Emission of Green House Gases from Grasslands and their Mitigation

The concentrations of green house gases (GHG) in the atmosphere began in pre-industrial times and it continues to increase. This could result into an alarming increase in temperature of up to 5.4 oC by year 2100 due to a net global annual GHG emission of H 4.5-6.5 Gt C equivalent. About 18% of the world’s GHG are contributed by livestock and related activities on grasslands that are spread over almost 35 million Km2.These grasslands give livelihood to over a billion people most of who are poor. Twenty to 70% of the land surface area is degrading often due to overgrazing caused by increased demand for meat and milk, among other factors. A right set of policies that incentivises appropriate management of the grasslands have the potential to reduce up to 30% of the GHG globally. This can be achieved by mainly focussing on reduction in deforestation for pastures, silvo-pastoral improvements and reduction in enteric fermentation in animals, and appropriate manure and fertilizer management, especially on extensive grasslands. Reduction in GHG emissions will also depend upon the level of resource use efficiencies achieved, added intensification to reduce pressure on grasslands, and success or failure of appropriate market and regulatory policy interventions

Water production function of maize for Northeast Brazil

Estudou-se, através de um experimento em blocos ao acaso, os efeitos de quatro níveis de nitrogênio, em diferentes condições de umidade, sobre os estágios de crescimento, embonecamento, formação de grãos e produtividade do milho (Zea mays L.) e as relações entre a produtividade e os três primeiros estágios. Os fatores da resposta de produção baseados na equação de Doorenbos e Kassam variaram acentuadamente, não só com os diferentes estágios de crescimento, mas, também, com os diferentes níveis de nitrogênio e os diferentes níveis de água. Assim, esta equação não pareceu ser válida para explicar a resposta de produtividade a níveis de água. Sugeriu-se uma equação linear modificada. Nesta equação, a intercessão K1 e inclinação K2 são os fatores da resposta de produção. Estes fatores para a cultura do milho foram desenvolvidos para todos os quatro estágios de crescimento e níveis de nitrogênio. Pode-se obter uma eficiência média do uso de água, em termos de produtividade, de, aproximadamente, 57,5 kg/ha-cm de água, sendo, contudo, pequeno o incremento, em face dos níveis crescentes de nitrogênio aplicado até 120 kg/ha. Os coeficientes de cultura (Kc) calculados estão muito abaixo da estimativa da FAO, para todos os níveis de nitrogênio. Por essa razão, deve haver considerável economia de água se estes coeficientes forem usados em lugar da estimativa da FAO. A informação mostrada pode imediatamente ser utilizada para turno de irrigação e para projetos de irrigação suplementar planejado para as condições do Nordeste do Brasil.The results of the randomized block experiment with four growth stages and four nitrogen levels to determine the water production function of maize (Zea mays L.) for Northeast Brazilian conditions are reported. The yield response factors as per Doorenbos and Kassam's equation are found to vary drastically not only for different growth stages but also with different nitrogen levels and with different water levels. Thus, this equation is not a true representation of yield response to water. A modified linear equation with an intercept (K2) has been suggested. The coefficients of this modified equation (intercept K1 and the slope K2) are the modified yield response factors. These factors for maize have been developed here for all the four stages and for all the four nitrogen levels. The average highest water use efficiency of approximately 57.5 kg/ha-cm of water can be obtained but it shows no increase with increase in applied nitrogen up to 120 kg/ha. Finally crop coefficients (K c) have been calculated. The overall values of Kc are much below the FAO estimates for all nitrogen levels. All the above information developed here will help in better irrigation scheduling and better planning of supplemental irrigation projects in the Northeast Brazil

Método para análise econômica de sistemas para recursos hídricos em condições de alta incerteza de chuvas

Most water supply systems are sized somewhat arbitrarily by either designing them to yield a firm supply for the worst drought of record or some smaller amount which way be decided by available resources. The first size estimate for most systems should be that capacity which maximizes expected net benefits, thus incorporating probability into the economic analysis. This is especially true for regions of high precipitation uncertainty. If, after that problem is solved, the client desires to choose another project size, the trade-offs are clearer. This paper will illustrate the principle by an example of sizing a small reservoir (tank) for the northeastern Brazilian semi-and tropics (SAT).A maioria dos sistemas de suprimento de água são dimensionados arbitrariamente pela sua projeção para assegurar um abastecimento garantido de água para a pior seca de um período escolhido ou de quantidades menores, que podem depender de recursos financeiros disponíveis. A primeira estimativa de tamanho do reservatório para a maioria dos sistemas poderá ter uma capacidade que maximize os lucros líquidos esperados, incorporando probabilidade na análise econômica. Isto é válido principalmente para regiões com alta incerteza de chuvas. Se, após a solução deste problema, o usuário quiser escolher outro projeto de tamanho diferente, as alternativas são claras. O presente trabalho ilustrará o princípio com uma análise do dimensionamento de um pequeno servatório (barreiro) para o semi- árido da região Nordeste do Brasil

Burn septicaemia in Kuwait: associated demographic and clinical factors

Objective: To study the demographic and clinical factors associated with burn septicaemia patients in Kuwait. Materials and Methods: All burn in-patients, who developed septicaemia at the Burns Unit, Al-Babtain Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Kuwait, during a 9-year period (June 1992 to May 2001) were included in the study. The data were recorded for age, sex, nationality, cause and percentage of burns, inhalation injury, resuscitation, number of episodes, septicaemia on post-burn day, the microorganisms responsible in each episode, treatment and outcome for statistical analysis. Using SPSS (PC version 11.0) software, a probability level of p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Of the 2,082 patients treated in the Burns Unit, 166 [8%; 99 (60%) males and 67 (40%) females] with a mean age of 26 years (range 1-70) had septicaemia. Significantly higher (p <0.001) cases were recorded among Kuwaiti children (≤14 years) and non-Kuwaitis (25-59 years) than other corresponding age groups. The total body surface area burned ranged from 2 to 95% (mean 42%) and the main cause of burn was flame (77.1%). Inhalation injury was diagnosed in 39 (23.5%) patients. A total of 253 septicaemic episodes occurred in all patients. The majority, 123 (74.1%), had a single episode and the remaining 43 (25.6%) had multiple (2-10) episodes. One hundred and fifty-five (61.3%) episodes were due to gram-positive organisms, mainly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and 32 (12.7%) were polymicrobial. One hundred and twenty-four (74.7%) patients had wound excision and skin grafting procedures and their survival was significantly higher (OR=4.3; 95% CI: 1.98-9.31) than nonsurgically treated patients. Thirty-nine (23.5%) patients died mainly due to multi-organ failure. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the patients with extensive flame burns were prone to developing septicaemia due mainly to gram-positive bacteria. The surgical excision of eschar and wound covering improved the outcome of the patients while prophylactic antibiotic treatment had no role in the incidence and outcome of the burn patients

Trends in Epithelial Cell Abnormalities Observed on Cervical Smears over a 21-Year Period in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kuwait

Objectives: This study aimed to analyse trends in epithelial cell abnormalities (ECAs) in cervical cytology at a tertiary care hospital in Kuwait. Methods: ECAs in 135,766 reports were compared over three seven-year periods between 1992 and 2012. Conventional Papanicolaou (Pap) smear tests were used in the first two periods and ThinPrep (Hologic Corp., Bedford, Massachusetts, USA) tests were used in the third. Results: Significant increases in satisfactory smears, atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance/atypical glandular cells (AGUS/AGCs) were seen in the second and third periods (P <0.001). No significant increases were observed among low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs) or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) (P >0.05). An increase was noted in carcinomas between the first and second periods although a significant decline was seen in the third (P <0.014). Conclusion: Satisfactory smears, ASCUS and AGUS/AGC increased during the study period although no significant increases in LSILs, HSILs or carcinomas were observed

Runoff inducement for agriculture in very arid zones of the northeast of Brazil

Discutem-se, em detalhes, os conceitos de indução do escoamento superficial de água de chuva com fins agrícolas e são explicadas suas implicações para o Nordeste do Brasil e a necessidade de pesquisas adicionais. Inclui-se uma revisão exaustiva das pesquisas em vários países. É apresentado o trabalho mais recente atualmente conduzido no Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Trópico Semi-Árido (CPATSA/EMBRAPA). Este trabalho inclui a criação de oito pequenas bacias hidrográficas variando de 1,0 ha a 2,7 ha, para a avaliação hidrológica de métodos simples e de baixo custo de indução do escoamento superficial da água de chuva em condições de caatinga natural e de latossolos rasos a medianamente profundos. Os vários métodos estudados incluem a combinação de linhas de drenagens como gramíneas, faixas desmatadas das caatingas, terraceamento, tratamentos com sal, total desmatamento e cobertura com gramíneas.The concept of runoff inducement for agricultural purposes is discussed in detail, its implications to the Northeast Brazilian conditions and necessity for additional research is explained. An exaustive review of the research at various places in the world is included. The latest work being carried out at the Centro Nacional de Pesquisa do Trópico Semi-Árido (CPATSA/EMBRAPA) (Center of Agricultural Research for Semi-And Tropics) is explained in detail. This work included development of eight small watersheds varying in size from 1.0 ha. to 2.7 ha, for hydrologic evaluation of various simple low cost runoff inducement methods under natural "caatinga" conditions on shallow to medium deep Latossols. The various methods of runoff inducement include combinations of intensified grassed waterways, strip cleaning of caatinga, narrow based channel terraces (or graded bunds) for soil conservation, salt treatment on cleared strips and complete clearing of caatinga with grass cover

Importance of patient bed pathways and length of stay differences in predicting COVID-19 hospital bed occupancy in England.

Background: Predicting bed occupancy for hospitalised patients with COVID-19 requires understanding of length of stay (LoS) in particular bed types. LoS can vary depending on the patient’s “bed pathway” - the sequence of transfers of individual patients between bed types during a hospital stay. In this study, we characterise these pathways, and their impact on predicted hospital bed occupancy. Methods: We obtained data from University College Hospital (UCH) and the ISARIC4C COVID-19 Clinical Information Network (CO-CIN) on hospitalised patients with COVID-19 who required care in general ward or critical care (CC) beds to determine possible bed pathways and LoS. We developed a discrete-time model to examine the implications of using either bed pathways or only average LoS by bed type to forecast bed occupancy. We compared model-predicted bed occupancy to publicly available bed occupancy data on COVID-19 in England between March and August 2020. Results: In both the UCH and CO-CIN datasets, 82% of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 only received care in general ward beds. We identified four other bed pathways, present in both datasets: “Ward, CC, Ward”, “Ward, CC”, “CC” and “CC, Ward”. Mean LoS varied by bed type, pathway, and dataset, between 1.78 and 13.53 days. For UCH, we found that using bed pathways improved the accuracy of bed occupancy predictions, while only using an average LoS for each bed type underestimated true bed occupancy. However, using the CO-CIN LoS dataset we were not able to replicate past data on bed occupancy in England, suggesting regional LoS heterogeneities. Conclusions: We identified five bed pathways, with substantial variation in LoS by bed type, pathway, and geography. This might be caused by local differences in patient characteristics, clinical care strategies, or resource availability, and suggests that national LoS averages may not be appropriate for local forecasts of bed occupancy for COVID-19. Trial registration: The ISARIC WHO CCP-UK study ISRCTN66726260 was retrospectively registered on 21/04/2020 and designated an Urgent Public Health Research Study by NIHR.</p

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection