Varietal responses of soybeans to different row spacings

The soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merril. is a very ancient crop in the east Asian countries. In the United States large scale production of soybeans, chiefly as a forage crop, commenced in the beginning of the twentieth century. The acreage harvested for beans greatly increased from less than 6 million acres in 1941 to over 27 million acres in 1961 (1). Currently, soybeans rank fourth in value among the cash crops grown in the United States. The United States produces 57 per cent of the total world crop of soybeans (5). Soybeans are primarily produced for oil and protein for human foods and animal feeds (14). The development of improved varieties and the solution of several management problems through plant breeding and agronomic research have resulted in increased yields. Soybeans are now normally planted in rows, while they are also planted either broadcast or in drills, particularly on sloping land to reduce soil erosion. The Influence of spacing on yield seems to depend upon length of growing season, growth type of varieties in adapted areas, soil fertility, moisture status and date of planting. In the northern states soybeans in narrow rows of 18 to 28 inches generally produce the highest yields whereas in the southern states there has been little advantage of planting in rows closer than 36 to 42 inches (13). Studies also show that there are varietal differences in the response to row spacing. The yield of soybeans is determined by the size and number of seed per unit area. The latter is regulated by the number of fertile pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and the number of plants per unit area. The experiment reported herein was conducted to determine the influence of five different spacings between rows on the components of yield and other characteristics of three adapted varieties of soybeans

Effects and management of lactobacilli in yeast-catalyzed ethanol fermentations

This thesis focuses on the effects of lactobacilli and their end-products, lactic acid and acetic acid, on 'Saccharomyces cerevisiae' growth and fermentation, and on antimicrobials used to manage such contaminants. To assess the effects of the bacteria, normal gravity (22-24 g/100 ml dissolved solids) wheat mashes inoculated with yeast at ~106 colony forming units (CFU)/ml were deliberately infected (coinoculated) with each of five industrially important strains of lactobacilli at ~10 5, ~106, ~107, ~10 8, and ~109 CFU/ml. Controls with yeast alone or with bacteria alone (~107 CFU/ml) were included. End-products, yeast growth and fermentation rates were monitored. Results indicated that production of lactic acid by lactobacilli and suspected competition of the bacteria with yeast cells for essential growth factors in the fermenting medium were the major reasons for reductions in yeast growth and decreases in final ethanol yield. A chemically defined minimal medium was used to determine the effects of added acetic and lactic acid, and their mode of action on two strains of ' S. cerevisiae'. The effects of these two acids on yeast intracellular pH (pHi), plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity and on the plasma membrane lipid composition were studied. It was found that the specific growth rates ([mu]) of the two yeast strains decreased exponentially (R2 > 0.9) as the concentrations of acetic or lactic acid were increased. Acetic and lactic acids synergistically reduced the specific growth rate of yeast. Acetic acid caused the yeast cell to expend ATP to pump out excess protons that result from the passive diffusion of the acid into the cell at medium pH (pHe) followed by its dissociation within the cell as a result of higher pHi. Lactic acid (0.5 % w/v) caused intracellular acidification (which could lead to arrest in glycolytic flux) as a result of a significant decrease (P = 0.05) in the plasma membrane H +-ATPase activity. Moreover, the plasma membrane fluidity was reduced due to decrease in unsaturated fatty acyl residues. Among the antimicrobials studied, urea hydrogen peroxide (UHP) was superior compared to stabilized chlorine dioxide and nisin, but its bactericidal activity was greatly affected by the presence of particulate matter. When used near 30 mmoles/L (in unclarified mash), in addition to its bactericidal effect, UHP provided near optimum levels of assimilable nitrogen and oxygen that aided in vigorous yeast fermentation. This process was patented

Features of Chronic Pancreatitis and Associated Masses: A Focus on Endosonography

AbstractEUS is highly accurate in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatic calcifications or five or more endosonographic criteria are consistent with chronic pancreatitis. Less than three criteria essentially rules out chronic pancreatitis. Three or four criteria are the best overall cutoffs. The number of criteria is used to estimate the likelihood of pancreatitis (i.e. low/medium/high), and is not recommended to stage the severity (i.e. mild/moderate/severe) of disease. Obtaining histology by FNA is not recommended in all patients with chronic pancreatitis changes. EUS is useful in distinguishing inflammatory from malignant masses in the pancreas. FNA is often not required as the EUS appearance of inflammatory changes alone or bulkiness without any perceptible mass has good negative predictive value. In indeterminate masses, FNA for cytology is recommended. Follow-up imaging after one to two months can be performed to catch the rare EUS false-negatives, and confirm resolution or stability of inflammatory masses

Stenting versus gastrojejunostomy for management of malignant gastric outlet obstruction: comparison of clinical outcomes and costs

BACKGROUND: Although endoscopic stenting is increasingly performed, surgical gastrojejunostomy (GJ) is still considered the gold standard for relief of malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). The aim of this study is to compare clinical outcomes and hospital costs between patients undergoing GJ or stenting for management of malignant GOO. METHODS: A retrospective claims analysis of the Medicare (MedPAR) database was conducted to identify all inpatient hospitalizations for GJ or endoscopic stenting for malignant GOO during 2007–2008. The main outcome measure evaluated using the MedPAR database was a comparison of the total length of hospital stay (LOS) and costs associated with both techniques. As MedPAR is a claims database that does not provide outcomes at patient level, a single-institution retrospective study was conducted to compare the rates of technical and treatment success, post-procedure LOS, and delayed complications per patient between the two techniques. RESULTS: The MedPAR claims data evaluated 425 stenting and 339 GJ hospitalizations. Compared with GJ, median LOS (8 vs. 16 days; p < 0.0001) and median cost (US $15,366 vs. US$27,391; p < 0.0001) per claim were both significantly lower for stenting. Stenting was more commonly performed at urban versus rural hospitals (89 % vs. 11 %; p < 0.0001), teaching versus non-teaching hospitals (59 % vs. 41 %, p = 0.0005), and academic institutions (56 % vs. 44 %; p = 0.0157). The institutional patient data analysis included 29 patients who underwent stenting and 75 who underwent surgical GJ. While both modalities were technically successful and relieved gastric outlet obstruction in all cases, compared with surgical GJ, the median post-procedure LOS was significantly lower for enteral stenting (1.5 vs. 10.7 days, p < 0.0001). There was no difference in rates of delayed complications between stenting and surgical GJ (13.8 % vs. 6.7 %; p = 0.26). CONCLUSIONS: While the technical and clinical outcomes of surgical GJ and endoscopic stenting appear comparable, stent placement is less costly and is associated with shorter length of hospital stay. Dissemination of endoscopic stenting beyond teaching, academic hospitals located in urban areas as a treatment for malignant GOO is important given its implications for patient care and resource utilization

Outcome of index upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients presenting with dysphagia in a tertiary care hospital-A 10 years review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Patients with malignant tumours of the upper gastrointestinal tract tumours exhibit important alarm symptoms such as dysphagia that warrant clinical investigations. An endoscopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract will be required in most cases. This study evaluates the diagnostic potential of index endoscopy in a random population of patients with dysphagia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data over 10 years. Patients with previous endoscopic evaluation or upper gastrointestinal pathology were excluded from the study. Data was analysed to see the number and frequency of abnormal findings in upper gastrointestinal tract, and their significance in relation to the presenting symptoms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Total number of index endoscopies was 13, 881. 913 patients were included in the study including 465 males (age range: 17–92 years, median: 55 years) and 448 females (age range: 18–100, median: 59 years), with male to female ratio of 1.04: 1. Oesophagus was abnormal in 678 cases (74%) and biopsies were taken in 428 patients (47%). Superficial oesophagitis, Barrett's oesophagus, oesophageal cancer, and oesophageal ulcer were main histological findings. Age more than 50 years and weight loss were significant predictors of oesophageal cancer (p < 0.0001). Male gender, heartburn, epigastric pain, weight loss and vomiting were significantly related to Barrett's oesophagus. A total of 486 gastric and 56 duodenal biopsies were also taken. There were 20 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>OGD is an effective initial investigation to assess patients with dysphagia, especially males above the age of 50 years. Patients may be started on treatment or referred for further investigations, for example, a barium meal in the absence of any anatomical abnormality.</p

How to Interpret a Functional or Motility Test - Sphincter of Oddi Manometry

To date, endoscopic manometry is the best method for evaluating the function of the sphincter. Sphincter of Oddi manometry (SOM) remains the gold standard to correctly diagnose the sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) and stratify therapy. Several dynamic abnormalities relating to the intensity, frequency, and propagation of sphincter contractions have been described. However, their clinical use generally has been abandoned in favor of basal sphincter pressure alone, because this measurement is stable over time, and has stronger interobserver reliablility, reproducibility on repeating testing, and is associated with the responsiveness to therapy. A significant elevated risk of pancreatitis was attributed to the technique. The risk of pancreatitits associated with manometric evaluation of the pancreatic sphincter is markedly reduced when manometry is performed with continous aspiration from the pancreatic duct via one of the 3 catheter lumens. This section reviews indications, conscious sedative drugs, techniques, and the appropriate interpretations of SOM