bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ontogeny of angiopoietin‐like protein 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 genes during chick embryonic development
Authors: Niki Daisuke , Katsu Kenjiro , Yokouchi Yuji
Published: August 2010

Angiopoietin‐like proteins (ANGPTLs) are secreted proteins possessing an amino‐terminal coiled‐coil domain and a carboxyl‐terminal fibrinogen‐like domain and are known as angiogenic factors. Several members of ANGPTLs also regulate lipid metabolism independently of angiogenic effects, but most of their functions during vertebrate development are not demonstrated. To ascertain their developmental functions, we examined the expression patterns of Angptl1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 orthologues during chick development using whole‐mount in situ hybridization. Angptl1 was first detected at embryonic day 3 (E3) in the somite. At E4, Angptl1 was expressed in somite‐derivatives and limb mesenchyme. Angptl2 was first detected at E3 in the hindbrain. At E4, Angptl2 was expressed in neuroepithelium of forebrain and hindbrain and partly in the heart. Angptl3 was first detected at E3 and continued to be expressed in the liver and yolk sac at E4. Angptl4 was first detected at E3 in the somites and liver. At E4, Angptl4 was also observed in the heart. Angptl5 was not detected in these developmental stages. Angptl7 was first detected at E3 in the ectoderm overlying the lenses of the eyes. At E4, Angptl7 was specifically expressed in cornea. These data suggest that each member of the ANGPTL family could be related to angiogenesis during various organogeneses of the developing chick embryo.
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE: THE FRENCH CASE
Authors: FRANCK RAPHAËL
Published: August 2010

This article provides a test of the secularization hypothesis, which argues that economic growth, industrialization, increased literacy, and low fertility decrease religiosity. It focuses on the elections of the secular politicians who voted in favor of the separation between Church and State in the French Parliament in 1905. If the secularization hypothesis is correct, these secular politicians should have been elected in the most developed areas of France at the turn of the twentieth century. Contrary to the predictions of the secularization hypothesis, we find that the support for secular politicians originated in the rural areas of France. (JEL Z12, D72, N43)
The Role of International Financial Reporting Standards in Accounting Quality: Evidence from the European Union
Authors: Chen Huifa , Tang Qingliang , Jiang Yihong , Lin Zhijun
Published: August 2010

Previous studies on the effect of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on accounting quality often have difficulties to control for confounding factors on accounting quality. As a result, the observed changes in accounting quality could not be attributed mainly to IFRS. We use a unique research setting to address this issue by comparing the accounting quality of publicly listed companies in 15 member states of the European Union (EU) before and after the full adoption of IFRS in 2005. We use five indicators as proxies for accounting quality. We find that the majority of accounting quality indicators improved after IFRS adoption in the EU. That is, there is less of managing earnings toward a target, a lower magnitude of absolute discretionary accruals, and higher accruals quality. But our results also show that firms engage in more earnings smoothing and recognize large losses in a less timely manner in post‐IFRS periods. In addition, we examine the effects of institutional variables on financial reporting quality. Our contribution to the literature is that we show the improved accounting quality is attributable to IFRS, rather than changes in managerial incentives, institutional features of capital markets, and general business environment, etc.
The birth of design: a Kuna theory of body and personhood
Authors: Fortis Paolo
Published: August 2010

This article explores the concept of ‘design’ (narmakkalet) held by the Kuna people of Panamá. It demonstrates that the native concept of design and its relation to the human body is central to Kuna ideas concerning personhood. The main argument is that design is an attribute of the body which enables the creation of persons through the transformation of their relationship with animal entities. Through analysing the particular case of ‘amniotic designs’ (kurkin narmakkalet), which are sometimes visible on the heads of neonates, the article shows that designs provide a visual representation of the relationship between human beings and animals, and as such are integral in the formation of persons among the Kuna. To comprehend Kuna aesthetics, it is suggested, we need to look at the way Amerindians conceive the person, at how bodies are created, and at the relationships that human beings and animals entertain.

L'auteur explore ici le concept de « dessin » (narmakkalet) chez les Kuna du Panamá. Il montre que le concept indigène de dessin et sa relation avec le corps humain sont essentiels dans les idées des Kuna concernant la personnalité. Le principal argument est que le dessin est un attribut du corps permettant la création de personnes par la transformation de leur relation avec des entités animales. En analysant le cas particulier des « dessins amniotiques » (kurkin narmakkalet) parfois visibles sur la tête des nouveau‐nés, l'auteur montre que les dessins donnent une représentation visuelle de la relation entre humains et animaux font partie intégrante, en tant que tels, de la constitution des personnes chez les Kuna. Pour comprendre l'esthétique des Kuna, l'auteur suggère d'examiner la manière dont les Amérindiens conçoivent la personne, la manière dont les corps sont créés et la relation que les êtres humains entretiennent avec les animaux.
Discourse on the invisible: senses as metaphor among the Aruwund (Lunda)
Authors: Palmeirim Manuela
Published: August 2010

This article argues that, in the African contexts analysed, discourse on sorcery, healing, and the so‐called ‘world of the invisible’ should be read as ‘theories’ or ‘philosophies’ of knowledge rather than as a set of ‘beliefs’ in mystical and transcendental powers. Furthermore, it aims to demonstrate that these theories do not follow the Cartesian dualism embedded in much Western philosophical thought (also a legacy of Plato), which mistrusted senses as reliable vehicles of knowledge and frequently opposed the sensible to the intelligible, body to mind, senses to reason. In contrast, the African exegeses analysed here assert that wisdom and power – as well as the accurate use of reason and judgement – depend, in the very first instance, upon the full mastering of one's overall sensorial system. The discussion consists of a cross‐cultural examination of data collected in rural and semi‐urban settings among the Aruwund (Lunda) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

L'auteur affirme ici que dans les contextes africains analysés, le discours sur la sorcellerie, la guérison et le « monde de l'invisible » doit être interprété comme des « théories » ou des « philosophies » de la connaissance et non comme un ensemble de « croyances » dans des pouvoirs mystiques et transcendantaux. En outre, elle veut démontrer que ces théories ne s'alignent pas sur le dualisme cartésien (également un héritage platonicien), qui imprègne une grande partie de la pensée philosophique occidentale. Celui‐ci déniait aux sens la faculté d'être des véhicules fiables de la connaissance et opposait fréquemment le sensible à l'intelligible, le corps à l'esprit, les sens à la raison. À l'inverse, les exégèses africaines analysées ici affirment que la sagesse et le pouvoir, ainsi d'ailleurs que l'usage judicieux du raisonnement et du jugement, dépendent au premier chef de la maîtrise du système sensoriel global du sujet. La discussion procède à un examen interculturel de données recueillies dans le cadre rural et semi‐urbain parmi les Aruwund (Lunda) de la République démocratique du Congo.
Human capital, migration, and a ‘vent’ for surplus rural labour in 1930s China: the case of the Lower Yangzi
Authors: KUNG JAMES KAI‐SING , BAI NANSHENG , LEE YIU‐FAI
Published: August 2010

A farm survey conducted in a prosperous Chinese county (Wuxi) in the Lower Yangzi region in the 1930s shows that a ‘vent’ existed for surplus farm workers to obtain off‐farm migrant employment and that the slack in farming created by this migration process attracted those from the lower‐wage districts, resulting in the creation of a hierarchy of labour markets differentiated by education and skills. Our analysis also reveals that there were crucial links between education, migration, and income, and it refutes the claim that migration was caused by land deficiency and favoured those who lived near the urban core.
Managing the Long Term Prisoner: A Report on an Australian Innovation in Unit Management
Authors: ROBSON RON
Published: August 2010

Abstract: Bathurst Gaol in New South Wales has carried out changes in managerial styles. The physical and social environment provided for prisoners in a ‘Unit Management’ scheme has been found to be conducive to efficient management; it is also cost effective. This article describes and assesses both the ‘unit living’ and the ‘participatory management’ style involved.
The Dilemmas of the HIV Positive Prisoner
Authors: YOUNG ALISON , McHALE JEAN V.
Published: August 2010

Abstract: The spread of HIV among the prison community is the subject of considerable concern among pressure groups and prison authorities alike. This article examines the approach taken to the care of HIV positive prisoners in England in the light of arguments about prisoners' rights. Four areas are examined in detail; testing for HIV infection; confidentiality of information concerning HIV positive prisoners; the contrast in care facilities provided to those with HIV inside and outside prison; the involvement of HIV positive prisoners in experimental drug trials. The article concludes by examining the role of a rights based analysis when determining policies of care for these prisoners.
Criminal Justice Pre and Post October 1992: What Future for the Probation Order: The Results of a Local Study
Authors: Downing Kevin
Published: August 2010

Abstract: This article brings together local research based on a magistrates' court in the south west of England with national statistics produced by the Home Office. It identifies the decline of the probation order and links this to the context of pre‐sentence report practice post implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. It argues that unless there are significant improvements in report writing in the near future the probation order as a sentence may soon cease to find a place in the sentencing framework. It identifies the introduction of compulsory joint training for magistrates and report writers as an opportunity to improve practice within the criminal justice system, and prevent further potentially damaging movement towards centralisation. The author suggests that re‐integration of sentencers and the probation service at a local level and inclusion of the assessed cost of various sentences in the pre‐sentence report would assist in ensuring the retention of a challenging, humane and cost‐effective sentencing option.
Diversifying Police Recruitment? The Deployment of Police Community Support Officers in London
Authors: JOHNSTON LES
Published: August 2010

Abstract: As part of its drive to extend ‘the police family’, the Police Reform Act 2002 introduced police community support officers (PCSOs) into the service. Although the main function of PCSOs is to enhance public reassurance by providing visible uniformed patrol, it is also anticipated that PSCO recruitment – more demographically diverse than regular recruitment – will make the police more genuinely representative of the diverse communities they police. Drawing upon research carried out in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), this article considers how far quantitative targets in respect of diverse recruitment are being met; outlines some of the organisational problems impacting on diversity; and notes the limitations of greater ‘representativeness’.
Modulation of white adipose tissue proteome by aging and calorie restriction
Authors: Valle Adamo , Sastre‐Serra Jordi , Roca Pilar , Oliver Jordi
Published: August 2010

Aging is associated with an accrual of body fat, progressive development of insulin resistance and other obesity comorbidities that contribute to decrease life span. Caloric restriction (CR), which primarily affects energy stores in adipose tissue, is known to extend life span and retard the aging process in animal models. In this study, a proteomic approach combining 2‐DE and MS was used to identify proteins modulated by aging and CR in rat white adipose tissue proteome. Proteomic analysis revealed 133 differentially expressed spots, 57 of which were unambiguously identified by MS. Although CR opposed part of the age‐associated protein expression patterns, many effects of CR were on proteins unaltered by age, suggesting that the effects of CR on adipose tissue are only weakly related to those of aging. Particularly, CR and aging altered glucose, intermediate and lipid metabolism, with CR enhancing the expression of enzymes involved in oxalacetate and NADPH production, lipid biosynthesis and lipolysis. Consistently, insulin‐β and β3‐adrenergic receptors were also increased by CR, which denotes improved sensitivity to lipogenic/lipolytic stimuli. Other beneficial outcomes of CR were an improvement in oxidative stress, preventing the age‐associated decrease in several antioxidant enzymes. Proteins involved in cytoskeleton, iron storage, energy metabolism and several proteins with novel or unknown functions in adipose tissue were also modulated by age and/or CR. Such orchestrated changes in expression of multiple proteins provide insights into the mechanism underlying CR effects, ultimately allowing the discovery of new markers of aging and targets for the development of CR‐mimetics.
Effect of applying paper mill sludge to arable land on soil fertility and crop yields
Authors: Aitken M.N. , Evans B. , Lewis J.G.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. Two field trials were established in 1991 to determine the effects on crop yield, N uptake, soil moisture content and heavy metal concentration of applying de‐inked paper mill sludge (DPMS) over the period 1991 to 1993. In the first year, during decomposition of the DPMS, N immobilization occurred resulting in loss of cereal yield (P < 0.05) at low rates of N fertilizer. Approximately 40 kg extra N fertilizer/ha was required per 100t DPMS/ha to compensate for this N immobilization. Soil volumetric moisture content was increased (P < 0.001) by c. 20% at both sites by 200 and 300t DPMS/ha. DPMS did not significantly increase (P > 0.05) soil concentrations of total Zn, Cu and Pb. Soil nitrate concentrations after harvest were reduced (P < 0.01) by c. 17 mg N/kg per 100t DPMS/ha with increasing rates of DPMS up to 200 t/ha. In the second year following the DPMS application, there were no significant effects on grain yield indicating that very little or no N was immobilized. By the third year, the soil N supply was 7 kg N/ha higher where a single dressing of 100t DPMS/ha had been applied compared to the control. This resulted in an overall yield increase of 7% (P < 0.10). Soil N supply was lower (N.S.) but crop yields were similar (P > 0.05) to the control where single dressings of 200 and 300t DPMS/ha had been applied.
Indigenous and scientific knowledge: the choice and management of cultivation sites by bedouin in Upper Egypt
Authors: Briggs J. , Pulford I.D. , Badri M. , Shaheen A.S.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. This paper investigates the ways in which some bedouin in the Nubian Desert of southeastern Egypt take decisions about both the choice of site for cultivation and the subsequent management of their soils. It explores the complementarity of formal and informal sciences and how each might profitably inform the other. Results show that the bedouin understand the physical limitations and nutrient supply properties of soils, but not aspects such as pH. Decisions on the choice of cultivation site are often made with regard to other perceived risks, such as soil loss and intermittent inundation, rather than just soil quality. It is also apparent that there exists among bedouin a plurality of indigenous knowledge mediated by factors such as experience, wealth levels, household circumstances and production priorities. Understanding indigenous knowledge is essential in helping to develop better use of the soil in this area, about which little is known and which has only a short history of small scale cropping.
Nitrogen conserving potential of successive ryegrass catch crops in continuous spring barley
Authors: Thomsen I.K. , Christensen B.T.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. The nitrogen (N) conserving effects of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) undersown as a nitrate catch crop in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were evaluated over a ten‐year period in outdoor lysimeters (1.5 m deep, diam. 1 m) with sandy loam soil. Spring barley grown every year received 11.0 or 16.5 g N m−2 before planting or was kept unfertilized. The N was given either as calcium ammonium nitrate or as ammoniacal N in pig slurry. From 1985 to 1989, ryegrass was undersown in the barley in half of the lysimeters while barley was grown alone in the remaining lysimeters. The grass sward was left uncut after barley harvest and incorporated in late winter/early spring. From 1990 to 1994 all lysimeters were in barley only.

Barley dry matter yields and crop N offtakes were not affected by the presence of undersown ryegrass, although grain yields appeared to be slightly reduced. After termination of ryegrass growing, N offtake in barley (grain+straw) was higher in lysimeters in which catch crops had been grown previously.

The loss of nitrate by leaching increased with N addition rate. Regardless of N dressing, ryegrass catch crops halved the total nitrate loss during 1985–1989, corresponding to a mean annual reduction in nitrate leaching of 2.0–3.5 g N m−2. From 1990 to 1994, lysimeters previously undersown with ryegrass lost more nitrate than lysimeters with no history of ryegrass. The extra loss of nitrate accounted for 30% of the N retained by ryegrass catch crops during 1985–1989.

It is concluded that a substantial proportion of the N saved from leaching by ryegrass catch crops is readily mineralized and available for crop offtake as well as leaching as nitrate. To maximize benefits from ryegrass catch crops, the cropping system must be adjusted to exploit the extra N mineralization derived from the turnover of N incorporated in ryegrass biomass.
Utilization of nitrogen accumulated by a clover containing ley following cultivation
Authors: Adams W.A. , Jan M.T.
Published: August 2010

Abstract.The efficient use of biologically fixed N in agriculture is important in organic farming and when N fertilizers are either expensive or unavailable. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of cultivation and sowing dates on the efficiency of use of biologically fixed N built up during a period of grass/clover ley by subsequently sown ryegrass. Dates of cultivation in two field experiments conducted in consecutive years (1994/95 and 1995/96) ranged from August to October and sowing was carried out either immediately after cultivation or after a delay of one month. Nitrate‐N losses through leaching, herbage yields and N offtake by ryegrass were measured from 1994 to 1996. A laboratory experiment was carried out to assess net N mineralization and nitrification in the soil of the field experiment under different conditions.

The utilization of mineralized N ranged from 30 to 100 kg ha−1in both field experiments. Herbage yield and recovery of mineralized N by ryegrass was greater when sowing was carried out immediately after cultivation than when it was delayed for one month. Cultivation in late October was inferior to cultivation in August or September but the optimum date (August to September) differed between the two years (1994/95 and 1995/96) due to differences in weather, especially rainfall, affecting N leaching during the germination and early growth phases. Indeed the main differences in the efficiency of utilization of mineralized N between treatments could be attributed to differences in NO3–N leaching losses during the autumn establishment period. Decreases in soil temperature during autumn resulted in a modest decrease in net N mineralization but a much more substantial decrease in the rate of nitrification, which has implications for NO3–N leaching. The optimum time for cultivation cannot be refined to a particular calendar date but reasonably accurate long‐term rainfall forecasts in conjunction with data on soil moisture deficit would provide the means to set an optimum cultivation date.
Effects of the 1995–1997 drought on nitrate leaching in lowland England
Authors: Morecroft M.D. , Burt T.P. , Taylor M.E. , Rowland A.P.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. The effect of drought between summer 1995 and 1997 on stream and river nitrate concentrations was investigated using sites close to the long‐running meteorological station in Oxford, UK. Nitrate concentrations in the River Windrush were relatively low during the drought, but after it had ended reached the highest level since records began in 1973. The low concentrations during the drought probably reflect a reduced contribution from agricultural runoff. High nitrate concentrations were found in a field drain at Wytham Environmental Change Network site during and after the drought, but discharge was greatly reduced. A woodland stream at Wytham had much lower nitrate concentrations than the field drain but these similarly increased during and after the drought. There was evidence that both a concentrating effect of low water volumes and enhanced soil nitrogen mineralization and nitrification rates were causing concentrations to rise. The effects of mineralization and nitrification were more important in woodland than agricultural land. Nitrate load over the course of a year was determined largely by discharge, but steeper gradients for the relationship between cumulative load and cumulative discharge were seen during and after the drought than before, reflecting the higher concentrations.
Nitrate leaching from arable and horticultural land
Authors: Goulding K.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. Arable crops in the UK make a large contribution to nitrate leaching by virtue of the land area they cover (>4.5 million ha). By contrast horticultural crops occupy only a small area (< 0.2 million ha) but can leach very large amounts of nitrogen. The application of nitrogen fertilizer to arable and horticultural crops is very cost‐effective, stimulating its use. MAFF's Nitrate Research Programme for arable and horticultural crops aims to reduce nitrate leaching and maintain productive farming through Best Management Practice. The Programme has led to the development and testing of methods to measure nitrate leaching, the identification of ‘leaky’ crops, soils and practices, and strategies to optimize the use of fertilizer nitrogen. Data have been used to construct and test models of nitrate leaching, which in turn have been used to evaluate the leakiness of potential rotations. Current best practice to minimize nitrate leaching requires measures to improve the efficiency of nitrogen use by crops, combined with measures to protect soil nitrogen from leaching during the late autumn to spring drainage period. This involves consideration of many factors: an appropriate crop variety must be chosen; a green cover must be maintained for as much of the year as is practicable; crops should be drilled early; fertilizer requirements should be calculated using a recommendation system and allowing for soil mineral nitrogen and any manures applied; fertilizers should be spread evenly with a properly calibrated spreader, perhaps using split applications; starter fertilizers and banding of fertilizers should be used where appropriate to reduce losses from vegetables; pest and disease infestation must be minimized; any irrigation must be applied carefully with scheduling. Research is now moving on to study whole farm systems and the interactions between losses of nitrogen and other pollutants to the environment with the aim of minimizing total environmental impact.
Estimation of carbon losses by cultivation from soils of the Argentine Pampa using the Century Model
Authors: Alvarez R.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. The Century model was used for estimating soil carbon levels under grassland at the regional scale in the Pampean Region of Argentina. Predicted values were compared with observed soil carbon contents obtained from soil surveys and the differences considered to be the results of cropping on soil organic matter. The Pampean Region was divided into five major sub‐regions and carbon in the top 20 cm of each estimated by Century using aggregated soil and climatic data. In four of the sub‐regions small differences between predicted and observed carbon contents were obtained which suggested little land use effect on soils. In the Rolling Pampa, a northern portion of the Pampean Region, observed carbon content was about half of Century prediction. In this sub‐region, the main agricultural area of the country, cropping intensity, rainfall and temperature are higher than in the rest of the Pampas. A degradation index constructed by a multiplicative approach, taking into account percentage of surface cropped, rainfall and temperature was 2–5 times higher in the Rolling Pampa than in the other pampean sub‐region. The difference between predicted C and observed C in the Rolling Pampa was attributed to carbon losses by cropping in a warm and wet climate.
Molecular weight spectra of dissolved organic carbon in a rewetted Welsh peatland and possible implications for water quality
Authors: Fenner N. , Freeman C. , Hughes S. , Reynolds B.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. Demand for water from catchments dominated by upland peat as a source of drinking water supplies in the UK is likely to increase in the future as demand per capita continues to rise (Thomsen 1990) and/or summer droughts increase in frequency (Arnell 1992). Concern has been expressed in recent years over rising colour levels (related to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and iron (Fe)) from such catchments (e.g. Kay et al. 1989) causing reduced drinking water quality. One of the major causes of increased DOC concentrations is rewetting following periods of relative drought (Mitchell & McDonald 1992). Experimental rewetting of a naturally drained wetland in Mid‐Wales over four years was found to substantially increase the concentrations of DOC, and Fe in the pore‐water, with peak values of >60 mg dm–3 (Fe) and >300 mg dm–3 (DOC) after rewetting, compared with typical values of <1 mgdm–3 (Fe) and <15 mg dm–3 (DOC) under the drained conditions. Seasonal peak concentrations of Fe and DOC have since remained at these higher levels. Rewetting produced a selective enrichment of the >5000 to <90 000 apparent molecular weight (AMW) material and this fraction was found to yield peak Fe concentrations. Two additional peaks of DOC were also found in the experimental wetland (not present in the control wetland), of >90 000 to <200 000 AMW and >200 000 AMW material. The AMW spectrum of DOC in the experimental wetland changed with season, and the >90 000 to <200 000 AMW fraction could only be seen in spring, representing a transient pool of carbon that is rapidly transformed in or transported from the wetland. These findings suggest that rewetting of peatland following drought (e.g. due to climate change) has the potential to reduce water quality. Moreover, recent interest in restoration (rewetting) of drained peatlands (Wheeler & Shaw 1995) could create an additional source of DOC rich water.
Effects of land use on soil erosion and nutrient loss in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China
Authors: Meng Q.H. , Fu B.J. , Yang L.Z.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. By comparing field measurements from 1989, 1997, and 1998, the differences between farmland (sloping farmland, sloping farmland with contour cultivation, terraced farmland) and orchard (terraced orchard, unterraced orchard), in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, were significant for runoff (P<0.01), erosion (P<0.05) and nutrient loss (P<0.05). Taking into account economic costs and environmental influences, reasonable and sustainable land use on slopes of 25° in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area should be unterraced orchard.
Exchangeable potassium in soil as indicator of potassium status in an organic crop rotation on loamy sand
Authors: Askegaard M. , Eriksen J.
Published: August 2010

Abstract.In organic agriculture, where K may be a limited resource, reliable tools are important in the assessment of K availability in the soil in order to avoid K deficiency. We investigated the effect of four organic farming systems on the exchangeable K in the plough layer of a six‐course crop rotation from 1994 to 1997. The accumulated K balances over the four years varied between −49 and +120 kg K ha–1and the corresponding exchangeable K (0–20 cm) in autumn 1997 was 7.1 and 9.6 mg K 100 g soil–1, respectively, as an average of the crop rotation. The exchangeable K fraction responded to the K application in manure and to the crop in the rotation. In an additional experiment, no yield response to K was found, despite a low level of exchangeable K. The exchangeable K was a useful indicator of changes in the K status in the farming system with the largest positive K balance, but this K fraction was insufficient as an indicator in the other three farming systems. The considerable variation of exchangeable K through the crop rotation makes the soil test method most suitable at the crop rotation level where fluctuations caused by crop and management are smoothed out.
Managing soil fertility in organic farming systems
Authors: Watson C.A. , Atkinson D. , Gosling P. , Jackson L.R. , Rayns F.W.
Published: August 2010

Abstract.Complex relationships exist between different components of the organic farm and the quantity and quality of the end products depend on the functioning of the whole system. As such, it is very difficult to isolate soil fertility from production and environmental aspects of the system. Crop rotation is the central tool that integrates the maintenance and development of soil fertility with different aspects of crop and livestock production in organic systems. Nutrient supply to crops depends on the use of legumes to add nitrogen to the system and limited inputs of supplementary nutrients, added in acceptable forms. Manures and crop residues are carefully managed to recycle nutrients around the farm. Management of soil organic matter, primarily through the use of short‐term leys, helps ensure good soil structure and biological activity, important for nutrient supply, health and productivity of both crops and livestock. Carefully planned diverse rotations help reduce the incidence of pests and diseases and allow for cultural methods of weed control. As a result of the complex interactions between different system components, fertility management in organic farming relies on a long‐term integrated approach rather than the more short‐term very targeted solutions common in conventional agriculture.
Simulation of transport through soil of E. coli derived from livestock slurry using the macro model
Authors: McGechan M.B. , Vinten A.J.A.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. Leaching of faecal coliforms to rivers, lakes and groundwater following the spreading of animal slurry on land is of environmental and public health concern. A two‐stage approach was adopted to modelling the transport processes by which Escherichia coli passes through the soil to receiving waters via field drains. First, parameter values were selected for the dual‐porosity contaminant transport model macro to simulate through‐soil flows, sorption and die‐off of E. coli. These simulations reproduced experimental measurements showing rapid flows of the microorganisms to field drains after slurry spreading, which could be explained in terms of macropore flow in which trapping of colloids such as E. coli does not take place. Second, a series of predictive simulations was carried out to test the influence of soil and weather conditions on E. coli losses. These showed that losses are strongly influenced by soil wetness conditions at the time of spreading, and to a lesser degree by rainfall occurring soon after spreading. Selection of spreading ‘workdays’ with particular weather and soil wetness conditions is beneficial, which indicates opportunities for substantial reductions in the environmental risks of water pollution by E. coli and other faecal microorganisms.
The effectiveness of loose rock check dams for gully control in Tigray, northern Ethiopia
Authors: Nyssen J. , Veyret‐Picot M. , Poesen J. , Moeyersons J. , Haile Mitiku , Deckers J. , Govers G.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. Over the last two decades, large gully control programmes have been established in Ethiopia. Based on detailed observations and measurements of 400 check dams in the highlands near Hagere Selam (Tigray, northern Ethiopian Highlands), the effectiveness of the check dam technique was assessed. In this study, catchment area, slope gradient, technical characteristics and the presence of smectite clays are the main factors controlling dam stability. Simple and logistic regression techniques were used to analyse the data. The frequent collapse of dams (39% after two years) is strongly associated with drainage area (A) and slope gradient of the soil surface near the gully (S), the product of these factors (S×A) being a proxy for runoff energy. Good functioning dams have a spillway, apron, concave plan form (when looking downslope) and are built at vertical intervals and with heights that result in a negative slope gradient of the line connecting the spillway and the foot of the upstream dam. Therefore, a reverse slope of this line is recommended. Furthermore, if large cracks are present in smectite‐rich soils, the construction of check dams can lead to piping and concentrated flow bypassing the dam. Given that the collapse of some check dams seems inevitable where catchment areas are large or there are steep slopes, it is necessary to repair dams as soon as partial collapse starts and to complement this gully control technique with biological control measures.
Dissolved reactive phosphorus in a Calcaric Fluvisol as affected by the addition of agricultural wastes
Authors: López‐Martínez N. , del Olmo A. , Torrent J.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. Land application of organic wastes can result in the accumulation of available soil phosphorus (P) and in an increase risk of eutrophication of surface and shallow groundwaters. We conducted laboratory experiments to examine the effect of waste application on the concentration of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in 1:5 soil to 0.005 m CaCl2 suspensions. Ten organic wastes, of which eight were mature composts, were applied to a P‐rich Calcaric Fluvisol at rates ranging from 0 to 10% of soil by weight, and the difference in DRP concentration between suspensions containing waste and the untreated control (ΔDRP) was measured over a period of 300 days. In half of the suspensions of each waste–soil combination, 80 mg P (as KH2PO4) kg−1 soil was applied at day 14. Values of ΔDRP were generally positive, but a significant number of negative values were also recorded for some wastes and application rates, particularly at later sampling times if inorganic P had been added. Regression analyses revealed that ΔDRP (i) increased with increasing soluble reactive P at all times and (ii) increased in the short term, but decreased in the long term with increasing water soluble organic carbon in the waste. The fact that ΔDRP was sometimes negative for some waste types suggests that application of organic waste to soil does not necessarily increase eutrophication risks caused by soil P losses.
Comparative effects of annual and permanent dairy pastures on soil physical properties in the Tsitsikamma region of South Africa
Authors: Milne R.M. , Haynes R.J.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. The effects of grazed, annual ryegrass pasture (annually tilled with a rotary cultivator) and permanent kikuyu pasture were compared with that of undisturbed native vegetation at four sites in the Tsitsikamma region, South Africa. Soil organic carbon content, aggregate stability, saturated hydraulic conductivity, air permeability, root length density and rooting depth were all less under ryegrass than kikuyu pasture. There was, however, no consistent effect of pasture‐type on pore size distribution or penetrometer resistance. Differences in penetrometer resistance were most obvious in the 10–30 cm layer with subsurface compaction being evident at some sites under both types of pasture. This was attributed to the treading effects of grazing cattle plus formation of a compacted layer at the depth of tillage under ryegrass pastures. Subsoil tillage of a ryegrass pasture resulted in a substantial reduction in penetrometer resistance in the compacted 10–20 cm layer and increases in hydraulic conductivity, air permeability, root length density and rooting depth. We conclude that conversion from conventional to zero tillage is a potential way of improving the sustainability of annual pasture production and that the extent of subsoil compaction under both pasture types needs further investigation.
Soil properties and plant production after short‐term fallows in Senegal
Authors: Masse D. , Manlay R.J. , Diatta M. , Pontanier R. , Chotte J.‐L.
Published: August 2010

Abstract.Field trials of vegetation modification were carried out to test the hypothesis that the management of key plant groups such as trees, perennial grasses and legumes would improve soil chemical properties in short‐term fallows. Soil properties and plant production during a 4‐year fallow period and millet yields after clearing were recorded at two sites representing dry and subhumid climates in Senegal, West Africa. During the four years of fallow, soil organic matter did not vary significantly at either site. A decrease in amounts of Olsen P, calcium and potassium in soil (0–10 cm depth) by 42–50% occurred at one site due to an effect of perennial grasses. The highest millet yields were measured in plots on which the largest amounts of biomass had been burnt after clear‐cutting. These results confirmed that short‐term fallows do not replenish soil organic matter and nutrient contents. The introduction of planted species did not arrest the decline in soil quality.
Nitrate and human health
Authors: Addiscott T.M. , Benjamin N.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. Nitrate is widely and mistakenly perceived to threaten human health by causing methaemoglobinaemia in infants and stomach cancer in adults, but it does cause environmental problems. Methaemoglobinaemia is a side‐effect of gastroenteritis and is not caused by nitrate but by nitric oxide, which is produced in a defensive reaction stimulated by gastroenteritis. The latter may be caused by a bacterium or a virus. The association of methaemoglobinaemia with nitrate may have arisen because early cases of the condition were often associated with wells polluted with bacteria, and the same pollution increased the nitrate concentration. Four epidemiological studies sought a link between stomach cancer and nitrate but did not find one. The incidence of this cancer has also declined during the last 30 years, while nitrate concentrations in water have increased. Nitrate preserves, rather than threatens, health. It is reduced by microbes on the tongue to nitrite, which generates nitric oxide when acidified in an antibacterial defence mechanism vital to our well‐being. This mechanism acts with great effectiveness in the stomach against Salmonella, Escherichia coli and other organisms that cause gastroenteritis. It also acts in our mouths against dental caries and even on our skin against fungal pathogens such as Tinea pedis (athlete's foot). This mechanism is the basis of the centuries‐old practice of adding nitrate or nitrite to stored meat to protect against botulism, caused by the most lethal toxin known to mankind.
Managing field margins for biodiversity and carbon sequestration: a Great Britain case study
Authors: Falloon P. , Powlson D. , Smith P.
Published: August 2010

Abstract. Field margins are a valuable resource in the farmed landscape, providing numerous environmental benefits. We present a preliminary analysis of the carbon mitigation potential of different field margin management options for Great Britain, calculated using data from long‐term experiments and literature estimates. The carbon sequestration potential of the individual options investigated here varies from 0.1 to 2.4% of 1990 UK CO2‐C emissions, or 0.7–20% of the Quantified Emission Limitation Reduction Commitment (QELRC). The scenarios investigated covered three possible margin widths and options for the management of margins at each width (viz. grass strips, hedgerows and tree strips). Scenarios involving margin widths of 2, 6 or 20 m would require approximately 2.3, 6.7 or 21.3% of the total arable area of Great Britain, respectively. Scenarios including tree strips offered the greatest potential for carbon sequestration, since large amounts would be accumulated in above‐ground biomass in addition to that in soil. We also accounted for the possible impacts of changed land management on trace gas fluxes, which indicated that any scenario involving a change from arable to grass strip, hedgerow or tree strip would significantly reduce N2O emissions, and thus further increase carbon mitigation potential. There would also be considerable potential for including the scenarios investigated here with other strategies for the alternative management of UK arable land to identify optimal combinations. We assumed that it would take 50–100 years for soil carbon to reach a new equilibrium following a land use change. More detailed analyses need to be conducted to include environmental benefits, socioeconomic factors and the full system carbon balance.
Role of hepatic phospholipids in development of liver injury in Mdr2 (Abcb4) knockout mice
Authors: Baghdasaryan Anna , Fickert Peter , Fuchsbichler Andrea , Silbert Dagmar , Gumhold Judith , Hörl Gerd , Langner Cord , Moustafa Tarek , Halilbasic Emina , Claudel Thierry , Trauner Michael
Published: August 2010

Background/Aims: Multidrug resistance protein 2 (Abcb4) gene knockout mice (Mdr2−/−) lack phosphatidylcholine (PC) excretion into bile and spontaneously develop sclerosing cholangitis, biliary fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinomas. We therefore aimed to test whether formation and hepatic retention of abnormal PC metabolites contribute to the pathogenesis of liver injury in Mdr2−/− mice.

Methods: Mdr2
−/− mice were either fed a diet supplemented with soybean lecithin 2.5% w/w [phosphatidylcholine‐enriched diet (PCD), to increase hepatic PC content] or a choline‐deficient diet (CDD, to reduce hepatic PC content) for 4 weeks; controls received chow with energy and nutrient content equivalent to PCD and CDD. Serum liver tests, liver histology, markers of fibrosis, cholangiocyte activation, cell proliferation and thin‐layer chromatography for phospholipid (PL) composition were carried out.

Results: PCD decreased serum alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin levels compared with controls, while liver histology as well as hepatic hydroxyproline content as markers of liver fibrosis did not differ among groups. Both PCD and CDD decreased hepatocellular proliferation compared with controls. Hepatic, serum and biliary PLs remained unchanged despite dietary manipulations and no potentially toxic PL metabolites were detected.

Conclusions: Mdr2
−/− mice maintain stable hepatic, serum and biliary PL metabolism in response to dietary PC manipulations. Our findings therefore suggest that liver injury in Mdr2−/− mice is not due to formation of toxic PL metabolites.
Auditing ultrasound assessment of fetal nuchal translucency thickness: A review of Australian national data 2002–2008
Authors: NISBET Debbie L. , ROBERTSON Ann C. , SCHLUTER Philip J. , MCLENNAN Andrew C. , HYETT Jon A.
Published: August 2010

Background:  Nuchal translucency (NT) measurement is the ultrasound component of first trimester combined screening for Down syndrome. In 2002, a NT ultrasound education and monitoring program was established in Australia. Between 2002 and 2008, a total of 728 502 NT scans were audited through this process.

Overall aim:  To audit the availability and performance of certified operators measuring NT following implementation of the Australian education and monitoring program in 2002.

Methods:  Retrospective review of the central database that is used to monitor performance of individuals and practices performing NT scans in both public and private practice settings throughout Australia between 2002 and 2008. The performance of operators was assessed by a widely used international standard – that 40–60% of NT measurements should be above the median value for gestational age.

Results:  The number of certified operators has increased (from 184 in 2002 to 477 in 2008). There is wide variation between states in the number of operators per birth. The percentage of certified operators with a measurement distribution meeting the international standard has increased from 40% in 2002 to 55% in 2008. Greatest improvement has been seen in operators performing 30–199 scans per year. There has been no overall improvement in performance over the last three audit cycles.

Conclusions:  The number of operators certified to perform the NT scan has increased since 2002, although availability in some states remains low. An initial improvement in performance of operators appears to have reached a plateau. It is time to become more proactive in engaging operators in the audit cycle.
Migraine and Vertigo: A Marriage of Convenience?
Authors: Phillips John , Longridge Neil , Mallinson Arthur , Robinson Gordon
Published: August 2010

“Migraine associated vertigo” is emerging as a popular diagnosis for patients with recurrent vertigo. However, in view of our current understanding of both migraine and vertigo, “migraine associated vertigo,” in contrast to basilar artery migraine, is neither clinically nor biologically plausible as a migraine variant.

(Headache 2010;50:1362‐1365)
Induction of sodium channel Nax (SCN7A) expression in rat and human hippocampus in temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Gorter Jan A. , Zurolo Emanuele , Iyer Anand , Fluiter Kees , Van Vliet Erwin A. , Baayen Johannes C. , Aronica Eleonora
Published: August 2010

Purpose:  In a recent large‐scale gene‐expression study in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) a persistent up‐regulation in the expression of the SCN7A gene was revealed. The SCN7A gene encodes an atypical sodium channel (Nax), which is involved in osmoregulation via a sensing mechanism for the extracellular sodium concentration. Herein we investigated the expression and cellular distribution of SCN7A mRNA and protein in normal and epileptic rat and human hippocampus.

Methods:  SCN7A/Nax expression analysis was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunocytochemistry, and western blot analysis.

Results:  Increased expression of SCN7A/Nax mRNA/protein was observed during epileptogenesis and in the chronic epileptic phase in the post–status epilepticus (SE) model of TLE. The up‐regulation was confirmed in human hippocampal tissue resected from pharmacoresistant patients with hippocampal sclerosis (HS). In both epileptic rat and human hippocampus, increased Nax expression was observed in neurons and reactive astrocytes compared to control tissue.

Conclusions:  The increased and persistent expression of SCN7A/Nax in the epileptic rat and human hippocampus supports the possible involvement of this channel in the complex reorganization occurring within the hippocampus during the epileptogenic process in TLE. Further studies are needed for a complete understanding of the functional role of SCN7A in epilepsy.