Sensitivity to information upscaling of agro-ecological assessments: Application to soil organic carbon management

Upscaling of agro-ecological indicators applied in regional analyses is sensitive to scale issues of the input data. This study develops a methodology to quantify this sensitivity for an indicator of soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics at the farming system level. A reference case consists of seven fully described farms in northern Italy. Both upscaling in complexity by substituting measured input with estimated input and upscaling in space by extending the methods to farms not included in the reference case are addressed. The indicator increased with 3-107% at four farms after substituting measured management input with that estimated by an expert, whereas it remained unchanged or decreased at the other three farms. Taking the modal value from a cluster of pedological input did not lead to additional uncertainty in most cases, and only slightly increased it in others. We evaluated spatial upscaling by including 733 farms divided in 18 clusters that were described with less information as compared to the reference farms. Within each cluster, we observed relevant variability of the indicator (coefficients of variation of 12-43%), as a consequence of the heterogeneity of farms comprised in each cluster. In each cluster we calculated the indicator for one virtual farm, defined by using modal values for basic farm inputs. In this case the indicator was highly correlated (R² = 0.98) with the average of the values obtained using measured basic farm inputs. We conclude that upscaling in complexity and space introduces uncertainty in the values of the indicator compared to the reference case. The extent of such differences depends on the variability of the systems under analysis and on indicator sensitivity.     

A dearth of dark matter in ordinary elliptical galaxies

The kinematics of the outer parts of three intermediate-luminosity elliptical galaxies were studied with the Planetary Nebula Spectrograph. The galaxies' velocity-dispersion profiles were found to decline with the radius, and dynamical modeling of the data indicates the presence of little if any dark matter in these galaxies' halos. This unexpected result conflicts with findings in other galaxy types and poses a challenge to current galaxy formation theories.     

The mentality of crows: convergent evolution of intelligence in corvids and apes

Discussions of the evolution of intelligence have focused on monkeys and apes because of their close evolutionary relationship to humans. Other large-brained social animals, such as corvids, also understand their physical and social worlds. Here we review recent studies of tool manufacture, mental time travel, and social cognition in corvids, and suggest that complex cognition depends on a "tool kit" consisting of causal reasoning, flexibility, imagination, and prospection. Because corvids and apes share these cognitive tools, we argue that complex cognitive abilities evolved multiple times in distantly related species with vastly different brain structures in order to solve similar socioecological problems.     

Effect of improved fallow on crop productivity, soil fertility and climate-forcing gas emissions in semi-arid conditions

The impacts of fallow on soil fertility, crop production and climate-forcing gas emissions were determined in two contrasting legumes, Gliricidia sepium and Acacia colei, in comparison with traditional unamended fallow and continuous cultivation systems. After 2 years, the amount of foliar material produced did not differ between the two improved fallow species; however, grain yield was significantly elevated by 55% in the first and second cropping season after G. sepium compared with traditional fallow. By contrast, relative to the unamended fallow, a drop in grain yield was observed in the first cropping season after A. colei, followed by no improvement in the second. G. sepium had higher foliar N, K and Mg, while A. colei had lower foliar N but higher lignin and polyphenols. In the third year after fallow improvement, a simulated rainfall experiment was performed on soils to compare efflux of N₂O and CO₂. Improved fallow effects on soil nutrient composition and microbial activity were demonstrated through elevated N₂O and CO₂ efflux from soils in G. sepium fallows compared with other treatments. N₂O emissions were around six times higher from this nitrogen-fixing soil treatment, evolving 69.9 ngN₂O–N g⁻¹soil h⁻¹ after a simulated rainfall event, compared with only 8.5 and 4.8 ngN₂O–N g⁻¹soil h⁻¹ from soil under traditional fallow and continuous cultivation, respectively. The findings indicate that selection of improved fallows for short-term fertility enhancement has implications for regional N₂O emissions for dry land regions.     

Assay of aroma active components of virgin olive oils from southern Italian regions by SPME-GC/ion trap mass spectrometry

An SPME-GC/ion trap method was exploited to determine the chromatogram of volatile compounds of organic olive oils of southern Italian regions. The method is based on the assay of the terminal species of the "lipoxygenase pathway", which are present in the volatile fraction of the sampled compounds. Ethyl isobutanoate was used as internal standard in either the EI or CI ionization mode. The absolute concentration values of each analyte were evaluated through good-to-excellent calibration curves. Case studies on oils obtained from different cultivars or harvesting times are presented. The quantitative data for each compound were subjected to principal component analysis to characterize the different cultivars of this work.     

Control of black thread (Phytophthora palmivora) in hevea brasiliensis with Difolatan

Further investigations have shown that Difolatan applications initially slow down bark renewal; however, the thickness of the living bark becomes about normal after 2 years. The previous finding that Difolatan has no direct effect on latex yield was confirmed. Evidence was obtained that the renewing bark is of normal yield capacity.A suitable colouring agent to check the application of Difolatan is yellow iron oxide; Sterox NJ — a synthetic detergent — should be added to obtain stable suspensions.Promising yield increase was obtained when 0.25–1% 2,4-D was added to the Difolatan suspension in water. The percentage yield increase depends not only on the 2,4-D concentration but also on the use of admixtures, which give more bulk to the 2,4-D coating on the bark. The mixtures which gave the highest yield increase caused the greatest proliferation of the renewing bark and were less effective in controlling the disease. When relatively low concentrations of 2,4-D (up to 0.25%) are mixed with the Difolatan suspension, important yield increases can be obtained without much bark proliferation or loss of fungitoxicity; such applications open up possibilities for mild stimulation of younger tress.Samenvatting Gebleken is dat het fungicide Difolatan, toegepast bij de bestrijding vanPhytophthora palmivora — veroorzaker van een tapvlakziekte, bekend als black thread (Ned. naam: streepjeskanker) — aanvankelijk een remmende invloed heeft op het herstel van deHevea-bast. Echter, na enkele jaren bereikt de levende bast toch een normale dikte. Waarschijnlijk vermindert Difolatan in het begin de activiteit van het kurkcambium, waardoor minder harde bast en kurk worden gevormd. In verscheidene veldproeven werd aangetoond dat Difolatan geen effect heeft op de latexproduktie; de produktiecapaciteit van de herstellende bast zelf is waarschijnlijk ook normaal. Difolatantoepassingen op de bast worden beter zichtbaar door 1% geel ijzeroxide toe te voegen aan de waterige suspensie, welke 1% Difolatan (1.25% van het 80% spuitpoeder) en 0.1% Ortho spray sticker bevat; in dit geval dient nog 0.01% Sterox NJ (een uitvloeier) te worden toegevoegd om een stabiele suspensie te verkrijgen.Hogere rubberopbrengsten werden verkregen door 0.25–1% 2,4-D aan de suspensie toe te voegen. De produktie kan nog verder worden opgevoerd met behulp van hechters, die een dikkere laag residu op de bast achterlaten. De grootste produkties gingen gepaard met sterke woekering van de herstellende bast en een minder bevredigende ziektebestrijding. Evenwel, in betrekkelijk lage 2,4-D concentraties (niet hoger dan 0.25%) werden toch nog belangrijke meeropbrengsten verkregen zonder noemenswaardige bastwoekering of een sterke teruggang in fungitoxische eigenschappen van het mengsel. Deze formuleringen bieden mogelijkheden voor een milde stimulatie van jongere bomen, terwijl tegelijkertijd de streepjeskanker wordt bestreden.     

Effects of CD28 blockade on subsets of naïve T cells in cats

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether human CTLA4-Ig ([hu]CTLA4-Ig) inhibits costimulation-dependent lymphocyte proliferation in vitro, compare the effects of (hu)CTLA4-Ig with cyclosporine and steroids on CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell lymphocyte proliferation, and determine whether memory T-cell function remains intact in the presence of (hu)CTLA4-Ig. ANIMALS: 29 cats. PROCEDURE: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stimulated with concanavalin A (costimulation-dependent mitogen) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin (costimulation independent mitogens) alone or in the presence of (hu)CTLA4-Ig, cyclosporine, or dexamethasone; effects of these treatments on lymphocyte proliferation were assessed by incorporation of thymidine labeled with tritium or flow cytometry. Antigen-specific proliferation was determined by stimulating PBMCs from 2 healthy cats seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii with soluble Toxoplasma antigen alone or in the presence of (hu)CTLA4-Ig or cyclosporine. RESULTS: (hu)CTLA4-Ig inhibited costimulation-dependent lymphocyte proliferation in vitro but had no effect on costimulation-independent lymphocyte proliferation. Compared with mitogen alone, (hu)CTLA4-Ig caused a significant decrease in responder frequency and proliferative capacity of CD4+ T cells; however, the effect on CD8+ T cells was not significant. Cyclosporine alone or with dexamethasone had a significantly greater suppressive effect on responder frequency and proliferative capacity of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, compared with (hu)CTLA4-Ig. Compared with cyclosporine, (hu)CTLA4-Ig appeared to have a sparing effect on antigen-specific proliferation of memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: (hu)CTLA4-Ig selectively inhibited costimulation-dependent proliferation of lymphocytes in vitro and had a sparing effect on antigen-specific proliferation of memory cells. The specificity of its mechanism of action suggests that (hu)CTLA4-Ig may prevent allograft rejection but leave memory responses to previously encountered antigens intact.