Building public-private partnerships for agricultural innovation:

Public-private partnerships are a new way of carrying out research and development (R&D) in Latin America's agricultural sector. These partnerships spur innovation for agricultural development and have various advantages over other institutional arrangements fostering R&D. This report summarizes the experiences of a research project that analyzed 125 public-private research partnerships (PPPs) in 12 Latin American countries. The analysis indicates that several types of partnerships have emerged in response to the various needs of the different partners. Nevertheless, public-private partnerships are not always the most appropriate mechanism by which to carry out R&D and foster innovation in agriculture. Sometimes, it is more efficient to organize research via participatory projects or through research contracts.Public-private partnerships, Agricultural innovations, Capacity strengthening, Agricultural research,

Formando alianzas público-privadas para la innovación agrícola: Seguridad alimentaria en la práctica

Public-private partnership, Agricultural innovation,

4to. Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

Este volumen acoge la memoria académica de la Cuarta edición del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad, CITIS 2017, desarrollado entre el 29 de noviembre y el 1 de diciembre de 2017 y organizado por la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (UPS) en su sede de Guayaquil. El Congreso ofreció un espacio para la presentación, difusión e intercambio de importantes investigaciones nacionales e internacionales ante la comunidad universitaria que se dio cita en el encuentro. El uso de herramientas tecnológicas para la gestión de los trabajos de investigación como la plataforma Open Conference Systems y la web de presentación del Congreso http://citis.blog.ups.edu.ec/, hicieron de CITIS 2017 un verdadero referente entre los congresos que se desarrollaron en el país. La preocupación de nuestra Universidad, de presentar espacios que ayuden a generar nuevos y mejores cambios en la dimensión humana y social de nuestro entorno, hace que se persiga en cada edición del evento la presentación de trabajos con calidad creciente en cuanto a su producción científica. Quienes estuvimos al frente de la organización, dejamos plasmado en estas memorias académicas el intenso y prolífico trabajo de los días de realización del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad al alcance de todos y todas

Trichoderma harzianum in vitro mycoparasitism on Peronospora belbahrii in basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Mildew (Peronospora belbahrii) is the disease that, worldwide, causes the greatest loss in the production of basil (Ocimum basilicum). The objective of the present work was to describe the symptoms and identification the causal agents of the mildiu in basil, as well as the evaluation of the antagonism in vitro of Trichoderma harzianum-P. belbahrii. For this, samples of basil plants, cultivar Nufar, with natural infection by mildew were taken. P. belbahrii was isolated from basil plants and later antagonism tests were carried out in sterile PDA-based culture medium, in Petri dishes. The ability of T. harzianum to parasitize P. belbahrii in vitro, could be appreciated after 72 hours, when the antagonist conidium germinated, the hyphae directed their chemotrophic growth towards the conidiophores and mycelium of P. belbahrii. Subsequently, the Trichoderma hyphae began to coil, penetrate, vacuolate the conidiophores and mycelium of the pathogen.Objective: To describe the symptomatology and to identify the mildew causal agent in basil (Oscimum basilicum), as well as the Trichoderma harzianum-Peronospora belbahrii in vitro mycoparasitic activity. Design/methodology/approach: Samples were taken from Nufar basil cultivars that had been naturally infected by mildew and, afterwards, the causal agent was isolated in order to carry out a pathogenicity test. The T. harzianum-P. belbahrii parasitism stages were observed in samples from the area in which both microorganisms interact. Results: The disease symptoms that reveal the presence of a mildew causal agent on basil plants grown in pots and soil match Peronospora belbahrii. Subsequently, the Trichoderma hyphae rolled up and penetrated and vacuolated the conidiophores and the pathogen mycelium. Study limitations/implications: This study was carried out using only one variety of basil. Findings/conclusions: T. harzianum’s capacity to parasitize P. belbahrii in vitro was observed after 72 h. Once the conidium of the antagonist germinated, the hyphae directed their chemotropism growth towards P. belbahrii’s conidiophores and mycelium

Biological effectiveness of quillay (Quillaja saponaria) extracts for the control of yellow aphids (Melanaphis sacchari) in sorghum

The yellow sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) is one of the most harmful pests for the cultivation of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and since 2013 has caused losses from 30 to 100% in the production of sorghum in Mexico. For its control only chemical products are used by recommended of the Cómite Estatal de Sanidad Vegetal del Estado de Morelos, no natural products are used. For this reason, the present study was proposed to define some extract of plants for the control of the M. sacchari in order to avoid environmental pollution and to improve the profitability of the crop. In one plot of sorghum with a high incidence of M. sacchari in Jantetelco, Morelos, three doses (2, 4 and 6 mL / L of water) of Quillaja saponaria extract, (0.2 mL / L of water) of Imidacloprid, (10 mL / L of water) of Calcium Polysulfide and treatment without application. The applications were made with a manual spray bag, with a capacity of 15 liters, previously calibrated and with a fan nozzle. A completely randomized block design with six treatments and four replicates was used. The experimental unit was formed by 5 rows of 5 m long and 0.70 m between rows, giving a total area of 17.5 m2 per experimental unit. The useful plot was of the three central grooves, leaving 0.5 m at each end of the groove. The total size of the experimental plot was 420 m2. The biological effectiveness during sampling, treatments with Quillaja sp saponaria in doses of 6, 4 and 2 mL / L of water, had a 100 % effectiveness and the effectiveness of Imidacloprid was also of 100 %. The treatments based on extracts of Quillaja saponaria on M. sacchari in the sorghum crop, showed 100 % of biological effectiveness from the first application and no phytotoxicity was observed in the experiment.Objective: To evaluate and define a plant extract for the control of the yellow aphid in order to prevent environmental contamination and improve crop profitability. Design/Methodology/Approach: In a sorghum plot —located in the municipality of Jantetelco, Morelos— with a high incidence of yellow aphids, three doses —2-, 4-, and 6-mL L-1 of water of Quillaja saponaria extract, 0.2-mL L-1 of water of Imidacloprid, and 10-mL L-1 of water of calcium polysulfide—, as well as an absolute control, were evaluated. The applications were carried out using a 15-L manual spray backpack, which had been previously calibrated and had a fan nozzle. A randomized block experimental design—with six treatments and four repetitions— was used. The experimental unit was made up of five 5-m long rows with 0.70 m between rows, resulting in a 17.5 m2 total area per experimental unit. The three central furrows were the useful plot, leaving 0.5 m at each end of the furrow. The total size of the experimental plot was 420 m2. Results: The biological effectiveness during the samplings was as follows: both the Quillaja saponaria (6-, 4- and 2-mL L-1 water doses) and Imidacloprid treatments had a 100% effectiveness. Study limitations/implications: This study was carried out in sorghum crops. Findings/conclusions: Treatments based on Quillaja saponaria extracts on M. sacchari in sorghum crops showed 100% biological effectiveness from the first application and no phytotoxicity was observed in any treatmen

Risk of COVID-19 after natural infection or vaccinationResearch in context

Summary: Background: While vaccines have established utility against COVID-19, phase 3 efficacy studies have generally not comprehensively evaluated protection provided by previous infection or hybrid immunity (previous infection plus vaccination). Individual patient data from US government-supported harmonized vaccine trials provide an unprecedented sample population to address this issue. We characterized the protective efficacy of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and hybrid immunity against COVID-19 early in the pandemic over three-to six-month follow-up and compared with vaccine-associated protection. Methods: In this post-hoc cross-protocol analysis of the Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Novavax COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, we allocated participants into four groups based on previous-infection status at enrolment and treatment: no previous infection/placebo; previous infection/placebo; no previous infection/vaccine; and previous infection/vaccine. The main outcome was RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 >7–15 days (per original protocols) after final study injection. We calculated crude and adjusted efficacy measures. Findings: Previous infection/placebo participants had a 92% decreased risk of future COVID-19 compared to no previous infection/placebo participants (overall hazard ratio [HR] ratio: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.05–0.13). Among single-dose Janssen participants, hybrid immunity conferred greater protection than vaccine alone (HR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01–0.10). Too few infections were observed to draw statistical inferences comparing hybrid immunity to vaccine alone for other trials. Vaccination, previous infection, and hybrid immunity all provided near-complete protection against severe disease. Interpretation: Previous infection, any hybrid immunity, and two-dose vaccination all provided substantial protection against symptomatic and severe COVID-19 through the early Delta period. Thus, as a surrogate for natural infection, vaccination remains the safest approach to protection. Funding: National Institutes of Health

Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention to reduce anastomotic leak following right colectomy (EAGLE): pragmatic, batched stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial in 64 countries

Background Anastomotic leak affects 8 per cent of patients after right colectomy with a 10-fold increased risk of postoperative death. The EAGLE study aimed to develop and test whether an international, standardized quality improvement intervention could reduce anastomotic leaks. Methods The internationally intended protocol, iteratively co-developed by a multistage Delphi process, comprised an online educational module introducing risk stratification, an intraoperative checklist, and harmonized surgical techniques. Clusters (hospital teams) were randomized to one of three arms with varied sequences of intervention/data collection by a derived stepped-wedge batch design (at least 18 hospital teams per batch). Patients were blinded to the study allocation. Low- and middle-income country enrolment was encouraged. The primary outcome (assessed by intention to treat) was anastomotic leak rate, and subgroup analyses by module completion (at least 80 per cent of surgeons, high engagement; less than 50 per cent, low engagement) were preplanned. Results A total 355 hospital teams registered, with 332 from 64 countries (39.2 per cent low and middle income) included in the final analysis. The online modules were completed by half of the surgeons (2143 of 4411). The primary analysis included 3039 of the 3268 patients recruited (206 patients had no anastomosis and 23 were lost to follow-up), with anastomotic leaks arising before and after the intervention in 10.1 and 9.6 per cent respectively (adjusted OR 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.59 to 1.30; P = 0.498). The proportion of surgeons completing the educational modules was an influence: the leak rate decreased from 12.2 per cent (61 of 500) before intervention to 5.1 per cent (24 of 473) after intervention in high-engagement centres (adjusted OR 0.36, 0.20 to 0.64; P < 0.001), but this was not observed in low-engagement hospitals (8.3 per cent (59 of 714) and 13.8 per cent (61 of 443) respectively; adjusted OR 2.09, 1.31 to 3.31). Conclusion Completion of globally available digital training by engaged teams can alter anastomotic leak rates. Registration number: NCT04270721 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)