CORN GRAIN YIELD COMPONENTS AND NUTRIENT ACCUMULATION IN RESPONSE TO NITROGEN, PLANT DENSITY AND HYBRID

Modern maize hybrids exhibit higher yields, increased biomass production, stress tolerance and greater nitrogen (N) use efficiency. Increased biomass accumulation can influence nutrient uptake and lead to increased nutrient removal. Hybrids were tested at seeding rates (SR) of 74000 (low) and 148000 (supraoptimal) plants ha-1 and at N rates of 0 (deficient) and 390 (non-limiting) kg N ha-1. Plants were sampled at V7, V14, R3, R5 and R6 and separated into vegetative and reproductive fractions for determination of dry matter and N accumulation. Grain yield was harvested at R6. The high SR and high N treatment combination resulted in greatest biomass accumulation, crop growth rates, and N accumulation per hectare in both vegetative and grain tissues. The high SR and high N combination maximized grain yield at 20.6 Mg ha-1, essentially through an increase in kernels ha-1. High SR decreased kernel weight, even with high N. At the higher plant densities resulting from the high SR, however, average utilization of available N was enhanced. The results have implications for improved management practices under high input systems and providing insight to growers who incorporate variable seed and N rates

The Role of Shared Context in Group Storytelling

Information about the real context that has surrounded a past team activity can help their members understand better situations at hand. However, knowledge transfer can only be successful if a common interpretative focus and its context are set up. We argue that a combination of group storytelling techniques and a groupware tool can support the elicitation of context shared by a group. Moreover, our goal is to discuss how groupware can structure and formalize the contextual information behind the scenes of a story, making it easier to understand, interpret and reuse the knowledge intrinsic to it

Repeated successful use of eltrombopag in chronic primary immune thrombocytopenia: description of an intriguing case.

Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) are used as effective alternative treatments in ITP patients unresponsive to first-/second-line therapies. TPO- RAs can also be used to normalize platelet count to safely perform invasive pro- cedures and chemotherapy, in case of malignancies. In few responsive patients, TPO-RAs can be suspended maintaining a sustained respons

OBESITY, HYPERINSULINEMIA, THE INSULIN AND INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR 1 RECEPTORS, AND RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER

Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia associated with obesity or type 2 diabetes are strongly associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Elevated plasma insulin can increase the levels of "free" insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) in the circulation. Both insulin and IGF1 can bind and activate the insulin receptor (IR) or the related IGF1 receptor (IGF1R). IGF1R is traditionally viewed as a major mediator of growth and anti-apoptosis and has been linked to cancer. IR is expressed as two isoforms, IR-A and IR-B. IR-A promotes growth of fetal and possibly cancer cells, while IR-B mediates the metabolic actions of insulin and promotes differentiation in some tissues. However, the specific roles of IGF1R, IR-A, and IR-B in colon physiology and tumorigenesis are unclear. This dissertation combined translational and pre-clinical approaches to explore the roles of IGF1R and IR in colorectal adenoma risk, tumorigenesis, and reduced apoptosis of genetically damaged colonocytes during obesity and hyperinsulinemia. Our studies showed that increased IR-A:IR-B ratio due to decreased IR-B mRNA predicted colorectal adenomas in patients with elevated plasma insulin. In a mouse model of inflammation-induced CRC, genetic deletion of IR in colon epithelial cells (CECs) enhanced tumor number in vivo and tumor cell growth in vitro and this was associated with enhanced IGF1-induced AKT activation. Obesity/hyperinsulinemia resulted in reduced apoptosis of CECs in normal colon after radiation-induced DNA damage. Surprisingly, loss of IGF1R in CECs had no effects on apoptosis, but loss of IR dramatically increased apoptosis of genetically-damaged CECs. However, IR loss did not prevent the anti-apoptotic effects of obesity/hyperinsulinemia. Overall, this dissertation provides novel evidence that maintained IR expression and function may protect against early stage colon tumorigenesis. Since IR-B expression is reduced in colon tumors in mice and normal mucosa of hyperinsulinemic patients with adenomas, we propose that in the colon, IR-B normally attenuates the proliferative, anti-apoptotic, or tumorigenic actions of IGF1R or IR-A. Our studies suggest that therapeutic strategies to increase or maintain IR-B expression may improve prevention of CRC, particularly when IR-B function is impaired as occurs during insulin resistance associated with obesity or type 2 diabetes.Doctor of Philosoph

Who needs to be allocated in icu after thoracic surgery? An observational study

Background. The effective use of ICU care after lung resections has not been completely studied. The aims of this study were to identify predictive factors for effective use of ICU admission after lung resection and to develop a risk composite measure to predict its effective use. Methods. 120 adult patients undergoing elective lung resection were enrolled in an observational prospective cohort study. Preoperative evaluation and intraoperative assessment were recorded. In the postoperative period, patients were stratified into two groups according to the effective and ineffective use of ICU. The use of ICU care was considered effective if a patient experienced one or more of the following: maintenance of controlled ventilation or reintubationacute respiratory failurehemodynamic instability or shockand presence of intraoperative or postanesthesia complications. Results. Thirty patients met the criteria for effective use of ICU care. Logistic regression analysis identified three independent predictors of effective use of ICU care: surgery for bronchiectasis, pneumonectomy, and age >= 57 years. In the absence of any predictors the risk of effective need of ICU care was 6%. Risk increased to 25-30%, 66-71%, and 93% with the presence of one, two, or three predictors, respectively. Conclusion. ICU care is not routinely necessary for all patients undergoing lung resection.Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (Capes)Respiratory Division, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilRespiratory Division, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Neuropathology of the Guillain-Mollaret Triangle (Dentato-Rubro-Olivary Network) in Sudden Unexplained Perinatal Death and SIDS

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the possible alterations of the triangle of Guillain and Mollaret (G-Mt), a neuronal brainstem/cerebellum network (from the dentate nucleus to red nucleus and inferior olivary nucleus) already known for its involvement in the pathogenesis of the palatal myoclonus, in sudden unexplained perinatal and infant death. In 44 cases of perinatal and infant death victims, aged from 26 gestational weeks to 10 months of life, we investigated, besides the histological morphology of the three nuclei, the c-fos and apoptotic expression, as well as the possible effects elicited by maternal cigarette smoking

How to avoid life-threatening complications following head and neck space infections: an algorithm-based approach to apply during times of emergency. When and why to hospitalise a neck infection patient

AbstractBackground:Head and neck space infections present with a potential mortality rate of 40–50 per cent. This paper proposes an algorithm-based management of head and neck space infection to prevent life-threatening events.Methods:A total of 225 patients with head and neck space infection were prospectively analysed at our institution. An experimental scoring system determined the level of clinical risk for the development of major complications. Accordingly, patients were classified into three risk groups: low-, intermediate- and high-risk.Results:Only intermediate- and high-risk patients were hospitalised. Intermediate-risk patients received intravenous medical therapy with daily re-evaluation; 18 of them required delayed surgery. Of the high-risk patients, three required immediate surgical treatment and five received delayed surgery, while in five cases medical therapy was the only treatment received. Low-risk patients were treated in an out-patient setting.Conclusion:The algorithm-based management of head and neck space infection was successful in enabling the avoidance of lethal complications onset.</jats:sec

Facing Resignation and Silence: A Transforming Action-Research Experience in Brazil

"This article aims to discuss how the action research process can allow socially and historically constructed silences to be overcome. These kinds of silences prevent the emergence of dialogues necessary to the investigation mode. The necessary dialogues are built through the creation of a common participatory universe, and the construction of a consensual space between researchers and subjects of the practice, between those who are different and those who are the same. The article analyzes an action research project with women embroiderers in the suburbs of a large Brazilian city, directed at the formation of a working collective. Focusing on this experience, the authors discuss the strategies used to break the silence between the researcher and the group, considering the differences between researcher and group that could reinforce silences that already existed for participants. In a joint conclusion, the authors point out that action research can work as a critical instrument for breaking silence, allowing subjects to produce communicative processes that make it possible to overcome “resigned states” in order to transform their reality." (author's abstract