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Identifying the factors that influence the citation of articles helps authors improve the impact and reach of their research. Analysis of publications in the Journal of Fish Biology between 2008 and 2021 revealed that variables such as the number of keywords, abstract length, number of authors, and page length were associated with higher impact papers. These trends applied to both review and regular papers. These findings suggest that papers that are more informative, have higher numbers of authors, and have more keywords are more likely to be cited. Adoption of some simple "best‐practice" behaviors can improve the likelihood that a paper is cited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue editorial introduces the latest development in emerging technologies of biomedical engineering, including big medical data, artificial intelligence, cloud/fog computing, federated learning, ubiquitous computing and communication, internet of things, wireless technologies, and security and privacy. In this special issue, nine manuscripts are published related to advanced learning and computing systems for biomedical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate how many people with type 2 diabetes receive a treatment regimen with insulin as a first‐line therapy and the factors associated with this. Methods: This retrospective study was based on data from the Disease Analyzer database and included 10 497 people with type 2 diabetes with an initial prescription of anti‐hyperglycaemic therapy from 859 general and diabetologist practices in Germany between January 2014 and December 2018. The main outcome of the study was the prevalence of insulin as a first‐line therapy. A multivariable logistic regression model was performed to investigate the association between predefined variables and the probability of receiving insulin as a first‐line therapy. Results: A total of 7.1% of participants received insulin as a first‐line therapy. Diabetologist practice [odds ratio (OR) 2.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.81–4.06], age > 80 years (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.20–4.61) compared with age ≤ 40 years, HbA1c ≥ 86 mmol/mol (10%) (OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.81–4.95) compared with HbA1c < 48 mmol/mol (6.5%), renal complications (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.29–2.81), peripheral artery disease (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.30–2.81), neurological complications (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.00–2.09), Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.08–1.25) and higher number of different drugs prescribed within 12 months prior–the index date (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05–1.12) were significantly associated with the probability of receiving insulin as a first‐line therapy. Conclusion: Insulin is rarely used as a first‐line therapy in people with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, a person's likelihood of receiving insulin as a first‐line therapy is significantly influenced by diabetologist practice, age, HbA1c ≥ 86 mmol/mol (10%), renal, neurological and vascular complications, higher multimorbidity, and polypharmacy. What's new?: In this study, we used a nationwide real‐world database, allowing unbiased estimation of prescription prevalence in German primary care practices.Some 7.1% of participants with type 2 diabetes received insulin as a first‐line therapy.Factors that significantly impact the probability of receiving insulin as a first‐line therapy include diabetologist practice, age > 80 years, HbA1c ≥ 85.8 mmol/mol (10%), as well as renal, neurological and vascular complications, a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index, and polypharmacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar application in combination with slurry might be an option to increase aggregate formation and organic carbon (OC) sequestration in agricultural soil. However, to assess the value of these management options for improving soil structure more precisely, naturally occurring effects of changing moisture on soil aggregation and feedbacks on organic matter (OM) decomposition need to be addressed. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the effects of biochar or slurry application on the amount of OC associated with macro‐aggregates and OM decomposition under different moisture conditions. Four silty loam sites in Germany were sampled, and the soil macro‐aggregates were crushed. We added biochar (53–250 μm) and slurry individually and in combination at two rates before incubating the samples under changing moisture conditions for 60 days. As well as monitoring CO2 fluxes, samples were analyzed for microbial biomass carbon, macro‐aggregate yields and macro‐aggregate‐associated OC. Biochar application decreased macro‐aggregate yields by 50–70%. However, the macro‐aggregate‐associated OC of treatments with biochar was similar to or greater than in treatments without, indicating biochar incorporation into these fractions. This was especially pronounced for biochar treatments with large volumes of slurry. Thus, slurry seems to promote the formation of biochar–mineral interactions. Drying and rewetting decreased macro‐aggregate yields and associated OC, being most pronounced for samples with biochar and slurry. In contrast to slurry, biochar typically did not increase macro‐aggregate formation. However, the combination with slurry could further enhance the suitability of biochar for carbon sequestration, although this might be less pronounced in soils experiencing frequent drying‐wetting cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An efficient sexing system is important for the release of sterile males for any control programme using the sterile insect technique. This study describes the development and characterization of a new genetic sexing strain from South Africa (GMK), needed for the planned implementation of such a programme in northern KwaZulu‐Natal Province. The base colony used was a locally modified laboratory strain of Anopheles arabiensis containing a sex‐linked gene conferring dieldrin resistance to male mosquitoes. Female A. arabiensis mosquitoes from northern KwaZulu‐Natal were mated with these males and backcrossed to introduce the dieldrin resistance gene to the Y chromosome. The resulting strain therefore had an overall genotype representing the local population but with the Y chromosome containing the dieldrin resistance gene. Life‐history characteristics, stability of the sex‐linked resistance marker, and reduction in dieldrin waste were investigated. The strain showed semi‐sterility exhibited by low egg hatch rates, faster development in the immature stages and longer adult survivorship compared with the parental strains. While the GMK strain carrying the dieldrin‐resistant gene was successfully established, the stability of the gene is limited, requiring periodic purification. Dieldrin waste can be limited by treating many more eggs than currently recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine roots that enter mineral soil at different depths are a major source of organic carbon stored in forest soil. Little is known about the key factors that govern the mineralization kinetics of fine roots in topsoil compared with subsoil. Therefore, we analysed the effects of concentration, spatial distribution and size of fine beech roots on their rates of decomposition in the topsoil and subsoil of a sandy Cambisol. Undisturbed (intact soil columns) and disturbed (soil sieved < 2 mm) samples from the topsoil (2-10 cm) and subsoil (145-153 cm) were incubated for 365 days to determine the carbon dioxide emissions. The treatments included applications of fine roots that varied in size (length: <2 mm and 1-2 cm), different rates of application (2 and 8 g kg-1) and spatial distribution (homogeneous and locally concentrated, i.e. localized). The mineralization was affected significantly at both depths by the rate of application (large rate > small rate) and in the topsoil by distribution (localized > homogeneous). The spatial distribution of large roots, but not smaller ones, affected rates of emission in subsoil but not in topsoil. Correlation analyses suggest an effect of the calcium and potassium supply on the microbial biomass and on the turnover of roots if these are locally concentrated. The data of this study suggest that in sandy soil the availability of macronutrients has to be considered complementary to root characteristics such as concentration, size and distribution to elucidate their decomposition kinetics throughout the soil profile. Highlights Analysis of effects of characteristics of fine beech roots on organic matter decomposition in top- and subsoil., The rate of decomposition in the topsoil was larger if the fine roots were locally concentrated., The rate of mineralization of fine beech roots in the subsoil increased with increasing root size., Soil microbial biomass carbon is affected by the supply of calcium and potassium if the fine beech roots are locally concentrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the effects of cover crops ( CC) on various soil parameters have been fully investigated, less is known about the impacts at different stages in CC cultivation. The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of CC cultivation stages and residue placement on aggregates and microbial carbon (Cmic). Additionally, the influence of residue location and crop species on CO2 emissions and leached mineralized nitrogen (Nmin) during the plant degradation period was also investigated. Within an incubation experiment, four CC species were sown in soil columns, with additional columns being kept plant-free. After plant growth, the columns were frozen (as occurs in winter under field conditions) and then incubated with the plant material either incorporated or surface-applied. With CC, concentrations of large and medium macroaggregates were twice that of the fallow, confirming positive effects of root growth. Freezing led to a decrease in these aggregate size classes. In the subsequent incubation, the large macroaggregates decreased far more in the samples with CC than in the fallow, leading to similar aggregate size distributions. No difference in Cmic concentration was found among the CC cultivation stages. CO2 emissions were roughly equivalent to the carbon amounts added as plant residues. Comparison of columns with incorporated or surface-applied residues indicated no consistent pattern of aggregate distribution, CO2 emission or Cmic and Nmin concentrations. Our results suggest that positive effects of CC cultivation are only short term and that a large amount of organic material in the soil could have a greater influence than CC cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics have been extensively used against infections produced by Piscirickettsia salmonis, a fish pathogen and causative agent of piscirickettsiosis and one of the major concerns for the Chilean salmon industry. Therefore, the emergence of resistant phenotypes is to be expected. With the aim of obtaining a landscape of the antimicrobial resistance of P. salmonis in Chile, the susceptibility profiles for quinolones, florfenicol and oxytetracycline (OTC) of 292 field isolates derived from main rearing areas, different hosts and collected over 5 years were assessed. The results allowed for the determination of epidemiological cut-off values that were used to characterize the pathogen population. This work represents the first large-scale field study addressing the antimicrobial susceptibility of P. salmonis, providing evidence of the existence of resistant types with a high incidence of resistance to quinolones. Remarkably, despite the amounts and frequency of therapies, our results disclosed that the issue of resistance to florfenicol and OTC is still in the onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management options such as the intensity of tillage are known to influence the turnover dynamics of soil organic matter. However, less information is available about the influence of the tillage intensity on individual soil organic matter pools with different turnover dynamics in surface as compared with sub-surface soils. This study aimed to analyse the impact of no tillage ( NT), reduced tillage ( RT) and conventional tillage ( CT) on labile, intermediate and stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools in surface and sub-surface soils. We took surface and sub-surface soil samples from the three tillage systems in three long-term field experiments in Germany. The labile, intermediate and stable C and N pool sizes were determined by using the combined application of a decomposition experiment and a physical-chemical separation procedure. For the surface soils, we found larger stocks of the labile C and N pool under NT and RT (C, 1.7 and 1.3 t ha−1; N, 180 and 160 kg ha−1) than with CT (C, 0.5 t ha−1; N, 60 kg ha−1). In contrast, we found significantly larger stocks of the labile C pool under CT (2.7 t ha−1) than with NT and RT (2 t ha−1) for the sub-surface soils. The intermediate pool accounted for 75-84% of the soil organic C and total N stocks. However, the stocks of the intermediate N and C pools were only distinctly larger for NT than for CT in the surface soils. The stocks of the stable C and N pools were not affected by the tillage intensity but were positively correlated with the stocks of the clay-size fraction and oxalate soluble aluminum, indicating a strong influence of site-specific mineral characteristics on the size of these pools. Our results indicate soil depth-specific variations in the response of organic matter pools to tillage of different intensity. This means that the potential benefits of decreasing tillage intensity with respect to soil functions that are closely related to organic matter dynamics have to be evaluated separately for surface and sub-surface soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the effects of fishing fleets on both target and non-target species and managing these effects are essential to achieve Good Environmental Status ( GES) for marine ecosystems. The use of high resolution fishing effort data in environmental studies has allowed significant scientific progress with respect to the environmental impacts of real fishing fleets and provided a more realistic perspective on the wider ecological consequences of fishing disturbance. A new EU council regulation and its interpretation, aimed at protecting the confidentiality rights of individual fishers, are currently hampering scientific access to this high-resolution effort data and thus are endangering the provision of management advice based on best available knowledge. This study argues that the withholding of this information will seriously undermine the quality and accuracy of scientific output and ultimately damage fishers' livelihoods through poorly advised management. Furthermore, the council regulation runs contrary to the EU's initiative for greater transparency and its commitment to implement an ecosystem approach to fisheries management and the preservation of ecosystem services. The interpretation of the new EU council regulation by local administrations can thus only be viewed as a significant step back from these aims. Ultimately, while trying to protect fishers' rights it may work to their disadvantage and that of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current systems for developing N recommendations for corn (Zea mays L.) lack methods to quantify the effects of factors influencing yield responses to N and quantify the uncertainty in N recommendations. We utilized hierarchical modeling and Bayesian analysis to quantify the risk from reducing N to corn using on‐farm observations. Across Iowa, farmers conducted 34 trials in 2006 and 22 trials in 2007. Each trial had a farmer's normal N rate alternating with a reduced rate (by about 30% less) in three or more replications. Yield losses (YLs) from reduced N were calculated at 35‐m intervals. Posterior distributions were used to identify across‐field and within‐field factors affecting YL and to quantify the risk of economic YL (>0.31 Mg ha−1) from reducing N in unobserved fields. In 2006 (dry May and June), the economic YL for corn after soybean (C‐S) was predicted to be 20% larger than that for corn after corn. Also in 2006, C‐S fields with above‐normal June rainfall had economic YLs 35% larger than those with below‐normal June rainfall, and sidedress applications were about 20% riskier than spring applications. In 2007 for C‐S, N reductions with above‐normal spring rainfall were riskier than with below‐normal spring rainfall. Areas with higher soil organic matter (SOM) had economic YLs about 20% smaller than those with lower SOM. Many on‐farm trials can be conducted across the state and the use of the proposed statistical methodology can improve decisions on where to reduce N applications across and within fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Regular human insulin ( RHI) at high doses shows prolongation of its duration of action potentially leading to late postprandial hypoglycaemia. This study compared late metabolic activity (4-12 and 6-12 h post-dosing) and duration of action (time to reach late half-maximal activity) over a range of doses between insulin aspart ( IAsp) and RHI. Methods Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of subcutaneous IAsp and RHI (6, 12 and 24 (I)U) were compared in 16 healthy subjects in this double-blind, randomized, six-way crossover glucose clamp study. Results With increasing doses of both insulins, metabolic activity, insulin exposure, maximum metabolic effect and maximum serum insulin concentration increased linearly. Late metabolic activity was lower for IAsp than RHI at all doses, reaching statistical significance (p < 0.05) for 12 and 24 (I)U. Likewise, IAsp had a shorter duration of action at all doses (p < 0.01) and reached time to 80% of total metabolic activity earlier at doses of 12 and 24 (I)U (p < 0.05). IAsp, compared with RHI, showed a higher maximum metabolic effect at 12 and 24 (I)U (p < 0.0001) and a stronger early metabolic activity for all three doses (p < 0.05). Conclusions IAsp showed a shorter duration of action and, particularly with doses of 12 and 24 (I)U, less late metabolic activity than RHI. These properties might contribute to the lower incidence of hypoglycaemia observed with IAsp versus RHI in clinical trials as lower late metabolic activity should decrease the risk of late postprandial hypoglycaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Evaluate the safety and efficacy of once-daily insulin detemir initiated in routine clinical practice in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled with oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHAs). Methods: This large observational study was conducted in 10 countries. Adverse event data (including hypoglycaemia) and glycaemic control were recorded before and 24 weeks following insulin initiation while patients continued routine clinical management. Results: In this study, 17 374 patients (53% male) were Included. Mean pre-insulin values (±s.d.) were: age 62 ± 12 years; body mass index (BMI) 29.3±5.4kg/m2; diabetes duration 10±7years; haemoglobin Ale (HbA1c) 8.9±1.6%. During the study, 27 patients experienced serious adverse drug reaction, severe hypoglycaemic events or both; and there were 31 episodes of severe hypoglycaemia In 21 patients. After 24 weeks, HbA1c was 7.5 ±1.2% (change of -1.3%; p< 0.001) and mean weight change was -0.6 kg (confidence interval -0.7, -0.5 kg, p< 0.001). Dally Insulin dose Increased from 13 ±6 U (0.16 ±0.09 U/kg) to 22 ±16 U (0.27 ± 0.17U/kg) by 24 weeks. Multlvarlate regression analysis Identified several Independent demographic and treatment predictors of end of study HbA1c. Conclusions: Addition of once-daily Insulin detemir to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on OHA therapy resulted In few adverse events, significant Improvements In glycaemic control, small reductions in weight and low rates of hypoglycaemia. On the basis of this study, concerns about hypoglycaemia or weight gain should not preclude Initiation of basal Insulin analogues In patients with poor glycaemic control on OHAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of minor addition of scandium and zirconium on the fracture toughness (FT) behaviour of aluminium-6 wt% magnesium alloy is studied. Texture measurement and transmission electron microscopy have revealed that the evolution of texture in cast alloys after annealing is decided by the morphology and character of the precipitates. It is further demonstrated that the said minor addition influences the FT behaviour of Al-6Mg alloy by manipulating in-plane anisotropy as decided by the precipitate morphology. Textural situation in annealed state has also been related to the FT behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) catalysts consist of a homogeneous catalyst that is dissolved in an ionic liquid and dispersed on a porous support material. This immobilization technique yields solid catalysts that can be applied in continuous gas phase processes. Recently, several successful applications have been presented that could possibly lead to a commercialization of this promising class of novel materials. The state-of-the-art preparation method uses an incipient wetness-type impregnation of the support material by a solution of catalyst, ionic liquid, and a helper solvent, followed by subsequent removal of the helper solvent in vacuo. Typically, this removal is carried out in a rotary evaporator, thus being limited in batch size. Similarly, the so-called supported catalysts with ionic liquid layer (SCILL) consist of an ionic liquid layer on top of a traditional heterogeneous catalyst, which can be prepared in a similar way. In this work, a novel preparation method for SILP catalysts is presented that is scalable for larger batches, as required for industrial use. Different types of support materials such as powders, spheres, agglomerates, and extrudates were successfully impregnated by the novel fluidized-bed impregnation method and the distribution of the ionic liquid and catalyst was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase-change random access memory (PCRAM) cells have been studied extensively using electrical characterization and rather limited by detailed structure characterization. The combination of these two characterization techniques has hardly been exploited and it is the focus of the present work. Particularly, for improving the reliability of PCRAM such combined studies can be considered indispensable. Here, we show results for PCRAM line cells after series of voltage pulses with increasing magnitude are applied, leading to the first minimum sized amorphous mark, maximum amorphous resistance and over-programming, respectively. Furthermore, the crucial effect of electromigration limiting the endurance (cyclability) of the cells is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma, excited with microwave energy, has very interesting properties which are in direct correlation with the excitation frequency. This is due to the reachable high electron density, which itself has an influence on the density of further generated particles like ions, radicals, excited atoms and molecules or UV light. Altogether they are responsible for the high chemical reactivity of microwave plasmas attaining their maximum in the pressure regime between 1 and a few hundred Pa. Therefore, comparatively low end pumping systems can be used to achieve good results in etching, activation and deposition processes. Together with the availability of microwave generators, grown with the market of microwave heating technology, microwave plasma is an interesting tool for industrial applications. Scalability of power up to 100 kW per single magnetron tube and lateral dimensions of a few square meters per single plasma source have opened the field to industrial thin film technology for typical large area applications as solar or other flat panel industries. Roth & Rau Muegge is utilizing these advantages to supply microwave generators and plasma technology for various fields of applications which will be provided as an overview to give insight into running activities in industry. Although the presented applications are part of publicly funded programs and projects together with partners from several research institutes and universities, the technical depth of this contribution has to consider running contracts and non disclosure agreements (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use and mineral characteristics affect the ability of surface as well as subsurface soils to sequester organic carbon and their contribution to mitigation of the greenhouse effect. There is less information about the effects of land use and soil properties on the amount and composition of organic matter (OM) for subsurface soils as compared with surface soils. Here we aimed to analyse the long-term (≥ 100 years) impact of arable and forest land use and soil mineral characteristics on subsurface soil organic carbon (SOC) contents, as well as on amount and composition of OM sequentially separated by Na pyrophosphate solution (OM(PY)) from subsurface soil samples. Seven soils with different mineral characteristics (Albic and Haplic Luvisol, Colluvic and Haplic Regosol, Haplic and Vertic Cambisol, Haplic Stagnosol) were selected from within Germany. Soil samples were taken from subsurface horizons of forest and adjacent arable sites continuously used for >100 years. The OM(PY) fractions were analysed for their OC content (OC) and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Multiple regression analyses for the arable subsurface soils indicated significant positive relationships between the SOC contents and combined effects of the (i) exchangeable Ca (Ca) and oxalate-soluble Fe (Fe) and (ii) the Ca and Al contents. For these soils the increase in OC (OC multiplied by the relative C=O content of OM(PY)) and increasing contents of Ca indicated that OM(PY) mainly interacts with Ca. For the forest subsurface soils (pH < 5), the OC contents were related to the contents of Na-pyrophosphate-soluble Fe and Al. The long-term arable and forest land use seems to result in different OM(PY)-mineral interactions in subsurface soils. On the basis of this, we hypothesize that a long-term land-use change from arable to forest may lead to a shift from mainly OM(PY)-Ca to mainly OM(PY)-Fe and -Al interactions if the pH of subsurface soils significantly decreases to <5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent global and regional exercises have been undertaken to identify 100 questions of relevance to policy makers that, if answered, would improve decision making and conservation actions. These were intentionally broad, but all included themes and questions of relevance to aquatic and fisheries professionals ( e.g. exploitation, habitat alteration, effectiveness of protected areas, migratory connectivity and environmental effects of aquaculture). Here, the content of the global 100 question exercise relevant to aquatic and fisheries issues is summarized and a critical analysis is provided. Many of the questions addressed in apparently unrelated themes and topics ( e.g. terrestrial, agriculture and energy policy) have potential relevance to fisheries and aquatic habitats, which underlines the connectivity between terrestrial and aquatic realms. Given the intimate link between aquatic environmental problems and human activities (including culture and economics), greater understanding of the human dimension is required to inform decision making. Stakeholder perspectives need to be included as a core component of the fisheries management triangle ( i.e. managing fish, habitat and people). The benefits and risks of conducting a global 100 questions exercise with an exclusive focus on questions of relevance to fisheries and aquatic practitioners are also considered. There is no question that evidence-based approaches to conservation are essential for addressing the many threats that face aquatic ecosystems and reverse the imperilment trends among ichthyofauna. It is still unclear, however, as to the extent to which 100 questions exercises will help to achieve conservation and management targets for aquatic resources. A global 100 questions exercise that focused on fisheries and aquatic issues would certainly help to generate interest and awareness sufficient to justify such an exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the pyrrole insecticide chlorfenapyr, which has a novel non-neurotoxic mode of action and is a promising alternative to conventional adulticides, against Anopheles funestus. Method The toxicity of a range of concentrations of chlorfenapyr against pyrethroid resistant and susceptible laboratory reared southern African An. funestus was assessed using standard WHO protocols and analysed using probit analysis. Results The pyrethroid resistant strain showed consistently higher LD50 and LD95 values compared to the susceptible strain, but these differences were not statistically significant and the magnitude was twofold at most. The LD50 values recorded for An. funestus are approximately three-fold higher than those reported elsewhere for other species of anopheline. Conclusions Monooxygenase based pyrethroid resistance in An. funestus does not influence the toxic effect of chlorfenapyr. It is unlikely that such a small decrease in susceptibility of An. funestus to chlorfenapyr relative to other anophelines would have any operational implications. Chlorfenapyr is an important addition to insecticides available for malaria vector control, and could be used as a resistance management tool to either circumvent or slow the development of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different separation procedures are suggested for studying the stability and functionality of soil organic matter (OM). Density fractionation procedures using high-molarity, water-based salt solutions to separate organic particles may cause losses or transfers of C between particle and soluble OM fractions during separation, which may be a result of solution processes. The objective of this study was to separate coarse organic particles (>0.315mm) from air-dried surface soil samples to avoid such solution processes as far as possible. Air-dried surface soil samples (<2 mm) from nine adjacent arable and forest sites were sieved into five soil particle size fractions (2- 1.25, 1.25-0.8, 0.8-0.5, 0.5-0.4, and 0.4-0.3 15 mm). Coarse organic particles were separated from each of these fractions using electrostatic attraction by a charged glass surface. The sum of the total dry matter content of the electrostatically separated coarse organic particles ranged from 0.05 to 140 g kg-1. Scanning electron microscopy images and organic C (OC) analyses indicated, however, that the coarse organic particle fractions were also composed of 20 to 76% mineral particles (i.e., 200-760 g mineral kg-1 fraction). The repeatability of the electrostatic attraction procedure falls within a range similar to that of accepted density fractionation methods using high-molarity salt solutions. Based on the similarity in repeatability, we suggest that the electrostatic attraction procedure will successfully remove coarse organic particles (>0.315 mm) from air-dried surface soil samples. Because aqueous solutions are not used, the electrostatic attraction procedure to separate coarse organic particles avoids C losses and transfers associated with solution-dependent techniques. Therefore, this method can be used as a pretreatment for subsequent density- or solubility-based soil OM fractionation procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although Europe is supposed to be non-endemic for hepatitis E virus (HEV), locally acquired human cases are registered, and a relatively high prevalence for anti-HEV was found in blood donors in some European countries. Transfusion–transmitted infections by contaminated blood products were reported in Japan and sporadically in Europe. Materials and Methods Several samples from a plasma donor were screened with a highly sensitive quantitative HEV real-time polymerase chain reaction and the full-length genome was generated. Serology was performed with two different commercially available ELISA kits. Results The full-length genome sequence of human HEV was identified using samples from a plasma donor with acute self-limiting hepatitis. Plasma donated 2 weeks before onset of elevated liver enzyme levels was already positive for HEV RNA (104 copies/ml). High viraemia (106 copies/ml) correlated with the detection of anti-HEV IgM in the first blood sample with increased alanine transaminase levels. Phylogenetic analyses grouped the isolate within genotype 3, subtype 3f. Conclusion The sequence analyses and the epidemiological data revealed that the plasma donor was most probably infected with a swine HEV. This case supports the ongoing discussion of an obligatory HEV nucleic acid testing of blood products for special recipient risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Optical coherence tomography, an imaging modality using near-infrared light, produces cross-sectional tissue images with a lateral pixel resolution of 10 μm. However, normative data is first needed on epithelial thickness for lesion characterisation, and, to date, little exists. The purpose of our study is to measure normal laryngeal epithelial thickness by in vivo optical coherence tomography, and compare these values to those obtained from fixed ex-vivo laryngectomy specimens. Design and Setting: Prospective at a single medical center in California, United States. Participants:  A total of 116 patients undergoing operative endoscopy. Main outcome measures: Optical coherence tomography images of clinically normal laryngeal subsites were selected. Calibrated measurements of epithelial thickness at various laryngeal subsites were recorded. Measurements of epithelial thickness from corresponding areas were obtained using optical micrometry on histologically normal regions of 15 total laryngectomy specimens. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: Mean epithelial optical coherence tomography thicknesses were: true vocal cords (81 μm), false vocal cords (78 μm), subglottis (61 μm), aryepiglottic folds (111 μm), laryngeal epiglottis (116 μm) and lingual epiglottis (170 μm). Epithelial thicknesses in fixed tissues were: true vocal cords (103 μm), false vocal cords (79 μm), aryepiglottic folds (205 μm) subglottis (61 μm), laryngeal epiglottis (38 μm) and lingual epiglottis (130 μm). Conclusions: Optical coherence tomography does not have the artifacts associated with conventional histologic techniques. The inevitable development of office-based optical coherence tomography devices will increase the precision of laryngeal measurements and contribute to the clinical application of this technology in diagnosing laryngeal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Insulin analogues are widely used but few data exist comparing different analogue regimens. We compared two such regimens in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) uncontrolled by oral antidiabetic agents (OADs) with or without basal insulin. Methods: In a 26-week multinational, multicentre, randomized treat-to-target trial, OADs were discontinued and subjects randomized to analogue basal–bolus therapy (insulin detemir once daily and insulin aspart mealtimes) or biphasic insulin aspart 30 (30% rapid-acting insulin aspart), twice daily. Insulin was titrated to targets for fasting, predinner and postprandial plasma glucose (PG), as appropriate. Results: Of 719 subjects, 92% completed the study; 58% achieved haemoglobin fraction A1c (HbA1c) ≤7.0%, with reductions of 1.56% (to 6.96%) with basal–bolus therapy and 1.23% (to 7.17%) with biphasic insulin aspart. Reduction with basal–bolus therapy was superior in the overall population by 0.23% (p = 0.0052), with no difference between regimens in insulin-naive patients. Major hypoglycaemia occurred in five basal–bolus patients (0.9%) and in no patients with biphasic insulin aspart. Incidence of minor hypoglycaemia was similar in both groups. All insulin doses increased during titration, with increase in lunchtime insulin aspart dose and equal distribution of breakfast and dinner biphasic insulin aspart doses. Insulin detemir remained once daily in 87% of patients. Conclusions: Modern insulin analogue regimens, adjusted to PG targets, enable a majority of people with T2DM to reach HbA1c≤7.0% after failure of OADs and OAD-basal insulin therapy. Insulin-treated patients may benefit more from transfer to analogue basal–bolus therapy, while insulin-naive individuals benefit equally well from the more convenient biphasic analogue regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soils depends on the amount and composition not only of clay minerals but also of soil organic matter (SUM). While the CEC of soil clay minerals has been intensively studied, little is known about the CEC of organic matter (OM) fractions, in particular those obtained with newly developed SUM extraction techniques. The objective of this study was to develop and test a method to quantitatively determine the CEC of extracted OM fractions and to relate CEC(OM) to OM functional groups possibly responsible for sorption of cations. Waterand pyrophosphate-soluble UM fractions were sequentially extracted from differently managed amble soils of two well-known long-term field experiments. The CEC of a freeze-dried pyrophosphate-soluble UM fraction [OM(PY)] (0.03 g) mixed with quartz sand (4.97 g) was determined by applying the standard percolation method. The chemical composition of OM(PY) was analyzed by Fouriertransform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. For all plots except those fertilized with farmyard manure, the sorption properties of the OM(PY) fraction were found to be site specific and to reflect soil and crop rotation effects. The relative contribution of the CEC of UM(PY) to the CEC of the soil (0.8-11.6%) is dependent on soil C content and extractability For all plots, however, the relative contents of carboxylic functional groups in UM(PY) determined with FTIR spectroscopy was found to be linearly related to the CEC of the OM(PY), similar to pure organic substances. This relationship indicates the usefulness of CEC determination on UM(PY) fractions. The results suggest that the relative contents of carboxylic functional groups in UM(PY) reflect long-term effects of fertilization and crop rotation on the sorption properties of the SUM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term effects of crop rotation and fertilization are mostly observed with respect to the amount of soil organic matter (SOM) and measured in terms of soil organic carbon (SOC). In this paper, we analyze the SOM composition of samples from long-term agricultural field experiments at sandy and clayey sites that include complex crop rotations and farm-yard manure applications. The organic matter (OM) composition of the soil samples, OM(Soil), and that of sequentially extracted water, OM(W), and sodium pyrophosphate, OM(PY), soluble fractions was analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The fraction OM(PY) represented between 13 and 34% of SOC, about 10 times that of OM(W). Site specific differences in OM(Soil) composition were larger than those between crop rotations and fertilizer applications. The smaller C=O group content in FTIR spectra of OM(W) compared with OM(PY) suggests that analysis of the more stable OM(PY) fraction is preferable over OM(W) or OM(Soil) for identifying long-term effects, the OM(Soil) and OM(W) fractions and the content of CH groups being less indicative. Farm-yard manure application leads to a more similar content of C=O groups in OM(PY) between crop rotations and fertilizer plots at both sites. Short-term effects from soil tillage or potato harvesting on composition of OM require further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Methods for assessing habitat sensitivity to human impacts are needed to gauge the sustainability of existing impacts, develop spatial management plans and support meaningful environmental impact assessments. These methods should be quantitative, validated, repeatable and applicable at the scales of impact and management. 2. Existing methods for assessing the sensitivity of marine habitats to human impacts have tended to rely on expert judgement and/or scoring systems. They are neither validated, quantitative nor repeatable. 3. We have developed a method that meets the criteria for assessing the sensitivity of seabed habitats to physical disturbance, and delineating and mapping habitat sensitivity at large spatial scales (>105 km2). The method assumes that sensitivity is related to the recovery time of production or biomass, as predicted using a size-based model that takes account of the effects of natural disturbance. 4. As trawling disturbance is a major and widespread direct human impact on shelf seas, this was used as an example of anthropogenic physical disturbance. We mapped habitat sensitivity to trawling in 9-km2 boxes across an area of 125 000 km2 in the North Sea. 5. Habitat sensitivities varied widely, and a trawling frequency of 5 year−1 in the least-sensitive habitat had the same ecological effect as a trawling frequency of 0·3 year−1 in the most-sensitive habitat (based on production). When trawling effort was held constant but redirected to the least-sensitive habitats, the existing impacts on production and biomass were reduced by 36% and 25%, respectively. 6. Synthesis and applications. The method described in this paper enables managers to predict the implications of changing patterns of human impact on seabed habitats when establishing spatial management plans. In the context of fisheries management, this will support the identification and selection of fishing grounds that minimize the adverse ecological effects of fishing; the selection of closed areas (both representative and highly sensitive); the comparison of management options that might reduce the overall environmental impacts of fishing; and any future steps towards the application of environmental impact assessment in advance of fishery development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind farms are proposed around the coast of the UK and elsewhere in Europe. These sites tend to be located in shallow coastal waters that often coincide with areas used by over-wintering Common Scoter Melanitta nigra. A large-scale study was undertaken to ascertain the relationship of the spatial distribution of Common Scoter in Liverpool Bay with prey abundance and environmental and anthropogenic variables that may affect foraging efficiency. The highest numbers of Common Scoter coincided with sites that had a high abundance and biomass of bivalve prey species. There was strong evidence that the maximum observed biomass of bivalves occurred at a mean depth of c. 14 m off the Lancashire coast and at c. 8 m off the north Wales coast. This coincided well with the distribution of Common Scoter at Shell Flat, but less well with the distribution of birds off North Wales. Common Scoters were observed in lowest numbers or were absent from areas in which anthropogenic disturbance (shipping activity) was relatively intense, even when these areas held a high prey biomass. Commercial fishing activities did not appear to contribute to this disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus in the North sea increased their distributional range when more abundant, but this density dependent habitat selection (DDHS) explained only a small part of the year-on-year variation in distribution patterns. The condition of haddock was examined at 24 sites in the North Sea in August and September 2004 and related to their abundance, to examine if the ideal free distribution theory (IFD), which assumes that organisms select habitats that maximize their rate of food intake, can be used to explain this variation in large scale distribution patterns. At a given temperature, condition (hepato-somatic index, IH) was better at stations where haddock were most abundant. Therefore, haddock were not distributed perfectly according to the IFD in 2004. The positive correlation between abundance and IH, however, indicated there was some habitat selection by haddock, as in the total absence of habitat selection no correlation between IH and abundance, and no spatial variation in abundance was expected. DDHS may only explain a small part of the yearly variation in the distribution because haddock did not equalize and maximize their fitness at the scale of the North Sea. In addition, stable isotope analysis of muscle samples showed that haddock did not avoid competition for food when at high abundance by feeding at a lower or wider range of trophic levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]