Towards Grower-friendly Apple Crop Thinning by Tree Shading

Light management with shading nets, which reduce sunlight by 74%, might be an alternative to chemicals commonly used for thinning on apple trees. To study the effect of shading on crop load and fruit quality, trials were conducted in field experiments with the cultivars Golden Delicious and Elstar in 2006. Trees were either covered 25 days after full bloom (DAFB) with a net during three days, or until the peak of fruit fall, observed after seven days shading. Ideal time length for optimal crop yield was seven days shading for Elstar and three days shading for Golden Delicious. Alternate bearing could be decreased as flower initiation counts the following year showed. In both experiments, inner quality of fruit such as sugar and firmness showed good values at optimal shading duration compared with chemical + hand thinning. In 2007, a second field trial was conducted with cultivars Golden Delicious and Topaz to study the time period for shading in further detail. Shading was done for three days at 19, 26 and 33 DAFB using two net types (three- and two-meter-net width, covering the trees entirely or only down to 50 cm above ground). For Golden Delicious, shading after 19 and 26 days reduced fruits per 100 flower cluster to the same extent as with chemical + hand thinning. There was no difference between the two net types. For Topaz, shading after 19 days showed the best results. Regarding inner quality of both cultivars, only sugar content for Golden Delicious could be significantly improved after 19 and 26 days shading. Further analyses are still under way (e.g. for acidity). This study is part of an effort for increasing European consumption with fruit from sustainable production systems, the ISAFRUIT-EU-project

The effects of potential organic apple fruit thinners on gas exchange and growth of model apple trees: A model plant study of transient photosynthetic inhibitors and their effect on physiology and growth

Few fruit thinners have been certified for organic fruit growers. Previous studies have shown that herbicides or shade are capable of reducing photosynthesis and are effective fruit-thinning techniques, although impractical. This project evaluated use of a model plant system of vegetative apple trees grown under controlled conditions to study photosynthetic inhibitors, which could be used as potential organic thinning agents. Various concentrations of osmotics, salts, and oils (lime-sulfur, potassium bisulfite, potassium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, soybean oil) were applied to actively growing apple trees and showed a reduced trend on the rate of apple tree photosynthetic assimilation (Pn), evapotranspiration (Et), and stomatal conductance (gs). From two studies, it was observed that treatments of 2% lime-sulfur (LS) + 2% soybean oil (SO), 4% SO, 8% LS, 5% potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3), and 5% potassium bisulfite (KHSO4) all significantly reduced Pn. The 4% LS + 2% SO, 4% LS + 4% SO, 0.5% sodium chloride (NaCl), and 2% NaCl did not significantly reduce Pn. The response of Et was significantly reduced by 2% LS + 2% SO, 5% KHCO3, and 4% SO. In a second study, trees had reduced Pn, Et, and gs after the application of 4% LS + 4% SO, 2% NaCl, 5% KHCO3, and 5% KHSO4. Stem weight, total plant weight, average leaf weight, and leaf surface area of the treated plants, although reduced, were not significantly so when compared to the control 20 d after treatment

Surgeon Speaks-Paul J. DiMuzio, MD, FACS

“Patients with extensive acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the legs provide an excellent example of why effective medical-surgical collaboration is so important. “These patients typically benefit from emergency catheter-directed thrombolysis, an endovascular procedure performed by vascular surgeons. Subsequent medical management is directed toward preventing re-thrombosis and preventing the long-term complications of DVT. At the Jefferson Vascular Center, vascular medicine specialists initiate and transition that care, as well as provide long-term management of blood thinners and other medical measures. “Across vascular diseases and conditions, Jefferson’s vascular medicine specialists provide many outpatient services. In addition to the excellent care they afford, this collaboration allows the surgeons to focus on complex surgical and endovascular procedures.” Paul J. DiMuzio, MD, FACS William M. Measey Professor of Surgery Director, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surger

Grand Rounds Panel Discussion: Blood Thinners Peri-Operatively: What to do?

PANELISTS Mathew DeCaro, MD: Associate Professor of Cardiology, Director of the Coronary Cardiac Unit, Cardiology fellowship program director John Doherty, MD: Professor of Cardiology Gregary Markefka, MD: Associate Professor of Cardiology, Associate Director of the Coronary Cardiac Unit, Cardiology fellowship assistant program director Geno Merli, MD: Professor of Vascular Medicine, Co-director of Jefferson Vascular Center Srikanth Nagalla, MD, MS: Associate Professor of Medicine, Director, Clinical Hematology Eric Schwenk, MD: Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Director of orthopedic anesthesia Barry Ziring, MD: Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine / Primary Care, Director of the division of Internal Medicin

Metallic oxide switches using thick film technology

Metallic oxide thick film switches were processed on alumina substrates using thick film technology. Vanadium pentoxide in powder form was mixed with other oxides e.g., barium, strontium copper and glass frit, ground to a fine powder. Pastes and screen printable inks were made using commercial conductive vehicles and appropriate thinners. Some switching devices were processed by conventional screen printing and firing of the inks and commercial cermet conductor terminals on 96% alumina substrates while others were made by applying small beads or dots of the pastes between platinum wires. Static, and dynamic volt-ampere, and pulse tests indicate that the switching and self-oscillatory characteristics of these devices could make them useful in memory element, oscillator, and automatic control applications

PERBAIKAN BODI DAN PENGECATAN MOBIL HI - JET 1000 BAGIAN SISI KANAN

Proyek akhir yang berjudul perbaikan bodi dan pengecatan mobil Hi - Jet 1000 bagian sisi kanan bertujuan untuk : (1) mengembalikan kondisi plat bodi kendaraan ke kondisi semula ; (2) mengembalikan warna cat kendaraan kekondisi semula ; (3) meningkatkan nilai seni dari kendaraan. Proses perbaikan bodi dan pengecatan mobil Hi - Jet 1000 di bagian sisi kanan meliputi menilai perluasan permukaan yang rusak, merencanakan bahan yang dibutuhkan, melakukan perbaikan bodi dengan cara mengganti plat yang keropos dan berlubang dengan teknik pengelasan, mengupas lapisan cat lama, melakukan pendempulan, melakukan pengamplasan dempul, melakukan proses masking, mengaplikasikan surfacer, melakukan pengamplasan epoxy surfacer, mengaplikasikan top coat, mengamplas lapisan top coat, mengaplikasikan clear dan melakukan proses polishing. Alat yang dibutuhkanmeliputi : unit las asetilin, kompresor udara, spatula, gerinda tangan, air dust gun, spray gun, blok tangan dan ember. Bahan yang dibutuhkan meliputi : plat galvanis, kawat bahan tambah, dempul, amplas, masking paper, isolasi kertas, thinner, epoxy surfacer, cat Nippe 2000, clear Panzer dan compound Ivory. Setelah semua proses selesai, dilakukan pengujian kualitas dan cacat pengecatan secara visual dengan metode pengisian lembar penilaian. Pengisian lembar penilaian dilakukan oleh tiga pihak yaitu pihak bengkel cat, dosen yang berkompeten di bidang pengecatan dan mahasiswa yang nilai pengecatannya minimal B+. Hasil pengecatan mobil Hi - Jet 1000 di bagian sisi kanan diuji secara visual yang dilakukan oleh penguji yang berkompeten menggunakan lembar penilaian. Untuk hasil pengecatan ulang berdasarkan penilaian para ahli yaitu kerataan dempul di bagian kanan mendapatkan hasil cukup baik (nilai 50 – 69) sedangkan kerataan panel, tekstur cat dan daya kilap mendapatkan nilai baik (nilai 70 – 85). Selain itu terdapat sedikit cacat (kode S, jumlah cacat 1% - 2%) hasil pengecatan yang berupa goresan amplas, kulit jeruk, mengkerut, meleleh dan mata ikan

MEASURING NET BENEFITS RESULTING FROM UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COLLABORATION: AN EXAMPLE FROM THE NEW MEXICO CHILE TASK FORCE

Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,