18 research outputs found

    Influence of Pollination Technique on Greenhouse Tomato Production

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    An experiment was carried out to study the effects of four pollination techniques; Bumblebees (Bombus terrerstris L.), plant growth bioregulator (PGB) (Parachlorophenoxy acetic acid), hand vibration, and control (natural pollination) on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) production in greenhouses. Bumblebees showed no problem in visiting flowers at a temperature range of 17-42°C during the day and 2-14°C at night. Bumblebee pollinated plants produced a yield per plant which was significantly higher than plants treated with PGB, vibration and the control, respectively. Fruit set of tomato flowers over 10 clusters was 99.1, 96.7, 76.7, and 65.7% for bumblebee treatment, PGB application, vibration and the control, respectively. In the bumblebee pollinated flowers, the quality of fruits was superior. The fruits were hard, with more seeds, and had a high specific gravity and better appearance. The average fruit weight was 100.3, 80.5, 84.1, and 70.6 g for the bumblebee, PGB, vibration and the control, respectively. The PGB treatment produced bigger sized but puffy fruits (108.4 ml). While fruit size in the vibration treatment was the highest (126.8 ml), followed by the bumblebee and the control which were 99.3 and 98.5 ml, respectively. Fruit specific gravity in the bumblebee treatment was significantly higher than other treatments, with no significant differences between the PGB and the vibration treatments. The least dense fruits were in the control treatment. Regarding the firmness of fruits, the bumblebee treatment gave the hardest fruits, while the PGB and the vibration treatments were intermediate and the control was the least. Average seed number per fruit was 177.0, 86.5, 61.8, and 89.8 for bumblebee, vibration, PGB and the control, respectively

    Hubble expansion variance and the cosmic rest frame

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    Average homogeneity is only reached on scales greater than 70{100h1Mpc yet standard peculiar velocity approaches assume an most Euclidean geometry below this scale. Furthermore, the Friedmann equation is applied in the nonlinear regime, although this has no motivation in the fundamental principles of general relativity. We investigate the variance of the Hubble expansion in a manner which makes no prior geometrical assumptions, other than the existence of a suitably averaged linear Hubble law. We use the COMPOSITE data set of 4534 galaxies [Watkins, Feldman and Hudson (2009)]

    Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

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    Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

    Cosmic microwave background anisotropies in the timescape cosmology

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    We analyze the spectrum of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies in the timescape cosmology: a potentially viable alternative to homogeneous isotropic cosmologies without dark energy. We exploit the fact that the timescape cosmology is extremely close to the standard cosmology at early epochs to adapt existing numerical codes to produce CMB anisotropy spectra, and to match these as closely as possible to the timescape expansion history. A variety of matching methods are studied and compared. We perform Markov chain Monte Carlo analyses on the parameter space, and fit CMB multipoles 50 ≤ ℓ ≤ 2500 to the Planck satellite data. Parameter fits include a dressed Hubble constant, H0 = 61.0 km sec−1Mpc−1 (±1.3% stat) (±8% sys), and a present void volume fraction fv0 = 0.627 (±2.3% stat) (±13% sys). We find best fit likelihoods which are comparable to that of the best fit CDM cosmology in the same multipole range. In contrast to earlier results, the parameter constraints afforded by this analysis no longer admit the possibility of a solution to the primordial lithium abundance anomaly. This issue is related to a strong constraint between the ratio of baryonic to nonbaryonic dark matter and the ratio of heights of the second and third acoustic peaks, which cannot be changed as long as the standard cosmology is assumed up to the surface of last scattering. These conclusions may change if backreaction terms are also included in the radiation–dominated primordial plasm

    Using the HR consultant Achieving results, adding value

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    SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:95/09822 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

    Influence of Pollination Technique on Greenhouse Tomato Production

    Get PDF
    An experiment was carried out to study the effects of four pollination techniques; Bumblebees (Bombus terrerstris L.), plant growth bioregulator (PGB) (Parachlorophenoxy acetic acid), hand vibration, and control (natural pollination) on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) production in greenhouses. Bumblebees showed no problem in visiting flowers at a temperature range of 17-42°C during the day and 2-14°C at night. Bumblebee pollinated plants produced a yield per plant which was significantly higher than plants treated with PGB, vibration and the control, respectively. Fruit set of tomato flowers over 10 clusters was 99.1, 96.7, 76.7, and 65.7% for bumblebee treatment, PGB application, vibration and the control, respectively. In the bumblebee pollinated flowers, the quality of fruits was superior. The fruits were hard, with more seeds, and had a high specific gravity and better appearance. The average fruit weight was 100.3, 80.5, 84.1, and 70.6 g for the bumblebee, PGB, vibration and the control, respectively. The PGB treatment produced bigger sized but puffy fruits (108.4 ml). While fruit size in the vibration treatment was the highest (126.8 ml), followed by the bumblebee and the control which were 99.3 and 98.5 ml, respectively. Fruit specific gravity in the bumblebee treatment was significantly higher than other treatments, with no significant differences between the PGB and the vibration treatments. The least dense fruits were in the control treatment. Regarding the firmness of fruits, the bumblebee treatment gave the hardest fruits, while the PGB and the vibration treatments were intermediate and the control was the least. Average seed number per fruit was 177.0, 86.5, 61.8, and 89.8 for bumblebee, vibration, PGB and the control, respectively
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