Stock and indices of carbon management under different soil use systems

The aim of this study was to evaluate the stock of total organic carbon (TOC) and to perform the physical-granulometric fractionation of soil organic matter (SOM) in different management systems (MS). Three MS and one reference area of Native Forest (NF) were studied, and the three systems were sugarcane (SC), permanent pasture (PP) and no-tillage system (NTS). Soil samples were collected in the 0–0.05, 0.05–0.10, 0.10–0.20-m layers. Soil density (Sd), TOC, stratification index (SI), carbon stock (StockC), variation in StockC (∆StockC), carbon content of particulate organic matter (C-POM) and mineral organic matter (C-MOM), carbon stock index (CSI), lability (L), lability index (LI), and carbon management index (CMI) were determined. The MS presented higher Sd than the NF area. The NF area had higher TOC contents in the first layers, reaching 25.40 g kg-1 in the 0–0.05-m layer, with the PP area having higher values than the NF in the 0.10–0.20-m layer. The NF area showed the highest levels of C-POM (15.25 g kg-1) and C-MOM (10.15 g kg-1) in the first layer. In the 0.10–0.20-m layer, the PP and NTS systems were superior to the others. Regarding the C-MOM content, SC and PP showed higher levels in the 0.10–0.20-m layer. The highest CMI values were observed in the NTS and PP areas in the 0.10–0.20-m layer. The MS increased the Sd and reduced the TOC levels. The different MS modified the POM fraction, and the MOM fraction was most impacted by the SC area. The lability of the SOM was altered by the MS in the most superficial layers.

Impact of crop residues and biopreparations on nitrogen changes in Haplic Luvisol – model experiment

Agroecosystem crop residues are considered to be a primary resource of organic substances, and are subject to the different transformation processes in the soil environment. The decomposition processes of organic substance can be also regulated by the application of the different biopreparations. The decomposition of organic substances in soil also causes changes in nitrogen content and its forms. It is essential for farmers to know about these processes in order flexibly to regulate and affect the transformation processes of the applied crop residues via the biopreparations directly in the production conditions. The changes of content and forms of nitrogen and its calculated parameters in Haplic Luvisol influenced by the applied crop residues (wheat – WR, rape – RR) and biopreparations (Betaliq, Trichomil) were monitored in the small-pot experiment carried out at the Department of Soil Science (FAFR, SUA-Nitra). The laboratory experiments were established for the incubation period 4, 7, 14, 28, 60, 90 and 180 days. The applied crop residues had statistically significant impact on the contents of total nitrogen (Nt) and potentially mineralizable nitrogen (Npot) and inorganic forms N, similarly also the values of labile nitrogen (LN) and nitrogen pool index (NPI). The biopreparations affected statistically significantly the average values Npot, LN, nitrogen lability index (NLI) and nitrogen management index (NMI). During the incubation period, the contents Npot and values LN and other calculated indexes of nitrogen fluctuated significantly.

A Measure of Emotional Regulation and Irritability in Children and Adolescents: The Clinical Evaluation of Emotional Regulation–9

Objective: To develop a scale for emotional regulation using item response theory. Method: Eighteen Swanson Nolan and Pelham (SNAP-IV) items that loaded on an emotional dysregulation factor were submitted to Rasch analysis. After eliminating the items that violated Rasch criteria, the remaining items were examined for reliability and validated against the Conners’ emotional lability index. Results: A nine-item scale for emotional regulation was developed that satisfies the Rasch model and reliably distinguishes emotionally dysregulated/irritable children and adolescents. A score of 4 or higher in this scale has optimal accuracy for identifying children and adolescents with current significant dysfunction in emotional regulation. Among youth with ADHD inattentive, hyperactive–impulsive, and combined types, 42%, 56%, and 71% met the Clinical Evaluation of Emotional Regulation–9 (CEER-9) threshold for emotional lability, respectively. Conclusion: A nine-item scale whose sum total is a measure of emotional regulation is proposed as a tool for clinical and research purposes.

The effects of soil management practices on soil organic matter changes within a productive vineyard in the Nitra viticulture area (Slovakia)

Since understanding soil organic matter (SOM) content and quality is very important, in the present study we evaluated parameters of SOM including: carbon lability (LC), lability index (LI), carbon pool index (CPI) and carbon management index (CMI) in the soil as well as in the water-stable aggregates (WSA) under different soil management practices in a commercial vineyard (established on Rendzic Leptosol in the Nitra viticulture area, Slovakia). Soil samples were taken in spring during the years 2008–2015 from the following treatments: G (grass, control), T (tillage and intensive cultivation), T+FYM (tillage + farmyard manure), G+NPK3 (grass + 3rd intensity of fertilisation for vineyards), and G+NPK1 (grass + 1st intensity of fertilisation for vineyards). The highest LI values in soil were found for the G+NPK3 and T+FYM fertilised treatments and the lowest for the unfertilised intensively tilled treatments. The CPI in the soil increased as follows: T < G+NPK3 < T+FYM < G+NPK1. The highest accumulation of carbon as well as decomposable organic matter occurred in G+NPK1 compared to other fertilised treatments, while intensive tillage caused a decrease. On average, the values of LI in WSA increased in the sequence G+NPK1 < T+FYM < G+NPK3 < T. Our results showed that the greatest SOM vulnerability to degradation was observed in the WSA under T treatment, and the greatest values of CPI in WSA were detected as a result of fertiliser application in 3rd intensity for vineyards and farmyard manure application.

Indices of Bronchial Lability in Children with Atopic and Nonatopic Bronchial Asthma Depending on Acetylation Status

After comprehensive clinical, laboratory and instrumental investigations of 51 children, who suffer from bronchial asthma, it was determined that in patients with atopic asthma slow acetylation status increased the possibility to detect a severe bronchial lability (bronchial lability index more than 30 %) by 4,4 times compared to the patients with fast acetylation status. For atopic phenotype of disease availability of correlations between bronchial lability indices and bronchialobstruction severity was established (r=0,7, p<0,005) as well as duration of illness (r=0,8, p<0,001), frequency of rehospitalization of patients (r=0,6, p<0,05). In patients with nonatopic form of the disease relationships between bronchiallability indices and clinical features of disease depending on acetylation status haven’t been reported.