Producción de biomasa y respuesta a la fertilización de especies forrajeras subtropicales cultivadas en La Pampa deprimida bonaerense

Resumen: La producción estival de biomasa forrajera de La Pampa deprimida bonaerense resulta muchas veces deficitaria para la alimentación del ganado. Una alternativa para incrementarla es cultivar especies perennes de origen subtropical. Algunas de estas especies, además de producir cantidades importantes de biomasa, han mostrado buena adaptación a condiciones ambientales similares a las de esta área. A pesar de tratarse de especies perennes, los estudios realizados hasta ahora en la zona generalmente abarcan solo los dos primeros años de crecimiento del cultivo. Por lo tanto, los objetivos de este estudio fueron evaluar: i) la productividad de especies forrajeras perennes subtropicales en comparación con la del pastizal natural por un periodo de 5 años desde la implantación del cultivo y ii) evaluar el efecto de la fertilización nitrogenada sobre la producción de biomasa de las especies subtropicales en la zona. Las especies estudiadas fueron Panicum coloratum cv. Klein Verde; Chloris gayana cvs. Finecut y Topcut y Setaria sphacelata cv. Narok. El experimento se condujo en la localidad de Verónica (Punta Indio, Bs. As.), perteneciente a la región de La Pampa deprimida bonaerense. La producción de biomasa seca aérea (BSA) de las especies subtropicales superó la del pastizal natural, comparando igual periodo de crecimiento. La fertilización nitrogenada incrementó la producción de BSA. Hasta el tercer ciclo de crecimiento hubo una buena recuperación de las plantas luego de los periodos invernales. Sin embargo, los cultivos de C. gayana y S. sphacelata no rebrotaron durante la primavera del cuarto ciclo de crecimiento. En cambio, P. coloratum continúa en producción luego de 5 años de la implantación del cultivo. Los datos obtenidos destacan que: i) las especies subtropicales incrementaron la productividad estival con relación al pastizal natural en La Pampa deprimida bonaerense, ii) la fertilización nitrogenada es una herramienta útil para incrementar la producción de biomasa y iii) es necesario incrementar el conocimiento sobre los factores que afectan la perennidad de las especies subtropicales en esta zonaAbstract: Summer forage biomass production of Buenos Aires flooding Pampa is often deficient for livestock feeding. An alternative to increase it is the culture of subtropical perennial species. Some of them produce large amounts of biomass, and have also shown good adaptation to environmental conditions similar to that of the area. Despite being perennial species, studies performed so far in the area generally cover only the first two years of crop growth. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: i) to evaluate the productivity of subtropical perennial forage-species compared to that of the natural grassland during five years after crop implantation and ii) to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization on the biomass production of the subtropical species in the area. The evaluated species were Panicum coloratum cv. Klein Verde; Chloris gayana cvs. Finecut and Topcut and Setaria sphacelata cv. Narok. The experiment was conducted in Veronica (Punta Indio, Buenos Aires), which belongs to the region of Buenos Aires flooding Pampa. Dry aerial biomass (DAB) of the subtropical species exceeded that of the natural grassland, during the same period of growth. Nitrogen fertilization increased aerial dry biomass production. Until the third growth cycle, there was a good recovery of the plants after winter periods. However, C. gayana and S. sphacelata did not resume growth during the spring of the fourth growth cycle. Instead, P. coloratum continues in production five years after the implantation. The data highlighted that: i) subtropical species produced more than the natural grassland during summer in Buenos Aires flooding Pampa; ii) nitrogen fertilization is a useful tool to increase biomass production and iii) it is necessary to increase knowledge about factors affecting subtropical forage perpetuity in this regio

The Potential of Big Data Research in HealthCare for Medical Doctors’ Learning

The main goal of this article is to identify the main dimensions of a model proposal for increasing the potential of big data research in Healthcare for medical doctors’ (MDs’) learning, which appears as a major issue in continuous medical education and learning. The paper employs a systematic literature review of main scientific databases (PubMed and Google Scholar), using the VOSviewer software tool, which enables the visualization of scientific landscapes. The analysis includes a co-authorship data analysis as well as the co-occurrence of terms and keywords. The results lead to the construction of the learning model proposed, which includes four health big data key areas for MDs’ learning: 1) data transformation is related to the learning that occurs through medical systems; 2) health intelligence includes the learning regarding health innovation based on predictions and forecasting processes; 3) data leveraging regards the learning about patient information; and 4) the learning process is related to clinical decision-making, focused on disease diagnosis and methods to improve treatments. Practical models gathered from the scientific databases can boost the learning process and revolutionise the medical industry, as they store the most recent knowledge and innovative research

Data science strategies leading to the development of data scientists’ skills in organizations

The purpose of this paper is to compare the strategies of companies with data science practices and methodologies and the data specificities/variables that can influence the definition of a data science strategy in pharma companies. The current paper is an empirical study, and the research approach consists of verifying against a set of statistical tests the differences between companies with a data science strategy and companies without a data science strategy. We have designed a specific questionnaire and applied it to a sample of 280 pharma companies. The main findings are based on the analysis of these variables: overwhelming volume, managing unstructured data, data quality, availability of data, access rights to data, data ownership issues, cost of data, lack of pre-processing facilities, lack of technology, shortage of talent/skills, privacy concerns and regulatory risks, security, and difficulties of data portability regarding companies with a data science strategy and companies without a data science strategy. The paper offers an in-depth comparative analysis between companies with or without a data science strategy, and the key limitation is regarding the literature review as a consequence of the novelty of the theme; there is a lack of scientific studies regarding this specific aspect of data science. In terms of the practical business implications, an organization with a data science strategy will have better direction and management practices as the decision-making process is based on accurate and valuable data, but it needs data scientists skills to fulfil those goals.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The potential of AI in health higher education to increase the students’ learning outcomes

The main goal of this article is to understand the potential learning applications based on AI technologies for health higher education students. We employed a Systematic Literature Review, contributing to explore to what extent AI technologies are currently influencing the Health learning processes in higher education and the skills developed during the learning path. The intent is to contribute to a more profound understanding of learning contexts, methodologies, technologies, and pedagogical processes with the application of AI technologies. The literature emphasizes that AI can be used to potentiate the learning process and the learning outcomes, especially in laboratory classes, and such contexts are still largely unstudied. To fulfil this gap, some practical applications based on AI technologies applied to health higher education studies were identified, highlighting AI's innovations and possible opportunities for health higher education.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Burning in the management of heathlands of Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix: effects on structure and diversity

Can controlled burning be used as a management tool of Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix wet heathlands? Two E. ciliaris and E. tetralix communities were selected and two 5 x 5 m plots were established in each. These were then characterised on the basis of frequency and cover values and plant species composition. They were subjected to experimental burning, after which the plots were sampled twice a year during the following four and a half years. The results show that the cover of woody species very quickly attained the values of the Control Plots. Diversity and species composition did not suffer notable changes during this period, however, temporal heterogeneity indicates that the main changes occur in the first 18 months of secondary succession. The multivariate analysis showed that the samples registered during this time were grouped as a function of the cover values of the species, which shows that stages exist in the vegetation recovery of these communities. The damage produced by fire in the community is minor, as a rapid recovery of the vegetation was observed, so controlled burning is a useful tool in the management of these heathlands

The Potential of AI in Health Higher Education to Increase the Students’ Learning Outcomes

The main goal of this article is to understand the potential learning applications based on AI technologies for health higher education students. We employed a Systematic Literature Review, contributing to explore to what extent AI technologies are currently influencing the Health learning processes in higher education and the skills developed during the learning path. The intent is to contribute to a more profound understanding of learning contexts, methodologies, technologies, and pedagogical processes with the application of AI technologies. The literature emphasizes that AI can be used to potentiate the learning process and the learning outcomes, especially in laboratory classes, and such contexts are still largely unstudied. To fulfil this gap, some practical applications based on AI technologies applied to health higher education studies were identified, highlighting AI's innovations and possible opportunities for health higher education

Magnetically responsive tropoelastin hydrogel as a platform for soft tissue regeneration applications

Publicado em "European Cells and Materials. ISSN 1473-2262. Vol. 33, Suppl. 2, 2017 (0006)"The natural polymer tropoelastin is a structural protein of ECM of tissues requiring elasticity as part of their function, including ligaments and tendons. Tropoelastin has an innate capacity of self-assembly into high-order structures, and together with elastic resilience, structural stability and bioactivity bring forth pleasant singularities in adopting it as a building block to fabricate hydrogels. Moreover, easy tailoring of properties can be attained via incorporation of specific components into the polymeric network, including magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), which are beneficial for on-demand therapies. Thus, the main goal of this work consisted in developing a magnetically responsive tropoelastin (MagTro) hydrogel as a platform to study the response of tendon cells to a mechanical stimulus induced by application of an external magnetic field (EMF). For this purpose, to first produce hydrogels, a solution of recombinant human tropoelastin was first freeze-dried overnight inside a mould and then chemically cross-linked inside an open desiccator via vapour glutaraldehyde. Thereafter, MagTro hydrogels were obtained through in situ precipitation of MNPs by immersing tropoelastin hydrogels in FeCl2 and FeCl3 solution overnight and secondly by soaking them in NaOH. Hydrogels were then analysed morphologically by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM and Cryo-SEM). Enzyme-triggered degradation was studied after 72h at 37oC in a human neutrophil elastase solution. Hydrogels exhibited a quick magnetic responsiveness to an EMF (Fig.1). Interestingly, MagTro hydrogels exhibited smaller pores as observed by Cryo-SEM. This feature can be tuned according to different soft tissue requirements by controlling different parameters of the fabrication process. Additionally, the release of tropoelastin into solution decreased, which suggests the formation of a surface coating of MNPs on tropoelastin network, protecting the hydrogel from a faster degradation. Preliminary results also indicate that cultured cells are viable and spread at the surface of the hydrogel. The application of an EMF to cell-laden MagTro hydrogels will be further investigated. Overall, the streamlined fabrication of MagTro hydrogels was successfully attained and the hydrogel formulation represents a promising potential platform for soft tissue regeneration.The authors acknowledge to BEAM-Master Joint Mobility Project an EU Australian cooperation in Biomedical Engineering Grant Agreement, 2014-1843/001 001-CPT EU-ICI-ECP and to FCT–Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia in the framework of FCT-POPH-FSE, RC-A PhD grant SFRH/BD/96593/2013 and MEG grant IF/00685/2012.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio