Phosphorus balance and use efficiency on 21 intensive grass-based dairy farms in the South of Ireland.

Given the finite nature of global phosphorus (P) resources, there is an increasing concern about balancing agronomic and environmental impacts from P usage on dairy farms. Data from a 3-year (2009-2011) survey were used to assess farm-gate P balances and P use efficiency (PUE) on 21 intensive grass-based dairy farms operating under the good agricultural practice (GAP) regulations in Ireland. Mean stocking rate (SR) was 2·06 livestock units (LU)/ha, mean P surplus was 5·09 kg/ha, or 0·004 kg P/kg milk solids (MS), and mean PUE was 0·70. Phosphorus imports were dominated by inorganic fertilizer (7·61 kg P/ha) and feeds (7·62 kg P/ha), while exports were dominated by milk (6·66 kg P/ha) and livestock (5·10 kg P/ha). Comparison to similar studies carried out before the introduction of the GAP regulations in 2006 indicated that P surplus, both per ha and per kg MS, has significantly decreased (by 74 and 81%, respectively) and PUE increased (by 48%), mostly due to decreased inorganic fertilizer P import and improvements in P management. There has been a notable shift towards spring application of organic manures, indicating improved awareness of the fertilizer value of organic manures and good compliance with the GAP regulations regarding fertilizer application timing. These results suggested a positive impact of the GAP regulations on dairy farm P surplus and PUE, indicating an improvement in both environmental and economic sustainability of dairy production through improved resource use efficiencies. Such improvements will be necessary to achieve national targets of improved water quality and increased dairy production. Results suggest that optimizing fertilizer and feed P imports combined with improved on-farm P recycling are the most effective way to increase PUE. Equally, continued monitoring of soil test P (STP) and P management will be necessary to ensure that adequate soil P fertility is maintained. Mean P surplus was lower and PUE was much higher than the overall mean surplus (15·92 kg P/ha) and PUE (0·47) from three studies of continental and English dairy farms, largely due to the low import system that is more typical in Ireland, with seasonal milk production (compact spring calving), low use of imported feeds and high use of grazed grass.

The metabolic behaviour of the cellular populations in the pleural or peritoneal effusions from patients with malignant diseases.

Complex morphologic, biochemical and cyto-enzymochemical investigations have been performed in the pleural or peritoneal effusions which occurred in 80 patients with various neoplastic diseases (pleural, pulmonary, hepatic, genital or breast cancers). As shown by the morphologic and biochemical tests, the proportion of fluids with a malignant or benignant character varied widely in the different forms of neoplasias. In the same effusions, the authors have studied the metabolic behaviour of acid phosphatase activity, the glycogen and nucleolar RNA amounts in the lymphocytes, in the malignant cells and in the mesothelial ones. High values of these cyto-enzymochemical components were found in the lymphocytes and the malignant cells from fluids with a positive malignant character, although similar changes were also observed in many cells of the effusions with morphologically negative reactions, and in a lesser proportion in those from patients with adenocirrhosis. It is concluded that such investigations could contribute to a better understanding of the metabolic behaviour of the cells from neoplastic effusions thus increasing the possibility of detecting the malignant character of the cells in the pleural or peritoneal effusions with a morphologically negative character.

Eosinophilia in the pleural and peritoneal effusions.

Of 248 patients with various benign or malignant chronic diseases who presented pleural or peritoneal effusions, the authors have selected 16 cases in which the proportion of eosinophils in these fluids exceeded 5% of the total cell count. High values of eosinophilia have been observed mostly in the serous membrane fluids from patients with tuberculosis and various neoplasms. In the authors' opinion, this suggests the participation of eosinophils in the immune processes occurring in the course of these pathologic conditions, in which the lymphocytes are also involved.

The metabolic behaviour of the lymphocytes from serous effusions in various benign internal diseases.

The functional status of the lymphocytes from pleural or peritoneal effusions occurring in 148 patients with various internal diseases such as tuberculosis, liver cirrhosis, heart failure and pneumonias was studied by laboratory investigations including morphologic examination, cytoenzymatic, cytochemical and biochemical tests for determining the scores of acid phosphatase activity and of endolymphocytic glycogen, as well as the presence of nucleolar RNA. These values were found increased in the fluids from tb patients and in some cases of liver cirrhosis, heart failure and metapneumonic pleurisies. The variations of these parameters are assumed to provide information on the metabolic behaviour of the lymphocytes present in these fluids and on their participation to the immune, inflammatory processes which occur in the course of some of the diseases investigated.

The value of some cytoenzymochemical investigations of the leukocytes and platelets in estimating the effects of occupational exposure to benzene, vinyl chloride and carbon disulphide.

Cytoenzymochemical investigations were performed on the leukocytes and platelets from 2,782 workers occupationally exposed to benzene, vinyl chloride or carbon disulphide, in view of detecting the eventual occurrence of cytologic metabolic disorders induced by these chemical substances. The cytomorphologic aspects and the cytoenzymochemical parameters studied, such as the leukocyte alkaline phosphatase, endolymphocytic glycogen, lymphocytic nucleolar RNA amounts (revealed by the lymphocyte nucleologram), as well as the platelet counts have shown some abnormal values, whose severity was related to the time of exposure to toxic chemicals. The results obtained demonstrate the utility of such tests for an early detection of some metabolic disorders of the endolymphocytic proteins, carbohydrates or lipids, in view of preventing the occurrence of more severe pathologic consequences.

Value of some leukocyte cytoenzymochemical investigations in detecting the noxious effects of the vinyl chloride monomer or polymer.

A group of 100 workers exposed to vinyl chloride (VC) (mean duration of exposure-13.2 years) were subjected to a complex medical examination for the detection of eventual alterations of the biologic parameters, induced by occupational exposure. Leukocyte cytoenzymochemical determinations (lymphocytic RNA--Plenert's method modified by Micu and glycogen--Hotchkiss McManus method), which might give some information on two important metabolic processes--of proteins and of carbohydrates--were performed in peripheral blood smears. Lymphocytic nucleologram and the relative and absolute nucleolar area showed an increase of endolymphocytic RNA, due to the high percentage of binucleolated cells and of spherical macronucleoli. The increase of the endolymphocytic glycogen score in parallel with the duration exposure was in correlation with high titers of serum gamma GT.

The area of lymphocyte nucleoli (ALN) and its relationship with RNA synthesis in lymphocytes after blastic transformation in in vitro cultures.

The area of lymphocyte nucleoli (ALN) is a recently imagined method (Micu et al., 1978) which can detect cytochemically the microscopically visible surface of nucleolar RNA, measurable in mu2. The normal ALN value in peripheral blood is 84.4 +/- 9.2 mu2. Using in vitro cultures of PHA-stimulated lymphocytes obtained from 106 patients with various internal diseases, the authors could demonstrate a relationship between the rate of the lymphocytic RNA biosynthesis and the ALN variations, namely that an RNA hyper- or hyposynthesis is accompanied by an increase or a decrease, respectively, of the ALN.

Study of some lymphocyte metabolic parameters in diabetes mellitus.

Cytochemical study of peripheral lymphocytes in 78 diabetic patients and 22 controls included the determination of glycogen (with calculation of the "glycogen score"), lipids and nucleolar RNA (with calculation of the so-called "lymphocyte nucleologram"). All three metabolic components showed marked differences between the diabetes and the controls. Further analysis in terms of sex, patient's age, duration of disease, basic treatment and main complications of diabetes, also showed certain variations of the above parameters but of lesser amplitude. Metabolic alterations of lymphocytes in diabetes mellitus reflect the pathogenic particularities of the disease, and might probably be used as a basis for further practical purposes.

Cyto-nucleo-nucleolar variables estimating the lymphocyte reactivity in chronic internal diseases with immune component.

To estimate the degree of lymphocyte reactivity, 11 cyto-nucleo-nucleolar variables were determined in the lymphocyte population from 30 healthy blood donors and 103 patients with chronic internal diseases with immune component such as: rheumatoid arthritis, chronic hepatitis, Hodgkin's disease or chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The data obtained showed that all the cyto-nucleo-nucleolar variables investigated were different in chronic hepatitis from all the other groups, both as regards the relative and absolute areas (low for the cell and nucleus and high for the nucleoli), and as regards the ratios of cell/nucleus and nucleus/nucleolus areas.

Study of lymphocyte reactivity in various stages of chronic liver disease following acute viral hepatitis.

Lymphocyte reactivity was studied in 210 subjects who had suffered from acute viral hepatitis, distributed into three lots according to the time-interval from the acute disease. The laboratory investigations included: study of the lymphocyte nucleolar apparatus (amount of nucleolar RNA, relative and absolute areas of lymphocyte nucleoli) and determination of the proportion of the rosette-forming B-cells. A marked increase of the nucleolar RNA amounts and of the B-cell count was observed in the lot of patients investigated after one to 10 years from the acute hepatitis, while in those who, after longer periods (more than 10 years) had developed a liver cirrhosis the values of these parameters were lower than normal. It is assumed that such changes could predict, already in the early stages, either the favourable course of the disease or its progress to chronicity; the hypersynthesis of lymphocyte nucleolar RNA would suggest the interference of these cells in the immune disorders implicated in the development of chronic liver disease.

RNA biosynthesis in lymphocytes from various chronic diseases (cytochemical, cytoautoradiographic, optic and electronic study).

In lymphocytes of patients with myasthenia gravis and systemic lupus erythematosus high indices of uridin labelling were very often encountered, similar to those observed in evident malignant diseases such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Hodgkin's disease. The electron cytoautoradiographic investigations showed particularly that large sized nucleoli and even the giant ones are sometimes not the result of an RNA-hypersynthesis but of an RNA accumulation. The utility of such data for the therapy with immunodepressing drugs is discussed.

Significance of T and B lymphocytes in different chronic internal diseases with immune processes.

The T and B lymphocytes were determined by the rosette test in the peripheral blood of 100 patients with internal chronic diseases with immune processes such as: chronic hepatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myasthenia gravis, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and lymphosarcoma. The values obtained were compared with those in 10 controls. The mean per cent values of the T lymphocytes in the controls were 33 (29-38%) and of the B lymphocytes 25.2 (16-43%). In the patients investigated the values varied, namely: in chronic hepatitis and systemic lupus erythematosus the T lymphocytes were generally low while the B lymphocytes were moderately high. In myasthenia gravis both T and B lymphocytes were below the control values. In chronic lymphocytic leukemias and lymphosarcomas the per cent values of the T lymphocytes were generally low while those of the B lymphocytes were high. The significance of these results for the immunologic implications of the lymphocyte populations is discussed and an attempt is made to correlate these data with the nucleologram variations.

Behaviour of leukocyte acid phosphatase in various chronic diseases.

Leukocyte acid phosphatases were investigated in 146 patients with different chronic diseases. The method of investigation used was that of Kaplow and Burstone slightly modified by the authors in what regards the pH of the incubation medium. Normal or slightly increased scores were observed in the granulocytic series of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic hepatitis, lupus erythematosus disseminatus and chronic lymphocytic leukemia a moderate enzymatic activity was generally observed in the lymphocyte and more marked in severe forms of disease. A marked increase of the enzyme activity was observed in patients with myeloma. The possibility of a correlation between the intensity of enzyme activity and immunoglobulin formation is discussed.

Behaviour of leukocyte acid phosphatase in various chronic diseases.

Leukocyte acid phosphatases were investigated in 146 patients with different chronic diseases. The method of investigation used was that of Kaplow and Burstone slightly modified by the authors in what regards the pH of the incubation medium. Normal or slightly increased scores were observed in the granulocytic series of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic hepatitis, lupus erythematosus disseminatus and chronic lymphocytic leukemia a moderate enzymatic activity was generally observed in the lymphocyte and more marked in severe forms of disease. A marked increase of the enzyme activity was observed in patients with myeloma. The possibility of a correlation between the intensity of enzyme activity and immunoglobulin formation is discussed.

Cytoenzymochemical effects of some antiblastic drugs and prediction of response to chemotherapy in acute leukemias.

Over 20 cytoenzymochemical tests were carried out in 152 patients with different types of acute leukemia to estimate the effects of some antiblastic drugs such as L-asparaginase, Purinethol, Methotrexate, Endoxan, Vinchristine, Cytosine Arabinoside a.o. The patients selected for the study were carefully examined before treatment at different moments during and/or at the end of the treatment. The effects of these drugs on the blast cells were mild when the cellular populations had a low rate of nucleic acid synthesis, high glycogenic score and high amounts of lipids or an important oxidative enzymatic activity. The enzymatic prediction tests: the acid phosphate deviation test and the succinic dehydrogenase inhibition test including the variant suggested by some of the authors - the latic dehydrogenase inhibition test - gave satisfactory results only in certain cases of acute leukemia.