Característiques físiques i químiques a determinar en els compostos fets amb fangs residuals per tal d'ésser utilitzats com a substrats

Hi ha una sèrie d'activitats humanes que comporten 1'aparició de subproductes contaminants. En particular ens hem centrat en els fangs residuals de les industries papereres i de les depuradores d'aigües urbanes. Aquests productes presenten problemes d'eliminació pel gran volum que se n'obté, i per llur contingut en substàncies nocives. D'altra banda l'horticultura ornamental és un sector en expansió amb una demanda creixent de substrats. El substrat més utilitzat en 1'actualitat és la torba, que té un preu molt alt. Observem doncs la necessitat de trobar materials alternatius més barats. Això ens ha impulsat a estudiar la viabilitat dels fangs com a substrats. La utilització d'aquests materials requereix un condicionament previ, que és el que hom fa mitjançant el procés anomenat compostatge (fermentació aeròbica i termòfila d'un o més productes orgànics per a eliminar o minvar llur capacitat contaminant). El producte final és el compost, el qual ha de tenir unes propietats físico-químiques adients. Resulta imprescindible un seguiment de 1'evolució del compostatge i saber quan aquest ja ha acabat. Aquest seguiment comporta el control d'uns paràmetres químics (concentració en macro- i micronutrients i metalls pesants, contingut i qualitat de la matèria orgànica... ), paràmetres físico-químics (pH, CE, CBC...) i físics (densitat real i aparent, capacitat de retenció d'aigua... ). A més, han estat fetes proves de creixement de plantes ornamentals per tal d'estudiar l'aptitud del producte com a substrat

El colesterol sigue alto. ¿Y ahora qué hacemos? Tratamiento de la hipercolesteremia no controlada a lo largo de un año

ObjetivoConocer la efectividad sobre el control lipídico del tratamiento hipolipemiante, basado en la práctica clínica habitual en atención primaria, en pacientes con hipercolesteremia manifiesta.DiseñoIntervención semiexperimental, antes-después.EmplazamientoCentro de salud urbano. Participantes: 187 pacientes dislipémicos conocidos, con colesterol total o colesterol LDL (cLDL) > 270 o 190 mg/dl, respectivamente.IntervenciónPráctica clínica habitual durante 12 meses en 9 consultas de atención primaria.Mediciones principalesSe registró el perfil lipídico y el tratamiento hipolipemiante al inicio del estudio y al cabo de 12 meses. El control lipídico (en función del cLDL) se evaluó como óptimo, aceptable y deficiente en función del riesgo cardiovascular según los criterios de la Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis (1994).ResultadosEn un 27% de casos no se registró ninguna visita relacionada con la hipercolesteremia por su médico. El número de pacientes tratados con hipolipemiantes creció de 50 a 98 (27 frente a 52%; p < 0,005), fundamentalmente a expensas del uso de estatinas. Tras 12 meses, se observaron descensos significativos en la concentración plasmática del cLDL (12%; IC del 95%, 9–15%) y del porcentaje de pacientes con control deficiente, que descendió del 91% inicial al 61% (p < 0,005), aunque sólo un 16% alcanzó un control óptimo.ConclusionesTras un año, con las condiciones de práctica clínica habitual, se observó un incremento en el uso de hipolipemiantes y una mejoría en el control lipídico, aunque algo más de la mitad de los pacientes (61%) con hipercolesteremia manifiesta permanecen con concentraciones tributarias de tratamiento.ObjectiveTo find the effectiveness of lipid-lowering treatment, based on normal clinical practice in primary care, on lipid control of patients with clear hypercholesterolaemia (HC).DesignSemi-experimental before-and-after intervention study.SettingUrban health centre. Participants: 187 patients known to have lipaemia, with total or LDL cCholesterol (cLDL) above 270 and 190 mg/dl, respectivelyInterventionNormal clinical practice for twelve months in nine primary care clinicsMain measurementsThe lipid profile and lipid-lowering treatment were recorded at the start of the study and after twelve months. Lipid control (as a function of cLDL) was evaluated as optimal, acceptable or deficient, as a function of the cardiovascular risk, following the criteria of the Spanish Arteriosclerosis Society (1994)ResultsIn 27% of cases, no visit relating to HC was recorded by the patient´s doctor. The number of patients treated with lipid-lowering drugs grew from 50 to 98 (27 vs 52%, p < 0,005), fundamentally at the expense of statin treatment. After twelve months, there were significant drops in the plasma concentration of cLDL (12%, 95%CI, 9 to 15%) and in the percentage of patients with deficient control, which fell from the initial 91% to 61% (p < 0.005), although only 16% reached optimal control.ConclusionsAfter a year, under conditions of normal clinical practice, there was an increase in the use of lipid-lowering drugs and improvement in lipid control, though a bit over half the patients (61%) with clear hypercholesterolaemia maintained concentrations requiring treatment

Analysis of vineyard differential management zones and relation to vine development, grape maturity and quality

The objective of research was to analyse the potential of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maps from satellite images, yield maps and grapevine fertility and load variables to delineate zones with different wine grape properties for selective harvesting. Two vineyard blocks located in NE Spain (Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah) were analysed. The NDVI was computed from a Quickbird-2 multi-spectral image at veraison (July 2005). Yield data was acquired by means of a yield monitor during September 2005. Other variables, such as the number of buds, number of shoots, number of wine grape clusters and weight of 100 berries were sampled in a 10 rows × 5 vines pattern and used as input variables, in combination with the NDVI, to define the clusters as alternative to yield maps. Two days prior to the harvesting, grape samples were taken. The analysed variables were probable alcoholic degree, pH of the juice, total acidity, total phenolics, colour, anthocyanins and tannins. The input variables, alone or in combination, were clustered (2 and 3 Clusters) by using the ISODATA algorithm, and an analysis of variance and a multiple rang test were performed. The results show that the zones derived from the NDVI maps are more effective to differentiate grape maturity and quality variables than the zones derived from the yield maps. The inclusion of other grapevine fertility and load variables did not improve the results.El objetivo de la investigación fue analizar el potencial de mapas del índice de vegetación de la diferencia normalizada (NDVI) a partir de imágenes de satélite, mapas de cosecha y variables de fertilidad y carga de las cepas para delinear zonas de manejo con diferentes propiedades de madurez y calidad de la uva. Se estudiaron dos parcelas localizadas en el NE de España (Cabernet Sauvignon y Syrah). El NDVI fue derivado de una imagen multiespectral Quickbird-2 adquirida en el envero (julio 2005). Los datos de cosecha fueron obtenidos por medio de un monitor de rendimiento en septiembre de 2005. Otras variables, tales como el número de yemas, número de sarmientos, número de racimos y peso de 100 bayas fueron muestreados en un marco de 10 filas × 5 cepas. Estas variables fueron usadas, en combinación con el NDVI, para definir los aglomerados (clusters) como alternativa a los derivados de los mapas de cosecha. Dos días antes de la vendimia se muestreó la uva. Las propiedades analizadas fueron el grado alcohólico probable, el pH del mosto, la acidez total, los polifenoles totales, el color, los antocianos y los taninos. Las variables de entrada, solas o en combinación, fueron aglomeradas (2 y 3 aglomerados) por medio del algoritmo ISODATA, llevando a cabo después un análisis de varianza y de rangos múltiples. Los resultados muestran que las zonas derivadas de los mapas de NDVI son más efectivos para diferenciar uvas con diferentes propiedades de madurez y calidad que no las zonas derivadas de los mapas de cosecha. La inclusión de otras variables de fertilidad y carga de las cepas no mejoró los resultados

Protected agriculture matters: Year-round persistence of Tuta absoluta in China where it should not

Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) originates from the South American tropics but has become a major invasive pest of tomato and other Solanaceae crops worldwide. Agricultural protected facilities (APFs) such as greenhouses and plastic tunnels may provide thermal conditions that allow the survival of T. absoluta in temperate zones with cold winters. In this study, a CLIMEX model was used to investigate the dual effects of increasing use of APFs and climate warming on the potential distribution and seasonal dynamics of T. absoluta in China. Our model showed that the northern boundary for year-round population persistence in China, ignoring APFs, was approximately 30°N, covering about 21% of China’s area suitable under current climate. The modelled suitable area increased to 31% and northern boundary for year-round population persistence shifted to 40°N in 2080 under global warming. When APF refuges are included, the potential suitable area was 78% under the current climate and 79% under global warming. This suggests that, in the future, the increasing use of APFs will increase the areas at risk of T. absoluta invasion significantly more than global warming because APFs effectively protect T. absoluta from harsh northern winters. In addition, vegetable production in surrounding open fields will be at risk of invasion during milder seasons when APFs are opened and T. absoluta can disperse. Therefore, the micro-climate of APFs should be considered as part of the invasion process, and Integrated Pest Management should be simultaneously implemented inside and outside APFs for the rational management T. absoluta.This work was supported by National Key R&D program of China (2021YFD1400200). CERCA Program / Generalitat de Catalunya provided funding to JA, and ND was funded in part by the Horizon Europe project ADOPT-IPM (n◦101060430).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Efficacy of treatment for hyperglycemic crisis in elderly diabetic patients in a day hospital

The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to compare the costs of day hospital (DH) care for hyperglycemic crisis in elderly diabetic patients with those of conventional hospitalization (CH). Secondary objectives were to compare these two clinical scenarios in terms of glycemic control, number of emergency and outpatient visits, readmissions, hypoglycemic episodes, and nosocomial morbidity. The study population comprised diabetic patients aged >74 years consecutively admitted to a tertiary teaching hospital in Spain for hyperglycemic crisis (sustained hyperglycemia [>300 mg/dL] for at least 3 days with or without ketosis). The patients were assigned to DH or CH care according to time of admission and were followed for 6 months after discharge. Exclusion criteria were ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar crisis, hemodynamic instability, severe intercurrent illness, social deprivation, or Katz index >D. Sixty-four diabetic patients on DH care and 36 on CH care were included, with no differences in baseline characteristics. The average cost per patient was 1,345.1±793.6 € in the DH group and 2,212.4±982.5 € in the CH group (P <0.001). There were no differences in number of subjects with mild hypoglycemia during follow-up (45.3% DH versus 33.3% CH, P =0.24), nor in the percentage of patients achieving a glycated hemoglobin (HbA) <8% (67.2% DH versus 58.3% CH, P =0.375). Readmissions for hyperglycemic crisis and pressure ulcer rates were significantly higher in the CH group. DH care for hyperglycemic crises is more cost-effective than CH care, with a net saving of 1,418.4 € per case, lower number of readmissions and pressure ulcer rates, and similar short-term glycemic control and hypoglycemia rates

Seven-year mortality in heart failure patients with undiagnosed diabetes : an observational study

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart failure have adverse clinical outcomes, but the characteristics and prognosis of those with undiagnosed diabetes in this setting has not been established. Methods: In total, 400 patients admitted consecutively with acute heart failure were grouped in three glycaemic categories: no diabetes, clinical diabetes (previously reported or with hypoglycaemic treatment) and undiagnosed diabetes. The latter was defined by the presence of at least two measurements of fasting plasma glycaemia ≥ 7 mmol/L before or after the acute episode.Group differences were tested by proportional hazards models in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality during a 7-year follow-up. Results: There were 188 (47%) patients without diabetes, 149 (37%) with clinical diabetes and 63 (16%) with undiagnosed diabetes. Patients with undiagnosed diabetes had a lower prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidaemia, peripheral vascular disease and previous myocardial infarction than those with clinical diabetes and similar to that of those without diabetes. The adjusted hazards ratios for 7-year total and cardiovascular mortality compared with the group of subjects without diabetes were 1.69 (95% CI: 1.17-2.46) and 2.45 (95% CI: 1.58-3.81) for those with undiagnosed diabetes, and 1.48 (95% CI: 1.10-1.99) and 2.01 (95% CI: 1.40-2.89) for those with clinical diabetes. Conclusions: Undiagnosed diabetes is common in patients requiring hospitalization for acute heart failure. Patients with undiagnosed diabetes, despite having a lower cardiovascular risk profile than those with clinical diabetes, show a similar increased mortality