Grain yield definition under environmental restrictions

Trigo pan y cebada cervecera son los principales cereales de invierno sembrados en Argentina, en consonancia con su relevancia a nivel mundial. Durante el último quinquenio, el rendimiento medio logrado a nivel productivo en Argentina ha sido para trigo de 2972 kg ha-1 y para cebada de 3596 kg ha-1 , un -9% y +24% respecto al rendimiento medio mundial para el mismo período en cada cultivo. Desde 1960 a la actualidad, el aumento de rendimiento logrado en Argentina presentó una tasa de 32 kg ha-1 año-1 para trigo y de 51 kg ha-1 año-1 para cebada. Alrededor de un tercio del aumento de rendimiento logrado a campo estuvo dado por el progreso genético, en ambos cultivos, pero con fuertes variaciones a lo largo de los años. Tanto en trigo como en cebada el aumento de rendimiento por progreso genético estuvo asociado a un aumento en el número de granos m-2 , sin una tendencia definida en el peso de los granos. Las deficiencias nitrogenadas, las altas temperaturas, y los eventos de anegamiento son algunos de los estreses abióticos a los que están expuestos ambos cultivos en condiciones de campo. En el presente trabajo se describe el impacto de dichos estreses sobre la definición del rendimiento en trigo y cebada, en base a resultados propios obtenidos por los autores del presente trabajo. El número de granos logrados por m2 fue el componente numérico que explicó el rendimiento independientemente de la especie y de la naturaleza del estrés. Dado que la definición del número de granos queda supeditada a la condición ambiental alrededor de antesis, el uso de modelos de simulación es una herramienta para evaluar cuándo ocurrirá dicho evento.Bread wheat and malting barley are the main winter cereals sown in Argentine, in line with its worldwide relevance. During the last five years, the average grain yield achieved in Argentina has been 2972 kg ha-1 for wheat and 3596 kg ha-1 for barley, -9% and +24% relative to worldwide average grain yield for the same period. Yield increase achieved in Argentina from 1960 to the present time presented a rate of 32 kg ha-1 year-1 for wheat and 51 kg ha-1 year-1 for barley. About one third of the yield increase achieved in the field was explained by genetic progress, in both crops, but with strong variability over the years. The increase in grain yield due to genetic progress was associated with an increase in grain number m-2 in both wheat and barley, without a clear trend in weight grain. Nitrogenous deficiencies, high temperatures periods, and waterlogging events are some of the main abiotic stresses to which both crops are exposed under field conditions. In this work we described the impact of these stresses on the definition of grain yield in wheat and barley crops, based on results achieved by the authors of the present work. The number of grains per m2 was the main numerical component that explained grain yield variations, independently of the species and the nature of the stress. The number of grains per m2 is defined around anthesis, and the use of simulation models is a tool to evaluate when anthesis date will occur.Fil: Abeledo, Leonor Gabriela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Cerealicultura; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Serrago, Roman Augusto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Cerealicultura; ArgentinaFil: de San Celedonio, Romina Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Producción Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Lo Valvo, Patricio Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Producción Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Miralles, Daniel Julio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Cerealicultura; Argentin

Preclinical testing of a new clot-retrieving wire device using polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel vascular models

Introduction: Cerebral embolism is the principal cause of cerebral infarction. Recently, mechanical embolectomy has been proposed as an effective method. We performed a preclinical evaluation of a new mechanical clot-retrieving wire. Methods: This clot-retrieving wire consisted of three nitinol loops at the tip of a microguidewire. These three loops could be collapsed into a 0.018-inch wire compatible microcatheter. Each loop was 8mm long and 3.5mm wide. For simulation, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) vascular anatomical models of the human carotid (eight models) and vertebrobasilar (three models) circulation were constructed. A pulsatile flow circulation system was used. Embolic clots were produced using pig blood plasma. The microcatheter and the microguidewire were advanced beyond the clot. The wire was then exchanged for the retrieving wire. The microcatheter was then pulled slightly back to open the loops. The clot was then caught by withdrawal of the system. Once caught, the clot was retrieved to the guiding catheter tip. We investigated the following points: ease of device deployment, clot capture ability, clot removal against blood flow and removal of the clot out of the introducer system. Results: A total of 104 procedures were performed in 11 PVA models and evaluated. The drop rate was 19%. We succeeded in partial and total recanalization in 51.0% of the procedures (53/104) within 30minutes. Conclusion: This new clot-retrieving wire could be useful for mechanical clot extraction in strok

Social Restrictions versus Testing Campaigns in the COVID-19 Crisis: A Predictive Model Based on the Spanish Case

The global COVID-19 spread has forced countries to implement non-pharmacological interventions (NPI) (i.e., mobility restrictions and testing campaigns) to preserve health systems. Spain is one of the most severely impacted countries, both clinically and economically. In an effort to support policy decision-making, we aimed to assess the impacts of different NPI on COVID-19 epidemiology, healthcare costs and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). A modified Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Removed epidemiological model was created to simulate the pandemic evolution. Its output was used to populate an economic model to quantify healthcare costs and GDP variation through a regression model which correlates NPI and GDP change from 42 countries. Thirteen scenarios combining different NPI were consecutively simulated in the epidemiological and economic models. Both increased testing and stringency could reduce cases, hospitalizations and deaths. While policies based on increased testing rates lead to higher healthcare costs, increased stringency is correlated with greater GDP declines, with differences of up to 4.4% points. Increased test sensitivity may lead to a reduction of cases, hospitalizations and deaths and to the implementation of pooling techniques that can increase throughput testing capacity. Alternative strategies to control COVID-19 spread entail differing economic outcomes. Decision-makers may utilize this tool to identify the most suitable strategy considering epidemiological and economic outcomes

PHAT Stellar Cluster Survey I. Year 1 Catalog and Integrated Photometry

The Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey is an on-going Hubble Space Telescope (HST) multi-cycle program to obtain high spatial resolution imaging of one-third of the M31 disk at ultraviolet through near-infrared wavelengths. In this paper, we present the first installment of the PHAT stellar cluster catalog. When completed, the PHAT cluster catalog will be among the largest and most comprehensive surveys of resolved star clusters in any galaxy. The exquisite spatial resolution achieved with HST has allowed us to identify hundreds of new clusters that were previously inaccessible with existing ground-based surveys. We identify 601 clusters in the Year 1 sample, representing more than a factor of four increase over previous catalogs within the current survey area (390 arcmin^2). This work presents results derived from the first \sim25% of the survey data; we estimate that the final sample will include \sim2500 clusters. For the Year 1 objects, we present a catalog with positions, radii, and six-band integrated photometry. Along with a general characterization of the cluster luminosities and colors, we discuss the cluster luminosity function, the cluster size distributions, and highlight a number of individually interesting clusters found in the Year 1 search.Comment: 26 pages, 22 figures, Accepted by Ap