Modelling pesticide degradation and leaching in conservation agriculture: Effect of no-till and mulching.

No-till and mulching are typical management operations in conservation agriculture (CA). To model pesticide degradation and leaching under a CA scenario, as compared to a conventional-tillage scenario (CT), the mulch module of the agro-hydrological model Daisy was extended. A Daisy soil column was parameterized with measurements of topsoil, mulch, and a realistic subsoil, and tested against published experimental data of pesticide fate in laboratory soil columns covered by mulch. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of the new Daisy version were conducted for a series of weather, soil, pesticide, and mulch parameters, using 4939 Monte Carlo simulations under each scenario. Results showed that there was no systematic difference in pesticide leaching from the topsoil (to the subsoil and directly to drains via drain-connected biopores) between CA and CT, but pesticide degradation and sorption were significantly different; degradation in the mulch and uppermost soil surface layer (0-3.5 cm) was larger in CA while degradation was larger in CT when considering the whole topsoil (0-30 cm). This difference for the whole topsoil could be explained by pesticide interception in CA in the part of the mulch not in direct contact with the soil where degradation is assumed not to occur. The sensitivity analysis highlighted non-influential parameters and seven parameters out of twenty-five to be better estimated to improve the accuracy of the predictions.

The association between the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and health-related quality of life: baseline results from the Dimini lifestyle intervention.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to analyse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its determinants in individuals with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). METHODS: We used pseudonymized baseline data collected between 2018 and 2020 as part of the Dimini project in Hesse and Schleswig-Holstein. HRQoL was measured by the mental and the physical component score of the validated instrument Short Form 12 and descriptively analysed followed by multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The Dimini population (n = 662) showed an average physical component score of 42.12 (SD 10.56) and a mental component score of 47.12 (SD 11.13). While men demonstrated both significantly higher physical and mental component scores than women, differences based on migration background were not observed. Younger age was associated with a higher level of the physical component score, whereas mental component scores linearly increased with age. Regarding indicators of T2D-risk, a significant influence of HbA1c on HRQoL was not confirmed. However, physical component scores are negatively related to Findrisk scores and BMI. Finally, study participants living alone and those with a handicap reported lower levels of HRQoL. CONCLUSION: Compared with a representative sample of the general German population (DEGS1), Dimini participants were characterized by a lower average HRQoL. The analysis showed a higher vulnerability to an impaired HRQoL within certain subgroups of the population and among participants with relatively higher levels of T2D-risk. As a result, tailored healthcare interventions are required to reach these target groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT03482674.

[Right-sided varicocele testis as the only sign of right-sided renal tumour]. / Højresidigt varicocele testis som eneste tegn på højresidig nyretumor.

Testicular varicocele is an abnormal dilatation of the pampiniform venous plexus in scrotum. About 93% occur on the left side. Right-sided testicular varicocele is rare and can be caused by renal tumour, therefore ultrasound scan of the abdomen has been recommended to exclude the presence of occult malignancy. We report a case of renal cell carcinoma in a patient, who presented solely with right-sided testicular swelling caused by an underlying testicular varicocele.

Regulation of ompA mRNA stability: the role of a small regulatory RNA in growth phase-dependent control.

The Escherichia coli ompA mRNA, encoding a highly abundant outer membrane protein, has served as a model for regulated mRNA decay in bacteria. The half-life of this transcript correlates inversely with the bacterial growth rate and is growth stage-dependent. The stability of the messenger is determined by the 5'-untranslated region which possesses cleavage sites for RNase E. Hfq binds to this region, is essential for controlling the stability and has been suggested to directly regulate ompA mRNA decay. Here we report that the 78 nucleotide SraD RNA, which is highly conserved among Enterobacteriaceae, acts in destabilizing the ompA transcript when rapidly grown cells enter the stationary phase of growth. During this growth-stage the expression of SraD RNA becomes strongly increased. The SraD-mediated decay of ompA mRNA depends on Hfq and in vitro studies revealed that Hfq facilitates binding of the regulatory RNA to the translational initiation region of the messenger. Deletion of sraD, however, does not significantly affect the stability of the ompA mRNA in slowly growing cells. Our results indicate that distinct regulatory circuits are responsible for growth phase- and growth rate-dependent control of the ompA mRNA stability.

Movement of pendimethalin, ioxynil and soil particles to field drainage tiles.

Knowledge of the movement of herbicides and soil particles to sub-surface tile drainage may help to predict chemical leaching to surface waters and deeper groundwater systems. The movement of pendimethalin (2 years), ioxynil (1 year) and soil particles (3 years) to two tile drains was investigated on a sandy loam soil under natural weather conditions. Herbicide and particle concentrations in the drain water showed a very dynamic pattern. The largest herbicide concentrations were detected during the first tile drain flow events after application. Very little herbicide was lost with drain water later than 2 months after application. The turbidity, reflecting concentrations of soil particles, correlated positively and strongly with the pendimethalin concentration and negatively with the rate of drain water discharge, whereas it was uncorrelated with the ioxynil concentration. Peak turbidity values occurred during or shortly after rainfall events, either in break of frost situations, or on unfrozen soil coinciding with the occurrence of peak moisture contents in the topsoil well (3-7%) above field capacity. On average, 0.0013% of the applied pendimethalin and 0.0015% of the applied ioxynil were lost with drain water. The results suggest that preferential flow promotes the movement of all three substances to the tile drains but indicate somewhat different transport mechanisms for the two herbicides.

Intracranial pressure and cerebral hemodynamic in patients with cerebral tumors: a randomized prospective study of patients subjected to craniotomy in propofol-fentanyl, isoflurane-fentanyl, or sevoflurane-fentanyl anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: A critical point during craniotomy is opening of dura, where a high intracranial pressure (ICP) results in swelling of cerebral tissue. Controlled studies concerning ICP, degree of dural tension, and degree of cerebral swelling are therefore warranted. METHODS: In an open-label study, 117 patients with supratentorial cerebral tumors were randomized to propofol-fentanyl (group 1), isoflurane-fentanyl (group 2), or sevoflurane-fentanyl anesthesia (group 3). Normo- to moderate hypocapnia was applied, with a target level of arterial carbon dioxid tension of 30-40 mmHg. Mean arterial blood pressure was stabilized with intravenous ephedrine (2.5-5 mg) if necessary. Subdural ICP, mean arterial blood pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), arteriovenous oxygen difference (AVDo2), internal jugular vein oxygen saturation were monitored before and after a 10-min period of hyperventilation, and the carbon dioxide reactivity was calculated. Furthermore, the tension of dura before and during hyperventilation and the degree of cerebral swelling during hyperventilation and after opening of the dura were estimated by the neurosurgeon. RESULTS: No differences were found between groups with regard to demographics, neuroradiologic examination, positioning of the head, and time to ICP measurement. Before and during hyperventilation, ICP was significantly lower and mean arterial blood pressure and CPP significantly higher in group 1 compared with groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.05). The tension of dura before and during hyperventilation was significantly lower in group 1 compared with group2 (P < 0.05), but not significantly different from group 3. In group 1, cerebral swelling after opening of dura was significantly lower compared with groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, AVDo was significantly higher and jugular vein oxygen saturation and carbon dioxide reactivity were significantly lower in group 1 compared with groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.05). No significant differences with regard to ICP, CPP, AVDo, carbon dioxide reactivity, and jugular vein oxygen saturation were found between patients anesthetized with isoflurane and sevoflurane. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates that before as well as during hyperventilation, subdural ICP and AVDo2 are lower and CPP higher in propofol-anesthetized patients compared with patients anesthetized with isoflurane or sevoflurane. These findings were associated with less tendency for cerebral swelling after opening of dura in the propofol group. The carbon dioxide reactivity in patients anesthetized with isoflurane and sevoflurane was significantly higher than in the propofol group. The differences in subdural ICP between the groups are presumed to be caused by differences in the degree of vasoconstriction elicited by the anesthetic agents, but autoregulatory mechanisms caused by differences in CPP cannot be excluded.

The cryptic adenine deaminase gene of Escherichia coli. Silencing by the nucleoid-associated DNA-binding protein, H-NS, and activation by insertion elements.

In Escherichia coli there are two pathways for conversion of adenine into guanine nucleotides, both involving the intermediary formation of IMP. The major pathway involves conversion of adenine into hypoxanthine in three steps via adenosine and inosine, with subsequent phosphoribosylation of hypoxanthine to IMP. The minor pathway involves formation of ATP, which is converted via the histidine pathway to the purine intermediate 5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide ribonucleotide and, subsequently, to IMP. Here we describe E. coli mutants, in which a third pathway for conversion of adenine to IMP has been activated. This pathway was shown to involve direct deamination of adenine to hypoxanthine by a manganese-dependent adenine deaminase encoded by a cryptic gene, yicP, which we propose be renamed ade. Insertion elements, located from -145 to +13 bp relative to the transcription start site, activated the ade gene as did unlinked mutations in the hns gene, encoding the histone-like protein H-NS. Gene fusion analysis indicated that ade transcription is repressed more than 10-fold by H-NS and that a region of 231 bp including the ade promoter is sufficient for this regulation. The activating insertion elements essentially eliminated the H-NS-mediated silencing, and stimulated ade gene expression 2-3-fold independently of the H-NS protein.