Holding solution pH and composition consistently improve vase life of rose, lily and gerbera

We assessed the influence of postharvest pulsing solutions pH and composition on cut flower quality of rose (Rosa hybrida cvs. Avalanche and Black Magic), gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii cv. Beaudine) and lily (Lilium × elegans cv. Fangio) under room (20±2 °C) and cold storage (4±1 °C) conditions. Cut flowers were placed in different acidic (pH, 3.5 - 4) or basic (pH, 7.0 - 7.5) preservative solutions containing water, sugar 5% (flower food), 100 mg/L silver nitrate (AgNO3 act as a bactericide), or a commercial product (2% sugar + bactericide and fungicide). Acidic solutions had higher or similar (never lower) vase life at both room and cold storage conditions and across species. In addition, vase life was 3-4 times longer in cold storage when compared to room conditions. Leaf chlorophyll concentrations for rose and lily were inconsistent or not significant across the species at both conditions (room and cold storage). The commercial preservative solution consistently and significantly had higher vase life than water for all tested cut flower species and under both room and cold storage environments. AgNO3 ranked second in terms of vase life enhancement. Overall, the use of only flower food (sugar) or bactericide (AgNO3) had a positive impact on vase life but only the combined use of a preservative substance (specifically at pH, 3.5 - 4.0) consistently guaranteed a high cut flower quality across flower species

CZT-Based Harmonic Analysis in Smart Grid Using Low-Cost Electronic Measurement Boards

This paper validates the use of a harmonic analysis algorithm on a microcontroller to perform measurements of non-stationary signals in the context of smart grids. The increasing presence of electronic devices such as inverters of distributed generators (DG), power converters of charging stations for electric vehicles, etc. can drain non-stationary currents during their operation. A classical fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm may not have sufficient spectral resolution for the evaluation of harmonics and inter-harmonics. Thus, in this paper, the implementation of a chirp-Z transform (CZT) algorithm is suggested, which has a spectral resolution independent from the observation window. The CZT is implemented on a low-cost commercial microcontroller, and the absolute error is evaluated with respect to the same algorithm implemented in the LabVIEW environment. The results of the tests show that the CZT implementation on a low-cost microcontroller allows for accurate measurement results, demonstrating the feasibility of reliable harmonic analysis measurements even in non-stationary conditions on smart grids

Crop type classification and spatial mapping in River Nile and Northern State, Sudan, using Sentinel-2 satellite data and field observation

Maintaining productive farmland necessitates precise crop mapping and identification. While satellite remote sensing makes it possible to generate such maps, there are still issues to resolve, such as how to choose input data and the best classifier algorithm, especially in areas with scarce field data. Accurate assessments of the land used for farming are a crucial part of national food supply and production accounting in many African countries, and to this end, remote sensing tools are being increasingly put to use. The aim of this study was to assess the potentiality of Sentinel-2 to distinguish and discriminate crop species in the study area and constraints on accurately mapping cropping patterns in the winter season in River Nile and Northern State, Sudan. The research utilized Sentinel-2 Normalized Different Vegetation Index (NDVI) at 10 m resolution, unsupervised and supervised classification method with ground sample and accuracy assessment. The results of the study found that the signatures of grain sorghum, wheat, okra, Vicia faba, alfalfa, corn, haricot, onion, potato, tomato, lupine, tree cover, and garlic have clear distinctions, permitting an overall accuracy of 87.38%, with trees cover, onion, wheat, potato, garlic, alfalfa, tomato, lupine and Vicia faba achieving more than 87% accuracy. Major mislabeling problems occurred primarily in irrigated areas for grain sorghum, okra, corn, and haricot, in wooded areas comprised of small parcels of land. The research found that high-resolution temporal images combined with ground data had potential and utility for mapping cropland at the field scale in the winter

Is quadratus lumborum block combined with low dose-spinal anesthesia an effective alternative to general anesthesia in patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy?

Background: General anesthesia in high-risk patients has many complications and needs long preoperative preparations and postoperative intensive care unit (ICU). Therefore the present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of combined low-dose spinal anesthesia with quadratus lumborum block (QLB) as an alternative to general anesthesia for patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Patients and methods: A prospective study was conducted at the urology department of Al-Azhar University Hospitals in Cairo, Egypt, from January 2021 to January 2022. The study included 60 patients of ASA ll-lll scheduled for percutaneous nephrolithotomy. All patients received low-dose spinal anesthesia (5 mg bupivacaine) and QLB (QL1-QL2-QL3) approaches. The primary observation parameter was the efficacy of this technique as an alternative to general anesthesia. The secondary parameters measured were evaluation of need for intraoperative narcotics, postoperative pain score (VAS), and patients satisfaction as assessed using a 5-point Likert Scale. Results: None of the patients was given general anesthesia, and intraoperative sedation was given to nineteen patients (32.2%). No hemodynamic changes were observed in all patients. There was a significant correlation between the use of intraoperative sedation and stone site, intraoperative blood loss, and hospital stay. Pain intensity on VAS at rest and movement was low until the 24th postoperative hour. Patient satisfaction score was 3, 4, and 5 in 1 (1.7%), 4 (6.7%), and 55 (91.6%) patients, respectively. Conclusions: Combined low-dose spinal anesthesia with quadratus lumborum block is an effective alternative to general anesthesia in patients undergoing PCNL procedures with good postoperative analgesia. Patients with lower calyceal punctures have a lower incidence of intraoperative sedation requirements

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Habitat Selection to Reintroduce <i>Iris bismarckiana</i> in Semi-Arid Environments

Conservation of endangered plant species in their indigenous regions is of crucial importance, especially for those grown in semi-arid regions. The objectives of this study were to explore the Nazareth iris’s (Iris bismarckiana) natural habitat and identify new suitable sites to initiate a reintroduction program of this endangered plant species in a semi-arid environment. The study was conducted in Dibbeen Forest Reserve, Jordan, where six zones inside the reserve [A–F] were assessed in addition to zone G outside the reserve borders that represents the area where I. bismarckiana still exists. Habitat selection variables (topography, soil physical and chemical properties, climatic data, and potential risks and benefits) from all zones within the reserve were cross matched with that of zone G. The results showed that climatic data of all selected sites were suitable for reintroduction; all sites are open to direct sunlight most of the day. The minimum soil depth was greater than 40 cm in all zones, while soil respiration level revealed that zone A (a recreation site) was below the recommended thresholds. The percentage of stone volume (>2 mm) in the soil profile was high in zones D and F. Zones E, C, and F were extremely steep (>40 degrees), which undermined their potential to be suitable habitats. All sites are susceptible to high human disturbance risk except zone B, which is protected and under continuous surveillance by the Reserve Botanist. Considering all measured suitability indicators, including slope degree suitability (−1), soil stone percentage value (8.3%), tree canopy cover (open area), and human disturbance potential (low risk), zone B holds promise as a suitable site for a I. bismarckiana reintroduction program. Therefore, the initiation of long-term reintroduction programs within this site with timely surveillance is urgently needed to conserve and support such valuable species self-regeneration

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation Improves Flower Yield and Postharvest Quality Component of Gerbera Grown under Different Salinity Levels

High salinity levels of irrigated water and the accumulation of salt over time in the soil is a major concern worldwide, including in Jordan. The objective of this two-year study was to assess the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation on the physiology, yield, and flower quality of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii cvs. Beaudine and Palm Beach) under different salinity levels (0.0, 20.0 and 40.0 mM-NaCl). The study was arranged in a randomized complete block design with five replicates. During the experimental period (2018&ndash;2019), chlorophyll content index (SPAD), leaf gas exchange (photosynthesis, Pn; stomatal conductance, gs; transpiration, E), flower yield, flower quality (pedicel length and diameter, number of days to flowering, flower diameter, and vase life), root sporulation, and colonization were measured. Irrigation with saline water (20 and 40 mM-NaCl) significantly increased salt accumulation in soil. The mean soil electrical conductivity (EC) after two growing seasons for the 20 mM-NaCl treatment was 2.9 dS m&minus;1 and 4.4 dS m&minus;1 for the 40 mM. High salinity level (40 mM-NaCl) reduced root AMF sporulation by 53&ndash;62% and colonization by 12&ndash;25% across cultivars. Interestingly, root colonization was higher than 50% across salinity level and in both cultivars. Saline water at 40 mM-NaCl significantly reduced SPAD, Pn, gs, E, flower yield, and quality component, especially vase life. Interestingly, leaf chlorophyll content index from AMF-inoculated plants was significantly higher than uninoculated ones across cultivars at the second growing season. In addition, inoculation with AMF significantly increased yield in both &lsquo;Beaudine&rsquo; (34&ndash;40%) and &lsquo;Palm Beach&rsquo; (42&ndash;44%) cultivars and across the study period, 2018 to 2019. In addition, AMF increased vase life in &lsquo;Beaudine&rsquo; by 19% to 28% and in &lsquo;Palm Beach&rsquo; by 21% to 22%. Overall, our results revealed that gerbera growers can increase their flower yield and postharvest flower quality component (vase life) under saline conditions (soil EC &lt; 4.4 dS m&minus;1) by inoculating the seedlings with AMF

Assessment of Small-Extent Forest Fires in Semi-Arid Environment in Jordan Using Sentinel-2 and Landsat Sensors Data

The objective of this study was to evaluate the separability potential of Sentinel-2A (MultiSpectral Instrument, MSI) and Landsat (Operational Land Imager, OLI and Thermal Infrared Sensor, TIRS) derived indices for detecting small-extent (70%. In fact, the dNBR-Sentinel-2/Landsat-8 overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient for classifying fire severity degree were less than 70% across the studied sites, except for Sentinel-dNBR in Dibbeen (72.5%). In conclusion, Sentinel-dNBR and Landsat promise to delimitate forest fire perimeters of small-scale (<25 ha) areas, but further remotely-sensed techniques are require (e.g., Landsat-Sentinel data fusion) to improve the fire severity-separability potential

Soil Health and Sustainable Agriculture

A healthy soil acts as a dynamic living system that delivers multiple ecosystem services, such as sustaining water quality and plant productivity, controlling soil nutrient recycling decomposition, and removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Soil health is closely associated with sustainable agriculture, because soil microorganism diversity and activity are the main components of soil health. Agricultural sustainability is defined as the ability of a crop production system to continuously produce food without environmental degradation. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), cyanobacteria, and beneficial nematodes enhance water use efficiency and nutrient availability to plants, phytohormones production, soil nutrient cycling, and plant resistance to environmental stresses. Farming practices have shown that organic farming and tillage improve soil health by increasing the abundance, diversity, and activity of microorganisms. Conservation tillage can potentially increase grower&rsquo;s profitability by reducing inputs and labor costs as compared to conventional tillage while organic farming might add extra management costs due to high labor demands for weeding and pest control, and for fertilizer inputs (particularly N-based), which typically have less consistent uniformity and stability than synthetic fertilizers. This review will discuss the external factors controlling the abundance of rhizosphere microbiota and the impact of crop management practices on soil health and their role in sustainable crop production