Cardiac risk stratification in elective non-cardiac surgery: role of NT-proBNP

AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the utility of NT-proBNP measurement for the stratification of presurgical cardiac risk. METHODS: Cardiac risk before elective non-cardiac surgery was evaluated in 82 consecutive patients. From each patient a venous blood sample was drawn to determinate NT-proBNP levels. Patients were followed up over three months in order to detect the occurrence of cardiac adverse events. RESULTS: NT-proBNP was positively correlated (P<0.0001) with age, days of hospitalization (P=0.001) and ASA class (P=0.001). High surgical risk (P<0.0001), diabetes (P=0.004), dyslipidemia (P=0.006) and elevated levels of NT-proBNP (P<0.0001) were significantly correlated with events. Using a logistic regression analysis we found an independent association between pre-operative elevated NT-proBNP and postoperative cardiac events (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-1.4, P=0.01). CONCLUSION: Measuring NT-proBNP before non cardiac surgery in clinical practice could be useful to better stratify patients' risk

Growth and biomass partitioning of young loquat plants under water deficit

Water scarcity in the Mediterranean areas is very common and understanding responses to drought is important for loquat management and production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of water deficit on growth and biomass partitioning of loquat. Ninety 1-year-old plants of 'Marchetto' loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) grafted on quince were grown in the greenhouse in 12-liter pots and three water regimes were imposed starting on 11 May and until 27 July, 2013. One-third of the plants was irrigated to reintegrate 100% of the water consumed (CTR); a second group of plants was irrigated with 66% of the water consumed by CTR plants (MD); a third group was irrigated with 33% of the water consumed by CTR plants (SD). Minimum water potential levels of -2.0 MPa were reached by SD plants at the end of May. Photosynthetic rates were slightly reduced according to water supply (CTR>MD>SD), especially during the morning hours. By the end of the experiment, plant total dry weight was also reduced according to water supply, and with reductions of 22 and 25% in MD and SD, respectively. Dry weights of all plant components were reduced by water deficit, with leaf dry weights being the most affected. Water deficit slightly reduced shoot:root ratios only in SD. Dry matter partitioning was generally unaffected, with minor decreases of partitioning to leaves of SD, and slight increases of partitioning to MD and SD stems. Loquat behaved as a moderately tolerant species to water deficit (minor WPstem and growth reductions) and allocation patterns remained unmodified after one long drought cycle

The Pattern of Rare Earth Elements Like a Possible Helpful Tool in Traceability and Geographical Characterization of the Soil-Olive System (Olea europaea L.)

The identification of a product, with its geographical origin, is a guaranty of the value of the foodstuff and protection from potential fraud. Extra virgin olive oil is produced or marketed as a single variety or a blend of two or more cultivars, often of different geographic origins. Therefore, to study a possible link between the soil and olive oil, we accounted crucial to analyse the behaviour of olive of different cultivars. We studied Rare Earth Elements (REE) amounts and their relationship to trace their distribution from soil to the olive pulp (Olea europea L.). The results obtained pointed out that the different cultivars of Olea did not drive significant differences in reciprocal ratios of REE in the uptake from the soil up to olive (except for Eu). However soil-plant Rare Earth relationships depend exclusively on the soil REE composition. This method can be the starting point to enforcing the laws, in fact, it is important to develop analytical methods to measure the authenticity of the samples, and to verify the geographical origin even when olive oil is blended

Effect of soil permanent grass cover on growth, yield and water status of rainfed olive trees in Sicily

The study was carried out in an olive grove located along the hills of northern Sicily where soil had been managed for decades by chemical weeding. Starting in 2008, one portion of the grove was left non-weeded, and the permanent grass cover was managed by mowing 2-3 times per year in winter and spring. In 2011, 2012 and 2013, yield, average drupe weight, percentage of drupe black color (veraison), trunk circumference, shoot elongation, and leaf relative water content (RWC) were determined on 34 adult trees of the cultivar 'Biancolilla' with uniform size and age. In 2013, soil organic matter content and leaf nutrient concentrations were also determined in the two portions of the grove. As expected, permanent grass cover increased soil organic matter especially in May and in the first 15 cm of soil. Regardless of the year, soil management did not affect yield, drupe weight, yield efficiency, and RWC. In early June 2013, shoot elongation was reduced by permanent grass cover. The percentage of black color was consistently higher in drupes of trees under permanent grass cover than in those of trees under chemical weeding, indicating an advanced degree of maturation in the permanent grass cover trees. In December 2013, leaf N was lower in trees under permanent grass cover than in trees under chemical weeding. Under the environmental conditions of this study, permanent grass cover induced no competition for water between olive trees and grasses. It appears tree vegetative growth was reduced by permanent grass cover due to N limitation along with greater sink strength of fruits over shoots