Successive Harvests Research Articles

Patient and Procedural Factors Associated With Increased Islet Cell Yield in Total Pancreatectomy With Islet Autotransplantation.

Total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT) offers symptom relief to highly selected patients with recurrent acute and/or chronic pancreatitis. However, with variable clinical response, it is important to refine islet manipulation technique and patient selection criteria. This study explores the variables associated with high islet cell yield, a driver of success in TPIAT. This study evaluated patients who underwent TPIAT at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center from 2012 to 2016. Odds ratios were calculated for various patient and procedural characteristics. The primary clinical outcome was the number of isolated islet equivalents per kilogram body weight. Thirty-eight patients met inclusion criteria. Patients with no computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging evidence of chronic pancreatitis, without pancreatic duct stones, and without parenchymal stones were associated with higher odds of success (P = 0.02, P = 0.02, and P = 0.002, respectively). Patients with preoperative glycated hemoglobin greater than 5.6, with islet cell suspensions positive for cultures, and with positive gram stains were associated with lower odds of success (P = 0.02, P = 0.01, and P = 0.02, respectively). Factors that diminish a successful islet cell harvest during TPIAT include the presence of infected islets, an elevated preoperative glycated hemoglobin, and the presence of pancreatic duct stones.

Evaluating Cost-Effectiveness of Rainwater Harvesting for Irrigation in Arid Climate of Gujarat, India

Small reservoirs have proved as successful rainwater harvesting systems in semi-arid regions; however, their dependability in arid regions is not tested. This study aimed at evaluating cost-effectiveness of small reservoir used for supplying irrigation water to wheat and mustard crops in an arid region of India by employing three performance indicators, i.e., benefit-cost (B-C) ratio, net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR). In addition, sensitivity analysis of the variables influencing the economics of the reservoirs is also carried out. The actual water requirements for wheat and mustard crops over their entire life span of 110 and 95 days, respectively, are computed as 319 and 227 mm, respectively, in comparison to existing practice of excessively irrigating the crops. Fixed cost, i.e., cost of construction of the reservoir is estimated as Rs. 1,033,349, for a total storage capacity of 29,184.5 m3, whereas, the running cost, i.e., cost of cultivation for wheat and mustard, is worked out to be Rs. 41,800 and 31,100 per ha, respectively. The net benefit of Rs. 28,901 and 38,835 per ha, respectively for wheat and mustard crops clearly indicated that mustard is 34% economical over the wheat. The optimistic, pessimistic, and average unit costs of harvested rainwater over a 30-year period is calculated as Rs. 1.51, 3.03, and 2.27 m−3, respectively, which suggests that a small reservoir is a viable option for rainwater management in the arid regions. This finding is further supported from the optimum values of B-C ratio (1.01), NPV (Rs. 10,093), and IRR (10.12%). This study considered a scenario of demand-based efficient irrigation supplies with improved values of the B-C ratio (2.18), NPV (Rs. 1,330,558), and IRR (24%). Furthermore, sensitivity analysis revealed that the grain yield is the most significant variable affecting the cost-effectiveness of the reservoir system, which needs to be carefully monitored and enhanced in order to further increase reservoir dependability in arid regions. Finally, the findings of this study are very useful for planners and decision-makers to formulate appropriate strategies for managing scarce rainwater in the study area as well as in other arid climate regions of the world.

The Nitrogen Contained in Carbonized Poultry Litter is not Plant Available

Abstract Pyrolysis of biomass, reduces its volume, mass, odour, and potential pathogens, while concentrating nutrients in the resulting biochar. However, the plant availability of nutrients in particular of nitrogen remains largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated the nutrient availability of carbonized poultry litter. A nutrient poor soil was either fertilized with poultry litter or poultry litter carbonized at 500°C at the rates of 1.5, 3 and 6 t/ha. These organic amendments were compared with corresponding rates of mineral fertilizers (NH4NO3, KCl, CaHPO4, MgSO4) in a pot experiment. After four successive harvests of ryegrass (Lolium sp.) in a greenhouse we analyzed plant nutrient uptake and nutrient concentrations in the soil. While all treatments showed a linear increase in plant growth and nitrogen uptake, the plants fertilized with carbonized poultry litter did not show such a response. The carbonized poultry litter treatment produced more biomass than the unfertilized control, but the tissue concentration of nitrogen was below that of the control. Mehlich 1 extractable nutrients in the soil showed that there is more available phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium in the soil fertilized with the carbonized poultry manure, but these available nutrients were not utilized due to the nitrogen limitation to plant growth. The results clearly show that nitrogen contained in carbonized poultry litter is not available for plants

The importance of indocyanine green near‐infrared fluorescence angiography in perfusion assessment in vascularized omentum lymphatic transplant

Vascularized omentum lymphatic transplant (VOLT) for treatment of lymphedema has become popular because of no risk of iatrogenic lymphedema and abundant lymphatic tissue. However, perfusion to the omentum can be difficult to assess clinically. The purpose of this study was to clarify the incidence and degree of ischemia in the omentum. A retrospective study was conducted to review indocyanine green perfusion findings on patients undergoing VOLT. Patients were placed into 4 categories based on the percentage surface area of omentum that was ischemic: normal, less than 25%, between 25% and 50%, and greater than 50% ischemic. Spearman correlation was performed to determine whether an association exists between prior abdominal surgery and the presence of ischemia. Twenty-six patients underwent VOLT for treatment of extremity lymphedema. Twelve (46.2%) patients had normal perfusion, 8 patients (30.8%) had less than 25% ischemia, and 6 patients (23.1%) had 25% to 50% ischemia. Prior abdominal surgery was not significantly associated with the presence of ischemia. Normal flap perfusion is a requisite for successful VOLT harvest. However, over half the patients had some degree of abnormal perfusion irrespective of prior abdominal surgery. Indocyanine green angiography is an important tool in ensuring a healthy lymphatic reconstruction.

Yield and composition of lavender essential oil grown in substrate

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of successive harvesting times and shading on the production of biomass, yield and phytochemical composition of essential oil in leaves and inflorescences of soilless grown Lavandula dentata. Plants were grown in pots filled with sand, inside a polyethylene greenhouse, in a closed system at UFSM. Plants were harvested at 150, 213 and 320 days after planting date (DAP) in winter, spring and summer, respectively. At 150 DAP, a 50% shading screen was installed. The experimental design was a randomized 3x2 factorial in subdivided plots with 36 plants per subplot. Fresh (FM) and dry mass (DM), yield and chemical composition of essential oil in leaves and inflorescences were determined after each harvest date. The essential oil was extracted, using 70 g fresh mass of leaves and of inflorescences, respectively. Identification and quantification of compounds in the essential oil were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The FM of inflorescences was higher on plants harvested 213 DAP grown without shading while of leaves it was higher on plants harvested 320 DAP grown without shading. The yield of the essential oil was higher in the leaves of plants harvested 320 DAP grown without shading. Thirty-one compounds were identified and quantified, being the major ones 1.8 cineol, camphor and linalool, without significant difference among treatments. Three consecutive harvests can be made in August (150 DAP), October (213 DAP) and February (320 DAP) without replacing plants.

An Assessment of the Microbiological Water Quality of Sand Dams in Southeastern Kenya

Sand-storage dams have proven to be a successful water harvesting method and potential solution to water and food security issues in semi-arid regions such as south east Kenya. This paper examines the microbiological quality of water both contained in the sand dam via test holes and abstracted from it through covered wells and scoop holes. In total, the values of thermotolerant coliform (TTC) concentration, turbidity, and pH are presented for 47 covered wells, 36 scoop holes, and 29 test holes, as well as the conductivity values in conductivity in 39 covered wells and 11 scoop holes. The water from test holes and covered wells was microbiologically of better quality than the scoop holes with median TTC levels of 0/100 mL and 159/100 mL respectively. However, the median values of turbidity for both scoop holes (20–30 NTU) and covered wells (5–10 NTU) exceed the World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline values. In addition the conductivity of water from 23% of scoop holes and 26% of covered wells is above the recommended WHO limit. This study also found that sanitary surveys are not a useful indicator of water quality in sand dams; however, they can identify areas in which sanitation and improvement of water sources are needed.

Multifactor Index Construction: A Skeptical Appraisal of Bottom-Up Approaches

In this article, the authors contrast the claims of promoters of “bottom-up” approaches for constructing multi-factor equity portfolios with relevant findings in the academic literature. In particular, the authors review findings in the academic literature that raise questions on the reliability of the link between factor scores and returns, on possibilities of overstating the backtest performance of bottom-up portfolios, and on the cost of concentration resulting from the chase of factor champions. The article shows that, while bottom-up approaches are driven by a naive belief into a fine-grain deterministic link between stock-level multi-factor exposures and returns, the empirical evidence in the asset pricing literature only supports the existence of a broad-stroke relationship. Moreover, it is emphasized that bottom-up approaches are prone to over-fitting and multiple testing biases. Without any adjustments for such biases, the backtest results of bottom-up approaches may be overstated. Finally, in the process of chasing factor champions, bottom-up portfolios tend to become highly concentrated while the academic literature stresses that diversification is crucial for the successful harvesting of factor premia. The authors conclude that findings in the academic literature on these three questions give rise to a healthy dose of skepticism concerning the superiority claims of bottom-up proponents.

The Iconographic Method Applied in the Design of Products with Cultural Demostration in the Creation of the Tourist Destination

The popular festivity known as Corpus Cristi is a clear manifestation of culture in Ecuador. It is considered a crosscultural expression of the cosmovision and iconographic symbolism of religious fusion making an evident imaginary connotation of the population. Where evident, catholics are of a vernacular world and end up being a praise in honor of the favors received from the Body of Christ and the indigenous roots of spirituality. It represents gratitude for the successful harvests obtained in the year by the Pachamama and Taita Inti. The present study aims to provide furnishings with designs of this festival, the park 13 de abril in Pujilí, which is also commonly known by locals as the Danzante Park. The methodology used was an analysis of the artistic projects developed by Panofsky where the work is reinterpreted from a designer perspective. This method is used to propose a method of extracting the iconographic and iconological elements of cultural demonstrations resulting in the innovation of the canton. Taking advantage of the values and cultural heritage of the nation and showcasing its aesthetics, a greater flow of visitors to the area is ensured as well as the dynamics of the local economy.

Phytoremediation potential of Leersia hexandra Swartz of copper contaminated soil and its enhancement by using agronomic management practices

The objective of this study was to discuss the phytoremediation potential of Leersia hexandra Swartz in Cu contaminated soil and its enhancement by agronomic management practices. The results showed that L. hexandra had a high extraction capacity for copper (Cu), and Cu concentration was found maximum in shoots (755.4 mg/kg), which is very close to the Cu-hyperaccumulators. Three successive harvests did not reduce the biomass and Cu level in shoots of L. hexandra (p > 0.05), indicating that sequential harvest was feasible for the increase of total biomass and Cu extraction amount. Fertilization could obviously increase the tissue dry weight, resulting in the total amount of extracted-Cu up to 52.3%. 3-Indole acetic acid (IAA) also significantly increased biomass, causing the efficiency of Cu phytoextraction up to 204.6%. These suggested that fertilization and IAA were effective for enhancing Cu phytoextraction by L. hexandra.

Harvesting Urban Honey with Modern Technology

This article looks at the new beekeeping technology of the Flow frame and how it benefits Urban Beekeepers. In spite of negative preconceived notions about new technology, the article compares the time, space, and energy requirements of the new technology as compared to the old technology. What makes a successful honey harvest is also discussed, along with how more people nearby can make the harvest easier and harder to manage.

Effects of Fertilizer Application and Successive Harvesting on Clipping Yield, Phytochemical Contents and Antioxidant Activity of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of fertilizer application and successive harvesting on phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities of Cynodon dactylon, a medicinal Bermuda grass in Sabah (Malaysia). Three fertilizers of two nitrogen concentrations were used in the experiment. The grass was harvested successively three times at five-weeks interval. Grass treated with 25 kg N/ha/month from the first harvest was found to have the highest clipping yield. Successive harvesting decreased the dry matter production of the grass irrespective of N concentration applied. Total saponin and alkaloid contents of the grass were increased by a combination treatment of fertilizer type ´ rate ´ harvesting; total flavonoid content was increased by fertilizer type ´ harvesting treatments; however, total phenolic content was not affected by any of the treatment or combination of the treatments. Both of the antioxidant assays (DPPH and FRAP) indicated that antioxidant activity of the grass was increased by fertilizer rate ´ harvesting treatments. There was a significant correlation found between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities, suggesting that these two secondary metabolites may contribute to the antioxidant property of the grass. Overall, the obtained data indicated that the described treatments could be used to manipulate the production and accumulation of bioactive compounds of C. dactylon.

Sea scallops exhibit strong local spatiotemporal structure associated with seabed stability and high flows

AbstractSea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus) live along the Northwest Atlantic continental shelf and are aggregated over a broad range of spatial scales (m2–105 km2). However, little is known about the spatial distribution of local scallop neighborhoods, the scale at which spawning, intra‐specific competition, and predator–prey interactions occur. We surveyed 30,995 km2 of Georges Bank and the Great South Channel annually from 2003 to 2010 counting the number of scallops in 54,016 locally replicated 3.24‐m2 quadrats with underwater video. There were about 4 billion scallops occupying 11,200 km2 of the study area in concentrations from 1 to 41 scallops per scallop. Scallop spatial distribution switched from dispersed to aggregated at a concentration of 3–4 scallops in every year. High concentrations (>3) occurred in 11% but were only persistent in 4% (449 km2) of scallop habitat. There were 13 persistent high‐concentration aggregations (7–217 km2), and all but two occurred on gravel‐dominated sediments left by prehistoric glacial retreat. Model‐derived benthic boundary shear stresses in the persistent aggregations averaged two times higher than in scallop habitat, but the seabed was about two times more stable because it had significantly less sand and more granule–pebble and cobble sediment. The area occupied by scallops each year varied little (9%) despite a 49% increase in total scallop abundance between 2005 and 2007, suggesting Georges Bank scallops have a proportional density population structure. Most scallops occurred alone or at low concentrations (≤2) where fertilization success is probably poor. The persistent high‐concentration aggregations we identified may be critical for successful reproduction and sustainable harvest. Observing organisms at scales corresponding to their individual interactions reveals important processes shaping their landscape‐scale spatiotemporal distributions. These processes are obscured by the methods typically employed to estimate abundances of commercial fishery species. The spatiotemporal structure of sea scallop distribution has important implications for the design of abundance surveys and the assumptions underlying stock assessment methods. These should be investigated. Finally, this work suggests that natural disturbance (sediment stability) may play a substantial role in shaping spatiotemporal distributions and dynamics of benthic marine populations.

9. A Stylistic and Chronological Assessment of the Footprint Petroglyphs from Humayma

The archaeological site of ancient Hawara (modern day Humayma), located in Southern Jordan, consists of occupational phases extending from the Neolithic period until present day. The site represents many diverse cultural groups, including Nabataean, Roman, and Byzantine. During a 2014 field survey, more than 150 petroglyphs were discovered in the mountainous area to the west of the ancient site. These petroglyphs included rock carvings of bovids, humans, and of particular interest to this research project, footprints. Since early humanity, man has been carving footprints all over the world, with various meanings and reasons for doing so. The goal of this research project was to analyze the footprint petroglyphs found surrounding Hawara, in order to determine what each carving was meant to represent, and what general time period each carving came from. This was accomplished by focusing on the artistic style and representation of each footprint, as well as the stratigraphic layering of the carvings. By organizing photographs taken of each footprint into a database, and cross-analyzing them against each other, as well as against other known petroglyphs from Southern Jordan, the study showed that humans have been carving footprints into the hills surrounding Hawara since ancient times, presumably as a way to mark their presence in the area. Over the course of the site’s history, humanity’s motivation for wishing to leave their mark on the land differs, from religious or spiritual reasons to personal. It is hypothesized that over the centuries people carved the footprints around Humayma as offerings to their local gods, most likely to ensure a healthy rainfall and successful harvest in the desert climate.

175 - The Addition of Paclitaxel Allows for the Successful Harvest of Blood Progenitor Cells (BPC) in Patients Who Had Failed to Mobilize Bpc with Tbo-GCSF and Plerixafor

175 - The Addition of Paclitaxel Allows for the Successful Harvest of Blood Progenitor Cells (BPC) in Patients Who Had Failed to Mobilize Bpc with Tbo-GCSF and Plerixafor

Design and test of robotic harvesting system for cherry tomato

Harvesting of fresh-eating cherry tomato was highly costly on labor and time. In order to achieve mechanical harvesting for the fresh-eating tomato, a new harvesting robot was designed, which consisted of a stereo visual unit, an end-effector, manipulator, a fruit collector, and a railed vehicle. The robot configuration and workflow design focused on the special cultivating condition. Three key parts were introduced in detail: a railroad vehicle capably moving on both ground and rail was adopted as the robot’s carrier, a visual servo unit was used to identify and locate the mature fruits bunch, and the end-effector to hold and separate the fruit bunch was designed based on the stalk’s mechanical features. The field test of the new developed robot was conducted and the results were analyzed. The successful harvest rate of the robot was 83%, however, each successful harvest averagely needed 1.4 times attempt, and a single successful harvesting cycle cost 8 s excluding the time cost on moving. Keywords: cherry tomato, harvesting robot, visual servo, configuration design, field test DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20181101.2853 Citation: Feng Q C, Zou W, Fan P F, Zhang C F, Wang X. Design and test of robotic harvesting system for cherry tomato. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2018; 11(1): 96–100.

Genetic diversity and changes in phenolic contents and antiradical activity of Vaccinium myrtillus berries from its southernmost growing area in Italy

In this study, we evaluated by the RAPD technique the genetic diversity of 42 individual Vaccinium myrtillus L. plant samples, collected from different locations of Tuscan Apennines (Italy), which represent the southernmost growing latitude of this plant. Total polyphenols, total anthocyanins and radical scavenging activity were also determined in two successive harvesting years on bilberry samples obtained from the same individuals characterized by molecular analysis. The RAPD analysis indicated a highly prevalent gamic propagation of bilberry in the investigated area, and, in accordance with genetic findings elsewhere reported for populations of Central and Northern Europe, suggested the presence, from North-to-South Europe, of a clonal-to-gamic genetic gradient of the propagation strategy. In the context of a quite homogeneous panorama of biochemical data, significant variations were occasionally evidenced by comparing closely-located individuals. We tentatively attributed such variations mainly to genetics, due to the very close location of biomes exhibiting different biochemical attributes. However, molecular clustering by RAPD did not show any relationship with biochemical diversity. Strong variations of climatic conditions were probable responsible of the remarkable variability of the investigated biochemical parameters in the two harvesting years.

Bedding additives reduce ammonia emission and improve crop N uptake after soil application of solid cattle manure

This study examined the influences of three potential additives, i.e., lava meal, sandy soil top-layer and zeolite (used in animal bedding) amended solid cattle manures on (i) ammonia (NH3), dinitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions and (ii) maize crop or grassland apparent N recovery (ANR). Diffusion samplers were installed at 20 cm height on grassland surface to measure the concentrations of NH3 from the manures. A photoacoustic gas monitor was used to quantitate the fluxes of N2O, CH4 and CO2 after manures’ incorporation into the maize-field. Herbage ANR was calculated from dry matter yield and N uptake of three successive harvests, while maize crop ANR was determined at cusp of juvenile stage, outset of grain filling as well as physiological maturity stages. Use of additives decreased the NH3 emission rates by about two-third from the manures applied on grassland surface than control untreated-manure. Total herbage ANR was more than doubled in treated manures and was 25% from manure amended with farm soil, 26% and 28% from zeolite and lava meal, respectively compared to 11% from control manure. In maize experiment, mean N2O and CO2 emission rates were the highest from the latter treatment but these rates were not differed from zero control in case of manures amended with farm soil or zeolite. However, mean CH4 emissions was not differed among all treatments during the whole measuring period. The highest maize crop ANR was obtained at the beginning of grain filling stage (11–40%), however ample lower crop recoveries (8–14%) were achieved at the final physiological maturity stage. This phenomenon was occurred due to leaf senescence N losses from maize crop during the period of grains filling. The lowest losses were observed from control manure at this stage. Hence, all additives decreased the N losses from animal manure and enhanced crop N uptake thus improved the agro-environmental worth of animal manure.

Star-Shaped Thermoresponsive Polymers with Various Functional Groups for Cell Sheet Engineering.

This study demonstrates the facile preparation of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)-immobilized Petri dishes by drop-casting a star-shaped copolymer of hyperbranched polystyrene (HBPS) possessing PNIPAM arms (HBPS-g-PNIPAM) functionalized with polar groups. HBPS was synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) self-condensing vinyl polymerization (SCVP), and HBPS polymers with different terminal structures were prepared by changing the monomer structure. HBPS-g-PNIPAM was synthesized by the grafting of PNIPAM from each terminal of HBPS. To tune the cell adhesion and detachment properties, polar functional groups such as carboxylic acid and dimethylamino groups were introduced to HBPS-g-PNIPAM. Based on surface characterization using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle measurements, the advantage of the hyperbranched structure for the PNIPAM immobilization was evident in terms of the uniformity, stability, and thermoresponsiveness. Successful cell sheet harvesting was demonstrated on dishes coated with HBPS-g-PNIPAM. In addition, the cell adhesion and detachment properties could be tuned by the introduction of polar functional groups.

Successful autologous peripheral blood stem cell harvest and transplantation after splenectomy in a patient with multiple myeloma with hereditary spherocytosis

Successful autologous peripheral blood stem cell harvest and transplantation after splenectomy in a patient with multiple myeloma with hereditary spherocytosis

Managing disturbance: the response of a dominant intertidal seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jolis to different frequencies and intensities of harvesting

The rockweed Ascophyllum nodosum is a dominant component of intertidal communities across the North Atlantic Ocean, providing both habitat and primary productivity to nearshore ecosystems. Commercial exploitation of this species is widespread and typically involves cutting the distal portion of fronds thereby permitting regrowth by lateral branching and generation of new fronds from the perennial holdfast. Two key management parameters for determining the sustainability of this resource are the cutting height and the recovery period between successive harvests. Here, we assess the influence of these two parameters on several indicators of exploitation, including harvested biomass, remaining biomass, annual harvest yield, and biomass recovery. Over a 28-year period, treatments of two levels of cutting height (15 and 30 cm) and five levels of recovery period (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years) were applied to individual 25-m2 plots. This study provides unique observations of the long-term impacts of different management scenarios on Ascophyllum biomass. In general, indicators were lower for shorter recovery periods of 1 and 2 years. Surprisingly, longer recovery periods of 4 and 5 years rarely increased indicators, suggesting that a 3-year recovery period maximizes harvested biomass. Moreover, a longer cutting height did not consistently result in increased indicators, and indeed, the 15-cm cutting height often provided higher values (e.g., annual harvest rates), than the 30-cm cutting height, especially at longer recovery periods. Other impacts of harvesting beyond effects on biomass (e.g., reproductive capacity, canopy structure, scale of harvested areas) were not measured but are discussed and merit further investigation to better determine harvesting regulations.