Nitrogen fertiliser value of biogas slurry and cattle manure for maize (Zea mays L.) production.

Recovery of nutrients from biogas slurry (BGS) as a soil amendment, on low input smallholder farms in sub-Saharan Africa, could improve agricultural production and minimize contribution of the agroecosystems to CO2 emissions. Comparative effects of BGS and cattle manure (CM) on maize dry matter, grain yield, uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), and soil total N, extractable P and exchangeable K after harvest were studied, relative to chemical fertiliser (CF). The field experiment was conducted in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 growing seasons and was arranged in a randomized complete block design replicated four times with (i) BGS, (ii) CM and (iii) CF as the treatments. Each treatment was applied at 40, 80 and 120 kg Nha-1. Additional P was added to BGS and CM to have the same added P as in the CF treatments. The CM treatment had higher dry matter than both BGS and CF in both seasons at each N rate. Maize grain yield from CF treatment was higher than the two organic fertilisers at each N rate, while the BGS treatment had higher grain yield than CM except at 40 kg Nha-1. When applied at the same N rate, BGS resulted in lower P and K than CF, and had higher extractable P with lower exchangeable K when compared with CM. The findings imply that while BGS provided nutrients, it resulted in lower maize dry matter than CM and lower grain yield than CF, but raised total N and available P, over time.

Analysis of the invasion rate, impacts and control measures of Prosopis juliflora: a case study of Amibara District, Eastern Ethiopia.

The tree Prosopis juliflora, introduced to Ethiopia in the 1970s to curb desertification, is imposing significant ecosystem and socioeconomic challenges. The objectives of this study are therefore to analyze the dynamics and associated impacts of the P. juliflora invasion over the period 1973-2004 and to evaluate the effectiveness of the management measures implemented to date. This required the analysis of Landsat images, field surveys, the use of structured questionnaires, and interviews. P. juliflora was found to invade new areas at an average rate of 3.48 km(2)/annum over the period 1973-2004. The high germination nature of the seed, mechanisms of seed dispersal, and its wide-range ecological adaptability are the main drivers for the high invasion rate. By the year 2020, approximately 30.89 % of the study area is projected to be covered by P. juliflora. The expansion has affected human health, suppressed indigenous plants, and decreased livestock productivity. The management measures that have been implemented are not able to yield the desirable results because of the limited spatial scale, cost, and/or improper planning and implementation. Therefore, the formulation of a strategy for management approaches that include the engagement of the community and the limiting of the number of vector animals within the framework of the current villagization program remain important. Moreover, risk assessment should be completed in the future before an exotic species is introduced into a certain area.

Possible implication of leukocytes in secondary pathological changes after spinal cord injury.

We reviewed 95 consecutive patients with cervical spinal cord injury admitted within 2 days of injury and treated nonoperatively, to elucidate the relationship between neurological deterioration and the white blood cell count in the first 4 days after injury. The count for 14 patients who had neurological deterioration was 13.2 +/- 3.2 x 10(9)/l, and that for 81 patients who had no deterioration was 11.0 +/- 3.1 x 10(9)/l. None of 19 patients whose highest white blood cell count was less than 9 x 10(9)l deteriorated, while 14 of 76 patients whose count was 9 x 10(9)/l or more deteriorated. These results suggest that the white blood cell is important in the secondary pathological changes after mechanical injury to the spinal cord.

Growth of the cervical spine with special reference to its lordosis and mobility.

STUDY DESIGN: The cervical spine of the healthy Japanese children aged between 1 year and 18 years was radiographically examined. OBJECTIVES: To examine the correlation between growth of the cervical vertebral body and the facet joint and the development of the cervical lordosis and intervertebral motion. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although the growth of body height and facet angle have been well documented, their correlation with curvature or mobility has not been elucidated. METHODS: We evaluated plain lateral radiographs of 180 boys and 180 girls regarding diameters and central heights of the cervical vertebra, the anterior and posterior vertebral height ratio, body height index, the facet joint angles, and tilting and sliding motions. Cervical length as the summation of the central height from C3 to C7 and the cervical lordosis angle (C3-C7 angle) were also measured. RESULTS: The mean C3-C7 angle and body height index gradually decreased until 9 years of age and then increased. The C3-C7 angle showed a significant correlation with cervical length, body height index, and facet joint angles before 9 years of age, and with cervical length and body height index after 9 years of age but not with facet joint angles. Facet joint angle decreased until 10 years of age and remained almost unchanged thereafter. Total sliding showed a significant age-related decrease and showed a significant correlation with facet joint angle. CONCLUSION: Although the lordosis angle showed a significant correlation with the other values, cervical length, body height index, and facet joint angle, the determinants of the lordosis could not be elucidate in the present study. As for the mobility of the cervical spine, changes of tilting motion were small, whereas changes of sliding motion were restricted by the change of orientation of the facet joints.

Validation of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) motor score and the National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (NASCIS) motor score.

STUDY DESIGN: In this study the motor scores of 62 consecutive acute spinal cord-injured patients were retrospectively reviewed. OBJECTIVE: The reliability of the American Spinal Injury Association and National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study motor scores, compared with the conventional motor scores, was retrospectively assessed. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The reliability of the American Spinal Injury Association and National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study scores has not as yet been confirmed. METHODS: Sixty-two consecutive adult patients admitted within 7 days of acute spinal cord injury between April, 1983, and September, 1992, were evaluated. The motor deficit percentage and the motor recovery percentage of each of the American Spinal Injury Association and the National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study motor scores were compared with those of the conventional motor score. From the initial and final motor score, the motor deficit percentage and motor recovery percentage were calculated. There were 38 patients with cervical and thoracic lesions, 12 patients with dorso-lumbar lesions, and 12 patients with lower lumbar lesions. The average follow-up period was 41 months. RESULTS: Both the American Spinal Injury Association motor score and the National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study motor score were representative of the conventional motor score for the evaluation of the motor deficit percentage and the motor recovery percentage in all levels (P < 0.0001). The differences in all correlation coefficients between the American Spinal Injury Association motor score and the National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study motor score were not statistically significant in all levels and in every group. CONCLUSIONS: The American Spinal Injury Association and National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study motor scores can both be used for the neurological quantification of motor deficit and motor recovery.

Nucleotide binding to isolated alpha and beta subunits of proton translocating adenosine triphosphatase studied with circular dichroism.

The catalytic and allosteric sites of proton translocating adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) were studied by measuring the binding of nucleotides to the ATPase, and its alpha and beta subunits purified from thermophilic bacterium PS3, with a circular dichroic spectrometer. In contrast to mesophilic ATPases, this thermophilic enzmye contained no tightly bound nucleotides, and its subunits were stable after their purification. These properties were advantageous for analyzing both catalytic and allosteric sites. The former site showed rapid and loose binding, but the latter slow (t 1/2 = 1 h, for ADP) and tight binding. When a nucleotide was bound, the beta subunits showed a negative ellipticity at 275 nm corresponding to a tyrosyl residue, while the alpha subunits showed an ellipticity change corresponding to the absorption curve of the bound nucleotide. This difference enabled us to distinguish the binding sites in ATPase. At a low concentration, ADP selectively bound to alpha subunits in the ATPase, while at a high concentration, it bound to both subunits. This finding suggests that the tight binding sites are located in the alpha subunits. Although ADP and ATP bound to both the purified alpha and beta subunits, CTP did not bind to beta but only to alpha subunits, and ITP bound to beta but hardly to alpha. These nucleotide specificities also supported the idea that the catalytic sites are located in the beta subunits and the allosteric sites are located in the alpha subunits.