1,287 research outputs found

    Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) production in a vertical hydroponic greenhouse system

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    Objective: A vertical hydroponic greenhouse system (VHGS) was designed and built to evaluat two strawberry varieties (Festival and San Andreas), in two planting densities per pot (40 and 54 plants/m 2 ) and three elevation levels (high, medium, and low). Design/Methodology/Approach: At 126 days after transplanting (dat), the Festival variety showed significant differences in the number of leaves and in the crown diameter. Results: The vertical hydroponic greenhouse system had a high fruit yield (21 kg m2 ): i.e., this productionsystem is up to 35 % more efficient than the open field cultivation system or the multi-tunnel greenhouse system. There was a positive correlation between the number (r 2 =0.89), diameter (r 2 =0.54), and weight (r 2 =0.40) of the fruits and the total yield. Planting density did not show a significant effect on plant growth, yield, and fruit quality. The vertical pot system did not show differences between elevation levels. This production system is a viable option for populations in places with a scarcity of water and to obtain fruits with guaranteed food safety

    Evaluation of guajillo and chile de árbol peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) in a hydroponic greenhouse system

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    Objective: To evaluate the yield of guajillo pepper (CHG) and chile de árbol pepper (CHA) grown in containers with coconut fiber substrate in a hydroponic greenhouse system.Methodology: Four types of chili peppers were tested: two CHG and two CHA peppers. The CHG peppers with seeds were from two growing areas in the state of San Luis Potosí (SLP), located in the Altiplano Central (high plateau region) of Mexico: one from Las Colonias, Salinas, and the other from El Barril, Villa de Ramos. The CHA pepperswere obtained in Yahualica, Jalisco: one in El Salto Verde (CHA-SaltoVerde) and the other in El Faro (CHA-Faro). The chili peppers were established in a hydroponic system with two types of containers (pots (SHM) and slabs (SHB)), in both of which coconut fiber (coir) was used as a substrate. The experimental design was completelyrandomized with three repetitions and the comparison of means was made with the Tukey test (p<0.05).Results: Significant differences were observed between chile de árbol and guajillo peppers grown in SHM regarding the following variables: plant height and number of leaves, flowers, and peppers. Chile de árbol peppers recorded the highest values for the four variables. There were also significant differences between the chile de árbol and the guajillo peppers regarding the fresh weight and dry weight variables, but, in this case, the guajillo peppers had the highest values. The highest dry weight value (g plant -1 ) was obtained by CHG-Barril (1,094 g plant -1 ), followed by CHG-Colonias (866 g plant -1); meanwhile, the lowest values were recorded for CHA-Faro and CHA-SaltoVerde chile de árbol peppers (819 and 258 g plant -1 , respectively). The same pattern was observed in the SHB, with significant differences between the chile de árbol —which had the highest values— and guajillo peppers for the following variables: plant height, number ofleaves, flowers, and peppers. There were also significant differences in terms of fresh weight between chile de árbol and guajillo peppers, with the latter recording higher values. Finally, CHG-Colonias and CHA-SaltoVerde showed the highest dry weight values with 633 and 595 g plant -1 , respectively. Although there were no significant differences between them, there were significant differences with respect to CHG-Barril and CHA-Faro (524 and 483 g plant -1 , respectively).Study Limitations/Implications: The present study has no major limitations.Conclusions: In general, a better dry yield of chili pepper was obtained with guajillo peppers produced in a pot system. Hydroponic systems in pots and slabs, using a coir substrate, are an alternative in protected agriculture for the production of guajillo and chile de árbol peppers.

    Centro virtual de coordinación del conocimiento en VIH / Sida: experiencia de gestión del conocimiento en políticas en salud

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    Knowledge management helps to capture and disseminate existing knowledge, creating new knowledge, communication and collaboration between people who have it. Many organizations in Peru which are committed in the fight against HIV-AIDS have contributed to improving society's response to the epidemic; To do this, they have developed various activities and the way they have learned many lessons. However, these had not been systematized much less shared. Network Knowledge Management (RGC) in HIV-AIDS emerges as a community of practice composed of organizations and governmental and non-governmental seeking systematize their best practices effectively and efficiently achieving a collective learning about the achievements and failures in the topic of interest. These experiences are presented on the platform called "Virtual Knowledge Coordination Centre in HIV-AIDS (HIV CVCC)". The National Institute of Health (NIH) in order to meet one of its priorities and research agenda, results of the Concerted Health and contribute to the national policy of modernization of public administration Plan, assumes responsibility for the joint administration and management Peru AIDS Network RGC and HIV CVCC

    Digestión anaerobia de estiércol de ovino para producir biogás y bioabono

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    Objective: To test three different sheep manure management to produce biogas and biofertilizer. Design/methodology/approach: A 2.51 m3 membrane reactor was used and three ways of preparing the manure were evaluated: fresh crushed, fresh without treatment and dry ground. Each treatment was evaluated for one month and the daily production of biogas, the ambient temperature and the pH of the effluent and the flowing were recorded. The nutritional content of the digest was analyzed. Results: The highest production of biogas (1.20 m3 día-1) was obtained with fresh crushed manure, and was statistically higher than that generated with fresh untreated manure (0.86 m3 día-1) and dry ground manure (0.75 m3 día-1). These yields were from 0.05 to 0.08 m3 of biogas per kg of manure fed. The liquid effluent showed a low content of nutrients, however, about 56 liters were obtained daily. The mud, on the other hand, presented important contents of nutrients that makes it a material with high potential as a biofertilizer. Limitations on study/implications: During the evaluation of untreated fresh manure and dry ground manure the ambient temperature was higher, but the biogas production was lower. Findings/conclusions: It was demonstrated that good production of biogas and biofertilizers can be obtained from sheep manure by means of their anaerobic digestion in a tubular biodigester.Objetivo: Evaluar tres diferentes manejos de estiércol de ovino para producir biogás y bioabono. Diseño/metodología/aproximación: Se usó un reactor de geomembrana de 2.51 m3 y se evaluaron tres formas de preparar el estiércol de ovino: fresco triturado, fresco sin tratamiento y seco molido. Cada manejo se evaluó por un mes y se registró la producción diaria de biogás, la temperatura ambiente y pH del afluente y del efluente. Se analizó el contenido nutrimental del digerido. Resultados: La mayor producción de biogás (1.20 m3 d-1) se obtuvo con el estiércol fresco triturado, y fue estadísticamente mayor al generado con estiércol fresco sin tratar (0.86 m3 d-1) y con estiércol seco molido (0.75 m3 d-1). Estos rendimientos fueron de 0.05 a 0.08 m3 de biogás por kg de estiércol alimentado. El efluente líquido mostró bajo contenido de nutrientes, no obstante diariamente se obtuvieron alrededor de 56 L. El lodo, en cambio, registró contenidos importantes de nutrientes que lo hace un material con alto potencial como bioabono. Limitaciones del estudio/implicaciones: Durante la evaluación del estiércol fresco sin tratamiento y seco molido la temperatura ambiente fue mayor, pero la producción de biogás fue menor. Hallazgos/conclusiones: Se demostró que a partir del estiércol de ovino se puede obtener buena producción de biogás y bioabonos, mediante su digestión anaerobia en un biodigestor tubular

    Centro virtual de coordinación del conocimiento en VIH / Sida: experiencia de gestión del conocimiento en políticas en salud

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    Knowledge management helps to capture and disseminate existing knowledge, creating new knowledge, communication and collaboration between people who have it. Many organizations in Peru which are committed in the fight against HIV-AIDS have contributed to improving society's response to the epidemic; To do this, they have developed various activities and the way they have learned many lessons. However, these had not been systematized much less shared. Network Knowledge Management (RGC) in HIV-AIDS emerges as a community of practice composed of organizations and governmental and non-governmental seeking systematize their best practices effectively and efficiently achieving a collective learning about the achievements and failures in the topic of interest. These experiences are presented on the platform called "Virtual Knowledge Coordination Centre in HIV-AIDS (HIV CVCC)". The National Institute of Health (NIH) in order to meet one of its priorities and research agenda, results of the Concerted Health and contribute to the national policy of modernization of public administration Plan, assumes responsibility for the joint administration and management Peru AIDS Network RGC and HIV CVCC

    Database of spatial distribution of non indigenous species in Spanish marine waters

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    Research in marine Spanish waters are focused on several actions to achieve an effectively management on protected areas, with the active participation of the stakeholders and research as basic tools for decision-making. Among these actions, there is one about the knowledge and control on NIS. One of its objectives is the creation of NIS factsheets, which are going to be added to the National Marine Biodiversity Geographical System (GIS) providing complementary information about taxonomic classification, common names, taxonomic synonyms, species illustrations, identification morphological characters, habitat in the native and introduced regions, biological and ecological traits, GenBank DNA sequences, world distribution, first record and evolution in the introduced areas, likely pathways of introduction, effects in the habitats and interaction with native species, and potential management measures to apply. The database will also provide data for (1) the European online platforms, (2) the environmental assessment for the Descriptor 2 (D2-NIS) of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), as well as (3) supporting decisions made by stakeholders. It is the result of extensive collaboration among scientist, manager’s and citizen science in the Spanish North-Atlantic, South-Atlantic, Gibraltar Strait-Alboran, Levantine-Balearic and Canary Islands marine divisions, providing an updated overview of the spatial distribution of relevant extended and invasive NIS of recent and established NIS introduced by maritime transport and aquaculture pathways, as well as on cryptogenic or native species in expansion due to the climatic water warming trend

    Systematics and diversification of the Ichthyomyini (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) revisited: evidence from molecular, morphological, and combined approaches

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    Ichthyomyini, a morphologically distinctive group of Neotropical cricetid rodents, lacks an integrative study of its systematics and biogeography. Since this tribe is a crucial element of the Sigmodontinae, the most speciose subfamily of the Cricetidae, we conducted a study that includes most of its recognized diversity (five genera and 19 species distributed from southern Mexico to northern Bolivia). For this report we analyzed a combined matrix composed of four molecular markers (RBP3, GHR, RAG1, Cytb) and 56 morphological traits, the latter including 15 external, 14 cranial, 19 dental, five soft-anatomical and three postcranial features. A variety of results were obtained, some of which are inconsistent with the currently accepted classification and understanding of the tribe. Ichthyomyini is retrieved as monophyletic, and it is divided into two main clades that are here recognized as subtribes: one to contain the genus Anotomys and the other composed by the remaining genera. Neusticomys (as currently recognized) was found to consist of two well supported clades, one of which corresponds to the original concept of Daptomys. Accordingly, we propose the resurrection of the latter as a valid genus to include several species from low to middle elevations and restrict Neusticomys to several highland forms. Numerous other revisions are necessary to reconcile the alpha taxonomy of ichthyomyines with our phylogenetic results, including placement of the Cajas Plateau water rat (formerly Chibchanomys orcesi) in the genus Neusticomys (sensu stricto), and the recognition of at least two new species (one in Neusticomys, one in Daptomys). Additional work is necessary to confirm other unanticipated results, such as the non-monophyletic nature of Rheomys and the presence of a possible new genus and species from Peru. Our results also suggest that ichthyomyines are one of the main Andean radiations of sigmodontine cricetids, with an evolutionary history dating to the Late Miocene and subsequent cladogenesis during the Pleistocene

    Integrative Analysis Reveals a Molecular Stratification of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases

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    Objective Clinical heterogeneity, a hallmark of systemic autoimmune diseases, impedes early diagnosis and effective treatment, issues that may be addressed if patients could be classified into groups defined by molecular pattern. This study was undertaken to identify molecular clusters for reclassifying systemic autoimmune diseases independently of clinical diagnosis. Methods Unsupervised clustering of integrated whole blood transcriptome and methylome cross-sectional data on 955 patients with 7 systemic autoimmune diseases and 267 healthy controls was undertaken. In addition, an inception cohort was prospectively followed up for 6 or 14 months to validate the results and analyze whether or not cluster assignment changed over time. Results Four clusters were identified and validated. Three were pathologic, representing “inflammatory,” “lymphoid,” and “interferon” patterns. Each included all diagnoses and was defined by genetic, clinical, serologic, and cellular features. A fourth cluster with no specific molecular pattern was associated with low disease activity and included healthy controls. A longitudinal and independent inception cohort showed a relapse–remission pattern, where patients remained in their pathologic cluster, moving only to the healthy one, thus showing that the molecular clusters remained stable over time and that single pathogenic molecular signatures characterized each individual patient. Conclusion Patients with systemic autoimmune diseases can be jointly stratified into 3 stable disease clusters with specific molecular patterns differentiating different molecular disease mechanisms. These results have important implications for future clinical trials and the study of nonresponse to therapy, marking a paradigm shift in our view of systemic autoimmune diseases

    SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs is not an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome

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    The aim was to assess the ability of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load at first patient’s hospital evaluation to predict unfavorable outcomes. We conducted a prospective cohort study including 321 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 through RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs. Quantitative Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 RNA cycle threshold values were used to calculate the viral load in log10 copies/mL. Disease severity at the end of follow up was categorized into mild, moderate, and severe. Primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death (n = 85, 26.4%). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load over the second quartile (≥ 7.35 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.003) and second tertile (≥ 8.27 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.01) were associated to unfavorable outcome in the unadjusted logistic regression analysis. However, in the final multivariable analysis, viral load was not independently associated with an unfavorable outcome. Five predictors were independently associated with increased odds of ICU admission and/or death: age ≥ 70 years, SpO2, neutrophils > 7.5 × 103/µL, lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 300 U/L, and C-reactive protein ≥ 100 mg/L. In summary, nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load on admission is generally high in patients with COVID-19, regardless of illness severity, but it cannot be used as an independent predictor of unfavorable clinical outcome
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