Longer Sheaths Research Articles

Incidence, risk factors, and management following cardiac catheterization via carotid and axillary artery approaches: A single-center experience on pseudoaneurysms in young infants.

Use of alternate access for complex neonatal interventions has gained acceptance with carotid and axillary artery access being used for ductal and aortic interventions. This study was a retrospective, single-center study at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The study included infants, aged ≤90 days, who underwent cardiac catheterization with either carotid or axillary artery access between 2013 and 2022. Data encompassing demographics, clinical information, catheterization data, and the incidence of pseudoaneurysm as a procedural complication were collected. Among 29 young infants (20 males, 69%), 4 out of 15 patients (27%) who underwent the carotid approach developed pseudoaneurysms, while 1 out of 14 patients (7.1%) who underwent the axillary approach developed one. Two patients required transcatheter intervention due to enlargement of pseudoaneurysms, involving the placement of transarterial flow-diverting stent and occlusion of left common carotid artery. Longer sheath in-to-out time (135 vs. 77 min, p = 0.001), and higher closing activated clotting times (ACT) (268 vs. 197 s, p = 0.021) were observed among patients with pseudoaneurysms compared to those without. Young infants with alternative access via the carotid and axillary arteries may be at risk of pseudoaneurysm formation during longer procedures and with higher ACTs for closure. Ultrasound-guided compression can be employed to prevent the progression and in resolution of these lesions.

Espeletia ocetana(Millerieae, Asteraceae), a New Tall Caulirosula from Colombia

Abstract—A new species,Espeletia ocetana(Asteraceae), from about 3500 m a. s. l. in Páramo de Ocetá, Mongua, Boyacá department, Colombia, is described and illustrated. The new species exhibits a caulescent rosette habit (0.7‐1.8 m tall), sessile leaves, elliptic leaf laminae with greyish indumentum, robust bracteate thyrsoid capitulescences spreading laterally from rosette, each holding 16‐37(‐69) capitula, external phyllaries 14.2‐31.1 mm long, and ray florets 13.9‐21.3 mm long arranged in 2.0‐2.9 series. It is markedly different from the majority of other members of the genus, and only slightly similar toE. jaramilloi, from which it can be easily distinguished by its taller stems, wider leaves with a smaller length/width ratio, and longer sheaths. Furthermore,E. ocetanahas capitula with ray florets arranged in fewer series, and with longer phyllaries, ray corollas, ray corolla limbs, ray styles, ray style branches, disc florets, and disc styles. In addition,E. ocetanais distributed allopatrically in regard toE. jaramilloi, and differs as well in its ecological preference for humid to very humid shrubby páramos.Espeletia ocetanais rather abundant in its type locality, which is a relatively well-conserved páramo located within the limits of Parque Natural Regional Siscunsí-Ocetá. However, it is absent from road margins, abandoned agriculture fields, and other areas impacted by human activities. Further studies will be necessary to know appropriately the extent of the geographic distribution ofE. ocetana, its ecological requirements and its phylogenetic affinities with other species.

Piper peltatifolium, a new species of Piperaceae from Hainan, China

Piper peltatifolium, a new species of Piperaceae from Hainan, China, is here described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to P. hongkongense, but the former can be easily distinguished by the combination of characteristics: trophophyll blades peltate and subleathery with nonbranched hairs; leaves with longer sheaths; stamens usually only two; anthers ovoid and shorter than filaments; ovaries ellipsoid to ovoid; stigmas 3 or 4, or rarely 5; bracts suborbicular, sessile, and adnate to rachis; and drupes slightly hispidulous.

Envelhecimento acelerado em diásporos de Oenocarpus bacaba (Arecaceae)

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi adequar o teste de envelhecimento acelerado para avaliar a qualidade fisiológica de diásporos de Oenocarpus bacaba Mart. (bacaba). Inicialmente, os diásporos foram expostos às temperaturas de 41; 43 e 45 ºC, durante 3; 6; 12; 24; 36; 48 e 72 h, com cerca de 100% de umidade relativa do ar. Foram considerados dois critérios de germinação: emissão da primeira bainha igual ou superior a 1cm e plântula normal. o teste de germinação foi realizado com 6 repetições de 20 diásporos, em temperatura de 30 ºC e fotoperíodo de 12 h. Pelos resultados preliminares, observou-se que os lotes de diásporos de bacaba podem ser separados em níveis de vigor por meio do envelhecimento acelerado, em 43ºC e com cerca de 100% de umidade relativa do ar, por 48 h. os quatro lotes de diásporos foram então submetidos, num segundo experimento, a 43 ºC por 24; 48 e 72 h, sendo adotada como critério de germinação a emissão de primeira bainha. Em 45 ºC, a porcentagem de germinação foi drasticamente reduzida após 12 h. Não houve diferenças significativas entre os critérios de germinação utilizados. Os lotes de diásporos foram separados em diferentes níveis de vigor após 48 e 72 h de exposição a 43 ºC. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, sugere-se o uso de primeira bainha como critério de germinação e período de envelhecimento de 48 h a 43 ºC, para a avaliação da qualidade fisiológica de diásporos de bacaba.

Morphology of young sugarcane stalks produced at different stages of crop development

Sugarcane suckers are tillers that appear late in crop development. They dilute the sucrose content of the harvested cane at the mill, reducing grower profitability. Suckers appear to have different morphology from other sugarcane stalks. Experiments were established to quantify some of these morphological differences, to determine whether these differences were conserved across a vegetatively propagated generation, and to investigate the influence of the mature stalk to which the sucker is attached on sucker morphology. Experiments were established in northern Queensland, Australia, using cvv. Q117, Q138, and Q152 to compare suckers with young primary stalks in a plant crop and/or young ratoon stalks. Leaf lamina length, breadth, area, height to last fully expanded leaf, internode diameter, and growth measurements were taken. Suckers had broader leaves, resulting in a smaller leaf length/breadth ratio, longer leaf sheaths, and lower specific leaf area at least for the first 3 leaves. Sucker stalks were thicker than normal stalks. Sucker growth was highly variable, but some were able to outgrow young primary stalks in a plant crop. When mature stalks, to which suckers were attached, were removed, the leaves produced by suckers were more similar to leaves on normal stalks with larger length/breadth ratio. The morphological differences were not carried over into plants arising from the buds on suckers. Although the reasons for these morphological differences are unknown, it is likely that the transfer of some factor(s) from the stalks to which suckers are attached, and/or an altered light environment within the canopy, may contribute to the morphology of sucker shoots.

Genetic variability for leaf development in perennial ryegrass populations

In perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne, L.), leaf length is a highly heritable trait likely to respond to both natural and artificial selection. The genetic variability of components of leaf morphogenesis of perennial ryegrass was studied in 2 populations obtained from two cycles of divergent selection for lamina length, in 42 natural populations, and in forage and turf cultivars. The genetic progress in the two branches of the divergent selection was accompanied by a significant change in the leaf elongation rate, whereas the phyllochron and the leaf elongation duration remained relatively unchanged. The forage cultivars were not morphogenetically different from the natural populations, and hence progress for yield under infrequent cutting could be made by selection for long-leaf populations. Turf cultivars, however, were morphogenetically different from natural populations. Turf cultivars had small leaves with short sheaths and laminae. The population resulting from the selection for short leaf had laminae as long as those of turf cultivars but with longer sheaths.

Morphological and Growth Characteristics of Low‐ and High‐Maintenance Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivars

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) cultivars differ greatly in performance when grown under low‐maintenance regimes. This greenhouse study was conducted to determine if certain growth and morphological characteristics are common five cultivars that have consistently performed well and to five cultivars that have consistently performed poorly when grown in a low‐fertility, nonirrigated field trial in Iowa. The low‐maintenance cultivars were K3‐162, Kenblue, Vantage, S‐21, and South Dakota Common; the high‐maintenance cultivars were Bonnieblue, Lovegreen, Columbia, I‐13, and A20. Clear, polyethylene tubes, 60 cm long and 3.2 cm o.d., were filled with fritted clay and supported by polyvinyl chloride(PVC) pipe along a research greenhouse bench. Single seedlings of each cultivar were transplanted into each tube and replicated four times. Data collected during the 10‐wk experiments included weekly rooting depths and clipping yields. Plant morphological measurements, root dry weights from three equal sections of the root tubes, shoot fresh and dry weights, and lateral branch numbers were recorded at harvest. The experiment was conducted three times. Low‐maintenance cultivars were found to root 12% deeper, produce 56% more total root weight, maintain a lower shoot‐to‐root ratio, and contain proportionally less moisture in their shoot tissue. They also had narrower leaf blades, more leaf folding, 27% longer sheaths, a greater leaf angle from horizontal, and 13% fewer leaves per shoot. The identification of growth and morphological characteristics common to low‐maintenance grasses appear to be important in the selection and development of new cultivars for minimal‐maintenanced conditions.

Effects of harvesting programme and sowing date on leaf growth in forage barley in Cyprus

SummaryAll combinations of four harvesting treatments and two sowing dates were compared in each of 2 years in field experiments near Nicosia. In one of the years, two levels of applied nitrogen were compared. The harvesting treatments were: (1) a milk-stage cut, (2) a boot-stage cut and a regrowth cut, (3) a grazing-stage cut and a regrowth cut, and (4) three grazing-stage cuts and a regrowth cut. The sowing dates were (1) normal (12 November) and (2) early (15 October), with sufficient irrigation to ensure establishment.Applied nitrogen had virtually no effect on leaf growth, evidently because of high reserves of available nitrogen in the soil. Early sowing increased the rates of leaf emergence, extension and expansion up to the time of the first ‘grazing’ cut (when the first node was showing) and reduced the number of leaves which died in that period. Where growth was uninterrupted to the milk stage, early sowing did not affect the number of leaves produced by a main stem or primary tiller, but increased the longevity of the later leaves. Where there were three ‘grazing’ cuts, early sowing allowed time for the production of more and larger leaf blades, with longer sheaths, between the third 'grazing’ cut and the final harvest.The ‘grazing’ cuts considerably reduced the rates of extension and expansion and the final size of the leaves which emerged soon after a cut. There was good recovery subsequently, however, in rates of extension and expansion and final leaf size, particularly with October sowing.During almost all the period of leaf production on a main stem or primary tiller, several leaves (up to six) were expanding at the same time. The stage, during the period between emergence and death, at which a leaf blade reached its full length was typically half-way between emergence and death. Where growth was uninterrupted, area per leaf blade was positively correlated with both the number of days between the emergence of successive leaves and the number of days between emergence and death.