Search results for "ASTRA"

Influence of Two N-Fixing Legumes on Plant Community Properties and Soil Nutrient Levels in an Alpine Ecosystem

2013

Abstract Low nitrogen (N) supply is a limiting factor for plant growth in most terrestrial ecosystems. N-fixing legumes therefore have the potential to facilitate surrounding vegetation by increasing soil N levels. This effect should be especially pronounced in low-productivity habitats where ambient soil N levels are low, such as in alpine areas. We examined whether plant species composition, community diversity measures, and soil N levels differed with and without the presence of two alpine legumes, Oxytropis lapponica (Wahlenb.) Gay and Astragalus alpinus L., in a Dryas octopetala heath at Finse, Norway. Species composition and richness differed between plots with and without Oxytropis i…

Effects of two acanthocephalan parasites on the fecundity and pairing status of female Gammarus pulex (Crustacea: Amphipoda)

2002

Acanthocephalan parasites are known to alter the reproductive biology and physiology of their hosts in various ways. In this study we investigated the influence of two acanthocephalan parasites, Pomphorhynchus laevis and Polymorphus minutus, on the fecundity and pairing success of female Gammarus pulex. The results show that P. laevis and P. minutus affect female intermediate host reproduction in different ways. Females infected with P. minutus were totally castrated, whereas those infected with P. laevis only showed reduced fecundity. The oocytes of P. laevis-infected females showed a similar structure to those of uninfected females, although infected females had a higher proportion of ooc…

Classification of steppe vegetation in the eastern Pamir Alai and southwestern Tian-Shan Mountains (Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan)

2018

Aims: To complete the syntaxonomical scheme for the steppe vegetation of the montane and alpine zones in the Pamir Alai and southwestern Tian-Shan Mountains in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with some remarks on its environmental predictors. Location: Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Methods: A total of 274 relevés were sampled in 2016–2017 using the seven-degree cover-abundance scale of Braun-Blanquet. They were classified with modified TWINSPAN with cut-off levels of 0%, 5%, 10% and 25% and total inertia as a measure of cluster heterogeneity. Diagnostic species were identified using the phi coefficient as a fidelity measure. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and canonical correspondence analys…

Presence of uradenia in male adults of the genus Dismegistus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Parastrachiidae)

2018

Uradenia, often referred to as paragenital glands, are usually voluminous paired exocrine glands located ventrally in the abdomen mostly on the intersegmental membrane between abdominal segments (= urites) VII-VIII or VIII-IX, depending on sex or the taxon. They have been previously recorded from eight pentatomomorphan families belonging to Coreoidea, Lygaeoidea and Pyrrhocoroidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), found either in males, females or both sexes, and were thought to be absent in Pentatomoidea. We report here the first instance of uradenia in a pentatomoid genus, the African Dismegistus Amyot & Serville, 1843 (Parastrachiidae). Only the male adult possesses uradenia located on the i…

The maternal hormone in the male brain: Sexually dimorphic distribution of prolactin signalling in the mouse brain.

2018

Research of the central actions of prolactin is highly focused on females, but this hormone has also documented roles in male physiology and behaviour. Here, we provide the first description of the pattern of prolactin-derived signalling in the male mouse brain, employing the immunostaining of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (pSTAT5) after exogenous prolactin administration. Next, we explore possible sexually dimorphic differences by comparing pSTAT5 immunoreactivity in prolactin-supplemented males and females. We also assess the role of testosterone in the regulation of central prolactin signalling in males by comparing intact with castrated prolactin-supp…

The Clinical Efficacy of Radium-223 for Bone Metastasis in Patients with Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: An Italian Clinical Experience.

2017

<b><i>Background/Aim:</i></b> Prostate cancer frequently causes bone metastases and skeletal events that impair quality of life (QoL) and survival. The alpha emitter radium-223 is a new drug that improves treatment in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and bone metastases. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of radium-223. <b><i>Subjects and Methods:</i></b> In this retrospective study we enrolled 48 subjects. Pain reduction, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), time to first symptomatic skeletal event, and QoL were the variables we evaluated. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Radium-223 was well tolerated, with a m…

Efficacy and Safety of the Oral Multikinase Regorafenib in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

2017

<b><i>Background/Aim:</i></b> A clinical trial demonstrated that treatment with oral multikinase regorafenib improved overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease control [García-Alfonso et al.: J Clin Transl Oncol 2016;18:1072-1081; Bertocchi et al.: J Chemother 2017;29:102-105]. In this study, we aimed to evaluate its effectiveness in Italian patients with hormone-refractory metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) progressing after chemotherapy with docetaxel plus prednisone. <b><i>Materials and Methods:</i></b> 60 patients were enrolled. OS has been assessed as the primary endpoint while PFS, quality o…

Treatment with abiraterone in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients progressing after docetaxel: a retrospective study.

2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate abiraterone's efficacy in Italian patients affected with metastatic prostate cancer progressing after treatment with docetaxel. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 60 patients. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) reduction in serum was the primary endpoint for evaluating the efficacy of abiraterone in combination with prednisone treatment, whereas reduced pain, safety, progression-free survival, response rate, and overall survival (OS) were secondary endpoints. A significant correlation was noticed between PSA response and OS. Further, the Index Bravais-Pearson (r) correlation allowed us to observe a significant negative interdependence between PSA res…

La cuestión del reconocimiento en América Latina. Perspectivas y problemas de la teoría político-social de Axel Honneth

2018

The geometers of the cadastre of Catalonia (1720-1815)

2009

El Cadastre imposat a Catalunya després de la derrota austriacista en la guerra de Successió comportà la realització de nombroses operacions de mesura de terres. Aquests treballs foren duts a terme per un petit cos d’agrimensors anomenats geòmetres del reial tribut del Cadastre. Entre 1727 i 1815 n’hem identificat un total de vint-i-dos geòmetres. La creació d’aquesta figura va fer visible una professió fins llavors força desdibuixada a Catalunya. La cartografia cadastral és modesta, però alguns d’aquests geòmetres realitzaren també mapes més elaborats amb altres finalitats. After the Austrian defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession a cadastre was imposed to Catalonia. That entailed the…