Diagnóstico Agrosocioeconómico del Sector cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) en Yaguaraparo, Municipio Cajigal, estado Sucre, Venezuela

Venezuela is a producer of fine cocoa flavor; It is an export product, generating foreign exchange, socially involved large numbers of people, set to land producer, has high nutritional and is a growing conservationist; The Sucre state generates 45% of the national production of cocoa, therefore it is necessary advance research in their producing areas. The objective of this work was to conduct a diagnostic agro-socio-económico of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) sector in Yaguaraparo Cajigal Municipality of Sucre State. This paper is based on field research and the level of study was descriptive. The data collection was conducted through a survey applied to 63 producers in a simple random sampling. The obtained results were: producers are mostly elderly people; 81% have a standard of living between regular and bad; 81% have some degree of formal education; 59% are organized; 17% had received technical assistance and 35% had received funding. Producers have mostly old plantations; Performance is 198.35 kg/ha, below the national performance thus earns very low incomes. The benefit of cocoa post-harvest is poor and is inappropriate the stage of fermentation. Cocoa is marketed in baba almonds and dried; 95% of producers selling your cocoa as dry almonds. There are two trading involved in the export and two who buy cocoa to supply the domestic market.Venezuela es un país productor de cacao fino de aroma, el cual es un producto de exportación, generador de divisas; socialmente involucra a gran número de personas, fija al productor a la tierra, posee alto poder alimenticio y además es un cultivo conservacionista. El estado Sucre genera el 49% de la producción nacional de cacao, por ello se hace necesario adelantar investigaciones en sus zonas productoras. El objetivo de este trabajo fue realizar un diagnóstico agrosocioeconómico del sector cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) en Yaguaraparo municipio Cajigal del estado Sucre. Este trabajo se fundamentó en la investigación de campo y el nivel de estudio fue descriptivo. La recopilación de los datos se realizó a través de una encuesta estructurada aplicada a una muestra de 63 productores, la cual fue calculada mediante un muestreo aleatorio simple. Los resultados obtenidos fueron: los productores en su mayoría son personas de avanzada edad; el 81% posee un nivel de vida entre regular y malo; el 81% posee algún grado de educación formal; el 59% están organizados; 17% ha recibido asistencia técnica y 35% ha recibido financiamiento. Los productores en su mayoría poseen plantaciones viejas; el rendimiento es 198,35 Kg/ha, por debajo del rendimiento nacional, por ello obtienen ingresos muy bajos. El beneficio postcosecha del cacao es deficiente y no se realiza adecuadamente la etapa de fermentación. El cacao es comercializado en baba y como almendras secas; el 95% de los productores vende su cacao como almendras secas. Existen dos comercializadoras que se dedican a la exportación y dos que compran cacao para abastecer el mercado nacional

Diagnóstico Agrosocioeconómico del Sector cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) en Yaguaraparo, Municipio Cajigal, estado Sucre, Venezuela

Venezuela is a producer of fine cocoa flavor; It is an export product, generating foreign exchange, socially involved large numbers of people, set to land producer, has high nutritional and is a growing conservationist; The Sucre state generates 45% of the national production of cocoa, therefore it is necessary advance research in their producing areas. The objective of this work was to conduct a diagnostic agro-socio-económico of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) sector in Yaguaraparo Cajigal Municipality of Sucre State. This paper is based on field research and the level of study was descriptive. The data collection was conducted through a survey applied to 63 producers in a simple random sampling. The obtained results were: producers are mostly elderly people; 81% have a standard of living between regular and bad; 81% have some degree of formal education; 59% are organized; 17% had received technical assistance and 35% had received funding. Producers have mostly old plantations; Performance is 198.35 kg/ha, below the national performance thus earns very low incomes. The benefit of cocoa post-harvest is poor and is inappropriate the stage of fermentation. Cocoa is marketed in baba almonds and dried; 95% of producers selling your cocoa as dry almonds. There are two trading involved in the export and two who buy cocoa to supply the domestic market.Venezuela es un país productor de cacao fino de aroma, el cual es un producto de exportación, generador de divisas; socialmente involucra a gran número de personas, fija al productor a la tierra, posee alto poder alimenticio y además es un cultivo conservacionista. El estado Sucre genera el 49% de la producción nacional de cacao, por ello se hace necesario adelantar investigaciones en sus zonas productoras. El objetivo de este trabajo fue realizar un diagnóstico agrosocioeconómico del sector cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) en Yaguaraparo municipio Cajigal del estado Sucre. Este trabajo se fundamentó en la investigación de campo y el nivel de estudio fue descriptivo. La recopilación de los datos se realizó a través de una encuesta estructurada aplicada a una muestra de 63 productores, la cual fue calculada mediante un muestreo aleatorio simple. Los resultados obtenidos fueron: los productores en su mayoría son personas de avanzada edad; el 81% posee un nivel de vida entre regular y malo; el 81% posee algún grado de educación formal; el 59% están organizados; 17% ha recibido asistencia técnica y 35% ha recibido financiamiento. Los productores en su mayoría poseen plantaciones viejas; el rendimiento es 198,35 Kg/ha, por debajo del rendimiento nacional, por ello obtienen ingresos muy bajos. El beneficio postcosecha del cacao es deficiente y no se realiza adecuadamente la etapa de fermentación. El cacao es comercializado en baba y como almendras secas; el 95% de los productores vende su cacao como almendras secas. Existen dos comercializadoras que se dedican a la exportación y dos que compran cacao para abastecer el mercado nacional

Does isolated mitral annular calcification in the absence of mitral valve disease affect clinical outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement?

AIMS  Mitral annular calcification (MAC) has been associated with adverse outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) but has been investigated in isolation of co-existent mitral regurgitation or mitral stenosis, which may represent important confounders. This study sought to investigate the effect of MAC with and without concomitant mitral valve disease (MVD) on clinical outcomes in patients treated with TAVR. METHODS AND RESULTS  Computed tomography (CT) and echocardiographic data in consecutive TAVR patients enrolled into a prospective registry were categorized according to presence or absence of severe MAC and significant MVD, respectively. A total of 967 patients with adequate CT and echocardiography data were included between 2007 and 2017. Severe MAC was found in 172 patients (17.8%) and associated with MVD in 87 patients (50.6%). Compared to TAVR patients without severe MAC or MVD, all-cause mortality at 1 year was significantly increased among patients with severe MAC in combination with MVD [adjusted hazard ratio (HRadj): 1.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-3.44, P = 0.018] and patients with isolated MVD (HRadj: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.56-3.47, P < 0.001), but not in patients with isolated severe MAC in the absence of MVD (HRadj: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.21-1.33, P = 0.173). CONCLUSION  We found no effect of isolated MAC on clinical outcomes following TAVR in patients with preserved mitral valve function. Patients with MVD had an increased risk of death at 1 year irrespective of MAC

Clinical impact of mitral calcium volume in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

BACKGROUND Mitral annular calcification (MAC) has been associated with mitral valve (MV) disease and cardiovascular events in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We aimed to investigate the incidence and impact of mitral calcium volume (MCV) quantified by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) on MV function and clinical outcomes after TAVI. METHODS Consecutive patients with exploitable echocardiography and MDCT performed during TAVI screening were enrolled in this retrospective analysis. Mitral calcium was assessed visually and measured using a semi-automatic tool developed for the aortic valve in an off-label fashion. RESULTS MCV >0 mm3 was found in 65% of the 875 included patients. Patients with calcification were older (82 ± 6 versus 81 ± 7; P = 0.002) and had high prevalence of renal dysfunction (69% versus 61%; P = 0.017) and mitral stenosis (25% versus 4%, P < 0.001). MCV correlated well with visual MAC severity (r = 0.94; P < 0.001), but showed a greater predictive value for mitral stenosis (AUC = 0.804 vs. 0.780, P = 0.012) , while it was not a predictor of mitral regurgitation (AUC = 0.514). Correlations were found between MCV and echocardiographic parameters including MV area, mean transmitral gradient, and pressure half-time (P < 0.001 for all). MCV did not impact on cardiovascular mortality or new permanent pacemaker implantation after TAVI. CONCLUSIONS Calcification of the mitral apparatus is common in TAVI candidates and results in mitral stenosis in 25% of the patients. Increasing MCV predicts mitral stenosis, but had no impact on clinical outcomes following TAVI. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT01368250

Propuesta para la creación del Departamento de Extensión Agropecuaria del Núcleo Monagas de la Universidad de Oriente (Proposal for the creation of the Departamento de Extensión Agropecuaria (Agricultural Extension Department) of Núcleo Monagas of The Universidad de Oriente)

The agricultural extension service plays an important role in the attainment of desirable changes in the rural environment, guiding the family capacities and making them participants of its own social, economic and technological development for improving its life quality in the context of a sustainable agriculture. It is for this reason that the requirement of the creation of the Department of Agricultural Extension Service of the Universidad de Oriente arises, which will allow to link science and technology to the real context of the agricultural production, in the search of integral solutions, in agreement with the necessities and priorities of farmers of the area, promoting changes in its knowledge, attitudes, skills and wishes, for improving its welfare and of the population in general. Among the principal objectives of the Department they will be: to carry out diagnoses of the principal agriculture-social-economic problems of the inhabitants of the rural communities of the Monagas state and to develop action strategies that, by means of integral and sustainable solutions and with the community participation, to have a worthy of life for the farmers of the region. The area of influence of the Department of Agricultural Extension Service will be framed initially in the 13 Municipalities of the Monagas state and in the bordering communities with other neighboring states, but later on, the action range will be able to go toward communities belonging to all the states of the Venezuelan East where Universidad de Oriente has influence. Among the benefits that the creation of the Department of Agricultural Extension Service will give to Universidad de Oriente they are: diffusion and popularization of the research carried out by the educational and research personnel staff members of University; regain of the presence of the Universidad de Oriente in the agricultural environment of the Oriental area of Venezuela; training and formation of the educational personnel staff in programs of agricultural extension; to achieve an increment of the in situ practical activities; to carry out activities that allow to improve the life quality of farmers of the area of influence of the Universidad de Oriente and to advise agricultural extension works at level of higher education. The personnel staff of this Department will be integrated for: A Head of Department of Agricultural Extension Service; a Coordinator of Agricultural Extension Service for each School (three in total); an Agent of Agricultural Extension for each School (three in total); responsible for programs or projects (the professors of the three Schools) and a secretary. Besides the Universidad de Oriente, in the Department of Agricultural Extension Service could be wrapped other Institutions of public character as private (Polar Foundation, CIARA, IICA, Government and Municipalities of Monagas State; INIA, MAT, CVG, EUDOCA, FONACIT, FAO, Associations of Farmers, etc.). The financing to cover the costs of opening of the Department of Agricultural Extension Service, personnel staff payment and operational costs will be mainly in charge of the Universidad de Oriente, but other Institutions like the Governments and Municipalities of the Oriental States, Associations of Farmers and enterprise like: PDVSA, Polar Foundation, Bigott Foundation, Foninpal, FONDAFA, etc., and International Organisms as: the World Bank, IICA, SIHCA, FAO, BID, UNICEF, ONGs, Embassies, etc, they could help financially to the Department of Agricultural Extension Service of Universidad de Oriente through the execution of projects

The dynamics of interactions between Plasmodium and the mosquito: a study of the infectivity of Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium gallinaceum, and their transmission by Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti.

Knowledge of parasite-mosquito interactions is essential to develop strategies that will reduce malaria transmission through the mosquito vector. In this study we investigated the development of two model malaria parasites, Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium gallinaceum, in three mosquito species Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti. New methods to study gamete production in vivo in combination with GFP-expressing ookinetes were employed to measure the large losses incurred by the parasites during infection of mosquitoes. All three mosquito species transmitted P. gallinaceum; P. berghei was only transmitted by Anopheles spp. Plasmodium gallinaceum initiates gamete production with high efficiency equally in the three mosquito species. By contrast P. berghei is less efficiently activated to produce gametes, and in Ae. aegypti microgamete formation is almost totally suppressed. In all parasite/vector combinations ookinete development is inefficient, 500-100,000-fold losses were encountered. Losses during ookinete-to-oocyst transformation range from fivefold in compatible vector parasite combinations (P. berghei/An. stephensi), through >100-fold in poor vector/parasite combinations (P. gallinaceum/An. stephensi), to complete blockade (>1,500 fold) in others (P. berghei/Ae. aegypti). Plasmodium berghei ookinetes survive poorly in the bloodmeal of Ae. aegypti and are unable to invade the midgut epithelium. Cultured mature ookinetes of P. berghei injected directly into the mosquito haemocoele produced salivary gland sporozoites in An. stephensi, but not in Ae. aegypti, suggesting that further species-specific incompatibilities occur downstream of the midgut epithelium in Ae. aegypti. These results show that in these parasite-mosquito combinations the susceptibility to malarial infection is regulated at multiple steps during the development of the parasites. Understanding these at the molecular level may contribute to the development of rational strategies to reduce the vector competence of malarial vectors

A review of biomass burning: Emissions and impacts on air quality, health and climate in China

Biomass burning (BB) is a significant air pollution source, with global, regional and local impacts on air quality, public health and climate. Worldwide an extensive range of studies has been conducted on almost all the aspects of BB, including its specific types, on quantification of emissions and on assessing its various impacts. China is one of the countries where the significance of BB has been recognized, and a lot of research efforts devoted to investigate it, however, so far no systematic reviews were conducted to synthesize the information which has been emerging. Therefore the aim of this work was to comprehensively review most of the studies published on this topic in China, including literature concerning field measurements, laboratory studies and the impacts of BB indoors and outdoors in China. In addition, this review provides insights into the role of wildfire and anthropogenic BB on air quality and health globally. Further, we attempted to provide a basis for formulation of policies and regulations by policy makers in China