Soil microbial biomass, a small and highly dynamic organic matter pool, plays a critical role in soil fertility. Therefore it is important to have an accurate and rapid method to measure microbial ...biomass carbon (C). The chloroform fumigation extraction (CFE) method is used by most researchers, but it is quite time-consuming. The direct extraction method where the chloroform exposure and extraction steps are combined is quicker but not often used because it is not clear if it is as reliable as the CFE method. Using 20 Australian soils with a wide range in soil properties, we measured microbial biomass C with the CFE and the direct method. Chloroform labile C extracted by the two methods was correlated (r = 0.87), but it was significantly (p < 0.05) higher with the direct extraction method compared to CFE. Chloroform labile C extracted by both methods was significantly (p < 0.05) positively correlated with clay content, but the correlation coefficient was higher with the direct extraction method. The coefficient of variation for chloroform labile C was greater with the CFE than with the direct extraction method. Chloroform labile C extracted by the direct extraction method did not change between 0.5 and 4 h of shaking with K2SO4 solution and chloroform. We conclude that the chloroform labile C concentrations measured with the CFE method are comparable with those determined by the direct extraction method which is quicker and has a lower variability among replicates.
► Soil microbial biomass C was measured with the chloroform fumigation extraction (CFE) and the direct extraction method. ► The chloroform labile C concentration was higher with the direct method. ► The correlation coefficient between chloroform labile C and clay was higher with the direct method. ► The coefficient of variation for chloroform labile C among replicates was higher with the CFE method. ► The direct extraction method requires less time than the CFE method.
The sudden switch to distance education to contain the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered adolescents' lives around the globe. The present research aims to identify ...psychological characteristics that relate to adolescents' well-being in terms of positive emotion and intrinsic learning motivation, and key characteristics of their learning behavior in a situation of unplanned, involuntary distance education. Following Self-Determination Theory, experienced competence, autonomy, and relatedness were assumed to relate to active learning behavior (i.e., engagement and persistence), and negatively relate to passive learning behavior (i.e., procrastination), mediated via positive emotion and intrinsic learning motivation. Data were collected via online questionnaires in altogether eight countries from Europe, Asia, and North America (N = 25,305) and comparable results across countries were expected. Experienced competence was consistently found to relate to positive emotion and intrinsic learning motivation, and, in turn, active learning behavior in terms of engagement and persistence. The study results further highlight the role of perceived relatedness for positive emotion. The high proportions of explained variance speak in favor of taking these central results into account when designing distance education in times of COVID-19.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Circulating tumor (ct) DNA assays performed in clinical laboratories provide tumor biomarker testing support for biopharmaceutical clinical trials. Yet it is neither practical nor economically ...feasible for many of these clinical laboratories to internally develop their own liquid biopsy assay. Commercially available ctDNA kits are a potential solution for laboratories seeking to incorporate liquid biopsy into their test menus. However, the scarcity of characterized patient samples and cost of purchasing validation reference standards creates a barrier to entry. In the current study, we evaluated the analytical performance of the AVENIO ctDNA liquid biopsy platform (Roche Sequencing Solutions) for use in our clinical laboratory.
Intra-laboratory performance evaluation of AVENIO ctDNA Targeted, Expanded, and Surveillance kits (Research Use Only) was performed according to College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines for the validation of targeted next generation sequencing assays using purchased reference standards, de-identified human plasma cell-free (cf) DNA samples, and contrived samples derived from commercially purchased normal and cancer human plasma. All samples were sequenced at read depths relevant to clinical settings using the NextSeq High Output kit (Illumina).
At the clinically relevant read depth, Avenio ctDNA kits demonstrated 100% sensitivity in detecting single nucleotide variants (SNVs) at ≥0.5% allele frequency (AF) and 50% sensitivity in detecting SNVs at 0.1% AF using 20-40 ng sample input amount. The assay integrated seamlessly into our laboratory's NGS workflow with input DNA mass, target allele frequency (TAF), multiplexing, and number of reads optimized to support a high-throughput assay appropriate for biopharmaceutical trials.
Our study demonstrates that AVENIO ctDNA liquid biopsy platform provides a viable alternative for efficient incorporation of liquid biopsy assays into the clinical laboratory for detecting somatic alterations as low as 0.5%. Accurate detection of variants lower than 0.5% could potentially be achieved by deeper sequencing when clinically indicated and economically feasible.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background: Cerebral vasculature fenestration is a rare congenital anomaly and is mostly found in association with aneurysms. Fenestration involving anterior communicating artery (ACoA) is rare. The ...study's objective was to determine ACoA fenestration incidence in Indian population using computed tomography angiography (CTA). Methodology: Datasets of CT cerebral angiography in 105 patients (67 males and 38 females), of average age- 47.96±16.58 years were systematically reviewed for fenestration in ACoA. The cases with aneurysms and infarcts were excluded from the study. Results: The fenestration involving ACoA was seen in 0.95% (1/105). The fenestration was triangular and located in the proximal part of the artery. No other vascular anomaly was observed in ACoA. Conclusion: The incidence of ACoA fenestration is low in Indian population. Knowledge about the variations of cerebral vasculature will be helpful for radiologists and neurovascular surgeons while dealing with cerebrovascular diseases.
The steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR) (also known as pregnane X receptor or PXR) is a nuclear hormone receptor activated by a diverse array of endogenous hormones, dietary steroids, ...pharmaceutical agents, and xenobiotic compounds. SXR has an enlarged, flexible, hydrophobic ligand binding domain (LBD) which is remarkably divergent across mammalian species and SXR exhibits considerable differences in its pharmacology among mammals. The broad response profile of SXR has led to the development of "the steroid and xenobiotic sensor hypothesis". SXR has been established as a xenobiotic sensor that coordinately regulates xenobiotic clearance in the liver and intestine via induction of genes involved in drug and xenobiotic metabolism. In the past few years, research has revealed new and mostly unsuspected roles for SXR in modulating inflammation, bone homeostasis, vitamin D metabolism, lipid homeostasis, energy homeostasis and cancer. The identification of SXR as a xenobiotic sensor has provided an important tool for studying new mechanisms through which diet, chemical exposure, and environment ultimately impact health and disease. The discovery and pharmacological development of new PXR modulators might represent an interesting and innovative therapeutic approach to combat various diseases.
Gliomatosis peritonei is an extremely rare condition usually associated with either immature teratoma or, less commonly, mature teratoma. We present a case of a young female with long-standing ...progressive abdominal distension, who was diagnosed with mature ovarian teratoma with gliomatosis peritonei and gross ascites. The final diagnosis in this case was determined through the correlation of imaging, operative, and histopathological findings. The presence of enhancing peritoneal nodules usually leads to a suspicion of peritoneal carcinomatosis or abdominal tuberculosis, especially in endemic regions; however, gliomatosis peritonei should always be considered in the differential diagnosis, particularly when associated with teratomas. Radiological findings combined with histopathological reports are valuable in reaching the final diagnosis in these cases.
The poor solubility of rock phosphate limits its usefulness for crop production, but it has been shown that combined application of rock phosphate with plant residues can increase its P availability ...compared to rock phosphate alone. To investigate if compost mulch has a similar effect as residues, the effect of two rock phosphates Nutriphos Guano Powder (RPA) and Indian Potash Limited (RPB) with or without two different composts C1 (from garden waste) and C2 (from wood chips and bark), on soil P pools and P uptake by wheat was evaluated in a 75-day glasshouse experiment in a loamy sand soil. The composts were applied as a 2.5-cm-thick layer on the soil surface and rock P was mixed in the soil at a rate of 0.250 g kg
−1
soil (equivalent to 35 mg P kg
−1
of RPA and 26 mg P kg
−1
soil as RPB). Further treatments included an unamended soil and a soil amended with soluble P (KH
2
PO
4
) at a rate of 50 mg P kg
−1
soil. Wheat was sown and harvested after 42 and 75 days. At sampling, the compost layer was removed and the underlying soil was sampled. Soil pH and total organic C concentration were not affected by the amendments. Soil respiration was significantly higher in soil amended with composts with or without rock P compared to unamended and inorganic fertiliser treatments. On day 75, addition of composts alone or with rock P increased plant growth and P uptake by 30–50 % compared to the unamended soil, which was greater increase than with soluble P. Compared with either rock P or compost applied alone, the combination of rock P with compost increased the concentration of NaHCO
3
-Pi and microbial P by about 30 %, suggesting that compost increased the mobilisation of rock P. The combination of compost and rock P also changed the concentrations of non-labile P pools compared to rock P alone indicating effects on P flux between the pools. This study showed that surface compost application can increase P mobilisation from rock P, but plant growth and P uptake were not increased compared to compost alone indicating that the composts supplied sufficient P to the plants.
This paper explores the status and determinants of technology adoption in terms of shifting towards high yielding varieties, micro-irrigation and mechanization in Bundelkhand zone of the country. ...Bundelkhand is a water scarce area of the country and needs policy interventions in the form of efficient water utilization and enhanced production. The results indicated that despite least adoption of sprinkler in the region, micro-irrigation has resulted in water use conservation and improved yields and in comparison to conventional irrigation method. The findings revealed that, age, income from cultivation, possession of MGNREGA job card and membership of any local and village level organization had a considerable impact regarding the decision to adopt improved agricultural varieties and micro-irrigation implying that the security nets provided in any form motivates the households to adopt improved technology. Size of operated land, income from non-agricultural activities along with possession of Kissan Credit Card were the significant factors in case of farm mechanisation.
Background: The obturator vein (OV) is formed in the proximal adductor region and traverses through the obturator foramen to terminate in the internal iliac vein (IIV). It is occasionally replaced by ...an enlarged pubic vein that terminates into the external iliac vein (EIV) forming a venous corona mortis. These variant OVs are liable to injury during surgical interventions near the pubic bone. The present study aimed to report the prevalence of variant as well as duplicated OVs in Indian cadavers. Methodology: The present descriptive study included 25 adult human cadavers and 11 hemi-pelves. The specimens with variant OVs were identified and followed to their termination into the internal or external iliac system. The external diameter of variant OVs and their distance from the symphysis pubis were recorded. Results: Variant OVs were observed in 34.42%. Most of the variant veins crossed over the pubic ramus. In 21.31%, duplicated OVs were observed, which drained separately into the internal iliac as well as the EIV, or the IIV as a common trunk. The average diameter of the variant OVs on the superior pubic ramus was 4.12 ± 1.2 mm. The average distance between the pubic symphysis and the variant OVs on the superior pubic ramus was 45.28 ± 7.65 mm. Conclusion: The present study appreciates the variant anatomy of the OV and its relation to the superior pubic ramus. Understanding these variations will help avoid the risk of injury and hemorrhage in pelvis surgeries as well as endoscopic procedures.
PDF
