No cultivo do milho safra, os produtores em sistema de produção em plantio direto (SPD) antecipam a dose da adubação nitrogenada de cobertura, que seria feita nos estádios V3 e V6, na cultura da aveia durante a entressafra ou em présemeadura do milho. Não se conhece a eficiência destes sistemas de adubação do milho. Assim, esta pesquisa foi realizada com a finalidade de elucidar a dinâmica do nitrogênio (N) por meio da avaliação do seu aproveitamento nos compartimentos solo, milho e no resíduo da aveia, e determinar a eficiência de uso do fertilizante nitrogenado (EUFN). O experimento foi realizado nos municípios de Guarapuava-PR e Taquarituba-SP, com a aplicação de 180 kg ha-1 e 150 kg ha-1 de N, respectivamente. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso com cinco sistemas de adubação e quatro repetições. Os sistemas de adubação foram: N no perfilhamento da aveia; N na pré-semeadura do milho; N na semeadura do milho; N em cobertura no estádio V3 do milho; e N em duas coberturas, nos estádios V3 e V6 do milho. Em ambos locais não houve diferença na produtividade de grãos, em razão do sistema de adubação, em Guarapuava a produtividade média foi de 14,2 Mg ha-1 de grãos, e em Taquarituba 10,6 Mg ha-1 de grãos. A antecipação do N na aveia reduziu a EUFN em até 41%, com maior dependência do N fornecido pelo solo, e foi o sistema de adubação que mais perdeu 15N-fertilizante, uma vez que não recuperou 50% do 15N aplicado. Os sistemas de adubação, em que o 15N foi aplicado no estádio V3 ou nos estádios V3 e V6 foram mais eficientes, com EUFN de 51% e 55%, nessa ordem. A avaliação da produção de grãos não serve para avaliar a eficiência de sistema de adubação. Os sistemas de adubação antecipado na cultura do milho não são eficientes no uso do N proveniente do fertilizante. / In maize crop, sidedress nitrogen fertilization in V3 or V6 phenological stages was moved to cultivated oat during off season or in pre-sowing by farmers that adopt the no-tillage maize system. However, the efficiency of this fertilization system is unknow. This research was designed to understand nitrogen (N) dynamic by evaluating the recovery in soil, maize plant and oat straw to calculate the N use efficiency (NUE) by maize crop. Maize crop fields experiments were conducted in Guarapuava, Paraná state and Taquarituba, São Paulo state, where fertilization rate was 180 kg ha-1 and 150 kg ha-1 of N respectively. Experimental desing was randomized block with four repetitions and five fertilization systems: N in oat tillering; N in pre-sowing corn, N in sowing corn; N sidedress in V3 and N sidedress in V3 and V6. Grain yield, with average 14,2 Mg ha-1 in Guarapuava and 10,6 Mg ha-1 in Taquarituba were not statiscally different. N fertilization in oat showed NUE 41% lower due to N soil contribution and high N loss with 50% 15N unaccounted. Fertilization systems which N-fertilizer was applied sidedress in V3 or V3 and V6 maize stage were more efficient with NUE 51% and 55%, respectively. Grain yield was not able to measure the efficiency of fertilization system. The anticipation of N fertilization in maize crop had low N use efficiency from N derived from fertilizer..

No cultivo do milho safra, os produtores em sistema de produção em plantio direto (SPD) antecipam a dose da adubação nitrogenada de cobertura, que seria feita nos estádios V3 e V6, na cultura da aveia durante a entressafra ou em présemeadura do milho. Não se conhece a eficiência destes sistemas de adubação do milho. Assim, esta pesquisa foi realizada com a finalidade de elucidar a dinâmica do nitrogênio (N) por meio da avaliação do seu aproveitamento nos compartimentos solo, milho e no resíduo da aveia, e determinar a eficiência de uso do fertilizante nitrogenado (EUFN). O experimento foi realizado nos municípios de Guarapuava-PR e Taquarituba-SP, com a aplicação de 180 kg ha-1 e 150 kg ha-1 de N, respectivamente. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso com cinco sistemas de adubação e quatro repetições. Os sistemas de adubação foram: N no perfilhamento da aveia; N na pré-semeadura do milho; N na semeadura do milho; N em cobertura no estádio V3 do milho; e N em duas coberturas, nos estádios V3 e V6 do milho. Em ambos locais não houve diferença na produtividade de grãos, em razão do sistema de adubação, em Guarapuava a produtividade média foi de 14,2 Mg ha-1 de grãos, e em Taquarituba 10,6 Mg ha-1 de grãos. A antecipação do N na aveia reduziu a EUFN em até 41%, com maior dependência do N fornecido pelo solo, e foi o sistema de adubação que mais perdeu 15N-fertilizante, uma vez que não recuperou 50% do 15N aplicado. Os sistemas de adubação, em que o 15N foi aplicado no estádio V3 ou nos estádios V3 e V6 foram mais eficientes, com EUFN de 51% e 55%, nessa ordem. A avaliação da produção de grãos não serve para avaliar a eficiência de sistema de adubação. Os sistemas de adubação antecipado na cultura do milho não são eficientes no uso do N proveniente do fertilizante. / In maize crop, sidedress nitrogen fertilization in V3 or V6 phenological stages was moved to cultivated oat during off season or in pre-sowing by farmers that adopt the no-tillage maize system. However, the efficiency of this fertilization system is unknow. This research was designed to understand nitrogen (N) dynamic by evaluating the recovery in soil, maize plant and oat straw to calculate the N use efficiency (NUE) by maize crop. Maize crop fields experiments were conducted in Guarapuava, Paraná state and Taquarituba, São Paulo state, where fertilization rate was 180 kg ha-1 and 150 kg ha-1 of N respectively. Experimental desing was randomized block with four repetitions and five fertilization systems: N in oat tillering; N in pre-sowing corn, N in sowing corn; N sidedress in V3 and N sidedress in V3 and V6. Grain yield, with average 14,2 Mg ha-1 in Guarapuava and 10,6 Mg ha-1 in Taquarituba were not statiscally different. N fertilization in oat showed NUE 41% lower due to N soil contribution and high N loss with 50% 15N unaccounted. Fertilization systems which N-fertilizer was applied sidedress in V3 or V3 and V6 maize stage were more efficient with NUE 51% and 55%, respectively. Grain yield was not able to measure the efficiency of fertilization system. The anticipation of N fertilization in maize crop had low N use efficiency from N derived from fertilizer..

During last century rising populations and changed market preferences have led to large structuralchanges in agriculture in the developed world. Most conventional cultivation methods involve theproduction of few monoculture crops within a homogenous landscape, where pesticides and inorganicfertilizers are used to increase yields. The cereal aphid Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) is a pest in cerealsresulting in large economic losses for farmers throughout Europe, and are currently removed withchemical pest control. However, the pesticides also affect existing ecosystem services like potentiallypest-controlling insects as well as the surrounding environment negatively. According to previousstudies higher landscape diversity leads to a higher diversity of natural enemies to pest insects, but nostudy has investigated if the pest control is enhanced around non-crop remnants such as midfield islets(MI). This thesis investigates (i) if MI will reduce the number of aphids in crop field, (ii) if larger MIwill be more effective than smaller MI by having higher aphid predation rate, and (iii) if larger MI willprovide a more effective reduction of pest insects over a longer distance from edge. To assess thepotential for pest control, aphids were glued on papers and placed at ground level in crop fields andaround MI in nine fields. The collected data was processed statistically, and the result demonstratesthat MI play an important role by providing habitats for natural enemies to pests. The increased size ofMI have a positive effect of number of aphids consumed around MI, however the distance from edgewas not significance. This study highlights the value of MI in crop fields as an existing ecosystemservice in biological pest control. The naturally occurring predators are able to reduce R.padi andthereby minimize the need for insecticide applications. / Ökat befolkningstryck och större efterfrågan av jordbruksprodukter på marknaden har det senasteseklet lett till stora förändringar i västvärldens jordbrukslandskap. Odlingslandskapet är idaghomogent och monokulturellt där besprutningsmedel används för att ge större avkastning iproduktionen. Skadeinsekten havrebladlus (Rhopalosiphum padi) angriper vårgrödor vilket leder tillstora ekonomiska förluster för bönder runtom i Europa. Pesticider används för att reducera angreppenmen påverkar även miljön negativt samt existerande ekosystemtjänster, såsom naturliga fiender sombiologiskt kan begränsa skadeinsekters angrepp. Tidigare studier visar att heterogena landskap har enhög biologisk mångfald, men ingen studie har undersökt åkerholmars (ÅH) eventuella potential förbiologisk bekämpning av skadeinsekter i säd. Denna studie undersöker därför (i) om ÅH leder tillökad reducering av havrebladlöss i säd, (ii) om större ÅH är mer effektiva än mindre i frågan ompestreducering, samt (iii) om större ÅH begränsar lusangrepp längre ut i fält från ÅH:s kant än mindreholmar. Studiens hypoteser testades genom experiment utförda i nio fält med vårgrödor där lössklistrades på etiketter som placerades ut i omgivande fält. Dessa samlades in efter tjugo fyra timmarför att studera antal löss konsumerade i relation till ÅH. Det insamlade materialet är bearbetatstatistiskt och resultatet visar att ÅH spelar en betydande ekologisk roll för naturliga fiender tillskadeinsekten havrebladlus. Fler löss konsumerades runt större ÅH än de med mindre yta eller i de fältutan ÅH. Däremot har avståndet från ÅH en mindre betydelse, vilket indikerar att pestreduceringen ärmest effektiv nära stora ÅH. Denna studie synliggör värdet av existerande ÅH som inhysernyttoinsekter i jordbrukslandskapet, samt att heterogena landskap har högre potential för en mernaturlig skadedjursbekämpning. Naturliga fiender är därmed en existerande ekosystemtjänst som kanbegränsa bladlusangreppen (R.padi), som i sin tur ger möjligheten att reducera användandet avbekämpningsmedel, vilket för oss närmare miljömålet ”en giftfri miljö”.

L’insuffisance rénale chronique (IRC) affecte 13 % de la population américaine et son incidence ne cesse d’augmenter. Malgré un ajustement des doses de médicaments administrés en fonction du taux de filtration glomérulaire du patient urémique, près de 40 % des patients reçoivent une dose trop élevée en raison de modifications de l’élimination extrarénale des médicaments chez ces patients. Il est connu que l’IRC affecte l’élimination métabolique des médicaments par les cytochromes P450 et les enzymes de biotransformation de phase II. Nous avons aussi démontré, chez le rat, que l’IRC affecte l’expression et l’activité de transporteurs de médicaments intestinaux entraînant une augmentation de la biodisponibilité de certains médicaments. On retrouve des transporteurs de médicaments dans de nombreux organes comme le foie, les reins et la barrière hématoencéphalique (BHE) où ils jouent des rôles importants dans les éliminations biliaire et rénale et la pénétration des médicaments au cerveau. Le but de ce travail était de mesurer, chez des rats néphrectomisés, les impacts de l’IRC sur l’expression protéique et génique et l’activité des transporteurs de médicaments hépatiques, rénaux et cérébraux. Les transporteurs étudiés sont de la famille des transporteurs ABC (P-glycoprotéine, multidrug-resistance related protein, breast cancer resistance protein) ou des solute carriers (organic anion transporter, organic anion transporting protein). Aussi, une étude réalisée chez l’humain visait à évaluer la pharmacocinétique de deux médicaments : la fexofénadine, un médicament majoritairement transporté, et le midazolam, un substrat du cytochrome P450 3A4, chez des sujets dialysés. Nos résultats montrent que, chez le rat, l’IRC entraîne des modulations de l’expression des transporteurs d’influx et d’efflux hépatiques pouvant entraîner des diminutions du métabolisme hépatique et de l’excrétion biliaire des médicaments. Dans le rein, nous avons démontré des modulations de l’expression des transporteurs de médicaments. Nous avons aussi démontré que l’IRC diminue l’élimination urinaire de la rhodamine 123 et favorise l’accumulation intrarénale de médicaments transportés comme la benzylpénicilline et la digoxine. À la BHE, nous avons démontré des diminutions de l’expression des transporteurs de médicaments. Toutefois, nous n’avons pas observé d’accumulation intracérébrale de trois substrats utilisés (digoxine, doxorubicine et vérapamil) et même une diminution de l’accumulation intracérébrale de la benzylpénicilline. Il semble donc que, malgré les modulations de l’expression des différents transporteurs de médicaments, l’intégrité et la fonction de la BHE soient conservées en IRC. Chez l’humain, nous avons démontré une augmentation de la surface sous la courbe de la fexofénadine chez les sujets dialysés, comparativement aux témoins, suggérant une altération des mécanismes de transport des médicaments chez ces patients. Nous n’avons, toutefois, pas observé de modification de la pharmacocinétique du midazolam chez les patients dialysés, suggérant une activité métabolique normale chez ces patients. Un ou des facteurs s’accumulant dans le sérum des sujets urémiques semblent responsables des modulations de l’expression et de l’activité des transporteurs de médicaments observées chez le rat et l’humain. Ces travaux mettent en évidence une nouvelle problématique chez les sujets urémiques. Nous devons maintenant identifier les mécanismes impliqués afin d’éventuellement développer des stratégies pour prévenir la toxicité et la morbidité chez ces patients. / Chronic renal failure (CRF) affects 13% of the American population and its incidence is rising. Despite dose adjustment of drugs administered to CRF patients according to their glomerular filtration rate, nearly 40% of patients receive up to 6,45-times the recommended dose due to modifications in the extra-renal elimination of drugs. It is known that CRF affects the metabolic elimination of drugs via cytochrome P450s and Phase II biotransformation enzymes. Also, we showed modulations in the expression and activity of intestinal drug transporters in CRF rats that could lead to increases in the bioavailability of drugs. Drug transporters are expressed in various organs including the liver, the kidneys and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) where they play important roles in the biliary and renal elimination, and the brain penetration of drugs. The objective of this work was to measure, using a rat model of CRF, the impacts of CRF on the protein and mRNA expression and the activity of liver, kidney and brain drug transporters. We studied ABC transporters (P-glycoprotein, multidrug-resistance related protein, breast cancer resistance protein) and solute carriers (organic anion transporters, organic anion transporting proteins). Also, a study conducted in human aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of two drugs: fexofenadine, a transported drug, and midazolam, a substrate of cytochrome P450 3A4, in dialyzed patients. In rats, our results show modulations in the expression and activity of hepatic influx and efflux drug transporters that could lead to decreases in the hepatic metabolism and biliary excretion of drugs. In the kidney, we demonstrated modulations in the expression of drug transporters in CRF rats. We also demonstrated that CRF causes a reduction of the urinary elimination of rhodamine 123, a P-glycoprotein substrate, and the intra-renal accumulation of at least two transported drugs: benzylpenicillin and digoxin. Finally, we demonstrated decreases in the expression of influx and efflux drug transporters at the BBB of CRF rats. However, these decreases did not correlate with in vivo changes since BBB permeability of benzylpenicillin was decreased in CRF rats while digoxin, doxorubicin and verapamil permeabilities were unchanged. It thus appears that, even with decreased drug transporters, BBB integrity and function is conserved in CRF. In human, we showed an increase in the area under the curve of fexofenadine in dialyzed subjects compared to healthy controls, suggesting alterations of drug transport mechanisms in these patients. However, we observed no modifications in the pharmacokinetics of midazolam in dialyzed patients, suggesting a normal metabolic activity in these patients. Results from in vitro studies suggest that one or many uremic factors accumulating in the serum of uremic rats and patients are responsible for the observed modulations in drug transporter expression and activity observed in rat and human. This work demonstrates the impacts of CRF on the expression and activity of drug transporters and how they could affect drug pharmacokinetics in patients. Now, the mechanisms leading to these modulations need to be identified in order to eventually develop strategies to prevent drug toxicity and morbidity in uremic patients.

The ability of the soluble fibre (1->3)(1->4)-β-D-glucan to attenuate postprandial glycemic responses depends on its viscosity which, in turn, depends on molecular weight (MW) and dose. However, the effect of altering viscosity by changing solution volume is unknown. Furthermore, β-glucan solutions may form hard gels when left to age, but the effect of these gels on glycemic responses is unknown. Therefore, the effects of varying the MW and volume of β-glucan solutions and hard gels, on glycemic responses were determined. The results showed that glycemic responses were reduced by increasing viscosity by increasing MW but not by reducing solution volume. Although β-glucan gels reduced the rate of glucose diffusion in vitro, they had no effect on glycemic responses in vivo. Thus, changing solution viscosity through changes in volume does not alter the effect of β-glucan on glycemic response, and β-glucan gels are ineffective at attenuating in vivo glycemic responses.

The ability of the soluble fibre (1->3)(1->4)-β-D-glucan to attenuate postprandial glycemic responses depends on its viscosity which, in turn, depends on molecular weight (MW) and dose. However, the effect of altering viscosity by changing solution volume is unknown. Furthermore, β-glucan solutions may form hard gels when left to age, but the effect of these gels on glycemic responses is unknown. Therefore, the effects of varying the MW and volume of β-glucan solutions and hard gels, on glycemic responses were determined. The results showed that glycemic responses were reduced by increasing viscosity by increasing MW but not by reducing solution volume. Although β-glucan gels reduced the rate of glucose diffusion in vitro, they had no effect on glycemic responses in vivo. Thus, changing solution viscosity through changes in volume does not alter the effect of β-glucan on glycemic response, and β-glucan gels are ineffective at attenuating in vivo glycemic responses.