Ethylene and the postharvest performance of cut camellia flowering branches

Camellias are potentially appreciated as cut branches due to their deep and bright green foliage with a high number of flower buds. The present research investigated the role of ethylene in postharvest flower and leaf abscission of seven cultivars of Camellia japonica and evaluated the effect of inhibitors of ethylene action on their vase life. Cut flowering branches were shipped from private companies, mimicking a long and short supply chain. Plant materials were treated with commercial Chrysal, gaseous 1-MCP, and 1-MCP included in β-cyclodextrin-based nanosponges and compared to cut branches exposed to exogenous ethylene (1±0.2 μl l-1) for 24 h and control in tap water. Visual checks for symptoms of variation in senescence, flower opening stage, flower abscission, leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD) and gloss, in addition to ethylene production levels were monitored daily. Cut branches placed in tap water lost ornamental value after ca. 5.5 days of vase life and reached complete senescence after about 10 days in all the studied cultivars, regardless of supply chain, with the exception of ‘Il Tramonto’ with 10 and 20 days, respectively. Exogenous ethylene application reduced camellia cut branch longevity in ‘Debbie’ and ‘R.H. Wheeler’, while the other cultivars lasted as long as the control. Anti-ethylene treatments prolonged the vase life only in ‘Korun Koku’ and ‘Il Tramonto’

The weather conditions on rice yield in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi medir o efeito das condições do tempo sobre a produtividade agrícola do arroz (Oryza sativa L.) em São Paulo. Utilizou-se a análise de regressão para estimar as relações entre a produtividade da cultura e as deficiências hídricas mensais. Os resultados sugerem grande sensibilidade do arroz à deficiência de água nos meses de janeiro, fevereiro e março. Alguns dos modelos ajustados fornecem previsões de rendimento melhores do que os levantamentos de campo, segundo os critérios de seleção adotados. The objective of this paper was to measure the effects of weather conditions on rice yield in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Regression analysis was used to estimate the relation between crop yield and monthly hydric deficiencies. The results suggest great sensibility of rice to water deficiencies in January, February and March. Some of the adjusted models supply better yield forecasts than the field surveys, according to the adopted selection criteria

Efeitos das condições do tempo sobre a produtividade do milho no Estado de São Paulo

The objective of this work was to measure the effects of weather conditions on corn (Zea mays L.) yield in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Regression analysis was used to estimate the relation between crop yield and water deficiency. The results suggest great sensibility of corn to water deficiency in December, January, February and March. Some of the adjusted models supply better yield forecasts than field surveis. O objetivo deste trabalho foi medir o efeito das condições do tempo sobre o rendimento do milho (Zea mays L.) em São Paulo. A análise de regressão foi utilizada para estimar as relações entre o rendimento da cultura e as deficiências hídricas mensais. Os resultados sugerem grande sensibilidade do milho à deficiência de água nos meses de dezembro, janeiro, fevereiro e março. Alguns modelos ajustados fornecem previsões de rendimento melhores do que os levantamentos de campo.

Floristic assessment of smallholders on Leyte Island, The Philippines

An assessment of the floristics of tree farms was undertaken as part of a tree measurement project on Leyte Island in the Philippines between May and September 2005. The aim was to assess the vascular plants on four types of rural land use: private smallholders; Institute of Tropical Ecology (ITE) assisted rain-forestation farms; secondary forest; and open areas. All species of vascular plants were recorded at each sample plot, and herbarium specimens prepared. In addition, data on soils, landscape and vegetation structure was gathered at the same locations. This project will enable integration of the social, biodiversity and economic components of smallholder tree farms in the Philippines

Produtividade de raízes de mandioca consorciada com milho e caupi em sistema orgânico.

Foram avaliados sistemas orgânicos de produção de mandioca “de mesa”, em Seropédica (RJ). O experimento constou dos seguintes tratamentos: monocultivo de mandioca (cv. IAC 576-70) e consórcios com milho experimental (cv. Eldorado), caupi (cv. Mauá) e milho+caupi. O manejo orgânico foi padronizado e toda a área experimental irrigada durante o período de permanência do milho no sistema. Do milho, foram colhidas espigas verdes (imaturas) e a parte aérea acamada na superfície do solo. O caupi foi incluído como adubo verde e cortado na floração, sendo mantidos os resíduos na superfície do solo. Ambos os consortes ocuparam as entrelinhas da mandioca, de modo alternado, semeados após a primeira capina da cultura principal. A cultivar IAC 576-70 mostrou-se adaptada ao manejo orgânico, com produtividade de raízes de padrão comercial próxima a 31 Mg ha-¹. Não houve diferenças significativas entre o monocultivo e os três tipos de consórcios testados. A inclusão do milho representou potencial de renda adicional ao produtor, colhendo-se,em média, 18.125 espigas ha-¹, o que correspondeu a 5,1 Mg ha-¹. Os resíduos provenientes da roçada do caupi proporcionaram um aporte de biomassa fresca de 12 Mg ha-¹, com uma expressiva contribuição em nitrogênio (cerca de 44 kg de N ha-1). A fabácea leguminosa cobriu por completo as entrelinhas da mandioca,demonstrando seu potencial de controle à erosão e a ervas espontâneas. O consórcio triplo mostrou-se vantajoso tendo em vista que a receita obtida com a venda do milho verde justificaria os custos da irrigação, além dos benefícios da inclusão do caupi e da não interferência dos consortes na produtividade da mandioca

"Delirium Day": A nationwide point prevalence study of delirium in older hospitalized patients using an easy standardized diagnostic tool

Background: To date, delirium prevalence in adult acute hospital populations has been estimated generally from pooled findings of single-center studies and/or among specific patient populations. Furthermore, the number of participants in these studies has not exceeded a few hundred. To overcome these limitations, we have determined, in a multicenter study, the prevalence of delirium over a single day among a large population of patients admitted to acute and rehabilitation hospital wards in Italy. Methods: This is a point prevalence study (called "Delirium Day") including 1867 older patients (aged 65 years or more) across 108 acute and 12 rehabilitation wards in Italian hospitals. Delirium was assessed on the same day in all patients using the 4AT, a validated and briefly administered tool which does not require training. We also collected data regarding motoric subtypes of delirium, functional and nutritional status, dementia, comorbidity, medications, feeding tubes, peripheral venous and urinary catheters, and physical restraints. Results: The mean sample age was 82.0 \ub1 7.5 years (58 % female). Overall, 429 patients (22.9 %) had delirium. Hypoactive was the commonest subtype (132/344 patients, 38.5 %), followed by mixed, hyperactive, and nonmotoric delirium. The prevalence was highest in Neurology (28.5 %) and Geriatrics (24.7 %), lowest in Rehabilitation (14.0 %), and intermediate in Orthopedic (20.6 %) and Internal Medicine wards (21.4 %). In a multivariable logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.03, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05), Activities of Daily Living dependence (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.12-1.27), dementia (OR 3.25, 95 % CI 2.41-4.38), malnutrition (OR 2.01, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), and use of antipsychotics (OR 2.03, 95 % CI 1.45-2.82), feeding tubes (OR 2.51, 95 % CI 1.11-5.66), peripheral venous catheters (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.06-1.87), urinary catheters (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.30-2.29), and physical restraints (OR 1.84, 95 % CI 1.40-2.40) were associated with delirium. Admission to Neurology wards was also associated with delirium (OR 2.00, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), while admission to other settings was not. Conclusions: Delirium occurred in more than one out of five patients in acute and rehabilitation hospital wards. Prevalence was highest in Neurology and lowest in Rehabilitation divisions. The "Delirium Day" project might become a useful method to assess delirium across hospital settings and a benchmarking platform for future surveys

Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, ventilation management, and outcomes in invasively ventilated intensive care unit patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome: a pooled analysis of four observational studies

Background: Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, the practice of ventilation, and outcome in invasively ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain unexplored. In this analysis we aim to address these gaps using individual patient data of four large observational studies. Methods: In this pooled analysis we harmonised individual patient data from the ERICC, LUNG SAFE, PRoVENT, and PRoVENT-iMiC prospective observational studies, which were conducted from June, 2011, to December, 2018, in 534 ICUs in 54 countries. We used the 2016 World Bank classification to define two geoeconomic regions: middle-income countries (MICs) and high-income countries (HICs). ARDS was defined according to the Berlin criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to compare patients in MICs versus HICs. The primary outcome was the use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) for the first 3 days of mechanical ventilation. Secondary outcomes were key ventilation parameters (tidal volume size, positive end-expiratory pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen, peak pressure, plateau pressure, driving pressure, and respiratory rate), patient characteristics, the risk for and actual development of acute respiratory distress syndrome after the first day of ventilation, duration of ventilation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality. Findings: Of the 7608 patients included in the original studies, this analysis included 3852 patients without ARDS, of whom 2345 were from MICs and 1507 were from HICs. Patients in MICs were younger, shorter and with a slightly lower body-mass index, more often had diabetes and active cancer, but less often chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure than patients from HICs. Sequential organ failure assessment scores were similar in MICs and HICs. Use of LTVV in MICs and HICs was comparable (42\ub74% vs 44\ub72%; absolute difference \u20131\ub769 [\u20139\ub758 to 6\ub711] p=0\ub767; data available in 3174 [82%] of 3852 patients). The median applied positive end expiratory pressure was lower in MICs than in HICs (5 [IQR 5\u20138] vs 6 [5\u20138] cm H2O; p=0\ub70011). ICU mortality was higher in MICs than in HICs (30\ub75% vs 19\ub79%; p=0\ub70004; adjusted effect 16\ub741% [95% CI 9\ub752\u201323\ub752]; p<0\ub70001) and was inversely associated with gross domestic product (adjusted odds ratio for a US$10 000 increase per capita 0\ub780 [95% CI 0\ub775\u20130\ub786]; p<0\ub70001). Interpretation: Despite similar disease severity and ventilation management, ICU mortality in patients without ARDS is higher in MICs than in HICs, with a strong association with country-level economic status. Funding: No funding

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700