto and the construction of the modern city: the case of Hospital Geral de Santo António in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries].

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silva, Helena

    2014-01-01

    During a period of demographic and urban growth of the city of Porto, the need arose for a new hospital. The Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Porto, in charge of erecting the new health facility, appointed the British architect John Carr to design the project. By means of the analysis of a set of archival sources and sundry literature on the topic, we examine the criteria chosen for the design and construction of Hospital Geral de Santo António and if it fulfilled expectations, becoming a special space in the city. This article opens up a perspective on the study of the development of the city and the creation of this health facility, contributing to the historical trajectory of hospital architecture.

  3. Teori-praksis-distinktionen og pædagogisk filosofi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sune Frølund

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Educational philosopher Wilfred Carr claims that the formation of philosophy of education in accordance with the theory-centered paradigm of modernist philosophy is responsible for the miserable fact that educational practitioners take no interest in philosophy of education. A real contemporary philosophy of education, Carr suggests, would give up theory and the “foundationalist” idea of seeking a firm ground for practice outside of practice.   The paper, firstly, takes up Carr’s debate with Paul Hirst on Carr’s notion of philosophy of education, and, secondly, moves on to inquire the interpretation of Aristotle’s practical philosophy by Hans-Georg Gadamer, whom Carr refers to. Finally, the paper outlines some merits of Gadamer’s hermeneutics that philosophy of education should adapt

  4. Effects legumes, Fallow and wheat on subsequent wheat production in Central Anatolia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halitligil, M. B.; Akin, A.; Aydin, M.

    1996-01-01

    In order to determine the Nsub 2- fixation capacities of lentil, vetch, chickpea and fodderpea in a legume-wheat rotation by using the A-value method of N 15 technique, and to assess the amount of carry-over of N to wheat from the previous legume as well as water contribution of fallow, wheat and legumes to the following wheat under rainfed Central Anatolia conditions field experiments were conducted in 1992 and 1993 at three different provinces using completely randomized block design with 5 replications. Results we obtained showed that %Ndff values among legumesdid not differ significantly neither within or between locations. Legumesvaried significantly (P<0.05) in their %Ndfa values at each location and highest values of %Ndfa were obtained at Eskisehir. In general, %Ndfa varied from59-84, and 36-85 for chickpea,lentils and vetchs. The evaluation of the yield and N data obtained in 1993 indicated that lentil (winter or summer) -wheat rotation at Ankara and Eskisehir conditions and chickpea-wheat rotation at Konya conditions should be prefered, due to the higher seed and total yields, higher N yields and higher %NUE values obtained from these rotations in comparison to the others. In order to estimate the carry-over of nitrogen from legumes to the succeeding wheat crop, % nitrogen derived from unknown (%Ndfu) were also calculated. Highest amount of carry-over from the legumesto the succeeding wheat were 31.1 kgN/ha from summer lentil at Ankara; 16.9 kgN/ha from summer lentil at Eskisehir; and 8.0 kgN/ha from chickpea at Konya. These results obtined showed that a lentil-wheat rotation at Ankara and Eskisehir and a chickpea-wheat rotation at Konya. Mean while, the evaluation of the soil and WUE data at both Eskisehir and Ankara indicated that winter lentil-wheat rotation should be prefered in these areas due to more efficient use of water by wheat crop after this rotation system

  5. Effect of different cover crops on C and N cycling in sorghum NT systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frasier, Ileana; Quiroga, Alberto; Noellemeyer, Elke

    2016-08-15

    In many no-till (NT) systems, residue input is low and fallow periods excessive, for which reasons soil degradation occurs. Cover crops could improve organic matter, biological activity, and soil structure. In order to study changes in soil carbon, nitrogen and microbial biomass a field experiment (2010-2012) was set up with sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Moench.) monoculture and with cover crops. Treatments were control (NT with bare fallow), rye (Secale cereale L.) (R), rye with nitrogen fertilization (R+N), vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) (V), and rye-vetch mixture (VR) cover crops. A completely randomized block design with 4 replicates was used. Soil was sampled once a year at 0.06 and 0.12m depth for total C, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and-nitrogen (MBN) determinations. Shoot and root biomass of sorghum and cover crops, litter biomass, and their respective carbon and nitrogen contents were determined. Soil temperatures at 0.06 and 0.12m depth, volumetric water contents and nitrate concentrations were determined at sowing, and harvest of each crop, and during sorghum's vegetative phase. NT led to a small increase in MBC and MBN, despite low litter and root biomass residue. Cover crops increased litter, root biomass, total C, MBC, and MBN. Relationships between MBC, MBN, and root-C and -N adjusted to logistic models (R(2)=0.61 and 0.43 for C and N respectively). Litter cover improved soil moisture to 45-50% water filled pore space and soil temperatures not exceeding 25°C during the warmest month. Microbial biomass stabilized at 20.1gCm(-2) and 1.9gNm(-2) in the upper 0.06m. Soil litter disappearance was a good indicator of mineral N availability. These findings support the view that cover crops, specifically legumes in NT systems can increase soil ecosystem services related to water and carbon storage, habitat for biodiversity, and nutrient availability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Cover Crops for Managing Stream Water Quantity and Improving Stream Water Quality of Non-Tile Drained Paired Watersheds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gurbir Singh

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available In the Midwestern United States, cover crops are being promoted as a best management practice for managing nutrient and sediment losses from agricultural fields through surface and subsurface water movement. To date, the water quality benefits of cover crops have been inferred primarily from plot scale studies. This project is one of the first to analyze the impacts of cover crops on stream water quality at the watershed scale. The objective of this research was to evaluate nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loss in stream water from a no-till corn-soybean rotation planted with winter cover crops cereal rye (Secale cereale and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa in non-tile drained paired watersheds in Illinois, USA. The paired watersheds are under mixed land use (agriculture, forest, and pasture. The control watershed had 27 ha of row-crop agriculture, and the treatment watershed had 42 ha of row crop agriculture with cover crop treatment (CC-treatment. During a 4-year calibration period, 42 storm events were collected and Event Mean Concentrations (EMCs for each storm event were calculated for total suspended solids (TSS, nitrate-N (NO3-N, ammonia-N (NH4-N, dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP, and total discharge. Predictive regression equations developed from the calibration period were used for calculating TSS, NO3-N, NH4-N, and DRP losses of surface runoff for the CC-treatment watershed. The treatment period consisted of total 18 storm events, seven of which were collected during the cereal rye, eight in the hairy vetch cover crop season and three during cash crop season. Cover crops reduced TSS and discharge by 33% and 34%, respectively in the CC-treatment watershed during the treatment period. However, surprisingly, EMCs for NO3-N, NH4-N, and DRP did not decrease. Stream discharge from the paired-watersheds will continue to be monitored to determine if the current water quality results hold or new patterns emerge.

  7. Homicide as a public health problem in the city of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil O homicídio como problema de saúde pública no município de Campo Grande, MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Cristina Abraão Nachif

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available This is a case study of homicides carried out within the Second Section of the Justice Court, in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. It has been observed that: most homicides are carried out by males (95,7%, Afro-Brazilians (62,9%, between 15 and 25 years (45,7%, illiterate or with incomplete schooling (74,3%, and unemployed (18,6%. It was also observed that the victims' profiles are very similar. Most homicides take place on public streets (41,4%, in the city suburbs, between 20 and 24 o'clock, (51,4%. In 50,0% of the cases, the victim did not receive help from any public health service. In the cases where any family member helped (37,41%, the victims were taken to the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital. Firearms were the prevailing weapons (70,0% and motives for all crimes were futile, or banal; in most cases (57,0%, alcohol was involved.Este trabalho trata-se de um estudo de caso, realizado na Segunda Vara do Tribunal do Júri, de Campo Grande, MS. Verificou-se que: a maioria dos homicídios foi praticada por homens (95,7%, pardos e negros (62,9%, entre 15 e 25 anos (45,7%, analfabetos ou com primeiro grau incompleto (74,3% e desempregados (18,6%. O perfil da vítima é semelhante ao do réu. A maioria dos homicídios ocorreu em via pública (41,4%, na periferia da cidade, entre as 20 e 24 horas (51,4%. Em 50,0% dos casos não houve socorro e encaminhamento para serviços de saúde. Nos casos socorridos por familiares (37,4% as vítimas foram levadas à Santa Casa de Misericórdia. A arma de fogo foi o principal instrumento dos homicídios (70,0%. A motivação para o crime, em todos os casos, foi motivo fútil, ou banal. A maioria (57,0%, envolveu o uso de álcool.

  8. Conflict among Muslim Nations: Role of the OIC in Conflict Resolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah al-Ahsan

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available The OIC has always attempted to resolve conflicts among its member states by peaceful means. During the early years of its existence, the OIC performed better particularly in resolving the conflicts between PLO and Jordan and between Bangladesh and Pakistan perhaps because of capable and sincere leadership. However, it failed miserably in the 1980s and 1990s to resolve conflicts related to Iraq. Although the Qur’ānic ideas of mediation within the members of the ummah are generally understood by Muslims, the OIC has not always been able to translate them into practice to bring peace among conflicting parties. Had the OIC undertaken the task strictly on the basis of fairness and justice, perhaps, the wars of 1991 and 2003 could have been avoided.

  9. A blind squirrel finds a nut: tales from at an entrepreneurial adventure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doughty, Chris

    2010-03-01

    When I received my PhD back in the dark days of 386 computers, fax machines, and a miserable economy it was commonly said that ``a degree in Physics is a great foundation for wide variety of non-academic career paths,'' but it was never entirely clear what those paths were. I still can't say what those paths are but can describe at least one: starting, building and ultimately exiting a small entrepreneurial business. This talk will describe at least one entrepreneurial path, where a physics background has value, where it is a liability, and what other skills the physicist needs to acquire to succeed in business. I will give a personal view of what it looks like inside a startup, lessons learned, mistakes made, and copious advice of dubious utility and value.

  10. Bruneau Known Geothermal Resource Area: an environmental analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spencer, S.G.; Russell, B.F. (eds.)

    1979-09-01

    The Bruneau Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA) is part of the Bruneau-Grandview thermal anomaly, the largest geothermal area in the western US. This part of Owyhee County is the driest part of Idaho. The KGRA is associated with the southern boundary fault zone of the Snake River Plain. Thermal water, produced from numerous artesian wells in the region, is supplied from two major aquifers. Ecological concerns include the threatened Astragalus mulfordiae and the numerous birds of prey nesting in the Snake River canyon northwest of the KGRA. Extensive geothermal development may strain the limited health care facilities in the county. Ethnographic information suggests that there is a high probability of prehistoric cultural materials being remnant in the Hot Spring locality.

  11. Herbal Extract SH003 Suppresses Tumor Growth and Metastasis of MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells by Inhibiting STAT3-IL-6 Signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Youn Kyung Choi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Cancer inflammation promotes cancer progression, resulting in a high risk of cancer. Here, we demonstrate that our new herbal extract, SH003, suppresses both tumor growth and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells via inhibiting STAT3-IL-6 signaling path. Our new herbal formula, SH003, mixed extract from Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica gigas, and Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz, suppressed MDA-MB-231 tumor growth and lung metastasis in vivo and reduced the viability and metastatic abilities of MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro. Furthermore, SH003 inhibited STAT3 activation, which resulted in a reduction of IL-6 production. Therefore, we conclude that SH003 suppresses highly metastatic breast cancer growth and metastasis by inhibiting STAT3-IL-6 signaling path.

  12. General Characteristics of Flora and Vegetation Formations of Eastern Anatolia Region and Its Environs (Türkiye

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Münir ÖZTÜRK

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Eastern Anatolia and its environs are included in the Irano-Turanian phytogeographical region of Türkiye. The region abounds in highest mountain ranges (average 1900 m of the country some of which are of quarternary age and volcanic character. Many rivers of historical and international importance like Euphrates, Dicle, Murat, Karasu and Aras. Tigris, Aras and Çoruh flow through the region. It experiencens a typical continental climate. Soils are generally of alluvial, colluvial, chestnut-brown, regosal and basaltic types. The area embodies over 8 million ha of meadows and grasslands which is 41% of Türkiye's total pasturelands as such cattle raising is very high in this area. Forest vegetation is represented mainly by Pinus sylvestris, Quercus libani, Q. longipes, Q. brantii, Q. macranthera, Juniperus excelsa and Betula pendula. Most of these are highly degraded. Plant cover is rich in Irano - Turanian elements but we find Mediterranean and Euro-Siberian elements too to some extent, richest families being Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae, Lamiaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Apiaceae richest genera being Astragalus, Verbascum, Centaurea, Ranunculus, Alyssum, Vicia, Silene, Dianthus, Veronica and Trifolium. The number of endemics is very high, being around 950. And also the region has gene centers of genera Astragalus, Gypsophila, Cousinia, Acanthophyllum etc. The some typical associations one comes across in this area are; Triseto-Pinetum sylvestris, Trifolio-Pinetum sylvestris, Ballato-Rhamnetum pallasii, Caragano-Minuartietum lineatea, Hippophaetum rhamnoidis, Typho-Juncetum inflecii, Hordeetum violaceumii, Deschampsio-Ranunculetum brachylobus, Hordeeto-Ranunculetum comosae and Polygon-Primuletum auriculatae. Dominantly vegetation of the region is steppe. The are a lot of natural plant taxa using local people. Key Words: Eastern Anatolia, Flora, Vegetation, Biodiversity, Geobotany, Endemism, Türkiye. Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi ve

  13. Violent Fantasies in Young Men With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Dangerous or Miserable Misfits? Duty to Protect Whom?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palermo, Mark T; Bogaerts, Stefan

    2017-07-01

    Predictability of dangerousness in association with mental disorders remains elusive, outside of a few relatively well-established risk factors for the prognostication of violence, such as male sex, the presence of a psychotic disorder, and comorbid substance abuse. In clinical practice, inquiry into the presence of aggressive or violent ideation, in the form of ideas of homicide or suicide, is part of a standard mental status examination. Nonetheless, fantasy life, when it concerns harm toward others, may not be as reliable an indicator of imminent danger as it may be in the case of self-harm. Five cases of young Italian men with Asperger syndrome and recurrent and extremely violent femicide fantasies are presented. While there is no direct correlation between autism spectrum conditions and violence, as other humans, persons with an autistic condition are capable of committing crimes, including homicide. All five had in common a number of characteristics and behaviors felt to be pathoplastic: All had been bullied, all had been romantically rejected, all were long-standing First Person Shooter (FPS) game players, and all were avid violent pornography consumers. The potential for an actual neurocognitive impact of violent video games, well documented in the literature, and its combination with personal life history and chronic habituation following long-standing violent pornography use is discussed in the context of social and emotional vulnerabilities. While aggressive fantasies cannot and should not be underestimated, in countries where duty to protect legislation does not exist, a clinical approach is imperative, as, incidentally, should be anywhere.

  14. Violent fantasies in young men with Autism Spectrum Disorders : Dangerous, or miserable misfits? Duty to protect whom?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Palermo, M.T.; Bogaerts, Stefan

    2017-01-01

    Predictability of dangerousness in association with mental disorders remains elusive, outside of a few relatively well-established risk factors for the prognostication of violence, such as male sex, the presence of a psychotic disorder, and comorbid substance abuse. In clinical practice, inquiry

  15. Effects of arginine and phytogenic additive supplementation on performance and health of brown-egg layers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitor Barbosa Fascina

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study was performed to evaluate the effects of the association of different digestible arginine and phytogenic additive dietary levels on performance and health status of brown-egg layers. In this study, a total of 504 33-week-old Hisex Brown layers were distributed into a completely randomized experimental design to a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement (dietary digestible arginine levels: 880, 968, 1056, or 1144 mg/kg of feed × phytogenic additive levels: 0, 100, and 200 mg/kg of feed with six replicate cages of seven birds per cage. The phytogenic additive was composed of extracts of Baccharis dracunculifolia (40%, Astragalus membranaceus lipopolysaccharides (20%, cinnamon, and grape seed (20%. Feed intake was reduced when diets containing 1056 mg of arginine were supplemented with 100 or 200 mg phytogenic additive per kg. Feed conversion ratio was improved when diets were supplemented with 100 mg of phytogenic additive or with 1056 mg of arginine per kg of feed. Egg mass was increased when diets were supplemented with 1056 mg arginine per kg of feed. Arginine supplementation quadratically increased albumen percentage and reduced yolk percentage. Higher arginine and phytogenic additive levels reduced heterophyl:lymphocyte ratio and blood uric acid, total cholesterol, very-low density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels. Dietary supplementation of 100 mg of phytogenic additive associated with high arginine levels increased nitric oxide production by peritoneal macrophages and 1056 mg of arginine increased antibodies titers against Newcastle disease virus. Blood and intestinal malonaldehyde levels were reduced when 200 mg of the phytogenic additive was added. Dietary supplementation of 968 mg of arginine or 100 mg of a phytogenic additive (40% Baccharis dracunculifolia, 20% Astragalus membranaceus, 20% cinnamon, and 20% grape seed extracts per kilogram of diet improves the feed conversion ratio and associated inclusion of 1144 mg of

  16. Lactic acid fermentation of crude sorghum extract

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Samuel, W.A.; Lee, Y.Y.; Anthony, W.B.

    1980-04-01

    Crude extract from sweet sorghum supplemented with vetch juice was utilized as the carbohydrate source for fermentative production of lactic acid. Fermentation of media containing 7% (w/v) total sugar was completed in 60-80 hours by Lactobacillus plantarum, product yield averaging 85%. Maximum acid production rates were dependent on pH, initial substrate distribution, and concentration, the rates varying from 2 to 5 g/liter per hour. Under limited medium supplementation the lactic acid yield was lowered to 67%. The fermented ammoniated product contained over eight times as much equivalent crude protein (N x 6.25) as the original medium. Unstructured kinetic models were developed for cell growth, lactic acid formation, and substrate consumption in batch fermentation. With the provision of experimentally determined kinetic parameters, the proposed models accurately described the fermentation process. 15 references.

  17. Gendered endings: narratives of male and female suicides in the South African Lowveld.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niehaus, Isak

    2012-06-01

    Durkheim's classical theory of suicide rates being a negative index of social solidarity downplays the salience of gendered concerns in suicide. But gendered inequalities have had a negative impact: worldwide significantly more men than women perpetrate fatal suicides. Drawing on narratives of 52 fatal suicides in Bushbuckridge, South Africa, this article suggests that Bourdieu's concepts of 'symbolic violence' and 'masculine domination' provide a more appropriate framework for understanding this paradox. I show that the thwarting of investments in dominant masculine positions have been the major precursor to suicides by men. Men tended to take their own lives as a means of escape. By contrast, women perpetrated suicide to protest against the miserable consequences of being dominated by men. However, contra the assumption of Bourdieu's concept of 'habitus', the narrators of suicide stories did reflect critically upon gender constructs.

  18. Successful Pregnancy Following Repair of Vesicouterine Fistula Following Repeat Caesarean Section: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilruba Akter

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available A lady, para 2, both delivered by caesarean section for prolonged labour, presented with the complaints of menouria and infertility for 3 years following her last caesarean section. She had history of haematuria during menstruation and her menstrual flow is scanty. Her first baby was female and alive, but her second baby was stillborn following prolonged and obstructed labour. This has been continuously blamed by family and others for happening that events. Her fistula was confirmed by ultrasound scan, histerography and cystoscopy. The vesicouterine fistula was treated by local repair with omental patch through transperitoneal approach. Pregnancy following one year of successful repair has turned her from miserable to happiness in life.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bsmmuj.v5i1.11030 BSMMU J 2012; 5(1:76-78 

  19. The Economics of Nudge

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Health, Wealth, and Happiness (2008), and Lucia Reisch of the Copenhagen Business School. The Economics of Nudge is fully indexed and has a comprehensive introduction, newly written by the editors, which places the collected material in its historical and intellectual context. It is an essential work......Proponents of ‘nudge theory’ argue that, because of our human susceptibility to an array of biases, we often make subprime choices and decisions that make us poorer, less healthy, and more miserable than we might otherwise be. However, using behavioural economics—and insights from other disciplines...... of its practical applications as short-term, politically motivated initiatives based on flimsy evidence), in recent years there has been an astonishing growth in scholarly output about and around the economics of nudge. And now, while the hybrid field continues to flourish, Routledge announces a new four...

  20. Influence of performance characteristic of a gaseous fuel supply system on hydrocarbon emissions of a dual-fuel engine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ren, J.; Wang, Z.Y.; Zhong, H.; Hao, S.H. [Xi' an Jiaotong Univ., Dept. of Automobile Engineering, Xi' an (China)

    2000-11-01

    The performance of the gaseous fuel supply and its influence on hydrocarbon (HC) emissions of dual-fuel engines have been investigated. A new design of manifold respirators with mixers is also presented in the paper. The design of the gaseous fuel supply system has a great influence on HC emissions in the dual-fuel engine at light load. The problem of scavenging is discussed and solved by using the manifold respirators in the dual-fuel engine. It performs the function of retarding the gaseous fuel entry timing from the moment of intake valve opening, and its delaying effects have been measured and tested. Experimental results show that the manifold respirator gives the best performance in reducing HC emissions compared with a common pipe mixer and a respirator with bo miser. In addition, the mixing effects are sensitive to the mixer configuration. (Author)

  1. The aesthetic values of silence and its impacts on romanticism and contemporary artists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amiri, Niloufar

    2016-01-01

    In our modern world, where people suffer from self-alienation and are after the meaning of existence in their mechanical and flamboyant outside world, finding a discernible language is very important. People's dejected minds are the products of miserable modern societies that have changed them into taciturn and uncommunicative creatures in search of meaning. The significance of language, specifically poetic or living language, is undeniable in different eras. Therefore, it would be easier for artists to communicate with people by letting them get the maximum meaning with the least amount of words. This is something that happens in the discourse of modern people. This article shows the aesthetic values of silence and its impacts on romantic and contemporary artists, who for us here will be represented by Samuel Taylor Coleridge as a romantic artist versus Harold Pinter as a contemporary dramatist.

  2. Comparison of critical methods developed for fatty acid analysis: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Zhuona; Zhang, Qi; Li, Ning; Pu, Yiqiong; Wang, Bing; Zhang, Tong

    2017-01-01

    Fatty acids are important nutritional substances and metabolites in living organisms. These acids are abundant in Chinese herbs, such as Brucea javanica, Notopterygium forbesii, Isatis tinctoria, Astragalus membranaceus, and Aconitum szechenyianum. This review illustrates the types of fatty acids and their significant roles in the human body. Many analytical methods are used for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of fatty acids. Some of the methods used to analyze fatty acids in more than 30 kinds of plants, drugs, and other samples are presented in this paper. These analytical methods include gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, near-infrared spectroscopy, and NMR spectroscopy. The advantages and disadvantages of these techniques are described and compared. This review provides a valuable reference for establishing methods for fatty acid determination. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Assessment of the GHG budget mitigation potential of intercrops: analysis on several trials and intercrops species in the Southwest of France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferlicoq, M.; Ceschia, E.; Brut, A.; VandeWalle, A.

    2012-04-01

    To reduce organic carbon loss from the soil and nitrate leaching to groundwater, the European directives have promoted Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), such as the use of intercrops (IC). As shown by Béziat et al. 2009, Ceschia et al. 2010, the IC (or voluntary regrowth from the previous crop) limit net CO2 release from the ecosystem or even contribute to carbon storage during their development. However, the seeding and destruction of IC can be difficult on soil with high clay content, especially when soil is wet, and they must be destroyed early enough so that the nitrogen they contain can be released in the soil and used by the following crops. For these reasons, the Midi-Pyrenees Agriculture Department obtained a 2-year temporary derogation to test the implementation of several nitrates catch crops (mustard, diploïd oat, black oat, oat/vetch, oat/phacelia) on clay soils in order to evaluate the best management practices for growing and destroying them. Their impact on the next crop development was also analysed. In this study, the CESBIO helped the Midi-Pyrénées Agriculture Department to 1) calculate a carbon budget for the different trials and 2) to estimate GHG budgets for those trials by using a life cycle analysis (LCA) approach. Emissions associated to Field Operations (FO) were estimated based on study by Ceschia et al. (2010). During long periods of bare soil, the net CO2 flux is reduced to heterotrophic respiration. Since this component of NEE is not measured on the IC sites, it has been estimated using data from a GHG-Europe instrumented site in the same region, the same year and on similar soils (Auradé site, Gers). Heterotrophic respiration was estimated to range between 96.4 and 131 g eq-C m-2 during the IC cycle that lasted between 65 and 89 days. At the end of the IC period, biomass was (in g eq-C) 0.77, 0.18, 9.89, 0.42, 0.48 for mustard, diploïd oat, black oat, oat/vetch, oat/phacelia respectively. The low amount of biomass is explained

  4. Community Profiling of Fusarium in Combination with Other Plant-Associated Fungi in Different Crop Species Using SMRT Sequencing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florian Walder

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Fusarium head blight, caused by fungi from the genus Fusarium, is one of the most harmful cereal diseases, resulting not only in severe yield losses but also in mycotoxin contaminated and health-threatening grains. Fusarium head blight is caused by a diverse set of species that have different host ranges, mycotoxin profiles and responses to agricultural practices. Thus, understanding the composition of Fusarium communities in the field is crucial for estimating their impact and also for the development of effective control measures. Up to now, most molecular tools that monitor Fusarium communities on plants are limited to certain species and do not distinguish other plant associated fungi. To close these gaps, we developed a sequencing-based community profiling methodology for crop-associated fungi with a focus on the genus Fusarium. By analyzing a 1600 bp long amplicon spanning the highly variable segments ITS and D1–D3 of the ribosomal operon by PacBio SMRT sequencing, we were able to robustly quantify Fusarium down to species level through clustering against reference sequences. The newly developed methodology was successfully validated in mock communities and provided similar results as the culture-based assessment of Fusarium communities by seed health tests in grain samples from different crop species. Finally, we exemplified the newly developed methodology in a field experiment with a wheat-maize crop sequence under different cover crop and tillage regimes. We analyzed wheat straw residues, cover crop shoots and maize grains and we could reveal that the cover crop hairy vetch (Vicia villosa acts as a potent alternative host for Fusarium (OTU F.ave/tri showing an eightfold higher relative abundance compared with other cover crop treatments. Moreover, as the newly developed methodology also allows to trace other crop-associated fungi, we found that vetch and green fallow hosted further fungal plant pathogens including Zymoseptoria tritici

  5. Short-term contributions of cover crop surface residue return to soil carbon and nitrogen contents in temperate Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xiaoqi; Wu, Hanwen; Li, Guangdi; Chen, Chengrong

    2016-11-01

    Cover crop species are usually grown to control weeds. After cover crop harvest, crop residue is applied on the ground to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. Little information is available about quantifying the contributions of cover crop application to soil total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents in temperate Australia. Here, we selected eight cover crop treatments, including two legume crops (vetch and field pea), four non-legume crops (rye, wheat, Saia oat, and Indian mustard), a mixture of rye and vetch, and a nil-crop control in temperate Australia to calculate the contributions of cover crops (crop growth + residue decomposition) to soil C and N contents. Cover crops were sown in May 2009 (autumn). After harvest, the crop residue was placed on the soil surface in October 2009. Soil and crop samples were collected in October 2009 after harvest and in May 2010 after 8 months of residue decomposition. We examined cover crop residue biomass, soil and crop total C and N contents, and soil microbial biomass C and N contents. The results showed that cover crop application increased the mean soil total C by 187-253 kg ha -1 and the mean soil total N by 16.3-19.1 kg ha -1 relative to the nil-crop treatment, except for the mixture treatment, which had similar total C and N contents to the nil-crop control. Cover crop application increased the mean soil microbial biomass C by 15.5-20.9 kg ha -1 and the mean soil microbial biomass N by 4.5-10.2 kg ha -1 . We calculated the apparent percentage of soil total C derived from cover crop residue C losses and found that legume crops accounted for 10.6-13.9 %, whereas non-legume crops accounted for 16.4-18.4 % except for the mixture treatment (0.2 %). Overall, short-term cover crop application increased soil total C and N contents and microbial biomass C and N contents, which might help reduce N fertilizer use and improve sustainable agricultural development.

  6. 76 FR 48881 - Recovery Plan for the Endangered Pyne's Ground-plum (Astragalus bibullatus

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-09

    ... plan by contacting the Tennessee Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 446 Neal Street... implementing approved recovery plans. Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point where... species program. To help guide the recovery effort, we are preparing recovery plans for most listed...

  7. NEOLITHIC PLANT USE IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN REGION: PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM THE AGRIWESTMED PROJECT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Peña-Chocarro

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available This contribution focuses on the preliminary results of the AGRIWESTMED project which focuses on the archaeobotanical analyses of early Neolithic sites in the western Mediterranean region (both in Iberia and in northern Morocco. A large number of sites has been studied producing an interesting dataset of plant remains which places the earliest examples of domesticated plants in the second half of the 6th millennium cal BC. Plant diversity is high as it is shown by the large number of species represented: hulled and naked wheats, barley, peas, fava beans, vetches, lentils and grass peas. To more crops, poppy and flax, are also part of the first agricultural crops of the area. Although agriculture seems to occupy a first place in the production of food, gathering is well represented in the Moroccan sites where a large number of species has been identified. 

  8. Effects of fluorine on the germination of some species of seeds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Navara, J; Holub, Z; Bedatsova, L

    1966-01-01

    The various degrees of tolerance of the seeds of some species of plants towards fluorine and their ability to accumulate fluorine under experimental conditions are presented. The effects of fluorine on the germination of seeds manifests itself in various ways. The studied species have been divided into four groups according to their natural tolerance: (1) very sensitive: pea, soya, vetch and cabbage; (2) sensitive: radish, barley, cole; (3) less sensitive: maize, cauliflower, alfalfa, mustard, oats, clover kohlrabi; and (4) tolerant: poppy, carrot, tomato. Highly tolerant species are capable of accumulating considerable amounts of fluorine when compared with the more sensitive species. A more intensive accumulation of fluorine has been noticed in the oleaginous species, viz. mustard and poppy. A correlation was found to exist between the ash contents (especially of calcium) and the ability of a greater accumulation of fluorine. 23 references, 6 figures, 2 tables.

  9. George and the big bang

    CERN Document Server

    Hawking, Lucy; Parsons, Gary

    2012-01-01

    George has problems. He has twin baby sisters at home who demand his parents’ attention. His beloved pig Freddy has been exiled to a farm, where he’s miserable. And worst of all, his best friend, Annie, has made a new friend whom she seems to like more than George. So George jumps at the chance to help Eric with his plans to run a big experiment in Switzerland that seeks to explore the earliest moment of the universe. But there is a conspiracy afoot, and a group of evildoers is planning to sabotage the experiment. Can George repair his friendship with Annie and piece together the clues before Eric’s experiment is destroyed forever? This engaging adventure features essays by Professor Stephen Hawking and other eminent physicists about the origins of the universe and ends with a twenty-page graphic novel that explains how the Big Bang happened—in reverse!

  10. The Tie That Binds:. A Fundamental Unit of `Change' in Space and Time

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beichler, James E.

    2013-09-01

    Why, despite all efforts to the contrary, have attempts at unification based on the supposedly more fundamental quantum theory failed miserably? The truth is that the essential idea or concept of the quantum itself has never been fully understood. What is the quantum, or rather, what is its ultimate nature? Science may be able to work adequately with the quantum; in a sense science is quite articulate in the language of the quantum, i.e., its mathematical interpretation of the quantum mechanics, but science has no idea of the true physical nature of the quantum. Scientists and philosophers have wasted energy and efforts on irrelevant issues such as the debate over determinism and indeterminism instead of carefully analyzing the physical source of the quantum. Only with a true understanding of the physical nature of the quantum will the unification of the quantum and relativity ever become a reality.

  11. Analisis Simbolik Kyrie Eleison Karya Anna Wahyu Prasetyowati

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    RINA MARTIARA

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Symbolic Analysis of Kyrie Eleison of Anna Wahyu Prasetyowati’s Work. This paper describes and interpretsthe Kyrie Eleison as a performing arts. Kyrie Eleison text is read through choreography elements that shape thethemes, motion, musical accompaniment, fashion makeup, fl oor pattern, form and stage layout. This paper useshermeneutic approach. Based on the research it can be concluded that this work has a deep meaning. The story ofJesus Christ journey in teaching the word with great passion until his death on the Cross is fi xated religious valuesthat serve as an example for mankind. This work also contains the values of humanity that every human being mustbe having a miserable, suffering, and death. Humans must be steadfast and strong in the face of every temptationthat comes when he/she want to achieve the highest inner awareness and understanding of divine truth.

  12. "It's as bad as anything can be": Patients, identity, and the influenza pandemic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bristow, Nancy K

    2010-04-01

    Americans were stunned when pandemic influenza hit the United States in 1918. Recent advances in bacteriology and public health allowed Americans to imagine a future free of infectious disease, even as their familiarity with influenza tempered their fears of it. They soon realized this influenza was something unprecedented, as it shocked them with its pace, virulence, mortality patterns, and symptoms. Patients endured and frequently succumbed to a miserable illness, their suffering often made worse by the chaotic circumstances the epidemic produced in families and communities and shaped in significant and sometimes discriminatory ways by their gender, class, and race. While the nation's public culture soon forgot the epidemic, it lived on in lives changed irrevocably by its consequences. As they face present and future influenza pandemics, Americans can learn from this earlier experience, guarding against identity-based discrimination and acknowledging and remembering the grief and loss fellow citizens suffered.

  13. Evaluation some Forage Legumes in Limited Irrigation Condition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Moniri Far

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Forage legumes respond differently to limited irrigation regimes. Their evaluation may, thus, help to select drought tolerant types for limited irrigation conditions. In this study four type of forage legume were studied for two years in Tikma-Dash Research Station of East Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Research Center, Tabriz, Iran, in a randomized complete block design using split-plot experiment in 2011-2013 years. Irrigation regimes (without irrigation, one irrigation and two irrigations were assigned to main plots and four forage types (hairy vetch, grass pea, Pannonica sativa and lathyrus were assigned to subplots. The results of analysis of variance showed that the effect of irrigation on plant height, number of shoots, leaf area and plant fresh and dry weights were not significant. Howere, legume types affected these traits significantly (P≤0.01. The effect of irrigation levels and legume types on protein content of hay were significant (P

  14. The effect of catch crop species on selenium availability for succeeding crops

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stavridou, Eleftheria; Young, Scott D.; Thorup-Kristensen, Kristian

    2012-01-01

    2007–10 investigated the ability of catch crops (Italian ryegrass, fodder radish and hairy vetch) under different fertiliser regimes to reduce soil Se content in the autumn and to increase its availability in spring to the succeeding crop. Results and Conclusions The catch crops (Italian ryegrass...... and fodder radish) increased water-extractable Se content in the 0.25–0.75msoil layer in only one of the experiments. Selenium uptake by the catch crops varied between 65 and 3263 mg ha−1, depending on species, year and fertilisation treatment; this corresponded to 0.1–3.0% of the water-extractable soil Se......Background and Aims Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for humans and animals. In order to ensure an optimal concentration of Se in crops, Se fertilisers are applied. Catch crops may be an alternative way to increase Se concentrations in vegetables. Methods Three experiments in Denmark between...

  15. Evaluation of Agricultural Use of Vicia sativa L. in Mercury Contaminated Soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andres, A.; Millan, R.; Esteban, E.

    2010-01-01

    This study is framed in the project Recuperation de suelos contaminados por mercurio: recomendaciones de uso de suelos y plantas en la comarca minera de Almaden (REUSA), funded by Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. Moreover, this article is the result of the work carried out by Andres Andres for his Bachelors dissertation. Soils from the Almaden mining district are contaminated with high mercury concentrations, due to the extraction activities of that metal through the years. After the end of mining exploitation, which was the main source of wealth in the region, alternative uses of soils are needed in order to promote the socio-economic development of the studied area. The project here intends to evaluate the viability of the common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) crop in a substrate under similar conditions to the ones observed in the Almaden soils, by studying the mercury absorption capacity of the above mentioned species. (Author) 20 refs.

  16. Hot electron confinement in a microwave heated spindle cusp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prelas, M.A.

    1991-08-01

    The Plasma Research Laboratory at the University of Missouri-Columbia was established with awards from the McDonnel Douglas Foundation, ARMCO, Union Electric, Black and Vetch, Kansas City Power and Light, the National Science Foundation, and DOE. The Plasma Research Lab's major effort is the Missouri Magnetic Mirror (MMM or M 3 ) Project. The technical goals of MMM have been (1) Diagnostic Development, (2) Plasma Physics in the Cusp geometry, (3) plasma-wall interactions, (4) impurity effects in a steady-state plasma, and (5) Development of Diagnostics for use in harsh plasma processing environments. The other major goal of MMM has remained providing a facility for hands-on training in experimental plasma physics. The major experimental facility of MMM is the MMM Modified Experiment (M4X). Other research efforts in the Plasma Research Laboratory include small efforts in cold fusion, toroidal magnetic confinement, and inertial confinement and a potentially major effort in direct conversion of nuclear energy

  17. Evaluation of Agricultural Use of Vicia sativa L. in Mercury Contaminated Soils; Evaluacion del Uso Agricola de Vicia sativa L. en Suelos Contaminados con Mercurio

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andres, A.; Millan, R.; Esteban, E.

    2010-03-08

    This study is framed in the project Recuperation de suelos contaminados por mercurio: recomendaciones de uso de suelos y plantas en la comarca minera de Almaden (REUSA), funded by Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. Moreover, this article is the result of the work carried out by Andres Andres for his Bachelors dissertation. Soils from the Almaden mining district are contaminated with high mercury concentrations, due to the extraction activities of that metal through the years. After the end of mining exploitation, which was the main source of wealth in the region, alternative uses of soils are needed in order to promote the socio-economic development of the studied area. The project here intends to evaluate the viability of the common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) crop in a substrate under similar conditions to the ones observed in the Almaden soils, by studying the mercury absorption capacity of the above mentioned species. (Author) 20 refs.

  18. Nitrous oxide emissions in cover crop-based corn production systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Brian Wesley

    Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas; the majority of N2O emissions are the result of agricultural management, particularly the application of N fertilizers to soils. The relationship of N2O emissions to varying sources of N (manures, mineral fertilizers, and cover crops) has not been well-evaluated. Here we discussed a novel methodology for estimating precipitation-induced pulses of N2O using flux measurements; results indicated that short-term intensive time-series sampling methods can adequately describe the magnitude of these pulses. We also evaluated the annual N2O emissions from corn-cover crop (Zea mays; cereal rye [Secale cereale], hairy vetch [Vicia villosa ], or biculture) production systems when fertilized with multiple rates of subsurface banded poultry litter, as compared with tillage incorporation or mineral fertilizer. N2O emissions increased exponentially with total N rate; tillage decreased emissions following cover crops with legume components, while the effect of mineral fertilizer was mixed across cover crops.

  19. Biological Potential of Sixteen Legumes in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guixing Ren

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Phenolic acids have been identified in a variety of legumes including lima bean, broad bean, common bean, pea, jack bean, goa bean, adzuki bean, hyacinth bean, chicking vetch, garbanzo bean, dral, cow bean, rice bean, mung bean and soybean. The present study was carried out with the following aims: (1 to identify and quantify the individual phenolic acid and determine the total phenolic content (TPC; (2 to assess their antioxidant activity, inhibition activities of α-glucosidase, tyrosinase, and formation of advanced glycation endproducts; and (3 to investigate correlations among the phytochemicals and biological activity. Common bean possesses the highest antioxidant activity and advanced glycation endproducts formation inhibition activity. Adzuki bean has the highest α-glucosidase inhibition activity, and mung bean has the highest tyrosinase inhibition activity. There are significant differences in phytochemical content and functional activities among the bean species investigated. Selecting beans can help treat diseases such as dermatological hyperpigmentation illness, type 2 diabetes and associated cardiovascular diseases.

  20. The science behind the smile. Interview by Gardiner Morse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Daniel

    2012-01-01

    Only recently have we been able to apply science to one of the world's oldest questions: "What is the nature of happiness?" In this edited interview, the author of the 2006 best seller Stumbling on Happiness surveys the field. Gilbert explores the sudden emergence of happiness as a discipline, reviews the major findings (including the mistakes we all make in predicting how happy or miserable we'll be), and examines the role of happiness in productivity on the job. He describes what makes us truly happy-it's not a promotion or a new house-and sketches out a "happiness diet" that emphasizes small, routine efforts. Looking forward, Gilbert discusses the breakthrough work of his colleague Matthew Killingsworth, whose iPhoneenabled real-time surveys of people's moods are providing an ultra-high-resolution picture of how our emotional states shift from minute to minute. A sidebar by Killingsworth offers a preliminary look at his findings and their implications for our personal and workplace lives.